A Word of ADVICE

by Adel Awwad

In order for a player to enjoy a more pleasant and memorable time at a casino, while taking precautions to minimise one's losses, it is very important to follow a basic set of gambling tips or guidelines.

Understand the game: This may seem like a very obvious rule, but you would be surprised at how many people place bets on games they don't fully understand. This rule may apply more to certain games (i.e. Roulette) than other games (i.e. Slots), but generally speaking, it is more advantageous for a player to fully understand the rules of a game before betting on it.

Budget your money: Place a limit on the money that you can afford to gamble with and lose. Never exceed that amount or gamble with money that you can't afford to lose. Leaving your ATM cards and credit cards at home may be a good way to ensure that you won't be tempted to exceed your budget limit.

Never borrow money to gamble: To fall into the habit of gambling with borrowed money is one of the most serious mistakes any person can make. Not only can one run the risk of falling heavily into debt and perhaps having to sell one's possessions to payback the borrowed money, but the risk of alienating friends and family members, or infuriating the "money lenders" should be enough reason to avoid this practice at all costs.

Pace yourself: Avoid betting all your money in one go. Remember, the objective is to have fun and enjoy yourself. If your gambling budget is $50, then place bets of $1 or $2 instead of betting the entire $50 on one single bet, losing it and walking away empty handed. As long as the entire sum of money is not lost in one single bet, the player has a chance to win.

Know when to quit: Always quit while you're ahead. The best time to quit is when you are ahead of the casino. Many players make the mistake of thinking that their streak of luck will last forever and continue to gamble until they eventually lose it all. This is mainly the result of overconfidence and greed.

Chasing losses: "Chasing a loss" is a term used to describe the act of trying to win back money that was lost during a previous bet. The problem with this is that the player stands to lose even more money. In this case, it is better to just accept the loss and quit or continue playing for the sole purpose of just having fun.

Maintain a low profile: Whether you are playing for fun or money, winning or losing, always maintain a low profile at a casino. The main reason for this is that one never knows what types of unsavoury characters may be present at a casino. It is in the best interest of every player not to draw attention to his/her own money or winnings.

Emotional states: Never gamble when you are angry or depressed. Emotional states such as anger and depression usually cloud a person's judgment and impair his/her ability to play the games properly. A person who is experiencing an intense emotional state usually lacks the ability to think as clearly as someone who is not.

Don't gamble alone: In some way, it is better to visit a casino with friends or family members if you are planning on gambling. Friends and family members will usually tell you if you are spending too much, drinking too much or not playing properly. In the very least, it is in everyone's best interest to have a sober person in the group who can safely drive everyone home.

Take frequent breaks: As in any other activity be it reading, writing or playing computer games, one should always take frequent breaks to feel refreshed and alert. Although this may not apply to a person who places a few bets before leaving the casino floor, it does apply to gambler who intends on spending a considerable amount of time betting in a casino.

Have fun: Gambling should be viewed as a fun and exciting recreational activity as opposed to a means of making money. Even though most of us have heard of, or read about the occasional gambler who won the big jackpot that changed his/her life, this is usually not the case for the majority of players. Let's face it. The glitz and glamour of casinos were not built on the good fortune of winners. Therefore always play for fun and never for the sole purpose of making money.

Avoid alcohol: Never drink and gamble. Not only can alcohol impair one's judgement, but it can also inflate one's sense of self confidence to the point where the person gambles away money which he/she would never have gambled if h

e/she was sober. This is one of the main reasons as to why some casinos offer free alcohol to their players .

Avoid distractions: Distractions can come in many forms from the occasional cellular phone ringing to the sexy girl walking past the table, and one should always be mentally prepared to ignore them in order to better focus on the game. Additionally, the loud sounds and flashing lights of a casino may look and sound very exciting, but they are not there to help you concentrate on the game. Try not to become distracted.

Casino Directory

Gamble Aware

Responsible gambling means making choices based on all the facts, and staying in control of how much time and money you spend.

People who gamble responsibly make sure they know all the facts. They decide in advance how often they will play, how much money and time they will spend, and when to stop. Sometimes, responsible gambling is making a decision not to gamble at all.

This section provides a guide to managing your money and time, with tips and advice on responsible gambling from other gamblers.

Gambling responsibly will keep gambling enjoyable, and lower the risk of harm to you, your family or friends.

A person who gambles responsibly:

gambles for fun, not to make money or to escape problems.

knows that they are very unlikely to win in the long run.

does not try to ‘chase’ or win back losses.

gambles with money set aside for entertainment and never uses money intended for rent, bills and food.

does not borrow money to gamble.

does not let gambling affect their relationships with family and friends.

Choosing A Site

When it comes to online gambling, it is very important that you find the right betting sites for your specific purposes. You may be more interested in financial betting than you are in sports betting. Perhaps you like the more obscure gambles (like the ever present reality TV and other unorthodox bets). In either case, you will need to think about what kind of bets you want to place, what kind of background information you have on all the choices available to you, and what kind of money you are willing to spend before you get online and putting your money on the virtual betting table.

Some sports or financial bets will require more money up front for any kind of bet placed simply because of the investments involved on all sides; before registering your details on any gambling website you should decide whether you are a small-time gambler or if you are looking for the chance to win some big money by making some significant bets.

