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In what has proved to be a very generous week for Microgaming, the casino software provider has confirmed to CasinoLabRat.com that it has paid out over two million dollars in 2 jackpot wins.
For fans of Microgaming’s online casino progressive slots, don’t panic! You have not missed the change to create online gambling history by winning the $5 million plus mega jackpot on Mega Moolah slot.
King Cashalot and Major Millions, however, have both been struck!
First up a Norwegian won $946,886.05* on King Cashalot and then a Scottish player triggered a jackpot of $1,094,112.81* on Major Millions becoming Mcirogaming’s 12th instant millionaire.
Ed Ware, 32Red Casino’s CEO, said ‘I have great pleasure in confirming that the Major Millions jackpot was hit at 32Red.com over the weekend’
‘Having spoken to the winner, AnneC, yesterday, she is understandably absolutely thrilled with the win. She’s been a player at 32Red.com for a few years and has incredibly had a much smaller jackpot win in the past too. What is especially pleasing for us is that Anne is the second millionaire created at 32Red in the last 13 months.’
Feeling lucky? Here are the latest Jackpots*:
Mega Moohlah $5,135,548
Roulette Royalle $766,691
King Cashalot $507,207
Major Millions $279,405
Tunzamunni $220,049
* The winning amount at Microgaming Casinos is paid out in the currency in which the winner has played the game.
If you’re looking for a safe and potentially extra-lucky new online casino to play these games why not try 32Red? (Sorry no US players) or
Zodiac Casino (A stylish purple and black astrological themed Mcirogaming casino that accepst players from around the world including US residents from 39 States).
February 29th, 2008
The latest February competition from Australian online gambling specialists, Canbet, gives you the chance to win a 42″ High Definition LCD TV valued at £1,000 (€1,500)*
It’s easy to enter and, as always, you’ve got to be in to win!
Canbet Casino is powered by top software provider Microgaming, and offers a full suite of all the latest card & table games – and of course the best slot machines on the net.
To enter the draw, follow steps 1-2 below:
1. Register to participate by entering the promotional code: TELLY on the My Account page of the Canbet website between 1 February and 29 February 2008.
2. You automatically earn an entry into the prize draw every time you:
– Bet £50 (€75) at Canbet Casino -or-
– Bet £50 (€75) on Sports or Racing -or-
– Play 50 Poker Raked Hands
The more entries you have the greater your chances of owning a new TV by early March!
The lucky winner will be announced on Monday 3 March 2008.
Make this prize yours – check out Canbet Casino now! (Sorry, no US players can join Canbet Casino)
For more info read the latest online casino review of Canbet Casino – here at CasinoLabRat.com.
February 2nd, 2008
Thanks to the 2 CasinoLabRat.com readers who sent in these seasonal cartoons. Excellent. Hope you’re enjoying some festive cheer!
The team at CasinoLabRat.com
December 25th, 2007
Three Christmas cartoons worth sharing 😉
Check out our “new look” web site – CasinoLabRat.com has been madeover…
December 19th, 2007
Here’s an excellent piece of gambling advice on “Bold Play” from author and probability expert, John Haigh.
This example uses Roulette as it is by far the most popular casino game, apparently taking around 60% of total casino stakes in the UK and Europe. The lesson to be learned from this example, however, is just as applicable to all casino games, even slot machines where max bets rather than single line betting is recommended for maximum returns.
REACHING A GOAL
Paul needs £216 for an air ticket to see his team play in the European Cup final tonight. He has half that amount, £108, but might as well have nothing! Can the roulette wheel at his favourite casino help?
Faced with any similar problem, there is one maxim: in unfavourable games, bold play is best, timid play is worst.
To advise Paul, let’s begin by simplifying the situation, and suppose that even money bets on roulette also lose when zero turns up. Then the house advantage is the same whatever individual bet we make.
One bold play is to bang the entire £108 on Red. Then 18 times out of 37 – or 48.6% of the time Paul can cash his chips immediately for £216, and travel to the game. Otherwise, he’s lost all his money and must watch the game on TV!
There are other bold approaches. He could divide his money into 18 equal piles of £6, and be prepared to make successive bets on a single number until he has either run out of cash, or one bet has succeeded. Single numbers pay at 35:1, so one win is enough. To calculate his chance of success, we first find the chance that all his bets lose. Any bet loses 36 times in 37, so the chances they all lose is 0.61. For this strategy, the chance that at least one bet wins is 39%, rather worse than the single bet on Red.
Paul has an alternative way to use the 35:1 payout on single number bets. He already has £108. so if he uses just £4 on the first bet (£3 is not quite enough), a win would take him to his target, so long as he has at least £76, a winning bet using a £4 stake gains enough; with less than this, he should stake £5, and when he has £41 left as bankroll, he must increase each bet to £6. In this way, he can plan to make a total of 22 bets if necessary (nine of £4, seven of £5, six of £6); if any of them win, he has reached his target, otherwise he is reduced to £1.
