8 Top Tips For Newbies
Source : Max Drayman (www.winneronline.com)

So you've read about gambling online or maybe heard it mentioned in the media and are gonna give a try. Okay, on your marks, get set - wait!

Before you venture forth it's time for a quick reality check because the road to online gambling riches is not without its potholes. Here are a few caveats to illuminate the path ahead.

1. What is a download and why do I care?

One of the first questions you'll be faced with if you decide to gamble online is whether you want to play games that require you to download and install software these are called "download" games or perhaps you'd prefer games that simply run over the web called "no download" games. There are big differences between the two.

For a start the download options will usually take a good 40 minutes to complete (although some software providers give you a lite version to play while the full version downloads in the background) whereas the no download is virtually instant. But with that 40 minutes comes the kind of superior user interface you'd expect, with nice graphics, sound and lots of games to play. With the no download version this is much more limited. Sure you can still play blackjack, slots and poker, but thats about it. It all depends how impatient you really are!

2. So now I've downloaded, what do I do next?

With no-download games it's pretty obvious what you need to do to start the action but with download games it may not be so obvious. You could go back to the casino's website and read their instructions, they all have them, but if you're impatient like me you just want to get to it!

The first step after downloading is to install the software and reboot your machine. I know, it shouldn't be necessary, but the bottom line is that computers especially those running Windows behave best if you reboot after an install. Once you're back up, click on the casino's icon that was placeded on your desktop. If there's no icon, check your Start menu under "Programs" and it will be at the bottom of the list.

Once you fire up the software it will probably connect to the casino's home site, verify your install, and ask you whether you want to play for Real or Fun. That's it, pick your poison!

3. I want my winnings!

So you've won big and you're ready to hit the mall. All you need to do is cash out, right? Wrong! All casinos have policies about how much you can cash out and when. In most cases you can only withdraw as much to your credit card as you deposited in the first place. So what about the rest?

Casinos vary widely on this, but the short answer is that you'll need to be patient. Even if the casino lets you withdraw right away it could take weeks to receive your check. Some casinos won't let you withdraw until you receive a PIN number from them through the mail. Still others require numerous pieces of identification be faxed to them so they can verify that you are who you say you are.

There are a few casinos that seem to want everything including your Social Insurance number and a fax of your fingerprints (no kidding!) It's up to you to decide if you can live with this invasion of privacy but in any case it's best to know what they're gonna want from the get-go: read the casino's info on withdrawals, it should all be spelled out pretty clearly there. If you don't like what you see, try another casino.

4. PIN Number, what's that?

In most cases the casino's cash-out policies are reasonable, albeit a little inconvenient. Many of them issue the user a unique identification number, a PIN, that you need in order to initiate a cash-out.

Often your PIN number comes via regular postal mail which can be annoyingly slow. The theory is that it's for your own good since receiving it confirms that you actually live at the address they have in their database. It also helps the casino avoid fraud. Whatever, it's become part of the way many online casinos do business so you're probably just going to have to get used to it.

5. How much is it going to cost me?

Another bitter pill is that many casinos will charge you a fee for your withdrawal. Some charge a flat rate, a few charge a percentage, and almost all will charge you more if you want your money "right now thank you very much".

It's well worth your time to read your casino's website page of "Banking" or "Withdrawals". The vast majority of casinos are quite reasonable in their withdrawal charges, but you never know until you know. If it's not clear, email or phone them and find out what the deal is.

6. Hidden banking fees

So the check is in the mail and that means you're home free, yes? Maybe, but again, it depends on the details. For example, receiving a check on a Swiss bank in US dollars may not be money straight in your pocket.

We've known people to be hit with stiff transaction fees when they ask their bank to process a check drawn on a foreign bank. Direct deposit and bank wires may be alternatives, but you'd best check into it before hand because not all casinos offer these services at attractive rates.

7. Will the software run on my machine

Good question. The answer in the vast majority of cases is "Yes, beautifully!". Unless your machine is really old, or you're running out of system resources (read: disk space) there's really not much to worry about.

