How To Safely Play Casinos Online

 These days there are a number of web sites where members can play casinos online. These sites make it possible for gambling enthusiasts to indulge in their hobbies from the comfort and privacy of their own homes. Top online casinos offer a gaming atmosphere that is as exciting and realistic as one found in real world gambling hubs.

Why Play Casinos Online

There are several benefits of playing casino online. One of the main advantages is of course the easy accessibility. One can access these websites at any time and from any location. All you need is a computer and an Internet connection and you are all set to play.

Top online casinos offer a larger variety of games when compared to their real world counterparts. Unless one visits one of the major gambling hubs such as Vegas, it is difficult to find a casino that offers several different types of casino games under the same roof.

Virtual casinos, on the other hand, are almost like miniature online casinos planets, offering hundreds of variations of popular casino gamesfrom traditional table games such as roulette, poker, and blackjack to flash games such as online casinos slots.Internet gamblers may access any of several different games, settings, and skill levels, all from the comfort of their own home.

For this very reason, these websites are perfect for beginners who wish to learn the intricacies of a particular game without the risk of losing all their money. Many of the better virtual gambling websites feature highly authentic and true to life gaming using imitation currency or tokens. Such moneyless gambling resources allow members to refine their skills and gain valuable experience without losing their shirt during the process. Gambling with token currency is also the perfect option for the people who wish to experience the thrill of gambling without putting their hard-earned money at risk.

Best of all, it is highly private. Many people, who may wish to try their luck at gambling, hesitate to do so for fear of public censure. It is safe as when people play casinos online all transactions are of electronic nature and hence invisible to the outside world.

Choosing Safe Online Casinos

Safety is the most important consideration when you play casinos online. Online casino frauds such as identity theft and stealing of financial data (including credit card information and data related to bank accounts) are unfortunately common when dealing with less than reputable sites.

Always research your choice before deciding on a particular online casino. It is fatal simply to click on an exciting looking link that you find in your email inbox. The majority of such emails are spam that will compromise the integrity of your computer. Several trustworthy online resources provide detailed reviews about various online casinos. Choosing from such a database ensures that the website is secure and authentic.

To conclude, there are several websites where you can play casino games such as online video slotsfree. Those who are planning to play casinos online for the first time will benefit from visiting one of the many online gambling forums and databases.

Visit Online Casinos Planet for detailed reviews of websites where you can play casinos online. Our in-depth guide offers recommendations and information on hundreds of them for maximum choice.

Best Online Casino Slots

Best Online Casino Slots
The glitzy slot machines have always been the centre attraction of a casino, be it online or offline. And, nowadays the online casinos are getting more and more popular as they have wider range of slots compared to a land and brick casino.
There are a large number of people who come to casinos only to play slot games and it includes all, from kids to old age people. The slots are the games that do not require a player to use their brains as it just needs a coin and pulling the lever of the machine. There are different kinds of the slots available on the internet and in this article, we will discuss the best of all them.
Best Online Classic Slots -
1. Safe Cracker - This is a great machine. It offers a huge jackpot of a cool 20,000 coins. And, you can bet with in the range of quarter to $5 and the max bet is 3 coins. You can win $5000 with a single spin, and with 3 spins, you may get lucky for a whopping $20,000. And, the payouts are also offered in mid-range.
2. Slot land  - This online casino slot is known for great attractive ambience, excellent odds and completely secured financial transactions. And, unlike other sites, it does not require you to download any software. You can play with an initial deposit of up to $100. It offers multiple line slots like two pay-lines, four pay-lines, five-pay lines and eight-pay lines. You have pretty good chances to winning money here.
3. Lucky Charmer - This online slot is best known for good bonuses. You will see a second screen bonus feature. There are 3 musical pipes, and when you reach the bonus round, the charmer plays your choice. But, to activate the bonus round, you should be able to hit the King Cobra at the 3rd pay-line.
4. Flower Power - This machine is best for multiple pay-lines. It may offer only 1000 coins, but the best thing about it is that 'less the coin figures, higher the winning chances'. And, it has multiple- pay-lines, so you have lot of winning combinations. You will love it.
5. Major Millions - And, if you want to hit it really big, then his one is yours. Major Millions is a 3 reels game-machine with 3 pay-lines. It offers you winnings up to $250,000. The minimum amount to bet for jackpot is $3.
So, next time when you want to plays slots, try your luck at these slots and you win some cool amount of money.

