Archive for January, 2007
Ready for the next round of new Microgaming Casino games?
You can play them for free (or for real wagers) and there are 8 in total. 2 new slots games (Prime Property and Magic Spell) as well as 5 new multi-hand Gold Series Blackjack games. You can also try your luck at a new 10-play bonus power poker if you’re so inclined.
Best slot of the new releases: PRIME PROPERTY
Here’s what they say:
Play the ‘reel’ estate game in our 5-Reel, 40-Payline Slot and invest your way up the property ladder to wealth. A 1st time buyer Jackpot of $15,000 can be upgraded to a mansion sized $120,000 through a generous ‘Pick Until Pop’ Bonus Game, which also grants a pre-awarded Free Spins and Multiplier Bonus.
Here’s what we say:
Whoever designed this game had obviously had big problems moving house. (The Scatter moving truck drops stuff). I’m also not sure I’d trust any of the key and contract wielding real estate agents either. (What is it they say – realtors are less trusted than used car sales people and only one step ahead of lawyers?)
The panic-buy feeling of the hoards of people rushing past the Prime Property sign (as the wild) freaks me out – I don’t need reminding how tight the market is at present! Perhaps the game developer was actually trying to depict all the nosey neighbours and time wasters coming in for an open home? (Most vendors would relate to this one!)
The bonus game on this slot is great – you just keep selecting houses off the Property pages until the free spins options starts – and we just kept on and on selecting…I was beginning to wonder if the game had screwed up it went on so long. In the end we won over 30,000 coins on 30 free spins. See how you do!
We recommend UK and Europeans players try their hand at these new games at either Spin Palace or Ruby Fortune Casino. (Kahnawake, Canada Licenced and UK-owned)
US Players can play soon (tomorrow I think) at Blackjack Ballroom or Yukon Gold Casino. (Kahnawake, Canada Licenced and part of the popular Casino Rewards group of online entertainment sites).
Use these links above for the latest and best join bonuses. Play for free or for real but the new games are all Viper download verison only – ie you have to download the free casino software to get started)
Best fo Luck,
Elle
January 31st, 2007
Las Vegas Cab Ride
A successful businessman flew to Vegas for the weekend to gamble. He lost his shirt off his back, and had nothing left but a quarter and the second half of his round-trip ticket – if he could just get to the airport he could get himself home.
So he went out to the front of the casino where there was a cab waiting. He got in and explained his situation to the cabbie. So he went out to the front. He promised to send the driver money from home; he offered him his credit card numbers, his driver’s license, his number etc. but to no avail. The cabbie said (adopt the appropriate dialect). “If you don’t have fifteen dollars, get the hell out of my cab!” So businessman was forced to hitchhike to the airport and was barely in time to catch his flight.
One year later, the businessman, having worked long and hard to regain his financial success, returned to Vegas and this time he won big. Feeling pretty good about himself, he went out to the front of the casino to get a cab ride back to the airport. Well, who should he see out there but at the end of a long line of cabs, but his old buddy who had refused to give him a ride when he was down on his luck.
The businessman thought for a moment about how he could make the guy pay for his lack of charity, and he hit on a plan.
The businessman got in the first cab in the line, “How much for a cab to the airport,” he asked. “Fifteen bucks came the reply. “And how much for you to give me a blow job on the way?” “What?!!! Get the hell out of my cab.”
The businessman got in the back of each of the cabs in the long line and asked the same questions, with the same result. When he got to his old friend at the back of the line, he got in and asked, “How much for a ride to the airport?” The cabbie replied, “fifteen bucks”
The businessman said “ok” and off they went. Then as they drove slowly past the long line of cabs the businessman gave a big smile and thumbs up sign to each driver.
>>Visit 49erCasino
>>Read an independent review of 49er Casino (what’s hot and not, payment methods, ownership, licencing, etc)
January 30th, 2007
Get your free online slots hit here!
Play these 4 great Microgaming casino slots games without a software download or needing to register. No obligation to play for real either – ever!