Finding the Betting 'Needle' in the Virtual Haystack

There is a huge market for online betting sites, and the fact is that the number of them just keeps right on growing. The way these hundreds of websites compete with one another is by offering different types of rewards to their members and by offering different kinds of bets on sports or finances. In terms of sports betting, certain betting sites may focus on the sort of bets placed by amateurs, as in the straight forward win/lose game situations. If you don't want to risk a lot of money but nevertheless enjoy betting on your favourite games, the simple betting sites are the ones for you. This way you can bet minimal amounts of money, maybe bring some extra cash back in and you won't have to worry about losing your life saving like the chaps in the anti-gambling ads!

If you're more of an avid gambler, however, you can search out the betting sites that allow you to participate in spread betting, high-stakes sports betting and even financial bets if that's what you're into.

Whichever type of betting is for you, a directory like this one can save you hours of your precious online time. By listing out the best sites, listing their features and free offers for you, the directory becomes a great tool that can get you playing quicker and easier than going it alone.

Considerations

Something else to think about for a minute before registering with betting sites is the rewards you will receive from any one of them.

In most cases you can get free bets, special offers or bonus money if you win on your first bet, however it depends on what bets you make, what kind of money you will be spending, and of course, on the betting sites themselves. While conducting your search for those websites that work best for you, consider foremost what you want to bet on, the money you want to risk, your skill level, and the rewards offered upon registration and further down the line.

How to Identify Online Betting Scams

By: Tyler James Ellison

With the advent of technological advancements, people can find ways on how to do things differently. The problem is that some of these things do more harm than good.

One of the greatest problems brought about by technology these days are the scams. This is because with high-tech gadgets, most scammers can easily identify the information that they need so as to get hold of a person's bank account, credit card, etc.

One great example of scams is those that are used in gambling. These fraudulent activities are so prevalent in gambling, especially online-gambling because a lot of people want to earn money. They are so hooked up with earning money that they tend to neglect areas that need careful analysis.

People who fall easily as prey are those who are vulnerable to ads that states about easy money, sure win, or higher chances of winning.

However, there are still ways to deal with these problems. The bottom line is to identify which gambling activity is fraudulent or not.

Here's how:

1. People should learn to assess things whenever somebody is pushy about a certain thing. Chances are, if they are so pushy, they want to get what they want whatever the case may be. It's like giving their victim a "now or never" ultimatum.

If a certain gambling activity claims it can't wait until the next day, chances are, that activity is a scam.

2. Surveys show that when a certain gambling activity is offering lots of money in a short span of time for just a small fee, there is a higher probability that it is a scam.

The bottom line is that, if it looks and sounds too good to be true, chances are it is a scam.

3. If certain rules and regulations are too vague to be understood, chances are it may be a scam. This is because scammers will usually not lay down all the facts. They have hidden agendas or costs that will reap more money once they get their victim on the hook.

4. A gambling deal that would offer something for nothing is definitely a scam. In most cases, people get something without giving in return - at first. What's more, they even give people a money-back guarantee, which may sound so enticing but all the more it is just like that, an enticement.

So, for people who fall to these kinds of situations, it would be better to be wary next time around. As they say, a person will never know what a scam is unless he knows how to spot one.

Reduce Your Risk in Online Betting

By: Tyler James Ellison

There seems to be a thousand ways to gamble just as are there are a thousand ways and chances to lose. But let's face it, for most betters gambling is not about living the "bet-and-leave-if-you-lose" attitude. They play to win!

In any endeavor, it's essential to know the rules of the game in order to play it better and stay on the winning edge. Keeping simple advice in mind and mastering several gaming strategies before jumping into any gambling activity will help you increase your chances of beating the bookies and eventually overpower them.

While it's true that this article aims to develop your winning potential, one mustn't forget that gambling is not all about winning. We gamble for fun while keeping a system which helps us defeat the percentage of losing.

Here are a few tips which you can apply when engaging in any gambling activity. It is also important to keep in mind that these systems are not perfect but following them offers you a great deal of certainty in winning.

1. Keep It Small - Going small time won't hurt and is good to your pocket. Big time betting is perfect if you are sure that your chance of winning is always 100%. You may lose your money in the end but you may have enjoyed the activity for a long time.

2. Bet With Lucky Pals - There are hands and there are hands for gambling. Bet with lucky gamblers of the day. No matter how you master the system operating on every game, if the day does not favor your side then live with it. Joseph Conrad once said that, "It is the mark of an inexperienced man not to believe in luck."

3. Eye on the Pattern - Go with the flow. Bet on the numbers/players which gets the most wins. Predict its chances by keeping history of their wins and loses. This helps you formulate a decision when risking your stake for them.

4. Avoid the favorites! - Good betting is impeded by unhealthy judgment about favorite players, numbers, etc. Improve your judgment by weighing the odds while looking at other prospects that get the possibility of winning.

5. Unleash Your Psychic powers - Confucius implied that the first thing that comes in your mind is usually the best answer to a question. Playing on your inner psychic power pays!

6. Stop Ahead - Be in control of your winnings. Take over gambling more than it takes over you.

7. Gamble for fun - While it's true that some people gamble to win, we must also consider that it was originally created to provide fun and entertainment. Investing in gambling is a bad idea!