Getting to Know Modern Video Slots

Getting to Know Modern Video Slots
If you are looking for some leisure games that are easy to learn and pick up, perhaps you may wish to consider video slots. Slot machines are not new games. They have been around for a long time and they are fun and exciting. One can easily spend hours and hours with a slot machine and be totally engaged.
The main reason why a slot machine can be so engaging is because you stand to win real money if the reel slots stopped at specific positions and form winning patterns. When a winning pattern is formed, it's like winning the lottery. You hear the tinkling sounds as the coins drop out of the machine!
Traditional slot machines only have 3 slots. The winning patterns are limited, and there are less play options. Today, modern slot machines are slightly different. Although the winning principles are still similar, a player can choose different playing options such as bonus games or multiple choice games. In place of the 3 reel slots, modern machines have 5 reel slots, which means that there are more pay lines.
Many players believe (wrongly) that slot machines don't pay out for a while after a huge win. However, statistics have shown that this belief is not true. All spins are completely random, and a previous win doesn't affect the odds of the next spin. In other words, don't expect the next spin to be predictable in any way. Once a huge win has been won, forget about the win. The odds for the next spin will be the same.
The reason why many people believe that slot machines don't let players win for a while after a big win is because it is very rare for someone to witness two wins in a row. And seeing is believing. If no one witnesses 2 wins in a row, then the myth must be true. Don't be fooled!
When playing a slot machine, think about your budget. Usually, slot machines can "eat" up coins pretty fast. Think about how much time you wish to spend on the machines. If you are looking to spend a longer time at the slot machines, then consider playing with smaller bets.
Larger bets, however, usually allow you to win more coins. The larger you bet, the more coins you stand to win. In a casino, there will be slot machines that accept coins of different sizes. So if you find a machine that is to heavy handed for you, just switch to a machine that accepts smaller coins.
Finally, know that all casinos offer different payout percentages. Obviously, a higher percentage payout will attract more players. Some casinos are known to offer as much as 90% payout (very attractive). So make sure you compare the payouts between different casinos before playing.
Also, be sure to take advantage of the special sign up bonus that almost every casino is offering now. A bonus can range from a hundred pounds to a thousand pounds. That means when you deposit the first sum of money upon signing up, the casino matches your deposit by depositing the same amount to your account.

