Moving up in League of Legends ranked mode takes skill and knowing the right tips. Climbing to higher tiers can take a long time. But there are ways to speed up how fast you gain LP and ranks. Whether you are stuck in low elo or pushing to reach the next level, you can rank up quicker with the right strategies. 

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Imagine a world where magic and machines are at odds with each other. Picture a place where you can be a hero who uses spells or a pioneer who builds amazing gadgets. Sounds exciting, right? What if you could be the one to change how this whole world works? This is what the upcoming game New Arc Line offers—a chance to make big choices in a world full of magic and machines. It’s one of the most talked-about games set to launch in 2024. From the story and characters to gameplay and special features, there’s a lot to look forward to. So, if you’re as excited as we are, stick around. Here’s everything we know about New Arc Line.

What is New Arc Line?

New Arc Line is an upcoming Tacting RPG game that combines the excitement of magic and the cool features of steampunk. What’s steampunk, you ask? Think of it like a world where old-timey steam power meets futuristic technology. Developed by Dreamate, a company from Ukraine, this game will be available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC. The game will let you explore all sorts of places, from magical forests to busy city streets.

But this game is more than just exploring and fighting. It’s also about choices. The game will have a deep story where what you decide really matters. Your actions could make you a hero or a villain, and they can change how other characters in the game react to you. You could even influence big events in the game’s world.

To add even more layers of immersion, New Arc Line promises a deeply personalized journey. Players can choose their character’s race, gender, and background, each coming with its own set of advantages and challenges. The diversity extends beyond your own character to the world at large, promising a dynamic environment filled with different races, cultures, and belief systems. This level of complexity aims to create a living, breathing world that evolves based on your decisions, making each playthrough a unique experience.

The Story

New Arc Line is set in a world that’s changing fast. It’s like the United States in the early 1900s but with magic, elves, and other fantasy elements. You come to the big city of New Arc, a place everyone says is full of chances to make a good life. But you soon find out that the city has problems. There’s a lot of unfairness, people are separated by race or magic, and corruption is everywhere. On top of that, everyone is talking about a coming war between magic users and those who use new technology.

As you play, you get pulled into big issues that affect the whole city and world. You’re not just an outsider; you’re someone who could change things. You’re also trying to save your family from a deadly sickness. As you look for a cure, you get tangled up in secret plans, fights for the throne, and maybe even ancient secrets. The choices you make can save your family and could even stop or start a big war.

Gameplay

Based on what the developers have told us, the gameplay of New Arc Line is set to be really exciting and full of choices. The game will use a system where you take turns to make moves, much like a chess match. This means you’ll have to think a lot before each action. It’s not about attacking non-stop; you’ll need to plan and use your skills smartly to win battles.

But combat isn’t everything. The game will also let you talk your way out of problems, or maybe into them, depending on what you choose to say. Your choices in conversations will also affect the story and how other characters see you. Do you want to be a smooth talker or let your weapons do the talking? The game will give you the chance to decide, making every playthrough unique and personal.

Another fun part is building your character. The game will offer six main job types, or “classes,” and within those, you can specialize even further with twelve subtypes. So, if you want to focus on magic, you can become a really powerful spellcaster. If technology is more your style, you can turn into an engineer that builds amazing gadgets. And you won’t just be picking abilities; you’ll also find or make gear and items to use in battle, adding even more options for how to play.

So, New Arc Line is shaping up to be more than just a battle game. It will let you choose how to play, who to become, and how to solve problems, all in a world that reacts to what you do. It promises to be a game where your choices truly matter.

Development

New Arc Line is being developed by a team from Ukraine called Dreamate. They’ve been keeping details under wraps, but if you’re eager to stay updated on the latest developments, consider joining their official Discord server. The developers are keen to hear your thoughts and suggestions – who knows, your ideas might just enhance the game!

Trailer

Dreamate has put out a trailer that gives us a quick look at what New Arc Line is all about. The video shows off the game’s amazing world, taking us from magical forests to gritty city streets. But what really grabs your attention is a short glimpse of the actual gameplay. It leaves you wanting to see more and really builds up the excitement for the game. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should definitely check it out!

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

New Arc Line is set to come out in 2024. We don’t know the exact date yet, but we do know where you can play it. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC. So, no matter what you like to play on, you’ll be able to join in on the adventure.

As for different versions of the game, the developers haven’t shared those details yet. But given how big and exciting this game is shaping up to be, it’s likely there will be more than just a standard edition. We can probably expect to see deluxe or even collector’s editions that come with special extras. In the meantime, you can follow the official Twitter account of the developers here for the latest updates.

So, what’s your take on New Arc Line? Are you excited to dive into this world of magic and technology, and do you think it’ll live up to the hype? Let us know your thoughts on our socials here.

With Memorial Day behind us, it’s time for summer in Las Vegas! With dozens of casinos, nightclubs, music venues and pool parties to check out, there’s something for everyone in Neon City. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or an all-time Vegas veteran, new and exciting events are around every corner in the city. Read on for your comprehensive guide to Las Vegas summer events.

Circa Stadium Swim®

During the peak of Las Vegas pool party season, you can combat the summer heat at Stadium Swim, which will have a summer full of sports events to enjoy poolside all season long. Bonus: Guests staying at Golden Gate have complimentary access to Stadium Swim.

On August 25th, you can catch The Knocks DJ set, an After Dark summer concert hosted by Stadium Swim and We The Beat. The lineup will include The Knocks and local artists like Dos Lonely Boys, Z, and Evan Durant B2B Parra. Don’t miss out on the silent disco in the Owner’s Suites, a photo booth, tastings from Casamigos Tequila and Cointreau Liqueur, and shopping opportunities from Jobee Swimwear! It’ll be a Las Vegas pool party for the books. Tickets are $15 pre-purchased, day-of tickets will be $20, and hotel guests staying at Golden Gate, Circa, or the D on August 25 can get in for free by showing their room key.

Free Live Music in Las Vegas

Live music at the top of your summer experiences list? Head down to the Fremont Street Experience! Thanks to partnerships with the casinos, this concert series is FREE of charge all season long. With a summer full of incredible free concerts this season, here are a few of the can’t-miss shows of the summer!

Las Vegas Summer Festivals

With the summer season, comes the festival season! From beer and brats to electronic music and comedy, check out the best festivals Las Vegas has to offer.

Big Dog’s Summerfest Beer & Reggae Party

Saturday, July 22

Looking for island vibes? Look no further than Big Dog’s Summerfest! Featuring more than 45 craft beers, food trucks, raffles, and giveaways, this event is a summer classic. Hosting four beer festivals per year, this July gathering is a special celebration of light beer and reggae music. No tickets are required, but your appetite is!

Exodus Festival

June 29 – July 4, July 27-31, August 31 – September 4

This summer, the city will come alive with the sounds of world-famous DJs! This annual festival is a must-attend event for music lovers and those seeking an epic party experience. With multiple venues hosting exclusive events, you’ll have the opportunity to dance the night away at some of the hottest nightclubs in Las Vegas. From pool parties to rooftop extravaganzas, this festival offers a diverse lineup of shows that cater to all music tastes and preferences. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this legendary summer celebration.

Fully Loaded Comedy Special

Wednesday, July 12

Prepare to laugh your heart out in the entertainment capital of the world as the Fully Loaded Comedy Festival takes center stage at the iconic T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. From the comedic brilliance of Stavros Halkias, Andrew Santino, Lewis Black, and Big Jay Oakerson, to the side-splitting humor of Ralph Barbosa, the stage will be packed with comedic talent. The doors open at 7 pm, and this is a comedy show you won’t want to miss. Grab your tickets now and secure your spot for an evening filled with laughter, entertainment, and unforgettable comedic moments.

Legacy Club Events

No Las Vegas summer is complete without a visit to the Legacy Club! Located 60 floors above the city at the Circa Resort & Casino, this exclusive spot is a can’t-miss for epic parties and live music on Fridays.

Looking for a white-hot American summer? Book your tickets for Legacy en Blanc on Friday, June 23! Starting at 7 pm, guests can sip blanc-inspired cocktails at the open bar, sample delicious appetizers, and listen to world-class live music as the sun sets. Don’t forget to pack your best all-white cocktail attire!

For visitors celebrating Independence Day in Vegas, check out Legacy Club’s event, Star Spangled Glamour. Slated for Tuesday, July 4, revelers can expect patriotic themed cocktails and bites, stunning red, white and blue decor, and amazing live music. Get ready to watch fireworks burst overhead while you and your friends dance the night away.

The Gatsby: A Speakeasy in the Sky on Friday, August 4 will be one for the ages. Dress yourself in a glamorous 1920s outfit and swing the night away with a live band, costume party packs,  an open bar with specialty cocktails, prohibition-inspired hors d’oeuvres, and décor to transform the evening into the most grandiose event.

Fremont Street Experience

After enjoying some Las Vegas summer events, make sure you take in all Downtown Las Vegas has to offer. Thrill seekers will love the Zilla-Zilla and Super-Hero Zoom ziplines, towering up to 11 stories above the Fremont Street Experience! If adrenaline isn’t your thing, never fear! Grab a classic frozen yard drink at OneBar, then head to one of the world-class casinos to play table games, slots, and more in style.

We recommend heading to Golden Gate Hotel & Casino to experience a bit of Vegas history, the D to drink at one of the longest bars in Nevada, or staying in luxury at Circa Las Vegas for a bit of luxury and glamor.

Las Vegas in the summer is full of endless possibilities. Whether you’re seeking incredible parties, top-notch live music, thrilling adventures, or unforgettable casino experiences, this city has it all and more. So, pack your summer essentials, bring your sense of adventure, book your room at Golden Gate Las Vegas, and get ready to create memories that will last a lifetime. The stage is set, the lights are on, and the city is waiting for your best summer yet!

Big tech companies talk a big game about privacy and freedom of expression, but their policies and practices often undermine it.

According to the data presented by the Atlas VPN team, Twitter scored the best on its policies and practices affecting people’s rights to freedom of expression and privacy. While Amazon and Tencent got the worst ratings for their actions on people’s digital rights. However, none of the companies earned a passing grade.

X (nee Twitter) received the best score of 56% on practices and policies they have on governance, freedom of expression, and privacy. The company took the top spot for its detailed content policies and public data about moderation of user-generated content.

Yahoo got 54% on the digital rights scorecard. Microsoft received 50% on its practices and policies around digital rights. Microsoft lacks comprehensive policies protecting freedom of expression.

Google scored 47%, but its score declined for the second straight year due to outdated policies. Meta got 46% despite releasing a new human rights policy. Apple, which often boasts about its privacy commitments, scored 44%.

On the flip side, Amazon and Tencent scored an awful 25% due to significant shortcomings in policies and practices affecting digital rights.

Cybersecurity writer at Atlas VPN, Vilius Kardelis, says: “Big tech’s relentless data collection and algorithms working without oversight threaten privacy and freedom of expression. Individuals should educate themselves, minimize data sharing, and use privacy tools to take more control of their digital rights in their own hands.”