Clicking on any of the images or links below will open a browser window and load the game for you. It just takes a few seconds. You get $1000 in play credits each time you play a new game. The site is safe and secure and runs on the same software and settings as the real money play (the games are powered by Spin Palace Casino, one of the UK’s top online gambling sites).
Play as many times as you like.
The famous 5 reel slot with great images & sound plus a bonus game collecting icons for payout.
Play Lara Croft Tomb Raider slot now
A Sherrif, pumpkin pie, lots of bumpkins, a granny with a shot gun guarding the hooch – what more can you want?
Play Moonshine 5-reel Slot now
A 5-reel slots game with a game fishing theme. In the bonus game choose you boat wisely!
Play Reel-strike 5 reel Slot now
A fun 3 reel slot – bonus game is triggered by 3 spice pots in a row. Try not to drain that beer too quickly!
Play Cash n Curry slot now
January 28th, 2007
Online gambling enthusiasts in the United States of America should show their respect for the gutsy efforts of the little Caribbean nation Antigua and Barbuda.
Single handedly, well, technically they have a population of 67800, Antigua has just won its 4-year legal battle against the U.S. ban on Internet gaming. The actual content of the “slap in the face with a wet fish” that the WTO has said it is prepared to hand out to the US, is complicated.
US representatives with the “might is right” attitude the rest of the world has come to associate with all US dealings on the global stage, are still disputing the outcome and are looking to weasel out of any obligations the ruling may impart.
It is ironic that at this point in time when the United States is upbraiding other WTO nations for failing to meet their obligations under WTO agreements and failing to act as “responsible stakeholders” in international trade matters, the very same United States government would treat its own WTO obligations to Antigua and Barbuda with such scant regard.
So what? The ruling is the latest step on a path which could eventually see the European Union take on the US over its treatment of the European internet gambling industry. The EU has previously said that it was an “interested party” in the case.
Show your support for poor little Antigua by signing up for some fun at 49er Casino. (Our top rated Antigua-based online casino) (…and of course hope like hell the EU is feeling like supporting the litle guy!)
49erCasino (hosted by cartoon character Yosemite Sam who will insist you “come git yer gold!” You can shut the little bugger up while you look around the casino site – there’s a mute option upper left side of the fiesty wee varmint)
>>GO TO 49er Casino (top Antigua-based online casino)
>>GO TO 49er Casino review
January 28th, 2007
Have that creepy feeling that the 13th is unlucky for some? Not at Betfred Casino! Banish that bad luck as every month on the 13th, players receive 10% back on any losses that they incur on the day. You can get back up to £5000 (or currency equivalent).
This makes the 13th of February a great day to try out Fred’s new Ultimate Fighters slots game, the new Mini Roulette (less numbers=bigger wins) or even the new Pachinko game, Dolphin’s Paradise. Gold Rally jackpot is sitting at around £177,000 and BetFred’s blackjack is stylish and quick to play.
The next promotion runs from 00:00 to 23:59 EST on the 13/02/07 but this offer comes around every month at BetFred Casino.
Based on Playtech casino software, Betfred Casino is the online casino division of Betfred Ltd, one of the UK’s top five sports betting companies. It is fully licensed and registered in Curacao (Netherlands Antilles). Fred Done, its founder, features heavily in Bet Fred promos and is renowned as the “Bonus King” as there is always a good selection of tempting offers for new and existing customers at his one-stop casino, poker and bookmaker site.
New players get a 100% first deposit match to £100 (or currency equivalent).
Tempt fate – try your own luck on or before February 13th at BetFred Casino!
>>GO TO BetFred Casino
>>GO TO Review of BetFred Casino
>>GO TO Up-to-date Casino Bonuses Comparison (top 15 ranked sites)
January 27th, 2007
OK, so you like to play at a casino with a wild west theme? The Gold Rush, Cowboys and plenty of yeehar promotions? There are two top casinos we recommend for fun and potentially lucrative casino play if you are so inclined – this blog is a quick shoot-out between them.
