•    Toss bad cards.  If the computer deals cards that you cannot use to make a winning hand, such as a pair or same-suited cards that may form a straight, discard them all and draw five new cards.

•    Pairs always win.  It is better to hold on to a pair rather than a single high value card.  Video poker odds typically favour three of a kind, so keep the pair and reject the rest.

•    Go for three of a kind.  You may never draw a four-card straight or a flush, but three of a kind pops up fairly frequently.  Trying for three of a kind will yield higher income in the long run.  Keep high and low pairs.

•    Ends beat middles.  If you have a four-card straight that can be completed either front or back, draw just one card.  However, if you think you have a good chance of drawing a card to fill the middle of a partial straight, think again.

•    Jump on a royal flush.  If you have a chance to draw two cards to complete a royal flush, take it.  Toss a low pair, a four-card flush, or an open-ended straight.

•    Beware the big jackpot.  Video poker machines that promise huge payouts on rare hands often adjust their pay tables accordingly, causing you to lose big on smaller hands.

•    Ignore the name of the game.  Double bonus, super bonus, mega bonus – none of it means anything when it comes to quality of game play or payouts.

Rate of Play

Conventional poker, played in person, takes time.  Shuffling, dealing, and collecting cards, counting chips, and other distractions create delays that move play at a rate of about twenty-five to thirty hands an hour.  Online poker is much faster because none of those interruptions apply; it is possible to play a hundred or more hands of online poker per hour.

Increasing Earnings

Poker players at traditional casinos have just one option to increase their earnings:  raise limits.  Playing at high limit tables usually means playing against better, more experienced opponents.  Online poker rooms offer an alternative, in that players can simply play multiple tables simultaneously.  This strategy takes some practice, but it allows players to split a large bankroll between low limit tables, risking less and improving earning potential.

Gaining Experience

Novice poker players at a conventional offline casino gain experience through trial and error – with real cash.  This can get very expensive very quickly.  Many online casinos and poker rooms cater to beginners, and most offer a variety of ways for novices to improve their game.  Extensive tips and strategy sections, odds analysis, and complimentary poker schools let new players learn the ins and outs of the game; free money play makes it possible for newcomers to practice without risking any actual cash.

Playing poker online requires a different set of skills than playing at a table in a brick and mortar casino.  With some practice, though, and the right approach, the outcome can be just as rewarding.

With its popularity increasing a little more each day, video poker is fast-becoming one of the most widespread forms of the game.

Video poker combines the high earning potential of traditional table gaming with the excitement of online slots play.  Another feature of video poker that makes it so popular is that the odds are tipped in the player’s favour, more so than nearly any other casino game.  There is a strategic approach to the game that makes it a game of choice and skill rather than chance or luck.  Players who can choose the right machine and stick with it long enough have the potential to take home significantly more than they put in.

In essence, video poker is no different than conventional table poker.  The highest hand wins.  Beyond that, however, the differences are dramatic.  There is no bluffing, raising, or calling bets in video poker.  Cards are dealt by a computer.  Players can keep or reject cards as they choose; the computer replaces cards to fill the hand as needed.  Winnings are calculated according to a predetermined pay scale programmed into the machine.

The simplest video poker game is Jacks or Better—any hand with at least two jacks or higher face cards is a winner.  Other common variations of video poker include Deuces Wild, Joker’s Wild, and Poker Frenzy.  No matter what the game, the play is basically the same:  The computer deals five cards, the player holds or draws cards, the computer deals replacement cards, and the resulting hand is played.

Choose a game appropriate for your level of experience and your budget.  Just because you won a low limit game or two does not mean you are ready to dive into high stakes poker with pros.

Stay away from the poker table when you are emotional.  Playing reactively rather than rationally not only increases the odds that you will make poor decisions and lose money, but it also makes it easier for your opponents to study your tells and take advantage of your state of mind.