The chance that they all lose is about 54.7%, so he succeeds only 45.3% of the time. His last-ditch hope is to win a 5:1 bet with the final £1, and then a 35:1 bet using the £6: this takes his chance up to 45.7% only. Overall, this is better than trying the 18 bets of £6, but not as good as one big bet on Red.
One final try: place his whole £108 bankroll on the odds-on bet of a split column. If that wins, he has £162, so he can now place £54 on Red; if that wins, victory! If that loses, he is back to £108 and can begin to repeat his sequence. This strategy wins only 47.3% of the time. All of these alternatives attempts are inferior to the original suggestion of a single bet on one of the even money chances. And, in reality, that bet is even more favourable than we have supposed, because of the zero rule on the bets on Red. Taking that into account, Paul has a 49.3% chance of getting to see the match. His stay at the casino will be short, but he has no interest in the extended pleasure of watching his fortune fluctuate; it is the airport or bust!
The numbers in this example were chosen to make it mathematically easy, but bold play means making as few bets as possible.
Compare the top online casinos we recommend for great roulette
December 15th, 2007
Dublinbet always has a fun competition or promotion on offer for it’s casino players and the lead in to Christmas is no exception.
They’re currently running another of their Limerick competitions for those inclined to combine wit and words… and in an unusual promo you can earn a lambswool sweater
(perhaps not quite as cute as the 2 in the photo! …and do not write in and tell me all about the sad reality behind the slink skins these lambs are actually wearing, rather than wooly jumpers! I’m a New Zealander – where the sheep population far exceeds the people population!)
DublinBet Casino’s latest winning Limerick: (By Paul R. of Westport)
There once was a man called Kilfeather,
Who fancied himself as a bettor,
His pride it was hurt,
As he soon lost his shirt,
His trousers, his socks and his sweater.
Can you do better? Fancy yourself a lyrical genius? Put pen to paper fingers to keyboard and send DublinBet Casino an email with your best Limerick. Judging is 100% subjective and making them laugh is more likely to win. Enter as often as you like!
Top rated Irish online casino, DublinBet runs Limerick contests on a regular basis and you can win €100 – credited to your player account!
In addition, you can earn a FREE 100% Lambswool sweater! Yes, that’s a FREE Sweater!
When you deposit €500 or more at DublinBet they’ll ship you a FREE 100% lambswool sweater. This is easily the best sweater you will ever own – shipped to you direct from Ireland! (…Let’s hope they are not green!) Act soon – this promotion ends December 31st at midnight GMT.
Check out details of these promos onsite at DublinBet Casino.
>>Read more about this top Irish online casino in a detailed review of DublinBet Casino onsite at CasinoLabRat.com. (Sorry no US players)
December 14th, 2007
Looking for a new online casino slot that’s just a bit different? Play Betsson Casino’s New Slot Machine: Pacific Attack.
Powered by Net Entertainment, Pacific Attack is a fun new slot game with an amazing bonus feature in a “You sunk my Battleship” format. This 5 reel 15 payline slot gives you the opportunity to win up to 250,000 coins. Even if you’re a pacifist I suggest you check this one out as the game graphics are just that good!
No “filler” icons like 9,10,J… check out the parachutists, pilots, medals for valour, bombs, mines, dog fighting planes, and even a sweetheart – some of which animate – this really is one of the more appealing casino games I’ve seen that is not on the Microgaming casino platform.
Maximise to full screen for the bonus game that lets you be part of an air strike to sink the enemy fleet!
You can play Pacific Attack for free without registration to try the game (just skip entering any sign-on details and click ‘play for fun’ instead)
Ready for war? Visit Betsson Casino now.
Betsson Casino is part of a very successful & rapidly growing Swedish betting & gaming company and offers some really different online slot machines (plus great classic Blackjack and casino games).
Designed for a truly global mix of players, Betsson site languages include: English, German, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish and Turkish – with payment & support services well established to cater for 24/7 global play.
November 5th, 2007
Okay, building on the last 2 blog posts I made (the 3 approaches to blackjack and basic blackjack strategy) here are two tables that should help you make smarter decisions on what to do when you hold specific cards – and the dealer up-card is a certain card. They should be used in conjunction with the earlier table (The “Easiest Options” posted 24 October, 2007).
Playing pairs in blackjack basic strategy.
How to play the soft hands under basic blackjack strategy. (For example where an A-3 hand can be totalled as a “soft 14” or a “4”)
Remember, the basic rules that make up these tables are tested (not just by me – but through billions of hands by computer software). Quite simply, if you apply these rules on when to Stand, Hit, Split or Double down you will considerably improve your chances of making money playing Blackjack!
Play blackjack at Blackjack Ballroom Casino (play for free as a guest to practice your basic strategy!) Europeans, Canadians, Australians, UK residents… and Americans from 39 States are very welcome.
