Category Archives: Online gambling in the United States

Ask Me Anything About Online Gambling via eMail

If you have any questions at all about online gambling, or gambling in general, just send me an email at:

r0bertmedl at the0nlinecasin0gamblingdirect0ry dot c0m

In the above email address, replace 0 (zero) with o (the letter o).

I can help with questions about:

 

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BetSoft Online Casino Alternative Now Live

In June, I blogged that Bovada.lv was the only BetSoft online casino available to US players. Earlier this month, the owners of Bovada.lv launched another online casino on the BetSoft platform — Slots.lv. In fact, Slots.lv offers the slots from two online casino software vendors — BetSoft and RTG. That’s a first!

Slots.lv is the ultimate Vegas-style online casino for North American players, offering more than 160 of the very best games available anywhere on the internet. Players can enjoy the fun and excitement of Slots, Blackjack, Roulette, Video Poker and much more.

At Slots.lv, players are rewarded all the time for their play. Aside from generous regular promotions offering everything from cash prizes to free vacations, new members can benefit from a $5,000 Welcome Bonus for Slot games as well as a $1,000 Table Game Bonus.

Anyone playing at Slots.lv is eligible for its great loyalty program called Slots Club. Players earn Club Points based on how much they play and those points are automatically converted to cash rewards every second Friday. On top of that, there’s a Slots Club monthly prize draw for a $777 cash prize.

Slots.lv is trusted and respected in the industry. It offers 24/7 customer service, quick and easy payouts, multiple deposit methods and a highly-secure gaming environment. Along with its range of top quality games, generous promotional offers and fun vintage Vegas theme, Slots.lv is an excellent choice.

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Three Online Progressive Jackpot Slot Machines from Vistagaming

Vistagaming Software is a brand of online bingo software that has more than just online bingo — it also has table games, video poker, and slot machines. In essence, Vistagaming Software is more of a small online casino software provider that also has online bingo.

Since I’ve been focused on online slot machines in my most recent posts, I thought that I would continue along those lines with a post about the Progressive Jackpot Slot Machines at sites that run Vistagaming Software.

As of this writing, the top progressive jackpot is over $25,000!

Here are the three progressive slots that you’ll find at Vistagaming Software sites.

Progressive Jackpot Online Slot MachineProgressive Jackpot Online Slot MachineProgressive Jackpot Online Slot Machine

While these three slot machines may at first appear to be different, in essence they are the same slot machine. Each is simply a different skin, all playing for the same progressive jackpot. If you prefer a magical, mystical theme, go for Fairy Nights. Try Greek Myths if you’re into mythology and the gods. And finally, for a taste of the orient, check out Winds of Arabia.

Bingo Fest is the only 5-star recommended site at The Online Casino Gambling Directory for these progressive jackpot slot machines. They are currently offering $5 free to all new members, as well as a nice 500% bonus on initial deposits. In addition to being US-friendly, I’ve found Bingo Fest to be credit-card friendly as well, making depositing a breeze.

Bingo Sky and Cyber Bingo are also good choices.

Check out my complete list of all online slot machines that you’ll find at Vistagaming Software sites.

 

 

 

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BetSoft 3D Slots Available to US Players

BetSoft’s 3D slots are some of the most innovative in the industry. Until recently, however, no US-friendly online casino has offered them to its players — but that’s now changed.

Bovada.lv is the only online casino (that I am aware of, at least) that offers US players the chance to play the more than 35 BetSoft 3D Slots. You’ll find that these slots cover sports, fantasy, sci-fi, and so on. Many of them have clever story lines that will keep you interested in the game for longer than most.

Here are the five newest BetSoft 3D Slots available at Bovada.