Inside the Mind of Phil Ivey - Hands to the Final Table of the WSOP

Inside the Mind of Phil Ivey - Hands to the Final Table of the WSOP
Phil Ivey-Not Every Hand Revealed
Let's see how Phil Ivey got to the final table of the 2009 WSOP Main Event. This is information from hands reported by . The event started with 6,494 players. The winner will take home over $8.5 million.
Day 1D. July 7, 2009.
The first obstacle. Phil entered on the last day of the event. He got in, unlike 500+ other players who were left out and forced to find an outlet for $10,000 in that sleepy city of Las Vegas. By math, $5+ million in cash was standing in line outside the cage. By rumor, strippers had their best night of WSOP action.
Level 1 Hour 1.
Blinds: 50-100
Hand: Ivey builds his stack.
Flop 10h-6s-3s. Ivey bets 300 and is called by his lone opponent.
Turn Ks. Ivey bets 600. His opponent mucks.
Ivey: 31,000.
(My Comment: Your basic continuation bet on the flop by Ivey takes down the pot.)
Hand: The river helps...
Board: As-6c-9d-4c-6h. First player checks, and second player bets 1,250. Ivey raises to 4,000. First player folds but second player calls. Ivey shows Kd-6d, making trips on the river.
Level 3
Blinds: 150-300
Hand: Gotta know when to fold'em...
Turn: Ad-8s-8d-Kh. Player bets 1000, Ivey and another player calls.
River: 9s. Player bets 6,000, Ivey calls, but the last player raises to 16,000. Both Ivey and the first player fold. The raiser shows Ah-8h for a full house.
(My Comment: It's nice when you flop a full house. An easy fold with the river raise and two opponents.)
Hand:  to hold'em.
Flop: Ad-Jd-3h. Pot has 2,850. Ivey bets 1,700 and only gets one caller.
Turn: 2d. Both players check.
River: 9d Both players check. Ivey shows Ac-Kh to win pot.
Ivey at 58,000.
(My Comment: Excellent learning here. Even though, Ivey has top pair, top kicker he checks the turn. It's not because he thinks his opponent has a better hand. It's too control the pot size and possibly win more on the river if a scare card does not hit. A scare card did hit, though, and he had to check.)
Level 4
Blinds: 150-300 with a 25 ante
Hand: He's got him dominated.
Ivey calls an all-in bet of 8,825. Ivey show Ah-Qc. Opponent Ac-Jd.
Board: 8d-6s-3c-Ks-9d. Ivey wins pot.
Ivey at 82,000.
(My Comment: An easy call. A-Q and only risking a small percentage of his chip stack.)
Level 5
Blinds: 200-400 with a 50 ante
Hand: A semi-bluff on a draw?
Flop: As-6d-3s. Dutch Boyd bets 1,500 from the big blind. Ivey raises to 4,500. Boyd calls.
Turn: 4s. Both players check.
River: 8s. Both players check. Boyd shows 6h-3c for two pair. Ivey mucks.
Ivey at 105,000.
(My Comment: Difficult to know what is going on here. Maybe Ivey is playing his aggressive opponent with that flop raise. Maybe it's a semi-bluff on the flop. Not sure.)
End of day 1D: Ivey at 105,000. Leader at 340,000. Players left: 3,572
Day 2B: July 8, 2009
Level 6
Blinds: 250-500 with a 50 ante
Hand: They're just pocket , it's Ivey.
Pre-flop a player limps, Erick Lindgren raises to 2,500 from late position and is called by Ivey in the big blind as well as the limper.
Flop: 9c-8d-4d. Ivey bets out for 6,000. The limper folds but Lindgren moves all-in, for only 17,500. Ivey calls and shows Jd-Jc. Lindgren shows Qh-Qd.
Turn: 7c.
River: Jh. Ouch!
(My Comment: You gotta get lucky to win. Could you fold an overpair here?)
Level 7
Blinds: 300-600 with a 75 ante
Hand: Was it Ivey's stare?
Turn: 4h-Js-9h-7c. Ivey calls a bet of 15,000
River: 8s. Ivey's opponent checks. Ivey bets 45,000 and his opponent mucks. He shows a set, 9c-9d! Ivey does not show and collects his chips.
Ivey at 148,000.
(My Comment: What happened on the flop would be nice to know. But, what exactly do you think Ivey has here? Did he turn a straight? Is he going to call a big turn bet, to complete a straight on the river?)
End of Day 2B-Ivey at 325,000
Day 3: July July 10, 2009. 2,134 players left.
Level 10
Blinds: 600-1,200 with a 200 ante
Hand: Can't win 'em all.
Player moves all-in pre-flop and Ivey calls. Opponent has Ah-10c. Ivey has 9h-9s.
Board: 6d-4d-3h-5c-10d. Ivey loses hand.
Ivey at 355,000.
Level 11
Blinds: 800-1,600 with a 200 ante
Hand: Sometimes you got to fold the winning hand. Maybe here?
Pre-flop Ivey raises to 4,500 from under the gun and two players call.
Flop: Js-5s-5h. Ivey bets 9,000, next player raises to 18,000. Other player folds but Ivey calls.
Turn: 2h. Ivey checks, and his opponent moves all-in with 85,400. Ivey thinks for a few minutes and mucks. Opponent shows one card, the Jd.
