Poker Winner Blog

Paper Cards

Paper was invented in China and it is likely that playing cards also originate from that ancient empire. Domino cards, which are the earliest recorded type of playing cards, represented the scores thrown by a pair of dice, much like today’s domino tiles.

Modern playing cards have evolved from ancient Chinese money cards, which comprised four suits (coins, strings of coins, myriads of strings, and tens of myriads of strings), each of which depicted various quantities of money. Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the first casinos in America were established during the early 1800s in New Orleans, along the Mississippi River. Although, at that time, there were no casinos on the riverboats themselves, informal gambling was a popular way for travellers to pass the journey. Professional gamblers, called sharps, would target wealthy passengers and relieve them of their money. Gambling moved westward with the expansion of the railroads and flourished during the time of the California gold rush and the Nevada silver era. Read the rest of this entry »

Studies have shown that today’s casino players are typically graduates in white-collar jobs with a higher than average income, who gamble to win money. A survey carried out by Roper Starch Worldwide Inc. of New York found that, for three out of four casino visitors, their prime motive is to win, while 57 per cent go for entertainment and recreation. Australians are the western world’s biggest gamblers, spending over $2000 a year per head of population. A close second are Americans at $1800 per head of population. Read the rest of this entry »

The main gaming halls are lavishly decorated, often to a theme, but the focal points are the green or blue baize-covered tables, which are printed with betting layouts. Seating for players is provided around the tables, which are arranged in groups, called pits. Read the rest of this entry »

Casino operators spend vast sums of money on lavish décor to attract customers. The most flamboyant concepts and designs are found in Las Vegas and other popular holiday resorts around the world. European casinos, especially those in cities, are often less ornate.

Once inside the casino, the interiors are carefully designed to keep players there. Windows and clocks are absent, to make the passing of time less noticeable. Waiters bring refreshments directly to the gaming tables so there is no need to stop gambling if you are hungry or thirsty. Read the rest of this entry »

All casino personnel wear uniforms, to easily identify their position. These are often a variation on evening wear, with the men wearing bow ties and waistcoats, and the women in long dresses. Inspectors, pit bosses and managers are traditionally dressed in formal suits or tuxedos. General managers usually wear business (dress) suits. In resort casinos, which often have a strong décor theme, uniforms tend to be less formal and frequently reflect the overall design concept. Read the rest of this entry »

Poker conjures up images of saloons in the old West where hustlers and gun fighters did battle. It seems that no Hollywood Western is complete without a gunfight over a poker game, but this way of life was often the reality for professional gamblers in the Wild West. In 1876 one of the west’s most famous lawmen, James Butler ‘Wild Bill’ Hickok, lost his life in a poker game in Deadwood, South Dakota. To this day his last hand — a pair of aces over eights — is known as the ‘dead man’s hand‘. Read the rest of this entry »

Many casinos form part of hotel and leisure complexes located in tourist destinations, such as Sun City in South Africa and Atlantis in the Bahamas. However there is nowhere else that embraces the gambling culture quite like Las Vegas. Over the years, it has grown from a desert oasis into an international resort and holiday destination, offering round-the-clock gaming and top-quality entertainment in outstanding, Read the rest of this entry »

Subliminal Practices

Casinos use a variety of subliminal practices to ensure they get the maximum amount of money from visitors before they get anywhere near a gaming table.

Casino design is no accident. Almost every feature is built in with profit in mind. Exteriors are lavish and use every marketing trick to get players to walk through the door. This is taken to the extreme in Las Vegas, where shows put on outside the casinos get people to stop and watch, and, hopefully, go inside. Read the rest of this entry »

Games of Chance and Skill

Casinos offer a choice between games of skill, where the player can affect the outcome; and chance, where players have no input and rely on luck.

Games of chance include roulette, slots and punto banco. Once players have decided what numbers to play there is no further action to take.

Poker and blackjack are games of skill. As players make all the decisions about taking cards, they are able to use their intelligence to win. With games of skill, a combination of knowledge and experience can make the difference between winning and losing. Read the rest of this entry »

Here are some general pieces of advice that you should take to heart when playing video poker:

Play intelligently: Learn to recognize and play only the better games, and learn an accurate strategy for each game you play. To do otherwise is just donating your money to the casino.

Look for competitive casinos: Nevada regulations set the minimum payback for slot machines at 75 percent, but statewide statistics show average paybacks in the 90 percent to 98 percent range. Read the rest of this entry »

Using state-of-the-art computer technology, thousands of people play poker online for real money. By linking their computers to the Internet, players living as far apart as New York, London, and Tokyo are able to play together simultaneously in computer-generated poker games — for real cash.

Until recently, such games weren’t feasible. The challenge was to invent poker software that would enable strangers to play against each other in live games from different locations — and with enough confidence to back their mouse clicks with cash. Read the rest of this entry »