Fold more than you think you should.  There are no rules that say you must play every hand.  If you are dealt a bad hand, chances are it will not get any better once the community cards come out.

Be aware of your opponents and watch them closely, looking for clues or patterns in their behaviour.

Know the difference between playing poker alone online and playing with others in a traditional casino game.  At a live poker table your body language is on full display to your opponents.  There are also speed of play rules and proper etiquette you will be expected to follow.  This is much different than playing online poker at home.

Use bluffing as a strategic move, not as something to simply pass time or add variety to your game.

Be prepared on every bet and only raise if you think you can cover an opponent’s re-raise.

Only call a bet if you believe you can raise it if your opponents try to draw out on you.

Win with humility and lose with grace.

Many gaming historians consider 1970 to be a critical turning point in the history of the game of poker.  Beginning that year, a series of developments led to the game becoming much more popular than it had been previously.  According to some poker historians and other industry experts, there were four key events which began in 1970 and ended at the turn of the century, which launched a dramatic new (or renewed) interest in the game of poker.  They were:

1.    After the debut of the “World Series of Poker” (WSOP) in 1970, we witnessed the birth of modern day tournament play in the US.

2.    In the late 1970’s, the very first series of poker strategy books began appearing on the shelves of major book retailers throughout the entire world.  “Caro’s Book of Poker Tells” written by Mike Caro and “The Theory of Poker” by David Sklansky were two of the most famous.

3.    During the 1990’s, casino and poker gambling blazed a trail across the US from Las Vegas, Nevada to Atlantic City, New Jersey, which is still one of the most popular gambling destinations on the east coast.

4.    Finally, when British television debuted “Late Night Poker” in 1999, the game of poker was introduced to millions of Europeans for the first time.

However, despite the events mentioned above, none would have the impact that the poker industry witnessed at the turn of the century.  The game was introduced in mass to the World Wide Web with online poker.  Video poker was an immediate hit and is now played by millions every day.

Online casinos account for a large part of the online gambling industry. These casinos can provide a customer with all the thrill and excitement of playing casino games from the comfort of their own home.

An online casino will operate in a similar way to a real one. A customer can pay in a specific amount of money, which they can then gamble as they please. A customer can pay in extra funds or withdraw at any point in the same way that a player with a pile of betting chips could in a physical casino.

A customer has the benefit of choosing his or her own game and circumstances. A player can switch from blackjack to roulette with a moments notice. An online player can then set limits to make sure that they do not over spend.

Many online casinos such as 888, William Hill and Bet365 are supporters of responsible gambling. They will set daily pay-in limits that a customer can choose from. This stops a customer from getting addicted to gambling quickly and ensures that only a certain amount of money can be used within a 24-hour period. These measures put in place are only to aid the customer using the online casino or betting website; people should still be aware of the dangers that can arise and be responsible for their own money.

An online casino is very nearly the complete package. The advantages are huge and the only thing missing from the online experience is the buzz and thrill of actually being in a casino. However, having a little bet on online poker from the comfort of a homely armchair is a choice that more people are starting to make.

There are a number of online casinos that offer several different versions of poker, including ‘Texas hold ‘em’, ‘Seven-card stud’ and ‘Omaha’. Online gamblers play against each other rather than a computer and online poker tournaments have become very popular. It is thought that the online casinos are responsible for the explosion in the number of poker players worldwide, with revenue from games running to billions of dollars.

Online casinos are a good place for the beginner to learn the rules of the game and to grow in confidence. Traditional casinos can be scary places for a novice, but many online gambling sites offer free practice games for beginners to use while learning. Free games appeared online in the late 1990s, while the first money game took place in 1998.

Tournaments are a regular feature of online casinos, which give the winners entry to real life competitions. The 2003 winner of the ‘World Series of Poker’ main event entered by way of a satellite tournament at an online casino. The following year saw three times as many people enter the tournament.