Ivey at 358,000.
(My Comment: All-in moves on the river are often either a complete bluff or the nuts. Looks like the nuts to Ivey.)
Day 3 ends. Ivey at 358,000. Leader at 1,380,500.
Day 4: July 11, 2009. 810 players left.
Level 16
Blinds: 3,000-6,000 with a 500 ante
Hand: The rockets hold up and get paid big. Oh, yeah, it's Ivey.
Ivey raises pre-flop to 16,000 from early position and is called by one player.
Flop: 7s-2d-Qh. Ivey bets 23,000 and is called.
Turn: 8h. Ivey bets 55,000 and is called.
River: 4d. Ivey bets big enough to put opponent all-in. Opponents calls. Ivey shows As-Ah. Opponent mucks.
Ivey at 900,000. (Note: There is no reporting on how much of this pot contributed to Ivey's increase in chips from 358,000.)
(My Comment: Ivey fires the third bullet on the river. No resistance. No scare card. Maximum rewards.)
Level 17
Blinds: 3,000-6,000 with a 1,000 ante
Hand: Fold, dude. It's Phil Ivey!
Turn: Ac-Jc-7s-8s. Ivey bets 70,000. Opponent calls.
River: 3d. Ivey bets 120,000. Opponent folds.
Ivey near 1 million.
(My Comment: Pre-flop and flop play would be nice to know. He may just have top pair on the turn, and he is betting for value and making it expensive for his opponent to catch.)
Hand: Hello, it's Phil I-v-e-y!
Board: Qh-5h-9c-7c. Opponent checks. Ivey moves all-in. Opponent calls and shows Ad-9d. Ivey shows Kd-Kc.
River: 7s. Ivey wins.
Ivey at 1.1 million.
Hand: Does he have to wear a name tag?
Pre-flop Ivey raises to 16,000 preflop and the player on the big blind calls.
Flop: 9c-6s-3d. Opponent check-calls Ivey's bet of 22,000.
Turn: 8d. Ivey bets 55,000 and is called.
River: Kc. Ivey bets 120,000 and opponent folds.
Ivey at 1.2 million.
(My Comment: Ivey keeps firing even with that King on the river. The check-call is an interesting play by his opponent. A check raise on the turn may have forced Ivey to fold.)
Day 4 ends: Ivey with 1,276,000. Leader at 1,819,000.
Day 5-July 12, 2009. 407 players left.
Hand: You ain't gonna hit a set against The Man.
Pre-flop a player moves all-in and Ivey calls. Opponent shows 9h-9c. Ivey has Kd-Kc. Board: Ad-Ac-5c-Ah-8h. Ivey wins.
Ivey at 830,000. (It's noted that Ivey had dropped to 220,000 but no hands were reported. Maybe you are not allowed to report when Ivey losses a lot of chips.)
Day 5 ends. Ivey with 1,400,000. Leader at 4,872,000.
Day 6-July 13, 2009. 185 players left.
Level 21
Blinds: 8,000-16,000 with a 2,000 ante
Hand: Will they ever learn?
Flop: Qc-10c-10h. Ivey and opponent checks.
Turn: As. Ivey and opponent checks.
River 8h. Ivey bets 50,000 and his opponent mucks.
Ivey at 1.7 million.
(My Comment: Whoever bets first here wins on the river, I believe.)
Level 23
Blinds: 12,000-24,000 with a 3,000 ante
Hand: You are moving all-in with A-K against Ivey? You are not playing online.
Pre-flop a player raises to 75,000 from early position and another player calls. Ivey pushes all-in from the small blind for 1,800,000. Original raiser calls the all-in bet for his last 700,000. The other player folds. Ivey has Ks-Kc. Opponent Ah-Kd.
Board: Jc-5s-4d-7d-Js. Ivey wins.
Ivey at 2,680,000.
(My Comment: The first raiser has a tough decision since it's a re-raise from Ivey in the worst position pre-flop. Ivey is aggressive pre-flop, but is he going to re-raise an upfront raiser unless he has a premium hand? I don't think so. If I was the player with the A-K, I would put Ivey on pocket Queens and be wrong.)
Level 24
Blinds: 15,000-30,000 with a 4,000 ante
Hand: Q-Q beats J-J--except against P.I.
Pre-flop a player raises to 80,000 and Ivey re-raises to 260,000. His opponent moves all-in for his last 620,000 and Ivey calls. Opponent shows Qs-Qc. Ivey Jc-Jh.
Board: Js-9s-4c-5c-7c. Ivey wins.
Ivey at 3,260,000.
(My Comment: He got lucky, but he wasn't risking many chips.)
Hand: Charity for an author.
Pre-flop Ivey raises to 80,000 and Blair Rodman moves all-in for 362,000. Ivey calls and shows Ad-9s. Rodman has 8s-8h.
Board: Kc-10c-4d-6h-2s. Ivey loses a small pot.
(My Comment: Same as before. The risk is small. Ivey actually was in better shape than he might have thought he would be in, given that he has two overcards.)
Level 25
Blinds: 20,000-40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Hand: Meet the son of the Poker Gods.
Pre-flop Ivey bets 110,000 from the button and his opponent re-raises to 325,000 from the big blind. Ivey calls.