The best Live Dealer blackjack on the net can be found at Ireland’s DublinBet.com. DublinBet’s Distance Gaming® is a ‘must-try’ even if you’re not fussed for live dealer games – we rate the unique and patented Early Payout Blackjack. (Sorry, no US players)
October 25th, 2007
This blog posting and the one a couple of days ago are all about “How to Become a Winning Blackjack Player” – you really can improve your play and potentially make more money at the Blackjack table.
In my last blog posting I discussed the 3 playing strategies for Blackjack (ie be a loser and just back yourself, your lucky stars, or whatever; play “basic strategy”; or card count). I also covered some key info you should find out before you start to play a blackjack game for real money…like the table rules! These can make a significant difference to your chances of winning.
There’s no one perfect basic strategy for every Blackjack game, as the rules do vary between casinos and between individual game variants. But, for a typical set of rules, some of the key decisions you take are set out in the table below. This covers “the easy options” – what you should do when you have specific cards in your hand and when the dealer’s up-card is a specific card.
Note: The dealer’s hand is considered the most important card at the blackjack table – and many players still don’t even bother to even look at it! 
I’ll give you a quick summary table of what to do with pairs and also how to handle “soft hands” (ie like A-7 or A-2) under basic blackjack strategy in my next blog post.
Remember, this stuff is tried and true and tested (not by me – but through billions of hands by computer software). If you follow it, these decisions on when to Stand, Hit, Split or Double down will considerably improve your chances of making money playing Blackjack!
Kishan Neilsen
As I said in my previous blog, my favourite online casino for Blackjack is Blackjack Ballroom – their 38 Microgaming Blackjack game variants offer excellent game play. (US players from 39 States accepted, but a favourite with Canadians and Europeans too)
Carbon Poker is the other site I enjoy – and lots of CasinoLabRat.com readers frequently pull fairly large wins at the Blackjack side games on offer at this US-friendly online poker room! (players from all US States welcome)
October 24th, 2007
Yes! You can beat casino odds and win at Blackjack.
There are 3 ways to play Blackjack:
1. Rely on your gut instincts on whether to take another card, have no understanding of splitting or doubling-down and, above all, never look at the dealer’s up-card. You’re essentially giving the casino a needless 30% advantage, you’ll be dead meat! A huge number of Blackjack players “try their luck” in this manner!
2. Learn Basic strategy. This is the most sensible option. Thanks to computer programs that have tested how to play every possible hand billions of times, players needn’t take decisions based on gut reactions or ignorance. Basic strategy has transformed the pot-luck approach of the game – and you’ll win more often (although you’ll sometimes still get burned). And remember that the odds are still against you, so managing your stakes and having a clear financial strategy for winning or losing is essential.
At CasinoLabRat.com it’s amazing how often we see big winners – and we mean big – at the blackjack tables of many of the top rated online casinos!
Note: there is no one perfect basic strategy for every Blackjack game, as the rules are variable. But, for a typical set of casino rules, a table of the decisions you take will be set out in the next blog I’ll post.
3. Use a card counting technique. Ah, yes, this is the best way to win. It isn’t difficult to understand, but takes time to perfect. Operated well, card counting reverses the odds. Instead of the odds favouring the casino by about 2% even for a good basic strategy player, a card counter turns the odds to perhaps 2% in his favour. However, be warned: the better chance of card counting comes with a severe risk of being banned and facing a scary session with the gorillas below the stairs! (And it’s really only achievable at in-the-flesh casino Blackjack rather than online blackjack play).
Some Tips for Winning Blackjack
Top Tip 1: Big wins usually result from successful splits and double-downs. Always be ready to grab the chance when presented!
Top Tip 2: If the dealer’s up-card is an Ace, the dealer offers the chance of buying insurance. Basic strategy dictates that you don’t!
Top Tip 3: Blackjack rules vary, so check ‘em out before playing! Here’s some examples of things to look out for:
- Does the dealer have to stand on soft 17 (e.g. A-6?) This is a good rule for the player.
- How many decks are used? (It varies from one to eight or so usually) One is good.
- Can you surrender a bad hand, losing half the stake against a good dealer up card?
- Can you double down on any hand or just on certain totals?
- How often can you double down? (More is better)
- Can you only split pairs?
- Can you split more often than once? (This is good for players but seldom allowed)
- Can you double down after a split? (If you can this is a big advantage)
- If splitting Aces, then can just one more card be taken on each hand? (This is a bad rule for the player)
- Does the casino pay 3/2 if you get a Blackjack (and Ace plus a 10, Jack Queen or King?) Or are they into the new trend of paying only 6/5? (ie bad!)
…Continued in the next blog post,
Kishan
If you’re looking for the best site for Blackjack , we like and play at Blackjack Ballroom Casino. There are 38 different Blackjack variants available at Blackjack Ballroom – including several single deck blackjack options and a range of the popular Microgaming Gold series game format with ultra realistic card turns, chips and table layouts. Players from most countries are welcome, including US players from 39 States.
We’ve seen some big wins come through on Blackjack tables from players at CarbonPoker.com too – all US players are welcome at this top Australian-run online poker and gaming room.
October 23rd, 2007
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