Online Gambling

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, US players can again play their favorite Rival Gaming casino games at Slots Capital. Like other online casinos, Slots Capital offers the typical games like video poker, blackjack, craps, and roulette. And also like other online casinos, their differentiating offering is their selection of online slot machines. As of this writing, no other US-friendly online casino offers the online slot machines that can be found at Slots Capital.

And in case you have not been keeping track of their newest online slot machines, here you go!

	Rev your engines, get those pistons pumping and race around the oval track in Fast Lane, Rival’s first 50-line slot release! Based on the popular American motor sport, Stock Car racing. Three bitterly competitive drivers in their respective sponsored cars are firing on all cylinders to be the first to take the checkered flag.
	Hard day at the hive? Beetle on over and check out Pub Crawlers, where hanging on the Web has a whole new meaning. This Slot is centred around a traditional British Pub, with one small exception. This particular pub is filled with creepy crawly bugs of all sorts, spiders, and other slithering, squirming, and soaring insects sucking back the suds.
	Your fortune is written in the stars with Astral Luck. Inspired by the signs of the zodiac and their corresponding constellations, Astral Luck brings the mystery and magic of the night sky to life with this exciting new 5-reel, 50-line video slot.
	Sway to the beat of the street as the costumed Carnival girls go by. Then grab your beads and join the party! Wild Carnival has everything you need to get in the party mood – icons include a trumpet, a tambourine, a steel drum, a Wild blue mask, and Free Spin feathers. The remaining icons include six playing card values (9, 10, J, Q, K, A).
	This dreadfully funny slot has a wide range of kooky and spooky characters. The leftover living folks have gathered their weapons to defend against the heaps of flesh eaters. There is Flaming Moe, Patty Pipeswinger, and Chainsaw Charley. The undead side features a few favourite characters like Zombdaddy and Zomdaughter, Nurse Necros and the Zombaby, a Zomdoggy and a few other surprises.

For a complete list of the 75+ online slot machines that you can play at Slots Capital, check out my massive list of online slot machines.

About a year and a half ago, Rival-Powered online casinos shut their doors to players in the United States. If you were located in the US and had an account at one of these online casinos, then you found yourself out of luck. Sure, you got your balance returned to you, but you could no longer play the cool Rival-powered games.

Today I am pleased to report that there is now a Rival-Powered online casino that accepts real money players from the United States! For the past two weeks, I have been testing Slots Capital — I was able to make a deposit, get a bonus, and make a withdraw request (which is now in progress). Through my testing, the casino software has performed flawlessly. The customer support via chat and email has been prompt and their information accurate.

So, if you’re looking for a Rival-Powered online casino, check out Slots Capital. You’ll get $7 free when you sign up, and a generous 200% bonus on your initial deposit.

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.

Small Soldiers is a military-themed video slot that can only be described in one word: irresistible. This quirky slot features a cast of fun-filled cartoon soldiers, cool military hardware and a toe-tapping soundtrack guaranteed to make you smile.

Small Soldiers is played through a series of tiers – while offering loads of fun. Trucks, obstacle courses, jets, helicopters, and an interactive target range (which is the feature game), all combine to create a magical and hilarious experience on a military base populated by the immensely appealing Small Soldiers.

This 5-coin, 40-line feature offers up to 12 free spins with a 2X, 3X or 4X multiplier – not to mention the Wild, which is also a 2X multiplier. The riveting target range feature game offers multiple progressive levels, and the potential winnings are massive, with payouts of up to 30,000 coins!

Fantastic graphics, effortless play, and brilliant design, all combine to offer you an incredibly entertaining video slot.

As Small Soldiers reminds us: Who Dares, Spins!

Play Small Soldier — as well as dozens of other fun slot machines — at these recommended online casinos:

Treasure Mile  100% bonus on initial deposits between $20 and $500! Treasure Mile Casino combines the magic and glamour of a hot Las Vegas night out with all the exciting, fun, rewards and benefits expected of a truly world class online casino. Giving you the latest (and totally unique) games and exceptional odds, phenomenal Progressive Jackpots, tailor made features and constant gaming innovations. Languages:    Currencies:

Mandarin Palace  100% bonus on initial deposits between $20 and $500! Mandarin Palace Casino is the preferred destination for players who enjoy their gaming experience with a hint of the exotic, a touch of oriental opulence, legendary eastern hospitality and charm where you are welcomed with wide open smiles and explosive casino action. Languages:    Currencies:

Grand Eagle  100% bonus on initial deposits between $20 and $250! With brand new cutting edge games, massive winnings and supreme customer satisfaction, Grand Eagle Casino offers you a truly dynamic and magnificent online casino experience. Languages:    Currencies:

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.

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.

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
Treasure Mile	99.54	99.42	98.98
Slots Plus	99.54	98.91	98.98
Bovada	99.54	98.91	98.98
3Dice	99.54	98.91	97.87
Americas Cardroom	99.54	96.77	95.71
Dendera	99.54	98.91	N/A
Buzzluck	99.54	98.91	N/A
SuperBet Palace	99.54	96.77	N/A
Tropical Cash – Players Edge	96.15	98.01	N/A
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
Treasure Mile	99.54	99.42	98.98
Slots Plus	97.30	98.91	98.98
Bovada	97.30	98.91	98.98
3Dice	99.54	98.91	97.87
Americas Cardroom	99.54	96.77	95.71
Dendera	99.54	98.91	N/A
Buzzluck	97.30	98.91	N/A
SuperBet Palace	99.54	96.77	N/A
Tropical Cash – Players Edge	96.15	98.01	N/A
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.