Online casinos, such as Littlewoodscasino.com, Intercasino.com and Williamhill.com, offer several advantages to the poker player. The first of these is the speed of the game. Card shuffling and dealing are instantaneous, actions that slow down the traditional ‘live’ game. Lower limits are also frequently used at online casinos in comparison to traditional casinos. Some sites will also pay out bonuses to players who have deposited a minimum amount and played a minimum number of hands.

The user interfaces of online gambling sites come in all shapes and sizes – mostly colourful and vibrant in the style of Vegas – but, they all offer essentially the same range of online gambling experiences.

Follow simple instructions to download special software to your computer, set up a user account and you’re practically taking your seat at the blackjack or roulette table.

 Alternatively, avoid having to download any software and simply get cracking at the instant online slots or fruit machines as they are traditionally called.

There are hundreds of other games on offer too from treasure hunting to tomb raiding, all with the chance of striking it rich. You can play online gambling from your mobile phone on sites such as Intercasino and Littlewoods Casino, and there are dozens of others out there.

Security is not an issue because of the many safeguards deployed. Intercasino uses the safe and reliable Ecash system for managing user accounts and funds, and PayPal is another widely used system. Winnings can be transferred to your bank account at the press of a button and funds deposited in the other direction.

Payment options range from cheque and credit card to EntroPay and Moneybookers and similar secure online payment systems.

As the main players are in direct competition, the online casino sites use state of the art technology to ensure a diverse and exciting gambling experience for their customers. Simple instructions and online help ensure that even the novice can quickly get started on that quest for the jackpot.

The Internet in recent years has changed the way we shop, travel, communicate and enjoy leisure time and one of the fastest-growing virtual activities is online gambling.

With already well-established players such as William Hill, Littlewoods and Ladbrokes having a substantial online presence, and many others like Spin Palace and Bet365 increasingly dominating the market, there is no shortage of options for those wishing to make a flutter or test their skills at the tables.

Every game imaginable from blackjack and roulette, to online slots and fun games of luck built around treasure hunting and other themes, can be played in the comfort of one’s own home.

The usual procedure for getting started with an online casino such as 888, Intercasino or Littlewoods Casino is to follow a few simple instructions for downloading software, then set up an account and make a deposit via credit card or PayPal. Then all you do is click your game of choice and off you go!

For some games such as Jackpot City’s Super Slots, no software downloads are necessary and you can dive straight in. All the online casino sites have a colourful, interesting interface in the Vegas tradition, with 24/7 online help and support and full security.

With Internet crime scare stories rife, it is in the interests of the online gambling sites to make their customers feel as secure as possible, and all the latest technologies are deployed to ensure that this is the case. Internet gambling has never been easier or more fun.

Poker is known to be one of the most popular betting games invented. Every casino or online casino holds a poker match or tournament. Its popularity has risen over the years thanks to Hollywood stars, TV networks, and social communities that have their own poker groups. Online poker rooms can sometimes host up to a hundred thousand users.

One of the venues for online poker is the poker room of Bet365 online casino. It is known to be the largest online network in the world and each new registered player automatically gets a $500 bonus.

Bet365 also offers promotions for poker enthusiasts. Monthly Million tournaments are held and the top players in each of these events are guaranteed $200,000.

If you want a fast-paced poker challenge, Jackpot Sit & Gos is the way to go with prizes worth up to $50,000. If you earn consecutive wins, you will be rewarded with a progressive jackpot prize.

You can also be part of the new VIP scheme. Merit points are given to any gambler playing with real money at tournament tables. Once you start earning merit points, you can improve your status and receive rewards. If your VIP level progresses, you will be rewarded with benefits as well. Cash rewards could go as high as $150,000. And if you’re a high roller, you may just have a chance to be part of The Diamond Club, which is an exclusive, invitation-only club for the elite Bet365 players. Privileges include exclusive services and other awesome benefits.

Bet365 is also giving you a chance to become a star if you play in satellites of all the biggest tournaments. There are various satellite tournaments you can choose from and you can win as much as $250,000.