Here is the original version of this “quick poker tips” article, which was a bit more advanced (originally published July 6th, 2018). You will notice some overlap between these tips and the ones in the updated version.

Tip #1: Tighten up your preflop game.

Developing a solid preflop game is by far the easiest and fastest way to improve your game. However, while developing solid preflop ranges is relatively easy to do having the discipline to stick to them is difficult.

This is especially true if you play live poker, since the number of hands you play per hour is very low compared to online. A live player can expect to play 20–25 hands per hour, while a multi-tabling online player can play 400–600 hands per hour.

So, when playing live, stay disciplined and use your extra dead time to study your opponents’ games. Pay attention to their tactics and which hands they are showing down. Don’t allow yourself to get impatient and play a hand not worth playing.

Tip #2: Don’t be afraid to pull the trigger with your bluffs.

Too many players don’t have the guts to fire big bluffs, which leaves them exploitable to attentive opponents who will stop paying them off. In turn, they lose a lot of value.

You need be the player who rouses fear and anxiety in your opponents by applying pressure in big pots despite not always having the goods.

Being able to do this effectively will make you a better and more versatile player overall, and will increase your win-rate tremendously.

Of course, against weaker opposition you needn’t bluff as much, since they won’t be as attentive to your strategy, know how to exploit it, or have the discipline to follow through with a counter-strategy. Unless, of course, you’re up against a weak player who folds far too often–the perfect type of player to bluff relentlessly.

Further reading: Bluffing in Poker Explained (by Doug Polk)

Tip #3: Don’t change your bankroll management or study habits when things are going well.

Every professional poker player has a friend who won big money in a large tournament, then proceeded to blow their winnings in cash games or by registering tournaments at stakes way higher than their usual.

It’s important to remember that poker is a game of peaks and troughs. To survive the troughs, you need to act responsibly during the peaks.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t celebrate, or be proud of your success. To the contrary, it’s important to savor the results you work hard to achieve. Just remember that going on a heater doesn’t mean you’ve suddenly become a poker god, and that downswings are inevitable.

Tip #4: Don’t bloat the pot with medium-strength hands.

Medium-strength hands should usually be played passively, since they are rarely the winning hand in big pots. The exception is when they should be played a bit more aggressively to deny equity.

These types of hands tend to play better as bluff-catchers, as they protect the weaker hands in your range–like ace high or weak pairs. This is very helpful because your opponents will not be able to easily bluff you once you check.

And playing these hands passively is another key to a well-rounded playing style. It will give you confidence in having good hands in every scenario, so that you won’t feel the need to make marginal-at-best hero calls with ace-high.

Tip #5: Game select, game select, game select!

You should always put yourself in positions where your edge is the largest. This is why it’s important to leave your ego at the door when playing poker.

It’s much better to be crushing a smaller and/or weaker game than barely beating a larger and/or tougher game. This is not only because it’s more profitable, but because it’s less stressful, and playing against weaker opposition brings lower variance.

Moreover, only barely beating a game might be a sign that you’re not yet ready to be playing there. And it will still be there when you are ready.

Tip #6: Lean towards fast playing your strong hands so you can build the pot and make more money.

It’s a sad sight when a player checks their flopped nut flush three times, and then has to awkwardly table their monster when their opponent checks back the river. Slow playing is a mistake common among players who are afraid of chasing their opponents out of the pot.

In most cases, it’s best to bet your strong hands to build the pot and protect your equity. That’s not to say you should always bet/raise your strong hands. You can check your strong hands if:

• It’s unlikely that you will be outdrawn.
• There aren’t many scare cards to prevent you from getting paid on later streets.
• Your opponent’s range is heavily weighted toward hands with no showdown value.

However, when you feel uncertain, just bet. Yes, it’s disappointing when your opponent folds, but that’s not nearly as disappointing as getting outdrawn or missing out on potential value.

Further reading: Fast Playing vs Slow Playing Revealed

Tip #7: Play poker about twice as often as you study poker, but make sure to study!

Studying is essential to becoming the best poker player you can be, but at the same time, poker is a game that requires practice. Without practice, we can’t apply what we’ve learned off the felt, and we’ll begin to lose our innate sense of the game.

Many of the decisions you make at the poker table are automatic. However, you’ll find that the longer you go without practicing, the less automatic these decisions become. This, of course, only gets worse as the decisions become important. For this reason, it’s necessary to regularly play poker in order to stay sharp.

But it’s very important you set aside time to study. Reading poker articles, playing around with poker tools, and talking over hands with friends are a few of the many ways you can improve your game away from the table.

Tip #8: Do you know definitively whether your river bet is a value bet or bluff? If not, you shouldn’t be betting.

This is a mistake many new players make, but also some more experienced players.

The situation usually plays out as follows. Their opponent checks to them on the river and they have a medium strength hand, so they bet…

…But they weren’t paying close enough attention to how dangerous the board was, or to how the action went on the turn, or to how their opponent plays in general, and so they end up losing when their opponent calls the bet and tables a slightly better hand.

On the river, you should be betting with a polarized range. That is to say, bet with a range that contains both value bets and bluffs, and check everything in between.

You do this because there are no more cards to come after the river, and so there’s no need to protect your equity. Either your hand is the best, or it isn’t. All you have to do is check and showdown with these medium-strength hands and hope to drag the pot.

Tip #9: The earlier the street, the more often you should be bluffing because that’s when the equities run closest.

Poker expert and game theory wizard Matthew Janda says we should bluff the most on the flop, slightly less on the turn, and the least on the river. He provides a mathematical proof for this in his advanced holdem strategy book, Applications of No-Limit Hold’em.

Applications shows that in order to bet with a balanced range (a range composed of the optimal number of value bets and bluffs) on the river, we need to bluff less on each progressive street. This is because our bluffs will have more equity on earlier streets, as well as the opportunity to bluff again on a later street.

Think about it… When you bluff preflop, on the flop, or on the turn, you usually do so with a hand that has potential to improve–like 6♠ 5♠ on J♠ 7♣ 2♠. So, because we have more equity, we can bluff more often while still remaining balanced.

Betting with a balanced range is most important on the river, because that’s when the pot is largest.

If you’re unaware of the benefits of betting on the river with a balanced range, read How You Should Think About Poker (But Probably Don’t).

Tip #10: Think of the early stages of a tournament like a cash game. Don’t worry about survival and focus on playing solid poker.

There’s a time and a place for stack preservation, and the beginning of a tournament isn’t it. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of advanced tournament poker strategy.

Consider that in order to finish in the money, you’re going to have to at least double or triple your starting stack (usually more). So, instead of playing defensively, you should be playing solid and aggressive poker early on in order to build up a stack for a deep run.

If you find yourself short-stacked and near the money bubble or a pay jump, then you can start using a more survival-oriented playing style.

Further reading: How to Build Stacks & Avoid Spewing Early in a Tournament

Tip #11: Take your time on each decision.

Poker is a complex game. You have to weigh many factors in order to choose the best path of action.

Bet sizing aside, the choices themselves are not many: you only need to choose between checking, calling, betting, raising, or folding. But figuring out which one of these actions wins the most is seldom obvious.

This is why you should always avoid rushing when making a decision. An extra moment’s thought could provide the crucial insight needed to make the right choice, and it’ll help you keep emotions out of your decision making. Do this and you’ll win more, and learn more while playing.

That said, it’s important to avoid all unnecessary tanking. You should never, for example, take 15 seconds to fold your 9s5c preflop from under the gun. Not only will it piss off your fellow players, you will actually hurt your own win-rate by reducing the number of hands played per hour.

Tip #12: Make poker friends.

Building a network of poker playing friends will advance your understanding of the game. You’ll bounce ideas off of each other, and gain new perspectives on every situation.

The problem with going it alone is that you’re more prone to biases. With another 2 or 3 or 4 different poker minds around you, you can more easily find what’s right about your thought processes and thus eliminate most of the bias.

Another benefit of having poker friends comes into play when those inevitable downswings occur. Your friends can provide an amazing source of support during the hard times, and since they are poker players themselves that support will be all the more helpful. But don’t forget to be there for them to and share your quick poker tips.

Tip #13: 3-bet more often.

Most players are too passive preflop. To take advantage of them, you need to 3-bet to build big pots from the get-go with your premium hands, such as QQ+ and AK.

But in order to get paid with them preflop, you also need to add in an appropriate amount of bluffs. Sure, 3-betting only premium hands will work at first, but your opponents will soon catch on and start folding. Bluffs add depth to your preflop strategy, and help you to build more balanced range.

Additionally, many low stakes players are not accustomed to playing versus 3-bets. This inexperience leads to many mistakes on their part, and the benefactor of those mistakes is you–the 3-bettor.

Further reading: This is Why (And How) You Should 3-Bet More Often

Tip #14: Check more when out of position.

There is no harder spot in poker than playing out of position with a high stack-to-pot ratio. The situation is so complex that even solvers use almost exclusively mixed strategies which are impossible to execute as a human.

One trick to bypass this is to play more defensively and check more of your good-but-not-great hands. This will prevent opponents from stealing pots from you once you check, since you will no longer be check/folding as often. Additionally, those hands that you would typically check/fold, but which still have equity in the pot, will get to realize their equity once your opponents see they cannot bluff you off so easily.

Tip #15: Avoid bluffing on the river with Ace-high when it checks down.

I know you love to bluff when it checks down to the river, and I don’t blame you. It’s such a good spot to fire, since many players clearly signal that they’ve given up and won’t often defend their ranges when they arrive in that situation.

That being said, one of my favorite quick poker tips is that you should remember that Ace-high often still has a decent chance to win the pot even if you check it down. Turning this hand into a bluff in that spot not only opens you up to be exploited by loose calls, it also wins less than checking because you are not actually folding out that many better hands.

What often happens is your opponent holds a worse high-card hand, which you beat, but which you don’t get to see shown down because you’ve bet.

So, next time you get into that spot, just check it down!

NOTE: Join the 276,465 people that have upgraded their poker skills with our free preflop charts! Click here to get them now!

Contents

1. A Complete Roulette Glossary
2. Live Roulette FAQ

A Complete Roulette Glossary

American Roulette: A variant of roulette that features a double zero (00). The double zero sits next to the single zero on the betting board. This means there are 38 numbers in play and puts the house edge to 5.26%.

Backtrack: The outer section of the roulette wheel where the ball spins.

Biased Numbers: A section of numbers that is said to hit more frequently than is statistically likely. Biased numbers can be caused by an uneven or otherwise faulty wheel. Unless there is a software glitch, you’re unlikely to see biased numbers at an online roulette table.

Biased Wheel: An unevenly worn or faulty roulette wheel. In live roulette games, a biased wheel could cause certain numbers to hit more often than they otherwise would as it’s not spinning in an even, random manner.

Black Bet: An outside bet in live and online roulette. When you bet on black, you’ll win a 1:1 (even money) return on your money if any black number hits.

Bottom Track: The slanted inner rim of the roulette wheel that remains static during a spin. When the ball slows down, it slides from the backtrack and onto the bottom track before falling into a numbered pocket.