Here’s a list of the 5 newest online slot machines being offered at BetOnSoft online casinos. (Links go to a full review of the slot machine.)

• Arcadia:i3D - combines the nostalgia of popular 80′s game arcades with the very best features of modern web-based character games
• Legends of Olympia - celebrates the birthplace of the Olympic Games
• Max Cash - a super-agent with deadly fighting skills, intelligence, cunning, and the latest technological gadgetry
• Perfect Date - contemporary and sophisticated, creates a sense of vivid passion and mystique that you’ll find instantly appealing
• Tails of New York - features a cast of irresistibly mischievous furry friends

Play for practice or for real money, these online slots are sure to have you playing for hours over the upcoming holiday season.

BE CAREFUL when selecting a BetOnSoft online casino — of the more than a dozen online casinos that run on BetOnSoft, over half of them are blacklisted at The Online Casino Gambling Directory because they are all operated by the shady Grand Prive Group.

Here are my top 5 recommended BetOnSoft online casinos:

Recommended Sites: The recommended sites for Arcadia:i3D are listed below.

Mandarin Palace  $25 FREE + 100% bonus on initial deposits between $20 and $200! Mandarin Palace Casino is the preferred destination for players who enjoy their gaming experience with a hint of the exotic, a touch of oriental opulence, legendary eastern hospitality and charm where you are welcomed with wide open smiles and explosive casino action. Languages:    Currencies:

Treasure Mile  $15 FREE + 100% bonus on initial deposits between $20 and $500! Treasure Mile Casino combines the magic and glamour of a hot Las Vegas night out with all the exciting, fun, rewards and benefits expected of a truly world class online casino. Giving you the latest (and totally unique) games and exceptional odds, phenomenal Progressive Jackpots, tailor made features and constant gaming innovations. Languages:    Currencies:

Grand Eagle  100% bonus on initial deposits between $20 and $250! With brand new cutting edge games, massive winnings and supreme customer satisfaction, Grand Eagle Casino offers you a truly dynamic and magnificent online casino experience. Languages:    Currencies:

WizBet  100% bonus on initial deposits between $20 and $500! WizBet Casino has impeccable credentials. WizBet Casino forms part of an experienced and established group that is trusted and respected by its players and its partners. Licensed in Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles, WizBet Casino constantly strives to improve and enhance your online gaming experience and bring you the latest and best games, exciting promotions, unequalled security and the most fun you can have anywhere! Languages:    Currencies:

Lucky Creek  100% bonus on initial deposits between $20 and $200! Howdy and welcome to Lucky Creek Casino! Out here in the West we got gold nuggets the size of men’s fists, outlaws that stop at nothing to get what they want and fearless cowboys to stop them! It’s just like our featured game, Fistful of Dollars! Languages:    Currencies:

Betting through an online sportsbook is a great way to add to the enjoyment of watching a match on television or in person. Savvy gamblers have multiple online sportsbook accounts to:

• shop for the best lines — getting an extra 5-10% can make a big difference in your bankroll over the course of a year
• find a large variety of prop bets — proposition bets come in all flavors, and different online sportsbook will tend to offer different types of proposition bets
• negotiate a better deposit bonus — when calling to make a deposit, mention that you have other online sportsbook accounts where you are considering making this deposit
• find arbitrage opportunities – rarely, you can make a wager on both sides of a particular bet (one wager each at different online sportbooks) and ensure that you have small win

I’ve been betting at online sportsbooks for over 5 years, and have had my share of hassles with deposits, withdrawing, and poor customer service. Thankfully, those hassles are behind me, as I have been betting at these great online sportsbook for the past several years:

• Bovada: 50% bonus on initial deposits between $20 and $500
• Intertops: 25% bonus on initial deposits between $25 and $400
• Oddsmaker: 100% bonus on initial deposits between $20 and $1000

All three of these online sportsbooks accept players from the United States, as well as from most other parts of the world.

Here is the complete list of online sportsbooks in the The Online Casino Gambling Directory so you can do your own research if you’d like. But take it from me, you won’t do any better than these three online sportsbooks.

Ancient Wonders is an exciting online slot machine based on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

• Great Pyramid of Giza
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
• Statue of Zeus at Olympia
• Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
• Colossus of Rhodes
• Lighthouse of Alexandria

I recommend Buzzluck online casino as the best place to play this online slot, where new players receive a 100% on initial deposits between $20 and $868.

The Buzzluck online casino is one of a decreasing number of online casinos that continue to accept real-money play from residents of the United States.

The Ancient Wonders online slot machine has free games, a bonus round, and random jackpots.

7 Wonders Free Game Feature

• 7 free games are awarded when 3 or more Coins appear anywhere.
• Wins are at x1 in the first game, x2 in the second and so on through to x7 in the seventh game.
• The feature can retrigger up to 3 times.
• Any retrigger will play a new series of 7 free games at the conclusion of the first series.
• The Ancient Wonders feature can be triggered during free games.
• Free games are played at the lines and bet of the triggering game.

Ancient Wonders Feature

• The Ancient Wonders feature is triggered whenever 1 or more Scrolls appear on each fo the middle 3 reels.
• 3 picks are awarded from the 7 Ancient Wonders displayed.
• Each will award a prize of up to 100 times the triggering bet.
• Up to 4 Bonus Picks can also be awarded.

Jackpots

• One or more random jackpots can be won at the conclusion of any game.
• Jackpot wins are added to other wins.