I've installed casino software well over a hundred times on a variety of machines and have only encountered a major problem once or twice. On the off chance that you do encounter a problem you guessed it contact the casino's Customer Support people. That's what they're there for.

8. Bonus rules

Bonuses are a big deal these days literally and figuratively and you've no doubt encountered one that sounds really attractive. By all means, go for it but not before you've read the fine print.

Bonuses come in a bewildering variety and it's hard to keep track of what's a great deal and what's so-so. All casinos will require that you play the bonus before you can withdraw it. Some require you to play 2-times or 3-times the bonus, and on and on it goes. No one can offer advice that will apply to all the bonuses you'll find out there, other than the one we all know: caveat emptor.

Unfortunately we can't leave the bonuses issue without a few cautionary words. First and foremost don't abuse the bonus offers. In particular don't re-register using another name in order to get the bonus again. That's "bonus abuse" and the casinos can get pretty hostile over such attempts at subterfuge.

Finally, there's the issue of fair-play on the casino's part. Some casino managers have a tough time with the fact that a player can deposit $100, get a $50 bonus, hit a winning streak at the Craps table and cash out for $2200.

Whatever the reason, a few casinos have been known to withhold the player's winnings, or freeze player accounts completely. Do a little research if you're serious about using a particular casino's bonus. Read the message boards and check out the reviews. Also, there are other sites like ours that make it their business to keep the player informed so surf a little before you break out the credit card.

Roulette software comes in a variety of types with various features. Here we'll take a look at the different styles of software you may encounter, what features to look for, and how to know what is best for you. The first thing you need to decide is if you want to download roulette software to your home PC, or if you want to play through the Internet using a browser plug-in such as Shockwave or Flash. Downloadable roulette software lets you play offline, a bonus for those of us without high-speed Internet access or an unlimited account. In-browser games offer other unique features, such as the ability to play with other people, or to accumulate points and trade them in for prizes. When looking at browser based roulette software, try to find one that offers a bankroll that stays with you across sessions. This style of software is your smartest choice, as it will let you improve your game with practice. Without a real bankroll you can't truly tell if your strategy is working for you. Real money roulette software is a newer and very different form of the game. This software is most often a download package, but one which you need to be online to play, as the game connects to a central casino server when it starts up. This software is actually just a gateway into the game, which takes place on the server computer of the online casino. Real money roulette software allows you to play and win real cash from your home, so if you are a roulette fan and can't get enough, you should try playing online.

The idea behind roulette is a simple one there is however the complications arrive in the betting as there are several different ways to do it however the less the chance of the ball landing there the higher the payout. In a casino the chips are different to other games and each player has their own unique colour chips this stops any confusion about which bets are whose. The chips are normally received and cashed in at the roulette table. Types of bets
There are lots of different types of bets in the game of roulette indicated by the place of chips on the table they are however normally divided into two major groups. The first of these is Inside bets
These are called inside bets as they are laid on the area directly inside the layout the inside bets are

• Single Number (Pays 35 to 1)
  Is a bet on one single number (Also known as a straight bet) To bet this you place the chips in the centre of the square of the number you wish to bet on.
• Split Bet (Pays 17 to 1)
  Is a bet on two numbers. To bet this you place your chips on the line in between the two numbers you wish to bet on.
• Corner Bet (Pays 8 to 1)
  Is a bet on four numbers (Also known as a Square or Quarter Bet) To bet this you place your chips on the corner of the four numbers you wish to bet on. The chip should be placed on the intersection of horizontal and vertical line.
• Street Bet (Pays 11 to 1)
  Is a bet on three numbers. To bet this you place your chips on the edge of the layout for the numbers you wish to bet on ndicated by placing the chip on the line at the edge of the number layout on the row you wish to bet on.
• Special Line Bet (Pays 6 to 1)
  Is a bet made on five different numbers and can only be placed on the 00,0,1,2,3. To place this bet you put your chips on the edge of the number layout between the zero rows and the first row.
• Line Bet (Pays 5 to 1)
  Is a bet on six adjoining numbers. To bet this you place your chips on the line at the edge of the number layout straddling the two rows you wish to bet on.