Carre: The French term for a corner bet.

Cheval: The French term for a split bet in land-based, online and live roulette.

Colonne: The French term for a column bet in roulette.

Column Bet: Like dozen bets, column bets allow you to cover 12 numbers with a single chip. There are three columns to choose from, and the payout on winning bets is 2:1.

Combination Bet: In general, a combination bet can be made with one or more chips and will cover two or more numbers. An example of a combination bet is a dozen, which covers 12 numbers in one section of the table.

Corner Bet: A single bet that covers four connected numbers. To make a corner bet, you must place a chip in the middle of a square of four numbers. This means you’re selecting all four numbers in the square. The payout for a corner bet in live or online roulette is 8:1.

Dealer: The person in control of a game, also called a croupier. When you play roulette, the dealer will be present and actively control the game. When you play roulette online, the game will be controlled by a random number generator (RNG).

Dozen Bet: A single bet that covers 12 numbers in one section of the table. Dozen bets are split into three sections: 1st (numbers 1-12), 2nd (numbers 13-24) and 3rd (numbers 25-36). Zero isn’t included in a dozen bet. If any number in your dozen hits, the payout is 2:1.

Double Zero: In American Roulette, double zero (00) is the additional number on the wheel.

En Plein: The French term for a straight-up bet in online and live roulette.

En Prison: A rule common in French Roulette, en prison literally means “in prison”. This rule applies to even money bets and allows you to either take back half your stake when zero hits or leave it “imprisoned” for the next spin. You’re choosing to either get a 50% rebate on a losing bet or keep your stake for the next bet.

European Roulette: The most common form of online and live roulette in the majority of casinos. This game is the older cousin of American Roulette. The main difference between the two variants is that European Roulette doesn’t feature the double zero. Because of this, it has one less number in play than its American counterpart. In total, there are 37 numbers in European Roulette, with a maximum payout of 35:1. The house edge is 2.70%.

Even Money: This term refers to a 1:1 payout. In other words, you win the same amount that you staked. For example, if you stake €1 and win, your total return will be your €1 stake back + €1 profit.

Five-Number Bet: This is a single bet that allows you to cover five specific numbers: 00, 0, 1, 2 and 3. If you win with this bet, your return will be 6:1.

High Bet: This is an outside bet in live and online roulette. When you bet on “high”, you’ll cover all numbers between 19-36. If you win, the return is 1:1 (even money).

House Edge: This term refers to the advantage the house (casino) has in any given situation. The house edge in roulette is created by a difference in the odds of any bet winning and the payout you receive. For example, the payout for a straight-up bet is 35:1. However, in European Roulette, there are 37 numbers on the table. This discrepancy (37:1 vs. 35:1) is where the casino gets its advantage. 

Inside Bet: Any bet made within the inner section of the table is known as an inside bet. Inside bets can be straight up or a combination of splits.

La Partage: When you play French roulette online or live, La Partage is a special rule that allows you to receive 50% of your stake back on even money bets. When it applies, if you make an even-money bet and the ball lands on zero, you’ll get half of your money back. This is similar to the En Prison. However, you don’t have the option to let your bet ride on the next spin with La Partage.

Line Bet: Also known as a six-line bet, this option allows you to cover six numbers (two rows of three) with a single wager. To make this bet, you split both rows with a single chip. The chip must be placed at the nearside end of the rows. The payout on this bet is 5:1. 

Marker: In live roulette, a marker, also called a ‘dolly’, is a small implement used to mark the winning number. When the round is over, the dealer will place a marker on the winning number and clear away all losing bets from the roulette table before paying out the winners.

Neighbours: In roulette, neighbours are numbers found next to/near each other on the wheel. These have relevance to certain types of bets, such as Orphelins.

Orphans: A type of bet that allows you to cover the numbers 6, 34 and 17 with a single wager.

Orphelins: A French term that refers to the process of betting on neighbours (numbers that sit near each other on the wheel). By betting on “neighbour” numbers (i.e. orphelins), it allows you to cover groups of numbers with fewer bets.

Outside Bets: Any bet outside of the inner table. Outside bets offer lower returns than inside bets. In roulette, the inner board is any betting option contained without the main, rectangular betting area. The inner board is where the individual numbers sit. 

Pockets: These are the slots where the ball lands on a roulette wheel.

Random Number Generator (RNG): When you play roulette online, the outcome is determined by a computer program known as an RNG. An RNG uses mathematics to generate random results. This allows online casinos to offer games that are as fair as their live counterparts.

Red Bet: An outside bet in live and online roulette. When you bet on red, you’ll win a 1:1 (even money) return on your money if any red number hits.

Sixainne: The French term for a line bet.

Split: A bet that covers two adjacent numbers. The bet is known as a split because you’re literally splitting the chip by placing it on the line between the two numbers. The payout for a winning split bet in roulette is 17:1.

Straight Up: A bet on a single number is known as straight up. The payout on winning straight up bets in roulette is 35:1.

Street: Similar to a line bet, a street bet allows you to cover three numbers in a row with a single bet. To make a street bet, you need to place a chip on the nearside end of a row. The payout for a winning street bet in roulette is 11:1.

Tiers Du Cylindre: Another neighbours bet in French Roulette, tiers du cylindre covers a third of the wheel. This bet requires you to cover 12 numbers with split bets. To make it, you split the following pairs: 5-8, 10-11, 13-16, 23-24, 27-30, and 33-36. The payout on this bet is 17:1, as any win will be a split bet.

Transversale: The French term for a street bet.

Trio Bet: Another term for a street bet in live and online roulette.

Voisins du Zero: A neighbours bet that’s popular in French Roulette. Voisins du zero translates as “neighbours of zero” and sees you cover the 17 numbers that flank zero on the wheel. You have to cover all 17 numbers with nine bets. You do that in the following way:

• Two chips on the 0-2-3 trio
• One chip on the 4-7 split
• One chip on the 12-15 split
• One chip on the 18-2 split
• One chip on the 19-22 split
• Two chips on the 25-26-28-29 corner
• One chip on the 32-35 split

Zero: A number in the game of roulette. Zero is slightly different to other roulette numbers because it’s green. This means that it’s excluded from any outside bets. 

Roulette FAQ

How do live casino games work?

When you play live roulette or any other live casino game, you’re connected to a live game via a webcam. This allows you to see what’s going on at the table in real-time. In tandem with the live stream, RFID sensors on the table link to a computer program that allows you to place bets on the action via your desktop or mobile device.

What Are RFID Sensors?

These are small devices that record data in real-time. Each sensor records actions that take place on the table. These actions are then sent to a computer program so our system knows the result of each spin. This information is compared with the bets you made to determine whether you won the round or not.

Are Live Casino Games And Live Roulette Safe?

Yes. Live roulette and all live casino games are tightly controlled and regulated. In fact, every live roulette game you play online will be as fair as one in a brick-and-mortar casino. To ensure fairness and safety at all times, live roulette games have to be tested and monitored. These conditions form part of a company’s licensing duties. In other words, without proving a game is safe and fair, the company wouldn’t receive a gaming licence and, therefore, wouldn’t be able to offer products online.

Is There An RNG In Live Roulette Games?

No – with the only exception being Lightning Roulette. In this game, the location of the five numbers that are struck by lightning are controlled by a computer program called an RNG. This is very much similar to the process behind digital casino games such as online slots, blackjack and roulette, in the action is controlled by the game’s Random Number Generator. In this instance, the program does the job of a dealer and produces random results. In live roulette, however – bar Lightning Roulette, the dealer is solely responsible for controlling the wheel and, therefore, generating random results. 

How Can I See The Action?

All live roulette games online are broadcast to your screens via HD webcams. To ensure everyone has the best experience, you can adjust the quality of the stream to suit your connection. Additionally, many of the best live roulette games now feature multiple cameras so you can get different perspectives on the board and wheel.

What Types Of Live Roulette Are There?

As well as European, American and French roulette, live casino developers have created new variants in recent years. Games such as Lightning Roulette feature bonus options that allow you to potentially pick up enhanced payouts. As the popularity of live casino games grows, you’ll find more innovative offerings at LiveRoulette our Canadian online casino in the coming years.

To play live roulette and enjoy the action of a truly immersive online game experience, click the link below and join LiveRoulette today.

18+ | begambleaware.org | Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Terms & Conditions apply.

Football is one of the most popular and exciting sports to bet on, but some of the betting terms and bet types can be a little complicated if you’re new to them. That’s why we’ve put together this clear and easy guide to football betting terms. Here you’ll find straightforward explanations of all the most common football bet types and football betting terms you’ll come across online.

What Are the Different Football Betting Terms?

Whether you’re new to football betting or you’re a veteran looking to brush up on your knowledge, here we explain the most used terms in our football betting terms glossary.

Game Title

The name of the match being played, shown as the two teams competing, like Manchester United vs Manchester City. The date and the time of the game are also displayed.

Accumulator

An accumulator bet, sometimes called an ‘acca’, combines several bets into one.

Accumulators usually combine four or more bets together (two bets combined are called a ‘double’, three bets combined form a ‘treble’). In football, that could be a bet on Arsenal to win, on Bukayo Saka to score in the first half, a bet on the final score, and a total goals over/under.

Each individual bet in an accumulator is called a ‘leg’. To win an accumulator bet, you need to win each leg of the bet.

Accumulator bets can offer long odds but substantial winnings, as the odds of each individual bet are multiplied together. If you place an accumulator with four legs, each at 10/1, your overall accumulator odds will be 10,000/1.

Asian Handicap

Asian handicaps – a type of betting that originated in, you guessed it, Asia – are a form of bet where a handicap is applied to the outcome you’re betting on.

In Asian handicap football bets, the stronger team is typically given a goals handicap and must win by more than the handicap. For example, if you bet on Liverpool to beat Millwall in the FA Cup with a -1.5 goals Asian handicap, Liverpool will need to win by two clear goals. If they win by only one goal, you won’t win the bet, as Liverpool wouldn’t have cleared their -1.5 goal handicap.

Bankroll

Your bankroll is the total amount of money you’ve set aside to bet. A sensible bettor sets a bankroll and stops betting once they’ve spent it.

Correct Score

A bet on the correct score of a match is placed by the end of ‘normal play’ – which includes the full 90 minutes plus injury time, but usually excludes extra time and penalties.

Double Chance

In double chance betting, you bet on two outcomes occurring from the same match together.

In football betting, double chance bets are usually placed on the result of a match. For example, if Newcastle are playing Brighton, one half of the bet can be for Newcastle to win or draw, and the second half of the bet can be for Brighton to win or draw.

Double chances are relatively safe bets, as you can bet on two opposing outcomes, like both teams to win. However, your odds will be lower than most other football bets, as you’re covering two outcomes, not one.

Draw No Bet

With a football ‘draw no bet’, you bet on one team to win the match. However, if the match ends in a draw, your stake is refunded. If your chosen team loses, you lose the bet.

‘Draw no bet’ selections are safer than ‘to win’ bets, but they do offer lower odds. This is because they provide a level of insurance for your bet.