Flop: Qs-4h-2h. Opponent checks and Ivey moves all-in for 910,000. His opponent calls and shows the Qc-7h. Ivey reveals Jh-5h.
Turn: not a heart.
River: is a heart. Ivey hits his flush.
Ivey at over 5,000,000 now.
(My Comment: He tried to steal from the button, and decided to call with the suited hand. The play on the flop is not a bad one since it's a semi-bluff--and in this case, the "bluff" didn't work but the "semi" did:))
Day 6 Ends. Ivey at 6,345,000 Leader: Darvin Moon - 9,745,000
Day 7 July 14, 2009. 64 players left
Level 26
Blinds: 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Hand: You are not playing against Phil Hellmuth, bro.
Pre-flop Phil Ivey raises to 135,000 and gets one caller.
Flop: 9c-3h-3s. Both players check.
Turn: 9d. Opponent bets 150,000. Ivey calls.
River: 7s. Opponent bets 360,000. Ivey calls. Opponent has nothing with a Qh-10h. Ivey shows As-Qh, a better nothing.
Ivey now over 7 million.
(My Comment: This is another good learning hand. His opponent is one of the chip leaders. He wants to keep the pot small and keep his decisions easy. If he bets the flop and get called, his opponent will win this hand. Instead, he decides to call down his opponent's small bets. He induced a bluff on the turn and the river, to win a decent pot..
Level 27 Update
Blinds: 30,000-60,000 with a 10,000 ante
Hand: He had to take an early bathroom break, I guess.
Pre-flop Ivey raises to 150,000 from the cutoff and opponent calls from the big blind.
Flop: Ad-5d-Kc. Opponent check-calls Ivey's bets of 225,000.
Turn: 3h. Both players check.
River: 5s. Opponent bets into Ivey with 350,000. Ivey folds and loses small pot.
Ivey at 8.4 million.
(My Comment: My guess is that his opponent has either top or second pair. Ivey clearly tried to steal pre-flop and take down the pot with a continuation bet on the flop. Once it didn't work, he was done with this hand.)
Level 27
Blinds: 30,000-60,000 with a 10,000 ante
Hand: Chip leader my ass.
Billy Kopp is the new chip leader with over 16 million. He raises pre-flop to 150,000 from the hijack position. Ivey calls from the cutoff.
Flop: 7d-7c-2c. Both players check.
Turn: 4h. Both players check.
River: Ac. Kopp bets 225,000. Ivey raises to 700,000 and his opponent folds.
Ivey up to 8.6 million.
(My Comment: Maybe he hit his Ace or maybe he felt his opponent was weak. A river raise usually indicates strength but it's hard to know what is happening here between these top 10 chip leaders.)
Hand: Ivey ain't three betting with 7-2 offsuit, buddy.
Ivey raises pre-flop from the button to 150,000 and gets re-raised to 460,000. Ivey re-re-raises to 1,160,000, and is called.
Flop: Kh-10d-4s. Ivey bets 1,200,000 after opponent checks. His opponent folds.
Ivey over 10,000,000.
(My Comment: His opponent has to fold to that re-raise. Give up when you are beat.)
Level 28
Blinds: 40,000-80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Hand: You just got pocket Kings? I got a 7!
Pre-flop a player raises to 205,000 and Ivey calls from the small blind.
Flop: Qs-7h-4c. Both payers check.
Turn: 7d. Ivey bets 350,000 and is called.
River: 4d. Ivey bets 750,000 and is called. Ivey shows 9c-7c. His opponent shows his pocket kings before mucking.
Ivey at 11,300,000.
(My Comment: His opponent got too fancy and it cost him. Ivey will defend his big blind with a big range of cards. If you want him to fold, pre-flop raise more than normal. If you want Ivey in, bet smaller pre-flop but make a larger flop bet. While the flop looks safe. It turned out to be a tough loss for his opponent with K-K.)
Level 29
Blinds: 50,000-100,000 with a 10,000 ante
Hand: You making fun of my 7. This time I got a 9!
Pre-flop a player raises to 260,000 from early position and Ivey calls from the big blind.
Flop: 10s-9d-6h. Both players check.
Turn: 9s. Ivey checks. Opponent bets 200,000 and Ivey check-raises to 600,000. Opponent calls.
River: 8c. Ivey bets 1,000,000 and is called. Ivey shows Jh-9h and wins with trips.
Ivey at 14,890,000.
(My Comment: A check raise on the turn can be a bluff, but with that scare card and coordinated board, Ivey is telling you I have a big hand and I'm going to get maximum value for it.)
Day 7 ends: 27 players Ivey at 11,350,000. Leader: Darvin Moon - 20,160,000
Day 8: July 15,  'till final table of 9 players
Level 30.
Blinds: 60,000-120,000 with a 15,000 ante
Hand: He owed the gods a Queen from before.
Player moves all-in preflop for 1,030,000. Ivey calls with Jc-Js. Opponent has Qc-5c.
Board: 10s-8h-2d-Qd-8s. Ivey loses.