BLACKJACK COMPARISON
Yukon Gold wins hands down really – Microgaming blackjack is in our view the best on the net. There are around 30 different blackjack games on offer at Yukon Gold including the ultra-relaistic Gold Series Single Deck Classic Blackjack (highly recommended). That said, 49er Casino’s Blackjack does load and play very quickly and they offer 18 card room style games like Pontoon, Stud, and Super21.
ROULETTE COMPARISON
After you get over the great graphics of the Gold Series Roulette at Yukon Gold, our testers actually preferred the quick and clean action of 49er Casino’s virtual roulette tables. American o and oo as welll as European roulettes on offer.
SLOTS COMPARISION
Well… you really cannot compare the two – Microgaming slots are simply stunning. Yukon Gold offers around 120 slots games in a range of game formats (3-reel, 5-reel with bonus feature games and/or free spins). The odds are not great at either casino for slots although long term payouts across all slots games are about the same at 95.96% (49er) and 95.89% (Yukon). If you like one armed bandit style slots 49er has some great classics on offer along with more interactive slots like Paris Beauty and Red Sands (pictured).
VIDEO OR POWER POKER COMPARISION
We have never rated Microgaming power poker that highly – Video poker games at 49er Casino are very responsive and with a reasonable range of single and multi-hand options and gamble bets.
SUMMARY:
Both of these sites offer good safe online casino play for those who like it a little on the wild (west) side. Play for free or play for real but visit these two casinos via the links below for the latest join bonuses and player rewards:
>> GO TO Yukon Gold Casino
>> GO TO 49er Casino (Come git yer gold!)
January 26th, 2007
January 24, 2007 – A “bonza sheila”, Shazza, (hopefully not her real name) celebrates one of the biggest ever jackpot wins at an online casino, after hitting the King Cashalot slot machine for over £1m ($1.9m) – that’s a cool 2.4million Australian dollars.
Shazza was playing at the classy UK owned Online Casino, 32Red.
She said of her win… ‘I still can’t believe it. I don’t think it has sunk in. I’m numb! I remember almost in slow motion how the kings dropped into place and the jackpot window appeared. I’m still finding it difficult to believe that such good fortune could happen to me. Thank you 32Red!’ (No doubt she will celebrate by swatting off a few flies and throwing another prawn on the barbie).
CEO and founder of 32Red, Ed Ware should have said “Good on ya mate!” as this applies to Aussie females too, but instead he said ‘Not only is this the biggest ever online jackpot win at 32Red, but more importantly it means that our customer can now celebrate Australia Day this Friday in style!’ (Fancy knowing that? Ed must have one of “those diaries”)
Roger Raatgever, CEO of Microgaming said of the win…
‘This latest King Cashalot payout is the highest sum ever won on the Microgaming Progressive Jackpot Network and delivers our eleventh millionaire in less than four years. Our progressive has paid out over $225m in winnings during this period and with the Mega Moolah progressive now sitting at over a million dollars, it won’t be long before there is another player joining the millionaire club.’
Fancy your chances? King Cashalot has been won on a regular basis over the last year, and usually for over $1 million and Mega Moolah is slots fun safari style .
>>Here’s a link to 32Red in case you’re feeling lucky. 21 Progressive Jackpots feature among the 230+ casino games on offer at 32Red Casino.
>>As US residents can’t play at 32Red you might like to try your luck at top microgaming Casino, Blackjack Ballroom Casino instead (US residents welcome from 11 States).
January 25th, 2007
You’ve gotta hand it to them, Eurobet Casino are good at player promotions.
The guys at Eurobet Casino have just launched an all-new enhanced 3D version of an old favourite casino slotsgame: Pharoahs Chamber. To celebrate this great 5-reel slot they are running a special offer where you can win a trip to Egypt valued at £3000 (or flat-screen TVs and DVD Box Sets featuring The Mummy, The Mummy Returns & The Scorpion King!)