Handicap

Football handicap bets apply a handicap to the outcome you’re betting on.

Most often in football, the favourite team in a match is given a goals handicap. For instance, if Brazil is playing Poland, Brazil might be given a goals handicap of -1. If you bet on Brazil to win or draw, then they’ll need to clear their -1 handicap by winning by at least 2 goals or by winning by 1 goal to achieve the draw. If Brazil were given a -2 handicap, they’d need to win by 3 goals to win or by 2 goals to draw.

The larger the handicap you place on a bet, the harder you make it to win, but the higher the odds you’ll be given.

Asian handicaps are a type of football handicap bets. However, whereas standard handicap bets allow you to bet on both winning and drawing, Asian handicap bets usually just allow you to bet to win, but not a draw.

In-Play Betting

In-Play betting, also called ‘live betting’, refers to bets you make during a match, rather than before it.

In-Play bets allow you to bet in response to the form and events in a match. For instance, if Tottenham is leading in a match against Wolves but then has a player sent off, you might predict a shift in momentum and place an In-Play bet on Wolves to score next.

Grosvenor Sport offers a wide range of In-Play football bets with continuously updated odds. These include betting on the team to win, the next player to score, the next team to earn a corner, or the next yellow card.

Moneyline

Moneyline is an American betting term commonly seen in football betting. Moneyline bets are straightforward ‘to win’ bets. In a matchup between two teams, you bet on the team you think is going to win.

Moneyline bets are usually stated in the American style, as opposed to the odds format commonly used in the UK. For instance, if Real Betis are +1.5 to beat Barcelona, then a successful £10 bet would return £15, while a winning £100 bet would return £150.

Over/Under

With over/under betting, sometimes called O/U betting, you bet on a specific outcome happening either over or under a certain total.

In football, the most common over/under bet is placed on goals. If two teams are playing, you can place a bet on the total number of goals scored being either over or under a certain total. For instance, if you think it’s going to be a high-scoring match, you might bet on there being over 2.5 goals. Alternatively, if you think it’ll be a low-scoring slog, you could bet on there being under 1.5 goals.

You can place a wide range of over/under bets in football, like the total number of goals, corners, throw-ins, yellow cards, or red cards.

Parlay

A parlay bet is another name for an accumulator bet (see above), where two or more bets are combined into one bet.

Stake

Your stake is the amount of money you place on a bet.

Teaser

Teaser bets are a kind of accumulator bet where multiple bets are combined (usually multiple over/under bets), but where the bettor can choose to add or subtract a certain number of goals from the accumulator.

For example, you might place a 3.5 goal teaser on two matches, where you can alter the over/under value on each match by 2 goals, in each direction.

As with all accumulator bets, you have to win every leg of the bet to win the teaser bet.

Value Bet

Unlike the other football betting terms mentioned here, a value bet isn’t an official type of bet offered by a bookmaker. Instead, a value bet is a bet where you think the bookmaker has the odds wrong, and where you think the outcome is more likely than they’ve estimated. These are known as value bets as they offer more value to bettors than the bookmaker intends.

For example, a common value bet in football is when you think that an underdog in a match has a better chance of winning than the bookmakers do, or when you think that a certain player has a better chance of scoring than the experts predict.

Void Bet

A void bet is a bet that is cancelled (made void). If a bet is made void, you can no longer win the bet, but you won’t lose your stake either. It will be returned to you.

Football bets can be made void when a match is postponed, or in other situations when the circumstances behind a match have changed.

Once you’ve read our guide to football betting terms, take a look at our football betting markets and use our bet calculator to see the odds on all the football bets you’re planning.

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For a simple yet spicy casino slots experience, this title could certainly be one to consider. As the name suggests, the Chili Eruption Thundershots slot revolves around red and green chillis, with a total of three bonus modes being linked to these icons. The board itself sits in the middle of a desert, and a handful of cacti can be seen on either side. Chili Eruption Thundershots comes with a total of 5 reels, 20 paylines, and a minimum stake size of 0.10 per play!

This title was created by Playtech, a titan in the realm of online slots. In the past, they have released a huge variety of different games, such as Sahara Riches: Cash Collect, Full Moon Wild Track, and Flaming Bars. Playtech titles tend to come optimised for mobile devices, which also applies to their range of table games.

Featured Symbols

The standard symbols in Chili Eruption Thundershots consist of the J, Q, K, and A symbols that can be found in many online slots UK. Premium symbols are shown as a pair of maracas, a guitar, a sombrero, a skull, and a pinata. These can award players with up to 4x, 4x, 5x, 10x, or 15x, their stake size, respectively, should five land along the same payline. 

Wild symbols are also present, displayed as a bottle of hot sauce, or a splatter icon during one of the bonus rounds. Of course, wilds can replace any standard or premium symbol as part of a combination. There are also two different scatter icons, shown as red and green chillis, which are responsible for triggering the bonus modes in this title. 

Bonuses and Jackpots

The first bonus mode in Chili Eruption Thundershots is the regular free spins mode, which can be triggered if three chilli scatter symbols appear anywhere in view. Before the round starts, each chilli will reveal an additional number of free spins or a win multiplier, with the maximum sitting at 12 and 8x, respectively. If any other chillis land during the round, they can add more spins or increase the win multiplier, too! 

Now, during the base game, whenever a chilli symbol lands, it will be added to a pot at the top of the board. This can randomly become full, at which point either ‘Saucy Super Spins or the ‘Thundershots’ feature will trigger. If players are awarded with ‘Saucy Super Spins’, the pot will tip over, causing chillis and wild symbols to randomly be added across the reels. This is repeated at the start of each spin, and again, chillis can award extra spins or increase the potential win multiplier for the round. 

Finally, there is the Thundershots bonus, where players will be taken to a wheel featuring an assortment of different potential winnings. These include fixed values, free spins, and ‘Saucy Super Spins’. The wheel will be spun five times, with the outcome of each spin being totalled up and awarded at the end of the round. If players land on any bonus rounds, these will begin immediately after the fifth Thundershots spin has been finalised. 

Play Chili Eruption Thundershots at bwin

In conclusion, Chili Eruption Thundershots lives up to the spicey theme with the inclusion of three interesting bonuses. Two of these are made up of free spin modes, while the other grants the player a total of five spins on a wheel featuring various potential winnings!  

The limping. Another of the poker concepts that you have to know to improve the game and take that baggage that differentiates a good player from a professional player. In the vast world of poker strategy and tactics, limping is one of the most controversial and contentious.

Because? Because, for reasons that we will reveal later, limping is not recommended. But let’s go step by step. First, we are going to tell you what is limping in poker, what does in poker limping consist of, why it should be a good idea limping in poker and how often you should do it.

Therefore, we will answer some important questions. Should you ever limp in poker, if it is that bad? Why is limping bad in poker, if so many players do that? Let’s see.

What is limping in poker?

When in poker “limping” comes up finally, it refers to calling the minimum bet required to access a hand during the preflop betting round. In other words, limping is when a player pays only the blind or ante, instead of deciding to raise.

Limps are usually done by players who don’t know what to do, or who don’t have enough experience to play without committing a large part of their stack.

Why is limping bad in poker?

In principle there is nothing wrong with limping in poker, but it is inadvisable in some cases. When it is said that limping is bad in poker, it is because it is a technique that suffers from a worrying lack of initial aggressiveness, which automatically places the player at a clear disadvantage.

This lack of aggressiveness also means that the player can hardly exert any influence on the hand and, therefore, does not have the option to control the size of the pot. If the bet is not raised, the player is exposed to other players with mediocre hands being able to enter the hand at a lower price, and this will affect their chances of winning.

Also, limping tends to be a reflection of a weak and even marginal hand. In the eyes of a professional player, if you limp, you’ll be portrayed as a player with a weak hand, and they’ll do everything they can to exploit that weakness on subsequent streets.

Another important point: when limping, multiple players are more likely to see the flop, decreasing your chances of winning with bad hands. The pot odds stop being favorable to you, you get less value for your investment and thus a series of catastrophic misfortunes that can turn everything against you.

Lack of initial aggressiveness means little influence on the hand. Therefore, your initiative will be diminished from the start. This will prevent you from taking control of the hand and putting the desired pressure on the rest of the players. Raising the ante what allows you is to steal pots and detect weaknesses in the hands of your opponents, making you start to be respected, so keep that in mind.

You can find yourself having to make difficult decisions in late rounds. Limping even can get you stuck in a big pot, with a hand that isn’t strong enough to bear the cost of entering. And that’s not good.

Should you ever limp in poker?

Although limping in poker is risky and has significant handicaps, there are obviously times when the option will be on the table and plausible. The million-dollar question is when to limp. Let’s see three examples of situations in which limping can be an option to consider:

• When playing against very aggressive players. If you get into a table where the opponents are extremely aggressive, limping can be useful in order to trap them and widen your profit margin when they bet.
• When betting on a bluff. If you are going to base your game on deceiving the rest, limping can come in handy when, for example, you have raised bets in previous hands. If you have a strong hand and limp, you will catch more than one by surprise. This will confuse them and push them to play somewhat erratically.
• When playing with low value hands. It rarely happens, but you may want to see the flop at very little cost when playing in early position with specific hands that are low value. Limping then becomes an option to consider.

In summary: limping is one more strategy that you can use as a resource in certain cases, but there are so many risks that you run by limping that it is often inadvisable to do so. Analyze the situation very well and decide what is the best way to face your game.

Blackjack is one of the easiest casino table games to grasp, but it can take you a little longer to master. With the aid of this comprehensive guide on how to play blackjack, we can equip you with the skillset and knowledge to have fun even when you are sat playing against a real dealer in the LiveRoulette live casino.

With over 20 live blackjack tables to choose from at LiveRoulette, there is always an opportunity to play a basic hand of blackjack or dabble with some of the side bet variants that can switch-up your gameplay. Before you get started, why not familiarise yourself with the basics of blackjack and get to grips with an optimal strategy to minimise the house edge.

The on-screen layout of a live blackjack table

From the moment you load up your live casino blackjack table, you will meet a friendly, professionally trained dealer to manage your game. You can see the seven-player seats around the table. Vacant seats will say ‘Sit Here’ and you only need to click to join the action.

The display of your account balance is in the bottom left corner of the screen and you can choose the size of your stake in the ‘Total Bet’ button next to it. Click the inner circle of your seat position once to bet one unit. You can also click on the side bet areas to place additional bets if you wish.

It’s possible to chat with the dealer and the other players at the table in real-time using the ‘Lobby’ button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Card values in live blackjack

The values of cards in a game of blackjack are easy to follow. They correspond to their numerical value displayed on the card. Face cards (Jack, Queen and King) are worth ten, while an Ace can be worth either one or 11 and played however you see fit.

In-play actions available in live blackjack

Hit

By ‘hitting’, you’re requesting an additional card from the dealer to try and improve your hand(s). You can continue to hit cards until your hand value is 21 or greater.

Stand

You can choose to stand on your hand, which means that you are happy with the value of your cards and don’t require any more from the deck. You may choose to stand your hand to avoid exceeding 21 and going bust.