Skeeter the farmer lived a nice and quiet life. This all changed one morning, as he discovered that he had been paid a visit from a mysterious extra-terrestrial plant – it came from Venus. Join him and his alien plant-friend in this brand new 3D Slot game, as they try to evade the army, whose mission it is to capture Skeeter’s newfound friend and dissect it. With Random Wilds, bonus rounds, free spins and a ton of other great features, your good deed of helping to protect this foreign plant will grant you great winnings.
Rook, everyone’s favorite Aztec chief, is at it again in this incredible 5-reel, 25 line cascading reels 3D Slot game. Follow the path less traveled as you make your way into the heart of the rainforest in search of unbelievable riches. With Rook as your guide, find the hidden treasure vault in order to reap luxurious rewards. With exploding symbols, wilds and Golden Masks that trigger Free Spin bonus rounds, your journey into the rainforest will be nothing less than thrilling.
Pack your bags and get ready to journey into the wild as you join Safari Sam on his adventures into the unexplored wilderness. This exotic 5-Reel, 30 Line 3D Slot game offers you a glance at an impressive African landscape, with tons of opportunities to win big. Help Sam choose the best spot to watch the wild animals and you’ll enter the bonus round, giving you ample opportunities to increase your winnings.
Chow down at the hottest sushi spot in town. This 5-Reel, 25 Line 3D Slot game has world renowned chef, Haru, slicing and dicing the most delicious array of sushi, all for your pleasure. Whether you prefer Sashimi or Nigiri, you’re appetite is sure to grow as you watch the sushi he prepares spin across the Reels. Add a little soy sauce to your plate to amplify your winnings with the Soy Sauce Wild Multiplier feature. If the wasabi’s got you spiced up, three or more Fan symbols will get you a bunch of free spins, meaning more money in your pocket. Be sure to grab a seat at the bar with an empty stomach when you play Sushi Bar.
Back in the 19th century, a brilliant young inventor named Mr. Miles Bellhouse invented a wondrously novel machine that allowed people to travel through time. Now you’ve got a chance to get a glimpse of time’s past when you join Miles and his trusted robot assistant Gizmo, as they travel through the years in this time-defying 5-Reel, 30 Line 3D Slot game. Be careful though, the nosy General Traytor has got his sights on Miles’ invention and will stop at nothing to steal it. Brace yourself and hop aboard The Curious Machine – you’re in for the ride of your life.

In addition to accepting players from all US states and most other countries, Bovada allows all of their players to play any of the games in practice mode. If you do decide to make a deposit, you might want to claim their 50% initial deposit bonus when you make a deposit between $20 and $500.

Good luck!

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$4000 Online Slots Tournament

Online Slots Tournament at Miami Club Online Casino

There is a $4000 Online Slots Tournament running now through the end of May 2013 at Miami Club Casino. Entries and rebuys are just $1 on their newest online slot machine, High Roller.

To play, sign up and register at Miami Club Casino. Then. from the lobby, go to Tournaments and click on the online slots tournament named Spring Round Cash 2.

As of right now, the top prize is $600, with the top 9 finishers winning real cash. A further 350 will win at least $10 in bonus cash.

Miami Club Casino is US-friendly and accepts real-money players from all US states.

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Loco Promos at Loco Panda

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Loco Panda has a promotion to suit everyone’s taste.

  • Slots players will enjoy the extended play offered by the 400% PANDASLOTS promotion. Deposit between $21 and $1000, and play to your heart’s content on Bonus Bingo, European Slot Poker, Real Series Video Slots, Slots, Keno and Scratch cards. This promotion can be used only one, and carries a 30x playthrough.
  • If you like playing the numbers, then you’re in luck! Loco Panda has special bonuses just for Keno and bingo games! Get a 250% match on deposits of $75 or more to play your favorite games – Bingo and Keno! Use bonus code: DISCOBALLS. This promotion can be used only once, and carries a 30x playthrough.
  • Table players can use bonus code LOCOTABLES to get 150% up to $3000 on deposits between $21 and $2000 to play Blackjack, Perfect Pairs, Texas Holdem Bonus Poker, Multi Hand Video Poker and Video Poker.  This promotion can be used twice, and carries a 120x playthrough.
  • For those of you who are looking for a place to be a high roller, Loco Panda is it. Use BIGPANDA and get an amazing 200% match bonus up to $2,000 on deposits of $500 to $1000 for all table games, including Blackjack and Video Poker. This promotion can be used only once and carries a 120x playthrough.

Loco Panda runs Realtime Gaming software, and accepts players from most countries, including the United States of America.

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Don’t play online video poker until you read this

One of the first things that video poker players learn is to pay attention to the pay table for the video poker game that they are playing. In the long run, the difference between a 9/6 and an 8/5 Jacks or Better machine is enormous.

(For the uninitiated, the “N/M” designation for a Jacks or Better machine refers to the payouts for a Full House and a Flush, respectively. The payouts for other winning hands are (usually) the same for all Jacks or Better machines, e.g. 1 for a high pair, 2 for two pair, 3 for a three of a kind, etc.)

Just like when playing video poker in a land-based casino, online video poker players should shop around and compare pay tables at various online casinos. This is a time-consuming process — I know because I have done it for three popular video poker games: Jacks or Better (JoB), Deuces Wild (DW) and Double Double Bonus (DDB).

What makes the comparison even more difficult is that not all online casino operators that run on the same platform (e.g. Real Time Gaming, Rival, BetOnSoft, etc.) have the same paytables, as operators are typically allowed to use whatever paytables they wish. So, you can’t look at just one online casino on each platform — you have to hunt for the best online casino on each platform.

Here is the expected return percentages for three popular video pokers, single handed, assuming optimal play and maximum coins in. For each variety of video poker, a green cell indicates the highest available return, yellow indicates a reasonable return, and red indicates a poor return.