Stake £25 or currency equivalent playing Pharaoh’s Chamber between Wednesday 24th January and Wednesday 31st January to be in the lucky draw.
Even if you don’t find yourself sailing the Nile in luxury you can still be a winner by claiming the £5 Instant Cash Bonus.
>>Link to Eurobet Casino
>>Link to an independent review of Eurobet Casino (what’s hot and not, payment methods, payouts, etc)
Sorry, due to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act Eurobet Casino no longer accepts US residents.
January 24th, 2007
Just published!
Two new pages on CasinoLabRat.com may be of interest to our UK and US readers.
BEST UK-OWNED CASINOS
CasinoLabRat.com gets lots of enquiries from UK based Casino Players wanting a great online casino that is UK owned and offers safe, fun and potentially profitable gambling. Several of our test team are UK residents including a Geordie and a Scot.
Here’s a link to a new page of fact sheets on the top 5 online casinos that are UK owned and specially cater to British players who wish to run accounts in pounds sterling GBP.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR USA RESIDENTS
Our team of casino testers includes members based in California, Maryland, Florida and Hawaii and so we know that US casino players have a different set of challenges in deciding where to play their blackjack, slots or roulette. CasinoLabRat.com gets lots of enquiries from US Players concerned about the number of online casinos that no longer accept residents of the USA due to the recent US anti-gambling legislation changes.
Here’s a link to page of fact sheets on the top 4 online casinos that still welcome USA players. It may help you make your mind up where to play. It also includes an update on Payments Options for US players.
January 21st, 2007
If you were around in the sixties you’d have been playing blackjack with a single deck, the dealer would stand on soft 17, and doubling would be allowed on any of the first 2 cards. Heaven.
Nowadays we are used to playing with 2 decks (and the house edge increases by 0.3%), four decks (increases to 0.5%) and even six decks (0.6%) or at some casinos eight decks…
If we then consider that doubling down is restricted to 9, 10 and 11, the house has gained another 0.1%. As a dealer’s blackjack beats yours, we’re now down a further 0.1%. Add no re-splitting and you’ve lost another 0.1% to the house.
Is it really worth playing?
Well, yes – and no. Whether you’re playing at an online casino or in-the-flesh if you play tight and follow a few golden rules you should be able to level up the game. But remember – quit while you are winning or you’ll plough it all back in!
HOUSE RULES
First learn the rules and proper strategy – these can vary from one casino to another. Never (and we mean ever!) play at a casino that does not disclose the basic information you need in order to make informed blackjack decisions. Read the HELP, FAQ or contact the casino support team for details – it is your right to know!
NUMBER OF DECKS
The more decks used, the greater the house advantage – so look out for low deck games. (Single deck games are available at Blackjack Ballroom Casino)
SOFT 17
You have an edge when the dealer stands with a soft 17 (say, for example an Ace and a 6)
DOUBLE DOWN
Limitations on what combinations a player can double-down on increases the house advantage. In some games players can only double down on a 10 or 11, and not after splitting.
SPLITTING
In some games players are not allowed to re-split cards (i.e. splitting after a split) or re-split Aces.
DEALER PEEK
In most US Casinos the blackjack dealer checks for blackjack when the up-card is an Ace or a 10 that is to your advantage.
TIP: Avoid the blackjack insurance bet like the plague as there is a house advantage of 5-8%! (This is where an Ace is showing you bet the dealer will hit a blackjack at 2/1)
WHERE TO PLAY ONLINE?
Blackjack Ballroom has 34 Blackjack games variants available – including 5 single deck games and the ultra-realistic Microgaming Gold Series Blackjack in both single-hand and multi-hand versions. Licensed in Kahnawake, Canada, this online casino is well worth a look. US based players are still welcomed from 11 States.
For UK and European blackjack enthusiasts we regard BetFred Casino as the best Playtech-based online casino. .
Click here for fact sheets on the top 8 online casinos we recommend for Blackjack.
January 21st, 2007
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