Split

When a dealer gives you two cards of equal value, you can split them. Splitting turns these cards into two separate hands, with the dealer giving you one additional card for each hand. You must pay to split. The additional bet must be equal to your starting stake.

Double Down

If you believe one additional card will improve your hand to defeat the dealer, you may choose to double down. You’ll only get one more card from the deck and you must double your starting stake.

Insurance

Whenever the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, the dealer will offer you an insurance side bet which can cover your losses if the dealer has a blackjack.

How many hands can you play in live blackjack?

You can play as many hands as you want at most live blackjack tables. Wherever there is a vacant seat at the table, you can normally use it to play multiple hands in different seats – providing you have the bankroll for it. Unlike other card games such as Texas Hold’em Poker, where it’s not possible to take up multiple seats at a table, you can do so in blackjack because you are not playing against the other players at the table, only the dealer’s hand.

What does bet behind mean?

At some live casino blackjack tables, you may have the option to ‘bet behind’ another active player at the table. This means that you will be betting on your chosen player’s hand to beat the dealer’s hand. Although you will have no say or control over how the hand turns out, you obviously have a choice as to which player you choose to bet behind.

Each active player at the table will have icons displayed next to their name, displaying how well they are playing. Those on a ‘hot’ or winning streak will usually have a gold medal or star next to their name.

How does the dealer play their hand?

You should now know how to play your blackjack hand at the tables, but do you know how the dealer plays their own hand? Put simply, if the dealer’s first two cards add up to 16 or less, they must hit and take an additional card. If their first two cards value is between 18 and 21, they must stand and take no further cards.

If the dealer has a ‘hard’ 17, they must stand. A hard 17 is a hand that does not contain an ace or has one or more aces with the value at one. If the dealer has a ‘soft’ 17, they must hit and take an additional card. A soft 17 is a hand that does contain an ace with the value being at 11.

The dealer’s hand automatically wins the round if your hand busts, or if the option is available to surrender your hand and half of your original stake. Their hand also wins if it is closer to 21 than yours. If you and the dealer have hands of the same value, then this is a ‘push’. In this event, you receive your original stake in full due to the tied game.

It’s worth noting that the dealer has very little say in how they play their hand. They must adhere to the house rules of standing on hard 17 and hitting on soft 17. Under no circumstances can they change tac and play their hand differently.

Available payouts at the blackjack tables

First and foremost, if you win a hand of live blackjack against the dealer’s hand, you will win a payout worth 1:1. If you bet €10, you’ll receive €10 in winnings, plus your €10 stake back.

It’s a little less straightforward for blackjacks. Some tables payout 6:5 for blackjack, while others will pay 3:2. For example, if you bet €10 and get a blackjack at a 6:5 blackjack table, you’ll receive €12 in winnings, plus your €10 stake back. If you bet €10 and get a blackjack at a 3:2 blackjack table, you’ll get €15 in winnings, plus your €10 stake back.

If you choose to take out the insurance bet, this pays out at 2:1 in the event the dealer lands a natural two-card blackjack.

Side bets in live blackjack

Although bet behind is also considered a side bet option, there are two primary side bets that you can place when sat at most of our live blackjack tables:

• 21+3
  Let’s start with the 21+3 side bet. This one happens around the first two cards you receive, as well as the dealer’s visible ‘upcard’. If you can form a three-card poker hand using your first two cards and the dealer’s upcard (flush, straight, straight flush or three-of-a-kind) you will win a payout. The size of the payout depends on what kind of poker hand you can form. It typically ranges from 5:1 for a flush through to 100:1 for three-of-a-kind cards of the same suit.
   
• Perfect Pairs
  Perfect Pairs is the second most popular side bet you’ll find at our live blackjack tables. This optional side bet requires you to find matching card values, card colours or, better still, two identical cards. You can win 5:1 for a Mixed Pair, such as a pair of eights of different suits. You can win 12:1 for a Coloured Pair, like a pair of sixes of the same colour i.e. diamonds or hearts. Finally, you can also bag 25:1 payouts for a Perfect Pair, which is two identical cards.

Understanding optimal strategy in live blackjack

The key to giving yourself the best chance of winning at the live casino blackjack tables is to adopt a smart strategy. A smart strategy is one that minimises the game’s house edge. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the betting techniques you should employ as part of an optimal blackjack strategy:

• Doubling down on 10 and 11
  Some casinos will only allow players to double down on hands when their initial two-card hand is worth 10 or 11. Doubling down on 10 or 11 is a powerful play, particularly if the dealer’s hand is lower. It may even be prudent to double down when your hand is worth nine and the dealer’s hand is of a lower value still.
   
• Splitting Aces and 8s
  If you have a pair of aces in your hand, this is a hard or soft total of 12. This is rarely a good situation to be in. There’s a high probability of landing a face card or a ten with your next card and going bust. Splitting them gives you a chance to potentially land two blackjacks or two cards valued higher than 12.

  A pair of eights is a hard total of 16, which means there are plenty of cards in the deck that could bust your hand when you hit. Splitting your eights into two hands gives you a chance to land a ten on both hands to achieve 18, which is a respectable outcome in this scenario.
   

• Avoid taking Insurance
  Whenever the dealer’s upcard is an ace, you will get the chance to buy ‘Insurance’. This requires you to pay half the size of your original stake as a side bet, which pays out 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack, ensuring you break even for the hand. The dealer will not have a blackjack more than 50% of the time, so Insurance is a statistically bad play – unless you are certain their next card will be a ten.
   
• Surrender 16 against a ten (if allowed)
  If early or late ‘Surrender’, the best time to use it is when you have a hand value of 16 against the dealer’s ten. There are plenty of cards in the deck that can bust your hand and a similar amount that can give the dealer’s hand an unassailable advantage. That’s why it makes more sense to cut your losses and surrender half your stake in this position.

Live blackjack variations

Not content with conventional live blackjack games? We’ve got you covered. At LiveRoulette, you can immerse yourself in three different blackjack variations. All of which offer exciting, fast-paced gameplay, available on all desktop and mobile devices.

Speed Blackjack

Are you short on time? If you don’t have a moment to waste, Speed Blackjack could be the ideal solution for you. Powered by LiveRoulette partner Evolution Gaming, Speed Blackjack accelerates the gameplay wherever possible. The first two cards play as normal, but the next step is completely different.

In Speed Blackjack, the quickest players to make their decision to stand, hit, split or double down will play first with the dealer. It reduces the waiting time for experienced players that know what they are doing, even if it does not provide a mathematical edge to your action.

Infinite Blackjack

If you are someone that can only devote time to playing live blackjack during ‘peak’ hours, the chances are that most live blackjack tables will be full of players when you log in. There’s no need to worry about not being able to play though, thanks to our Infinite Blackjack tables.

As the name suggests, these low bet limit tables cater to an unlimited number of players, with no need to wait for a seat to become available. That’s because all active players receive a ‘community’ two-card hand. Subsequently, each player can play the remainder of the hand however they wish. There are no less than four side bets to choose from too.

Blitz Blackjack

Blitz Blackjack, powered by LiveRoulette partner NetEnt, operates on the same principle as Infinite Blackjack. All players receive the same two cards on-screen from the dealer and are then given the option to hit, stand and split the two cards to make the remainder of the hand their own. Again, there is no limit on the number of players that can play at these tables, which is great for peak hour gaming.

Blackjack is not a complex or scary casino game. You can grasp it within minutes and start to enjoy yourself at the tables of our Canadian online casino!

18+ | Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly |  Terms & Conditions apply

OTTAWA, Canada, July 12, 2023 — Digital Opportunity Trust and the Mastercard Foundation are partnering to support over 300,000 young women and men to gain relevant entrepreneurial skills and foster a network ecosystem of support for young leaders.

The “Going Beyond – Partnering for a Youth-Led Future” project aims to scale DOT’s evidence-based, peer-to-peer model and will be executed in four African countries – Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania. The linkage to DOT’s model ensures comprehensive digital and business skills training, leadership development, coaching, peer-to-peer learning, and networking.

The Going Beyond project will foster a network ecosystem of support for young leaders with the aim of improving their quality of life and building their resilience, agency, and amplifying their voice. Notably, the project will also introduce a leaner, more scalable model for long-term, transformational change by fostering a community of practice among a continuously expanding ecosystem of partners.

Over five years, and with the support of DOT regional hubs in Africa, the Going Beyond project will progressively transfer the responsibility for delivering DOT’s programs and equip youth as leaders of the future through a three-pronged approach:

• Strengthening the capacity of 40 local youth-led and youth-led organizations (YLOs) to deliver high-quality digital livelihoods programming.
• Training and supporting 4,000 young people (Youth Leaders) under the guidance of YLOs as digital business coaches and facilitators to deliver locally appropriate and culturally relevant digital inclusion and enterprise growth programs to their peers.
• Training 300,000 disadvantaged young people with nascent Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in digital and entrepreneurship skills, 70 percent of whom are young women.

Most importantly, the project places young people at the center of the solution, tapping into their creativity, energy, and passion for making a difference; going beyond conventional development practices and extending impact to new countries for both organizations, without the need to establish and operate new offices.

““The Going Beyond program, which will harness the power of young people to lead community-driven solutions and create and obtain dignified and fulfilling work in four countries – Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia – is an opportunity to tell a compelling story of youth leadership and capacity to transform Africa – and to catalyze the adoption of youth-led approaches across the continent,” says Janet Longmore, Founder and CEO, Digital Opportunity Trust

“Violette Uwamutara, Regional Vice President of Africa, Digital Opportunity Trust agrees, “DOT is excited to serve as regional hubs for this project and build a network of connected individuals, organizations and MSMEs that share knowledge, support each other and shift the mindsets of their peers, communities and systems – trusting youth as the leaders of community transformation and our future.”

The ‘Going Beyond’ project aligns with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to enable 30 million young people in Africa to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030, particularly young women. It extends the impact beyond youth in work to advance youth leadership, digital skills, gender equality, and women’s empowerment.

Africa’s youth population represents a significant pool of human capital that can drive economic growth and social progress. Young people have the potential to be at the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurship in high-growth sectors such as technology, climate-smart agriculture, and renewable energy. Women and girls, in particular, can play a crucial role as powerful agents of change in their communities, contributing to economic growth and social progress.

Despite being a youthful continent, Africa faces significant challenges in harnessing the potential of its youth population. The continent has the highest youth unemployment rate globally – 20.8 percent in 2020 – more than 2.5 times higher than the adult unemployment rate. This situation is particularly dire for young women.

““Going Beyond is designed to envision young people as leaders in their communities, and we believe that a combination of YLO capacity building, locally appropriate 21st-century skills, entrepreneurship, and MSME support will be an effective means of bringing this vision to life while addressing youth employment in the four countries this project will be executed in. In addition, Going Beyond’s work, which is also in line with the Young Africa Works strategy, will help young women and men find dignified and meaningful work,” adds Reeta Roy, President and CEO, Mastercard Foundation.