(My Comment: It was a good call with only about a 10% chip loss.)
Level 30. 23 players left
Blinds: 60,000-120,000 with a 15,000 ante
Hand: What! This can't be--the favorite hand beats Ivey. Change the deck!
Pre-flop the first player raises to 290,000 and the second player moves all-in for almost 2.5 million. Ivey calls and the original raiser folds. Ivey has Jh-Jd. Opponent has Qh-Qd.
Board: 10h-5h-5c-7d-4d. Ivey loses.
Ivey down to under 6 million.
(My Comment: It's your basic cooler.)
Hand: What? Losing to Shulman. Change the dealer!
Ivey is first in pre-flop and calls from the small blind. Jeff Shulman checks from the big blind.
Flop: As-Js-2d. Ivey bets 120,000 and gets called by Shulman.
Turn: 2c. Ivey checks and folds after Shulman bets 200,000.
(My Comment: May as well take a shot with that Ace on the flop. Gotta figure your opponent would raise pre-flop with any Ace.)
Level 31. 19 players left
Blinds: 80,000-160,000 with a 20,000 ante
Hand: There is a disturbance in the Force.
Player raises pre-flop to 400,000 under-the-gun and Ivey raises to 1,150,000. His opponent moves all-in. Ivey calls and shows Ac-10h. His opponent has 2c-2s.
Board: Jc-6d-3c-4c-9s. Ivey loses.
Ivey at 2,640,000.
(My Comment: Ivey needs chips and he is forcing the action.)
Level 31. 15 players left
Blinds: 80,000-160,000 with a 20,000 ante
Hand:  a minute, I thought the world was coming to an end.
Phil Ivey raises pre-flop to 420,000 and gets one caller.
Flop: 8s-6c-4c. Ivey bets 600,000 and gets called
Turn: 4s. Both players check.
River: Kd. Both players check. Ivey shows 9s-9h, while opponent has 10c-9c. Ivey wins.
Ivey at 6.8 million. (There is no report how Ivey won over $4 million in chips. Someone check his pockets!)
(My Comment: Notice how he is not willing to make the pot bigger on the turn when the 4 pairs, or bet with the overcard on the river. He will only get called on the river by a player who has him beat.)
Level 32. 13 players left.
Blinds: 100,000-200,000 with a 30,000 ante
Hand: As it was before.
Ivey raises pre-flop to 525,000 and the big blind calls.
Flop: 6h-2h-2s. The big blind checks and Ivey bets 700,000. His opponent mucks.
Ivey at 7,200,000.
(My Comment: Your basic continuation bet on the flop by Ivey takes down the pot. Notice the texture of the flop is not threatening at all.)
Hand: As it should be.
Ivey raises to 500,000 pre-flop. Opponent calls.
Flop: 6s-5c-3d. Ivey bets 700,000 and opponent folds.
Ivey at 6.5 million (not reported on the hand or hands he lost 700,000).
(My Comment: Another continuation bet on the flop.)
Level 33. 12 players left.
Blinds: 120,000-240,000 with a 30,000 ante
Hand: As it is meant to be.
Ivey bets 675,000 pre-flop and is called.
Flop: Ad-7c-5d. Opponent check-calls Ivey's bet of 800,000.
Turn: 3d. Ivey gets his opponent to fold with a bet of 1,700,000.
Ivey at 9,030,000.
(My Comment: That looks like a scare card on the turn. I can't figure the check call on the flop by his opponent...a wide range of hands are possible.)
Hand: And as we hoped it would be.
A player moves all-in for 2,350,000 and Ivey calls. His opponent has Kc-Qs. Ivey Ah-10h.
Board: 8s-3s-3d-3h-5c. Ivey wins.
Ivey at 9,610,000.
(My Comment: I think this is the riskiest play of the day. He is risking more than one-third of his chips with A-10. Is it because the cards are suited? Even if he puts his opponent on a small or medium pair, the hand is a coin flip. I guess that's why he is Phil Ivey, and you are not=))
End of the Day
Players Remaining: 9 out of 6,494
Chip Counts:
1. Darvin Moon - 58,930,000
2. Eric Buchman - 34,800,000
3. Steven Begleiter - 29,885,000
4. Jeff Shulman - 19,580,000
5. Joe Cada - 13,215,000
6. Kevin Schaffel - 12,390,000
7. Phil Ivey - 9,765,000
8. Antoine Saout - 9,500,000
9. James Akenhead - 6,800,000
If he is in 7th place, why is he the favorite to win?
I think if you study these hands it will improve your game. Look at the difference on when he checks flops versus bets the flop, and when he checks turns and bets the turn, etc. The keys to his decision are based on who was the pre-flop raiser, the texture of the board, who he is playing against, the range of hands he put his opponent in, and the chip stacks.
While he got lucky in a few hands, it happened because he was pushing the action and he had outs if he got called. That's the key to winning poker tournaments. Be more aggressive than your opponents and push the action. You got to get lucky to win a major event, and really any event.

