Things To Do Before You Gamble Online
Source : Steve Adkins (Online Players Association)

While this multibillion dollar industry grows at a substantial rate, it does remain non-regulated. The industry depends solely on self-regulation.Before whipping out your gold Visa card there are a few things that you should know first. When looking for an online casino to play, I recommend that you follow the ten points below.

1. Is the casino licensed by a sovereign government? If no, find another casino.


2. Does the casino have a toll free customer service number that is answered 24 hours a day? If no, find another casino.
   
3. Do they allow you to play for free? This is very important: it gives you the chance to check out their software before you spend any money. If they do not, find another casino.
   
4. What is the smallest denomination of their poker and slot machines? You're looking for a wide variety of denominations, such as nickels, quarters, dollars and five-dollar machines.
   
5. How many different versions of video poker do they have? You're looking for at least three. That tells you that the operator has spent a lot of money on the software. Beware of those casinos that tell you they only have one version of video poker.
   
6. What is the smallest and largest bet that they accept on craps or blackjack? This is mainly for your own betting information.
   
7. Does the casino have a place where they keep track of your purchases and cashouts?
   
8. How is the customer service? There's an easy way to test this: Send them an email with a question and see how long it takes them to reply.
   
9. What is the reputation of the software maker involved in the casino? There is no sense in gambling online if you do not know how you will collect your winnings.
   
10. Make sure you read all the rules on bonuses and cashing out procedures. Do your homework before you gamble online, not after.

Hit
To hit is to take another card to indicate this to the dealer you can tap the table behind the card in a shoe game. Stand
If you are satisfied with the current total then you can stop at the current total by standing. In a shoe game this is indicated by waving your hands over your cards

Doubling down
You may double down if the first two cards you are given add up to either 10 or 11. Doubling down allows you to double the amount that you bet and then receive one and only one card. This can be a very profitable way of making the most out of advantageous hands. To signal your intention to double down split by placing a bet of equal value on the table next to the first bet (touching neither the cards nor the original bet) If the correct play is to double down, you should always double for the full amount if possible. Splitting
You are able to split cards when you have been dealt a pair. By splitting the pair you have the ability to play two separate hands independently. To indicate that you would like to split you must put a matching bet next to your original bet. The rules for splitting can be complicated as they vary from casino to casino. Most casinos will allow you to double down after the split if one of the split pairs adds up to eleven. You play the first hand to completion before starting on the other one. If you are dealt an additional pair to one of the split cards then most allow you to split again. Some casinos restrict resplitting of pairs and some allow unlimited splits meaning if you double down you could have a lot more than your original bet on the table. There are also different rules in the casinos for splitting aces some do not allow it at all and some restricts you to drawing only one additional card on top of the aces. A split card that gets a ten laid on it is counted as a 21 and not a blackjack. You should always split the ace if it is allowed. Surrendering
Surrendering is allowed in some casinos If you feel that your two cards will be unable to beat the dealers hand you announce that you surrender. So it must be done before hitting or standing as once these have been done you no longer have the option to surrender. There are two different varieties of surrender early and late. In the early surrender the player may surrender before the dealer checks his hand for a blackjack. Insurance
When the dealers exposed card is an ace the player is given the option of insurance. The insurance bet is a side bet on whether the dealer has blackjack if you are correct you will receive 2 to 1 on the insurance bet but lose the original unless you have a blackjack as well the net effect is that if the dealer has blackjack you lose nothing hence the name insurance. If the dealer does not have blackjack the insurance bet is lost and you play as you would do normally with your cards. Insurance bets are offered if the dealer's face card is an ace. If the dealer shows an ace then he/she will ask if anyone wants insurance, this is a side bet on the dealer having a card worth ten as his/her face down card. If you think the dealer has a ten you can bet an amount up to the value of your original bet and if you are correct you will receive 2 to 1 on your insurance bet. This has nothing to do with your original bet, you still have to beat the dealer's hand, if he/she has the ten the best you can do is tie with a blackjack of your own. If you want insurance, half the original amount bet is placed on the semicircle labelled "insurance" which is printed on the table.

The payout All betting is done before the first card is dealt. The players win even money if they better the dealer, and win 3 to 2 for a blackjack

Like all table games you can play at the casino, roulette has what are known as 'table limits'. These limits define how little you must bet at the table, and how much you are allowed to bet. You may be confused as to why casinos would limit the upper amount of what you may spend at one time when you play roulette, but that little secret is revealed on our roulette systems page. The lower limit at a roulette table comes into effect in two different ways: one for inside bets, and another for outside bets. You are required to play the table minimum at least on each of your outside bets; on inside bets the total of all of your bets must meet or exceed the table minimum. This bit of information is all you need to know in order to start to play roulette.

Inside Bets

As we know, there are two types of bet you can place when you play roulette: outside bets and inside bets. Lets start by looking at the inside bets. The inside bets are made up of specific numbers or combinations of numbers within the number layout, or along the border of it. Remember, the total of all of your bets must add up to at least the table minimum. This means if your table minimum is five dollars, you can put one dollar down on five different numbers and be ok. The same is not true for outside bets.

Straight-up bet - This is the bet you may think of first in roulette. Pick a single number, and if it comes up you win. This bet pays back at 35 to 1.

Split bet - This bet allows you to place a single bet on two different numbers if those numbers are beside each other on the table layout. To play this bet put your chips down on the line between them. This bet pays 17 to 1 if either of your chosen numbers come up.

Street bet - This bet is just like the split bet, but you're splitting over three numbers. You accomplish this by placing chips on the outside of the row of numbers you want to bet on. So if you want to bet on the numbers 1, 2, and 3 all at once, put your chips down on the line that is the outside edge of the 3. This bet pays 11 to 1.

Corner bet - The corner bet is another combination wager, letting you bet on four adjoining numbers. Placing your chips at the point where four numbers meet will indicate you want a corner bet. This is sometimes referred to as a square bet. If any of the four numbers come up, you're paid 8 to 1.

Fiver number bet - There is only one five number bet available, and as such, it's referred to as the five number bet. To play this bet put your chips at the intersection of 0 and 1 on the corner (not the corner that joins with two, but the other one) You can win if any of 0, 00, 1, 2, or 3 are hit. You are paid 6 to 1. Sadly this is bet has a higher house edge of any others when you play roulette.