When applied in this way, the youth-led model equips young people with market-relevant technical skills and the confidence to secure, sustain and thrive in the 21st-century working world, in turn creating a ripple effect of change in communities across the African continent, with young entrepreneurs becoming catalysts for broader behavioral change and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

About Digital Opportunity Trust

DOT is a Canadian-based not-for-profit organization headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with a ‘footprint’ across 12 countries. DOT has locally managed offices in Africa, the Middle East; Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, Lebanon and Jordan; Canada and the UK. DOT’s presence extends to Ghana, Uganda, Malawi and Zambia through local partnerships with youth-led organizations. As a youth-led movement of daring social innovators who have the tools, knowledge, and networks to create opportunities and transform their communities in Africa and the Middle East, DOT has created an impact in over 25 countries as development innovators and catalysts placing youth at the center of its activity to unlock their potential, bridge the digital divide across communities, and inspire young people to realize their potential in an inclusive digital economy. www.dotrust.org

About The Mastercard Foundation

The Mastercard Foundation is a Canadian Foundation and one of the world’s largest foundations, with a mission to advance education and financial inclusion. It works with visionary organizations to enable young people in Africa and in Indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. The Foundation was established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. The Foundation is an independent organization and separate from the company. Its policies, operations, and programs are determined by the Foundation’s Board of Directors and leadership. For more information on the Foundation, please visit www.mastercardfdn.org.

March 22, 2023 · 4 minutes to read

For the first time in the history of The Festival Series, an event series is being held at the Dusk Till Dawn Pokerclub in Nottingham. PokerListings, represented by Melvin Schroen, will handle the live blog, and will provide all of you with all the inside information of this epic week of events. There will be a total of 35 unique tournaments being held, divided over the next seven days. The Series, who is mainly focused on mixed games and all the events around poker itself, will provide a guaranteed prize pool of £200,000 for the Main Event. Additionally, another great event will take place in the name of PokerListings Championships and it has a whopping £25,000 guaranteed. Both big events we will cover from A to Z for you, with the last-mentioned event currently already started with more than 80 entries in just two hours! 

Games for Everyone  

The Festival Series is known for its diversity in game selection, specialized in mixed games. With 35 unique events, there is of course enough to play for Hold’em fans, but the mixed games are right up there in the likes of Omaha, Mixed PLO/NLHE, PLO 4/5/6, PLO HiLo, Open Face Chinese, Short-Deck, and Sviten Special. So, if you like games with more than two hole-cards, the place to be this week will be the Dusk Till Dawn Pokerclub in Nottingham! Don’t forget about the following, for every event there is an amazing trophy to be won, which will be an unique portrait drawing of the winners photo. If that’s not enough yet, you will also get a signed comic book!

About the Main Event 

The Main Event of The Festival Series is a deep-stacked and nicely structured event with four opening flights. With 200,000 chips in starting stack, it is going to be promised to be a fun ride of action for everyone. With the first three days to be 30-minutes levels, the last turbo flight will be with 15-minute blind levels. A guaranteed prize pool cannot be missed and this time there has been set a whopping £200,000 as a guarantee, which promises to give the top spots a heavy prize.  

Players are allowed to re-enter once per starting day and can re-enter until the end of the first two levels of the second day, unique in its kind. Last edition in Bratislava was won by Dutchman Michel Molenaar, who collected a nice €126,650 score at the cash desk, in which another Dutch player in the name of Gerianne Dijkstra became second for €77,450.  

It is certain to be fireworks in Nottingham. And if you still have the chance to hop on a flight or train, you won’t be disappointed! 

Secure your package for the next stop in Malta!

There are several packages to be won for the next stop in Malta (15-21 May). Regardless of what you will play this week, in any discipline you can scoop a package worth 1,600! We have listed them for you:

Player of the Series

During the previous stop in Bratislava a true players ranking was introduced. Swede Totti Linde walked away with the package for The Festival Nottingham. To get hold of this all-round trophy, you will have the score the most points based on the ranking system. Meaning that you will either need to run very deep in the Main Event and make a couple of other notable finishes in other side events, or you simply play every single side event and cash in most of them. For more information check this link.

Cash Game Challenge

Are you a cash game player? Twice per day there is a cash game challenge, which mostly will be streamed live on the twitch channel of The Festival Series. It does not matter if you have deep pockets or not, regardless the buy-in level or blind level, it is all about the net profit in big blinds collected. All this needs to happen within the designated time frame which stands in line for this challenge. For more information check this link.

Franke’s Flip ‘n Go’s

The famous flip games are also part of the assortment in Nottingham during The Festival Series. Whoever wins the most flips throughout the whole week, takes home a package for the next event. Do you want to become the next flip master? Check out following link for more information.

PokerListings Championships

The PokerListings Championships is in full swing currently with Day 1A being played but hold your horses. Tomorrow there is another starting day as well. With a well-structured event and a 200K starting stack, there is enough space for some stunts. The winner does not only walk away with a heavy first prize, but also takes home the trophy + a package for the next stop. 

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If you’re new to online slots and you don’t know your wilds from your win multipliers and your scatters from your stacked symbols, take some to browse our A-Z slots glossary. This article lists all the common terms you’ll encounter the next time you play slots online.

Hopefully, you should have a better handle on how online slots work after reading this glossary. Our goal is to help you become the next slots slayer right here at LiveRoulette!

A

All Ways: Otherwise known as ‘win both ways’ these slots can have hundreds of available paylines  which can pay from left-to-right or right-to-left, maximising your winning potential.

Autoplay: If you want to play a multiple number of spins without having to press ‘Spin’ each time, set your gameplay to autoplay a pre-selected number of spins.

B

Bonus Games: Most online slots have at least one bonus game, which is often triggered by scatters or wild symbols. These bonus games can range from free spins rounds to bonus wheels and “pick-me” features.

Branded Slot: A branded slot is one that’s themed around a specific franchise, such as a Hollywood movie or hit television series, featuring exclusive visual and audio content.

C

Cascading Reels: Symbols involved in winning combinations are removed from the reels, leaving gaps to be replaced by new slot symbols that drop in from the top. This gives you a chance to win multiple combinations on a single spin.

Classic Slot: A ‘classic’ slot is one which nods to old-school fruit machines, featuring the classic fruity symbols, bells, lucky sevens and BARS, amongst others.

Cold Game: More common on casino floors than online slots, when a slot game is said to be ‘cold’ it means it does not pay out as frequently.

Coins: The funds you add to your chosen slot are displayed in a coin value, based on the minimum bet size per spin.

E

Expanding Wilds: An expanding wild is a special type of wild symbol (see ‘Wild’ for full description). Whenever the expanding wild feature is active, a wild symbol will expand to fill an entire reel to bring greater winning potential.

F

Fixed Jackpot: Online slots with a fixed jackpot have a fixed maximum prize, usually triggered by landing five of a specific symbol on a payline, or sometimes triggered at random.

Free Spins: It’s possible to unlock extra free spins by landing certain win combinations, such as three scatter symbols on a payline. A free spin is quite literally a free spin of the reels.

Fruit Machine: The British name for a classic slot machine. Fruit machines are the classic three-reel, three-payline slots featuring fruit symbols, lucky sevens, bells and BARs.

G

Gamble Feature: Within some slot games it is possible to gamble the winnings from your spin. You may be asked to pick a card suit or colour, or to guess high or low on the outcome of a card displayed on screen. You could double, triple or even quadruple your money depending on the game, but it’s also possible to lose all your winnings.

H

High Volatility: A slot deemed to have high volatility means that it is programmed to give out less frequent prizes and jackpots. However, most high volatility slots tend to offer bigger prizes when they do pay out.

Hit-And-Run: This term is used to describe slot players that play on single payline slots using maximum coins for a few spins and move on to the next slot if they don’t win.

Hit Frequency: How often a slot pays out on average. For example, a game with a hit frequency of five is expected to yield a winning payline approximately every five spins.

Hot Game: The opposite of a ‘Cold game’, hot slots are those that are said to be paying out regularly and in large sums.

J

Jackpot: The jackpot of an online slot is the coveted top prize, and can be fixed, progressive or linked across a network of slots.

L

Linked Progressive Jackpots: On occasion, there are multiple slot games whose progressive jackpots are linked together, often branded slots based on the same franchise. It doesn’t matter which one you play, you will be playing for the same progressive jackpot.

Loose Slot: A ‘loose’ slot is one that is considered to have low volatility, paying out more regularly than a ‘tight’ or high volatility slot.

Low Volatility: Low volatility slots tend to have higher hit frequencies and are often great slots for beginners. The trade-off is that low volatility slots may have smaller prizes on offer.

M

Maximum Bet: The maximum bet is the largest stake you can place per spin on your chosen slot game, based on the number of active paylines and the maximum coin denomination available.

Megaways^TM: This is a popular slot game engine is designed to expand the number of rows played per reel, giving you up hundreds of thousands of potential ways to win.

Mobile Slot: Mobile slots are those optimised for responsive gameplay across desktop, smartphone and tablet devices, utilising the latest HTML5 technology.

Multi-Line: This term is used to describe online slots with more than a single payline.

Multiplier: A multiplier could be a specific symbol which can multiply your winnings by a predetermined figure. Multipliers can also be found in free spins rounds, when the more consecutive wins you land, the bigger the multiplier grows.

N

Near miss: Players that narrowly miss out on a winning combination on a payline describe this as a near miss.

Nudge: Inspired by classic fruit machine gameplay, some slots have a ‘nudge’ functionality included, allowing players to hit the nudge button to move a reel up or down one space to form a winning payline.

O

One-Armed Bandit: The first slot machines produced in land-based casinos, which required players to pull a lever to spin the reels.

P

Payline: A payline is the line that symbols need to align with to trigger a payout.

Pay Table: The pay table for any slots online is designed to fully explain the rules and payout sizes of each game. It outlines the low and high-value symbols to look out for on the reels.

Penny Slot: A penny slot game is one which requires players to pay as little as €0.01 per spin.

Pick-Me Bonus: A type of slot bonus screen whereby players must select on-screen options to reveal instant prizes.

Progressive Jackpot: A progressive jackpot is a rolling jackpot that continues to increase in value until it is won. A percentage of each player’s stake per spin is contributed to the progressive jackpot, so the more players play, the higher the pot.

R

Random Number Generator: All state-of-the-art online slots are powered by a random number generator (RNG), which is a tamper-proof algorithm designed to randomise the outcome of every spin.

Reels: These are the columns within which the symbols spin to create potential winning combinations.

Return To player (RTP): The RTP percentage gives slot players an indicator of how much they can expect to return from their spins. If a slot has an RTP of 97%, for every €100 you stake, you can expect to receive €97 back on average.

S

Scatter Symbol: The scatter symbol is often used to trigger bonus rounds, and is usually the only symbol on the reels that the wild does not substitute for.

Stacked Symbols: Whenever the same symbols appear on top of one another on the reels, they are considered stacked.

Stacked Wilds: Whenever the wild symbol appears on top of one another on the reels, they are considered stacked.

T

Total Bet: The size of the total bet in an online slot is the total number of coins staked across all paylines.

