Something interesting has happened to humanity in the last ten years – we’ve all gone mad
for casino games. Perhaps it’s the promise of a little bit of glamour and escapism, coupled
with the influence of James Bond and the stories of bedroom gamblers who made it big (like
Chris Moneymaker).

No doubt the relatively recent ability to travel to Las Vegas from most major cities has
something to do with it as well. Televised poker certainly played a part a few years ago, but perhaps one of the biggest causes of this explosion in the popularity of casino games has been the spread of apps for smartphones and tablets. Ubiquitous Wi-Fi connections now
allow us to play roulette or poker pretty much anywhere.

New Players

For new players – and clearly there are plenty of them – it’s important to be able to get
reliable information about trusted sites, bonuses and the various strategies and systems that claim to be able to improve your win rate. Roulette is one of the most popular games online, as well as in land-based casinos, partly because it’s easy to understand.

New players will inevitably come across the Martingale roulette system at some point, but
beware; there’s a serious downside to it, explained in an article at Fortune Palace. The fact that, in modern casinos, every table now has a limit means that even with a huge bankroll,
the Martingale system can leave you very broke, very quickly!

Set A Limit

If you’re new to casino games, whether online or otherwise, remember Rule Number One:
set a limit on what you’re prepared to lose, assume you will lose it, and walk away when
you’ve done so. The point, after all, is that it’s supposed to be fun! Remember that, in the
long term, the house always, always wins.

Certain games – like blackjack for example – can offer better odds (in the long term) to players than others. Texas Hold ‘Em has enjoyed perhaps the biggest surge in popularity of all casino games, and one of the reasons is that, while it takes a few minutes to grasp the basics, experienced players will tell you that you never stop learning.

Celebrity Players

Hold ‘Em has drawn in a raft of celebrity players, some more successful than others. Tobey
“Spider-Man” Maguire is said to have won millions of dollars in Hollywood home games, while Jennifer Tilly (currently the voice of Bonnie in “Family Guy”) does pretty well as a semi-
pro player.

Ben Affleck is another noted Hollywood poker player, though after a big win ten years ago his success at the game seems to have diminished somewhat. It’s not just Hollywood types that play though – Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is reported to be an enthusiastic participant and keen to improve. Ex-footballer Teddy Sheringham and Teutonic tennis ace Boris Becker are also regularly to be found poring over their hands.

So if you’re tempted by casino games, remember that the chances of winning big are small,
keep it fun, and get good advice – there’s plenty of it out there…

(Images courtesy of hardboiledpoker.com, pokerfanatics.com, zimbio.com)