Cold in Canada? Try Playing at Online Casinos

Cold in Canada? Try Playing at Online Casinos
During the Winter months in Canada it can get quite cold, and going out for a night of entertainment can be a very non-entertaining prospect. If you get the itch to go gambling at a casino, it's tough to just get up and go.
If you park outside you have to let the car warm up, and possibly have to scrape ice and snow off the car before you go. Of course if it's cold enough, you also have to worry about your car starting when you're ready to go home. If you decide to get a taxi instead, it will take longer and cost more than in the Summer due to road conditions, and it's tough to get one late at night on a weekend. When you finally get to the casino, it's usually packed full of other people looking for indoor entertainment. In Canada it's especially bad since the Native run casinos are the only establishments that allow you to smoke inside in designated areas while playing the games.
So forget that idea. Rather than getting all dressed up and not having much fun, throw on some warm comfy clothes and play whatever casino game you like from the comfort and safety of your own home. There are benefits to playing at online casinos other than just being able to stay out of the cold.
The first time you play at an online casino they offer you a welcome bonus which can be very generous. For example, you see offers anywhere from a $60 free chip with no deposit necessary, to a 400% bonus on your first deposit. Sounds crazy, but they are legitimate offers and come with terms and conditions. You are required to wager a certain amount when playing on these bonuses, and can mostly only play slots. Also, free chips usually come with a maximum cash out amount. Still great deals for signing up at the casino. You don't see anything like that at land based casinos.
Online casinos also offer benefits similar to those provided by land based casinos when you sign up for a Players Club Card or similar card. I'm always leaving my card plugged in to a machine when I leave, so I have to keep the damn thing tethered to me at all times. Playing at an online casino, you earn points without the annoyance of having to deal with a card. The point systems are very similar, you earn points for wagering and can cash them in after you reach a certain amount.
You also avoid the other various annoyances that are found at land based casinos. If you're a non-smoker it can be quite annoying sitting beside a smoker, and the other way around is also true because the non-smoker usually voices their concern. Drinks cost quite a bit at Canadian casinos, but if you're playing at home you can buy the alcohol much cheaper and mix the drinks yourself. You can play any game you like without having to wait for it to open up, and you also don't have people bumping your chair as they walk by, that really bugs me.
So save yourself the troubles of having to go out in the cold just because you get the itch to gamble, and play at an online casino this Winter.