V

Variance: The variance of a slot is the payout rate of a specific game. Slots with high variance are programmed to pay out less frequently than low variance slots. Variance can be used interchangeably with volatility.

Video Slot: A video slot game is designed to be displayed on desktop, smartphone or tablet screens using virtual reels instead of mechanical reels.

Volatility: Highly volatile slots are those that pay out less frequently, but with typically larger payouts when they do. Low volatility slots are those that pay out smaller prizes over a greater hit frequency.

W

Wild: A wild symbol is one of the most lucrative symbols in a slot game. Wilds can usually substitute any other base game symbol to improve winning combinations, except scatters. The same way that a joker works in a game of cards.

Win Both Ways: Slots with win both ways functionality can pay out on paylines running right-to-left as well as left-to-right.

Z

Zig-zag: Some slot paylines are designed to go up and down the reels or diagonally. These are known as zig-zag paylines.

Ready To Play?

Now that our slots glossary has equipped with all the slot lingo you need, log in or create a new account to play online slots at our Canadian online casino today!

18+  | Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly | Terms & Conditions apply.

Former unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is set to make a comeback in his hometown of London as he faces Robert Helenius at the 02 Arena on Saturday, August 12th.

Joshua was originally supposed to fight Dillian Whyte, but Whyte was withdrawn from the match due to a failed drug test last weekend. As a result, Robert Helenius (32-4), a Finnish fighter who last contested in the ring just a matter of days ago, has stepped in as a replacement on short notice. The 39-year-old returned to action only last weekend, stopping the previously unbeaten Mika Mielonen in his native Finland in three rounds.

Joshua has had to face late replacements before in his career, he beat Carlos Takam when the Bulgarian stepped in for Kubrat Pulev and lost to Andy Ruiz when he replaced Jarrell Miller after the American failed a drug test.

Given the circumstances, Helenius’s addition to the fight is a good move by Matchroom, adding to the intrigue of what to expect on Saturday night. Nonetheless, the fight’s dynamics are what they are, and it’s important not to exaggerate – Anthony Joshua (25-3) will be the overwhelming favourite, and is priced at 1/16 for victory.

Helenius was last seen by most when he suffered a first-round knockout from Deontay Wilder in October last year. However, it’s worth noting that even accomplished fighters have faced similar outcomes when up against the swift and brutal power of Wilder. In the years leading up to 2020-21, Helenius had faded from the “contender” spotlight, but he managed to revive his career by defeating Adam Kownacki twice during that period. He is 8/1 to pull of what would be one of the biggest sporting upsets of our generation.

Promoter Eddie Hearn asserted that Joshua is in one of the best physical and mental states he’s seen him in, so having a gander at some Joshua knockout markets is probably the most profitable approach to this bout. The London man has won 22 of his 25 fights via knockout, and of those 22 victories, Joshua has ended the fight in the first three rounds on 16 occasions. We’re therefore backing him to achieve exactly that again this Saturday.

Joshua hasn’t had a knockout within three rounds since back in December 2016, so he is due an early night. We feel that Helenius is the perfect opponent to blow away, having been knocked out three times before, including within two minutes in his bout with Wilder. A KO/TKO victory for the Brit provides no value at 1/5, but Joshua is 2/1 to knock down Helenius in any of the first three rounds, whilst he is 8/1 to finish the business in round 4.

Despite the fight being arranged hastily, the upcoming weekend in the capital city holds the promise of an exciting event. With a strong undercard complimenting the bout, it’s still set to be a big evening of heavyweight boxing.

Bet on Boxing with William Hill

We are thrilled to announce that the world-renowned Neil Diamond tribute artist, Jay White, is gracing the Ute Mountain Casino stage this Labor Day Weekend for TWO NIGHTS – September 1 & 2, 2023.

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Fans love college sports because of tradition. Rivalries are born out of geography. But at the end of the day, cash rules all, and that is why both Oregon and Washington are the latest schools to leave the Pac-12 conference.

They will be joining the Big Ten in 2024, as will USC and UCLA, which was announced last year. Colorado has gone back to a new look Big 12, and reports are that Arizona is hoping to join them. And then maybe Arizona State and Utah, but that’s still TBD. Everything is happening quickly, like a game of musical chairs, and the price for losing a seat is more than $30 million.

That is the driver of all of this. The Pac-12s inability to secure a media rights contract on the same level as what they have in the Big Ten and Big 12 is why suddenly everyone is convinced that the greener pastures lay to the east.

All of the hand-wringing by university presidents on the effects of NIL rights, and how the money being paid to players needs to be regulated, feels more than a little hypocritical.

The Future of the Pac-12

First formed in 1915 as the Pacific Coast Conference, the charter members were the University of California, University of Washington, University of Oregon, and what would later become Oregon State. Washington State and Stanford joined by the end of 1918, and by 1922 the conference had 10 member schools with the additions of USC, UCLA, Idaho, and Montana.

There were a few iterations of the conference in the following years, but in 1978 it became the Pacific-10 Conference, and it was a perfect match of five pairs of geographic rivals. There were two teams each in Washington, Oregon, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Arizona. It made for easy travel, rivalry weekends, and divided households on game day.

If somehow the Pac-12 can hold on to Arizona, that means that Arizona State would likely stay. The two schools and their athletic departments seem to agree that a split of the rivalry would be bad for both. That was the similar sentiment of USC and UCLA, and why they made the move together. However, the regional rivalries were not enough to keep Oregon alongside Oregon State, and Washington with Washington State.

If Arizona goes, and Arizona State and Utah follow, the Pac-12 will be down to California, Stanford, Oregon State, and Washington State. Other than the Bay Area, that leaves them without any desirable television markets, which is one the issues at the heart of the realignment. Corvallis, Oregon and Pullman, Washington are not exciting for television networks.

At that point, it is quite likely that the Pac-12 becomes the first major conference to go away since the Southwest Conference ceased to exist in 1996. That would leave the remaining schools to seek residency in the Mountain West Conference, which would give the MWC a total of 16 football programs.

The Future the Big Ten

The addition of Oregon and Washington will give the Big Ten a total of 18 member schools. Realignment would be in order, as would a name change that doesn’t involve a number. (This would also hold true for the Big 12 conference, which hasn’t had 12 teams since 2011).

We might see the formation of more than two divisions. One of the concerns for Washington and Oregon as they make the move is the increase in travel costs. One estimate has that as high as $10 million for the year when you consider all of the sports, and all of the conference opponents that now sit three time zones away.

The media rights deal for Big Ten schools is $60 million each. However reports are that Oregon and Washington will only see half of that in their first year in the conference. Still, it’s more than enough to cover the extra travel expenses, with plenty left over for the people at the top.

A new TransUnion report found that US gamblers are almost twice as likely as non-bettors to fall victim to financial fraud. The risk is three times higher for high-value players, who deposit $500 or more monthly.

The report also found bettors of all types are more willing to trade personal information for potential gain. As a result of this heightened risk, operators must implement robust fraud prevention strategies, the report said.

Declan Raines, TransUnion’s head of US gaming, spoke to Bonus about the bureau’s latest US Gaming Report.

The study, he said, found that overall, US bettors are more likely to experience identity fraud than non-bettors (13% vs. 7%).

Raines told Bonus:

We definitely found that this population is more susceptible to falling victim to fraud than the rest of the US population.

US Gamblers 2-3 Times More Likely to Experience Fraud

Specifically, 17% of bettors admitted being targeted and falling victim to fraud over the previous three months, while only 7% of non-bettors reported the same. The study surveyed 3,000 US adults and found that high-value bettors showed even greater vulnerability, with 22% taken in by a scam.

US gamblers’ willingness to trade personal data for financial incentives may contribute to that susceptibility.

TransUnion found bettors are concerned about sharing data online (77%).

However, they also had a high likelihood of sharing personal details in the past and being open to incentives to swap personal data for better promotions, higher limits, and a more seamless user experience.

The survey also showed comparatively higher willingness for high-value online bettors with bigger wallets. When asked what requests for personal information on an online app would give pause, only 43% had a problem handing over their social security number.

For mobile bettors on a budget, hesitation rose to 56%.

Notably, the study reproduced findings from previous TransUnion research that showed bettors display heightened financial instability compared to non-bettors. At the same time, US gamblers also express significantly more optimism for their household finances over the coming year.

While academic studies indicate a link between optimism and vulnerability to fraud, this study focused on whether fraud was evident in gambling, not why, said Raines.

Raines told Bonus:

People experience fraud. It’s an unfortunate facet of the online world we live in. And within the sports betting segment, in particular, there’s a lot of free money around. There’s a lot of money, there’s a lot of growth, and that’s where it’s going to attract fraudsters. And so dedicating energy and resources into investigating why this is happening, why betters are more susceptible, is less efficient than just addressing the source.

TransUnion to Dive Deeper in Future Reports

With fraud becoming commonplace, what can operators do to protect US gamblers from fraud (and, seemingly, themselves)?

This is where companies like TransUnion say they can help identify and catch fraudsters.

Take identity theft. TransUnion uses data to weed out synthetic identities while curbing bonus abuses, account takeovers, chip dumping, and other fraud unique to the industry.

In the US, the fraud-busting tool operators use most often is document verification.

“That’s an area we support, as well,” Raines said in a Bonus interview.

Being able to verify a customer within an app in a secure manner is key, he added. Emailing photos or your ID is never a good option.

Again, said Raines, this is another place TransUnion can help operators. Due to its wealth of data, the bureau can cross-verify customers’ personal identifying information (PII), making verification necessary less often.

In the future, said Raines, TransUnion intends the quarterly US Gaming Report to go deeper in its examination of fraud.

He said the plan is to also break things down by product, possibly as soon as the end-of-year edition. However, that will depend on getting enough data to back any insights.

Raines told Bonus:

We want to start looking at breakdowns of products. Like if you buy lottery tickets but you don’t bet on sports, what does your consumer financial picture look like?

Because I’ve been in gambling for a while, I’ve always heard that lottery targets low-income individuals. But is that actually true? Those are the types of insights that are going to be interesting.

For US gamblers looking to lower their risk, the Federal Trade Commission’s How to Avoid a Scam is a good place to start.

Tips to avoid a scam:

• Block unwanted calls and text messages
• Don’t give away personal information over text, email, phone, or social media/online
• Avoid clicking links in emails or text messages. Instead, contact the sender through their website or by phone. Make sure to look up the number. Never use the contact provided
• Resist pressure to act immediately. Pressure to pay or hand over personal information is a sure sign of a scam
• Requests for payments using crypto, wire transfer, Western Union, or non-typical service are another indication of fraud
• Stop, and talk to someone else you trust. Often talking things out makes the scam more obvious.

Is there any wonder why crypto operators are questioning existing onboarding processes, and experimenting with alternative options like iris scans, when governments and global regulatory bodies are still deliberating correct policing procedures?

If there’s one thing that can’t be levelled against the often maligned and misunderstood industry of crypto, is that it’s boring. In fact, despite cryptocurrency being almost 15 years old, many countries are still wrestling with what it actually is, let alone how to properly police it. 