Online Casino JoB DW DDB
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Treasure Mile 99.54 99.42 98.98
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Slots Plus 99.54 98.91 98.98
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Bovada 99.54 98.91 98.98
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) 3Dice 99.54 98.91 97.87
Accepts real-money players from the United States (most states) Americas Cardroom 99.54 96.77 95.71
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Dendera 99.54 98.91 N/A
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Buzzluck 99.54 98.91 N/A
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) SuperBet Palace 99.54 96.77 N/A
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Tropical Cash – Players Edge 96.15 98.01 N/A
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) OddsMaker 94.38 95.13 N/A

It looks like the top three are pretty close, with Treasure Mile holding a slight edge over Slots Plus and Bovada. But look what happens when you compare the same games in their multi-hand varieties.

Online Casino JoB DW DDB
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Treasure Mile 99.54 99.42 98.98
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Slots Plus 97.30 98.91 98.98
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Bovada 97.30 98.91 98.98
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) 3Dice 99.54 98.91 97.87
Accepts real-money players from the United States (most states) Americas Cardroom 99.54 96.77 95.71
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Dendera 99.54 98.91 N/A
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Buzzluck 97.30 98.91 N/A
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) SuperBet Palace 99.54 96.77 N/A
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) Tropical Cash – Players Edge 96.15 98.01 N/A
Accepts real-money players from the United States (all states) OddsMaker 94.38 95.13 N/A

Treasure Mile offers the same return on its multi-hand video pokers as it does on its single hand video pokers, giving it the clear edge over Slots Plus and Bovada.

Beyond paytables, other factors may be important to consider, depending on your preferences and style of play.

  • Keyboard shortcuts: Only Treasure Mile offers complete keyboard shortcuts (1-5 to toggle cards, spacebar to deal).
  • Winning hands on the deal: All sites except for Treasure Mile indicate that you have been dealt a winning hand using either sound, by lighting up the appropriate row in the paytable on the screen or both. (Treasure Mile — if you are reading this — you really should make an improvement here.)
  • Auto-hold winning hands on the deal: It’s curious to me that none of the top three sites in the table above offer this feature, while all of the bottom seven sites offer this feature.
  • Denominations: For single-handed video poker, Treasure Mile has limits from a penny to $5; for Slots Plus and Bovada, the limits are a nickle to $5. All sites on the list have lower limits for multi-hand video poker, typically from 0.01 to 1.00.

Overall, Treasure Mile is the best choice for online video poker.

A note for beginners: You might want to look at 3Dice; their game selection is lacking, but their odds are top of the line on Jacks or Better, which is what you should play when just starting out. What 3Dice has that you might like is auto-selection of winning hands after the deal AND very good suggestions for which cards to hold after the deal if you are not dealt a winner. Their auto-suggestion engine does a good job in matching optimal strategy: for example, it offers to hold 4-straights and 4-flushes over low pairs, and only the lowest two high cards when dealt more than two unsuited high cards.

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2012 MLB Baseball – 2nd Half Betting Thoughts

The second half of the 2012 MLB Baseball season gets underway tomorrow. In the National League, the surprising Pirates will try to hold their lead over the Reds, and the World Series Champions Phillies will try to right their sinking ship. Over in the American League, it looks like all Yankees in the East, and a three-way fight for the division title in the Central.

  • I’ll be looking to bet against the Phillies; they keep losing and losing, yet they were consistently favored, especially leading up to the All-Star break.
  • I’ll also be looking to bet against the Pirates; they have been over-achieving all year, and they are due to come back to earth.
  • Seattle and Houston are miserable teams, and should be heavy dogs against top-tier teams. Look for value bets on them with the right matchups.

Bovada provides competitive MLB Baseball lines and live MLB betting to online bettors around the world, including residents of the United States. Promotions include:

  • 20% Sign-up Bonus: To receive your sign up bonus deposit into your Bovada account and instantly receive a 20% Free Bet bonus up to $100.
  • Roy’s Rewards: Roy is chasing 200 wins — Bet $20 on games that he starts and get a $10 bonus if he is credited with the win. Good until he reaches 200 wins.

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Everleaf Online Poker Network Bans US Players

Days ago, Everleaf Online Poker Network banned all new sign-ups and players from the United States as well as two other counties. The move was in response to a letter issued by the US Department of Homeland Security, as well as in response to the seizure of one of Everleaf’s payment processor’s funds.

There are approximately two dozen online poker sites that are part of the Everleaf Online Poker Network. US players may experience significant delays in withdrawing their funds; Everleaf has not commented on how they are going to facilitate the withdraw of funds by their US players.

Everleaf online poker players will want to find an alternative for their online poker play. There are few online poker networks that continue to accept real-money play from US players.

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Super Bowl Bet – Take NY Giants +3

That’s my pick for the Super Bowl. Let’s keep with Eli’s hot hand.

Check out these top-rated online sportsbooks, all of which accept US-players.

Various Super Bowl promotions are available at each of these online sportsbooks.

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