Is Gambling An Alternative To Making Money Online?

Is Gambling An Alternative To Making Money Online?
Just like any commercial market today that took advantage of the increasing use of the Internet, gambling also took its chance of having to saturate a broader area of gaming, as you can notice there are a lot of online gambling games right now. From poker to sports betting, day trading to futures and commodities trading. Every form of gambling seems to be available online these days.
People may have different reasons why they gamble, but the term gambling is not always a negative word as many people thought. People gamble for entertainment or to make a profit. You can earn money from gambling. There are a lot of opportunities on the web that offer online gambling advantages to players.
Online gambling has become extremely popular because of the convenience it gives. Using the Internet, you can now play any casino game you want in the comfort of your own home. Now it's easy to apply your strategy without giving much a way to your opponents.
So who gambles without wanting to earn a lot of money? Unless of course you do it for enjoyment and when you lose your money, it's alright with you. But whether win or lose in the short term, you can still profit long term. You can work hard to learn all the tricks or the strategies in winning games or you can depend upon luck.
Knowing all the basic rules and tricks is also important before you can earn money from gambling. If you are new to online gambling, then you should not risk a large amount of money on bets or you should try free gambling first to gain experience. It's perhaps unwise to risk money at first when gambling because if you lose, nothing will be left. It may be wiser to paper trade until you have built your confidence and skills up.
There are online gambling websites that offer large bonuses if you deposit a large amount of cash. Some people who are really addicted to gambling may get attracted instantly, and soon realise they have invested their money to fraudulent a company. There are some sites which refuse to pay customers and some online gaming companies that have been suspected of using software that works in their favour.
So don't take gambling too seriously, only you can decide for yourself if you should gamble or not. Most importantly, don't get hooked up on it. Only risk what you can afford to lose.

Online Casinos and Problem Gambling

Online Casinos and Problem Gambling
An estimated 20 million people worldwide gamble online at internet casinos. In 2007, Americans (who were technically not allowed to use online gambling venues) spent $34 billion on gambling in bricks and mortar casinos, and that number does not include the amount spent at Native American casinos.
There is no question that visiting a casino or gambling online is an exciting activity. Most people play purely for entertainment, while some online gamblers take the necessary time to learn the skills required for games like the many variations of online poker with the aim of winning money (at least more often than they lose it). For many people, there is a definite "high" associated with risking money on games, and for a small subset of those people, gambling turns into a full-fledged addiction that can cost them their livelihood, their family, and their entire way of life.
Problem gambling can be thought of as a spectrum of problems. While some people do become seriously addicted, others sometimes get carried away in the thrill of betting, lose more money than they expected, and then stop when they realize the consequences of their actions. Others gamble when they are anxious or depressed, coping with life changes and trying to enjoy a temporary distraction from the problems in their lives.
Most people are able to keep their gambling under control by simple measures such as limiting their bankroll and practicing their own standards as to when to walk away after a certain level of loss (or gain, for that matter). But there are others for whom gambling shows signs of turning into an addiction. How can you tell if your online casino visits are no longer an entertaining diversion, but a real problem?
One serious red flag is when a person gambles to obtain money with which to solve financial problems, such as paying bills or debts. Borrowing money or selling important possessions to finance gambling is another strong indicator that a person's gambling is out of control. If gambling causes a deterioration in a person or their family's standard of living or general welfare, it's a problem. And if a person does something illegal (or considers doing so) to fund gambling, that means gambling has gone well beyond being a form of entertainment.
Resources are readily available to those who think they may have an addiction to gambling. Counseling, peer-support groups, step-based programs, and even medications are used to treat problem gambling, though no medications have been approved specifically for treating pathological gambling in the US by the Food and Drug Administration. Gamblers Anonymous is a 12-step program for treating gambling problems patterned after the 12-step program used in Alcoholics Anonymous.
The bottom line is that with gambling addiction, as with any addiction, the addict has to admit he or she has a problem and choose to address it; the problem will not go away on its own. If you or a loved one has a problem with pathological gambling, then a good place to start is either with a local Gamblers Anonymous group (In the US, you can call 888-424-3577 toll free) or at .