Indeed, while there are certain regions, like the European Union, that are well on their way to enforcing a crypto regulatory framework (via the Markets in Crypto Assets regulation), others, like the UK, are moving very slowly with their own proposed crypto regime. In fact, it was only recently that the UK government officially rejected a proposal to regulate crypto assets as a form of gambling.  

For more information on how the UK’s crypto regime may look, check out our ‘Regulations – Explained in 90 seconds’ video, with our Global Head of Crypto & Fintech, Jason Tucker-Feltham.

Riding the crypto roller coaster.

Having seemingly recovered from the multiple downs of 2022, the crypto industry appears once again to be in its ascendancy. This month, it was revealed that the bitcoin price had doubled since the beginning of the year, and the industry shows no signs of slowing, both in terms of size and scope. 

But when is crypto’s rate of growth too fast, and will regulators ever be able to keep pace? 

As a sector that has never been shy about pushing the boundaries of technology and questioning the limitations of existing systems, it is understandable that crypto players would experiment with new approaches. The problem, however, is that many of these novel approaches are being conducted on unstable, unregulated ground. 

Take the recent furore surrounding Worldcoin, for example. 

Spearheaded by OpenAI Chief, Sam Altham, the cryptocurrency and digital ID project verifies users’ identity through a simple retina scan. This, it claims, ensures a fair distribution process, with each individual only able to claim their sign-up bonus once, and also helps to detect deep fakes, which are increasingly being used to perpetrate fraudulent activity, and to complete customer onboarding. 

A valid and admirable intention, but is it ethical? 

“Worldcoin boasts ambitious goals, including a potential path to AI-funded Universal Basic Income. However, many concerns have been voiced by the crypto community, particularly on Worldcoin’s targeting of individuals from developing nations. This deployment strategy calls into question whether all those who have been subject to iris scanning fully understand the implications of participating. Could the irrevocable capturing of iris data at some point work against early adopters? The ultimate usage of World IDs remains unclear,” said Jason Tucker-Feltham, Global Head of Crypto and Fintech at IDnow. 

In the eye of the verifier. 

Worldcoin has recorded and stored thousands of iris scans so far, which are being used to train its algorithms, but has assured users it will destroy and hash users’ biometric data after usage, but has not yet announced when that will be or provided a deadline for when they will delete data. 

It is not just privacy considerations that are causing concern, however, but where such a bold step may lead to in the future, especially for matters relating to KYC, and to cut corners or offer a much less tried and tested approach to identity verification comes at a huge risk.

Unsurprisingly, as with any new and novel approach, fraud experts are quick off the mark in exploiting loopholes. In China, Worldcoin has gone viral, despite local users being unable to legally downland and register for the platform. The reason for the sudden, mass popularity is that users are bypassing these restrictions by buying iris data for as little as $30 from countries, such as Cambodia and Kenya. In fact, the business in biometrics is booming, leading to the Kenyan government recently banning ‘Worldcoin activities’.

“Crypto rewards are nothing new in an ever-crowded market, and with backing from some of the world’s largest VC firms, the incentive structure has long been planned by Worldcoin to increase the likelihood of its commercial success. However, perhaps what was not initially envisaged was the ease in which World IDs could be exploited by bad actors for financial gain. A black market is emerging in the trade of World IDs and yet a way in which to prevent such trade has yet to emerge,” added Jason. 

More than meets the eye.  

Innovation is important, especially in such a forward-looking industry like crypto. Technological innovation can be transformational for businesses and consumers, but it must always be done within the guardrails of a) regulation and b) a safe and secure environment. 

By using a layered approach and combining different identification methods, crypto platforms can be assured their customers are who they say they are. The responsible use of biometrics, when combined with video identification, in addition to collecting official documents forms part of a solid and robust KYC process.   

Automated identity verification, powered by artificial intelligence and combined with screening mechanisms and geolocation checks, provide an unparalleled solution to mitigate risks brought by fraudsters trying to circumvent KYC processes. Adhering to KYC and AML requirements should be logical for every crypto platform, wherever they want to operate, especially whilst regulatory frameworks are still being finalized.

Putting the KYC into crypto.

KYC processes are an integral part in ensuring crypto exchanges can protect themselves and their customers from fraud and money laundering, even amid an evolving crypto regulatory landscape. Having these controls in place will protect investors from financial losses and add stability to a notoriously volatile market.  

IDnow’s highly configurable identity verification solutions work across multiple regulations, industries and use cases, including crypto. Whether automated or expert-assisted, its online identity-proofing methods have been optimized to meet the strictest security standards and regulatory requirements without compromising on customer conversion or consumer experience. 

By

Jody Houton
Content Manager at IDnow
Connect with Jody on LinkedIn

Two people have been arrested and another is still under investigation for the crime

Federal prosecutors say two armed suspects held an elderly North Carolina couple hostage in their home and threatened to “cut off (the) husband’s toes and genitalia, to shoot him, and to rape his wife” before stealing over $156,000 in cryptocurrency.

According to prosecutors, while posing as construction workers, Elmer Ruben Castro and Remy Ra St. Felix drove to the couple’s home in Durham on April 12 at around 7:30 am, claiming they had to inspect their pipes for damage, according to the unsealed federal criminal complaint. A third man accused of finding the victims, Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, was also named as a suspect.

According to the complaint, the men cased the house for three days before the home invasion after traveling from Florida to North Carolina to commit the theft.

Armed with handguns, Castro and St. Felix allegedly restrained and zip-tied the couple. The complaint says the wife was then dragged into the bathroom and confined by Castro. Felix then reportedly made the husband log into his Coinbase cryptocurrency wallet.

Prosecutors said while talking to Seemangal on the phone, Felix was coached on instructing the husband to transfer the crypto from his account. Seemungal apparently knew details about the husband’s account, leading prosecutors to believe it was already compromised. The men then allegedly made three transactions over the following 45 minutes to steal $156,853, with a fourth transaction flagged and denied by Coinbase.

The couple later made their way to a neighbor’s house to get help. According to WRAL TV in Raleigh, the couple was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Seemungal and St. Felix will be charged with kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and arrest warrants were issued on Thursday. The criminal complaint for Castro wasn’t yet listed.

The archivists probably have a really keen idea of what is and what isn’t missing, based upon things that they’ve gotten out of other offices, like the vice president’s office and things that got deposited from the secretary of state, for example. There are a lot of papers that are referenced and cross-referenced, multiple copies or multiple things going in and out of offices.

One scholar did a study of the presidents’ annual Christmas speech at the Ellipse in Washington. He looked at how the speeches — from the Roosevelt administration to the present — developed, and it was kind of a ring-around-the-rosie inside the West Wing and within the departments — what went in, what went out, what went in, what went out. Who won and who didn’t win. Everybody left their marks on the speeches. All of those changes and requests appear in documents, and if part of the conversation is missing from the National Archives, it’s obvious.

We know from other presidents’ records that really comprehensive records are kept via daily manifests of what the presidents are doing. And while I am not a historian, it’s not unreasonable to assume that the other departments and agencies likewise have daily manifests of their top officials. So if they know that someone at an agency sent something over to the White House that was this or that, and it came back from the White House with this or that, then there should be a document somewhere that’s got something from the White House on it — and if you’re missing that, that’s a problem.

The History of Roulette

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Roulette is a game of chance where players can bet on the outcome of a spinning wheel, which usually has either 38 or 37 numbers. The roulette ball is released and bounces around until it lands in one of the numbered slots on the wheel, and the number it lands on determines your fate.

There are several ways to play roulette online. You can choose to play with or without a casino’s house edge. Most online casinos offer this option as well as an auto-play feature for those who want to sit back and let the game run itself.

Dengan kehadiran yang mapan di lebih dari 20 negara, Betsafe akhirnya berhasil judi olahraga pengalaman yang tersedia di Afrika. Langkah tersebut dilakukan melalui anak perusahaan mereka di Kenya; bertaruh Tinggi Kenya LTD.

Betsafe telah membuktikan dedikasinya pada sepak bola melalui perjanjian sponsor selama tiga tahun dengan klub sepak bola papan atas Kenya, Gor Mahia FC dan AFC Leopards. Kesepakatan ini memungkinkan mereka untuk berhubungan dengan penggemar sepak bola Kenya yang paling bersemangat, kepada siapa mereka akan dapat memberikan pengalaman taruhan mereka yang terkenal.

Alex Kobia, Penjabat Direktur Pelaksana BetHigh Ltd. menekankan fakta bahwa peluncuran ini tidak hanya untuk memberikan pengalaman taruhan olahraga terbaik, tetapi juga berfungsi sebagai standar industri untuk permainan yang aman dan bertanggung jawab.

Mengingat bahwa mereka memasuki pasar pada waktu yang sangat penting bagi Pemerintah Keynan dan peraturan barunya untuk industri, Betsafe menyadari pentingnya taruhan yang aman. Sehubungan dengan upaya baru yang dilakukan dengan bantuan Betting Control and Licensing Board, Betsafe mencatat bahwa mereka “akan secara ketat mematuhi dan mendukung penuh Regulator dalam tujuannya untuk memastikan permainan yang bertanggung jawab.”

Peluncuran Produk Unik yang didukung oleh dua klub sepak bola papan atas

Memiliki tujuan akhir untuk memberikan layanan terbaik di negara ini, mereka telah bekerja keras untuk menyesuaikan produk mereka ke pasar Kenya dan pengguna masa depan mereka. Mempertimbangkan penetrasi ponsel cerdas yang relatif rendah di Kenya, sebagian besar petaruh masih menggunakan ponsel dasar, di mana taruhan SMS tetap menjadi cara yang populer dan nyaman untuk memasang taruhan. Ini sebabnya Batsyeba Kenya memungkinkan pelanggan untuk memasang taruhan melalui SMS tanpa memerlukan gameID. Taruhan dan taruhan dapat diatur hanya dengan mengirim SMS #23333, dan dapat dibatalkan dalam jangka waktu tertentu jika petaruh berubah pikiran.

Pembayaran cepat adalah fitur penting bagi Betsafe dan pelanggan mereka, itulah sebabnya mereka akan melakukan apa saja untuk memastikan ini adalah sesuatu yang selalu dapat diandalkan oleh pelanggan mereka.

Ke depan, dalam rentang beberapa bulan, mereka juga bertujuan untuk memperkenalkan dan merilis beberapa fitur baru lainnya, seperti jackpot.

Selain memberikan pengalaman unik taruhan online kepada warga Kenya, operator Bet High Kenya Ltd CH bahwa mereka berencana untuk mempekerjakan 150 karyawan selama periode 24 bulan mendatang.

Kata akhir Alex Kobia pada peluncurannya adalah, “Intinya, ambisi kami adalah menghadirkan produk yang dapat dipercaya dengan pembayaran yang aman dan cepat, layanan taruhan yang inovatif, semangat, dan komitmen terhadap sepak bola Kenya, permainan yang bertanggung jawab, dan dukungan pelanggan yang luar biasa.”