Buzzin Games

It may have been a mild winter so far here in the UK, but it’s still pretty cold outside.

I am blessed with a local casino, bingo evenings and several amusements for those who enjoy feeding the slot machines. But it doesn’t compare to sitting indoors in the comfort of my own home, dry and warm, where I can play online casino games.

Online casinos enable players to gamble on casino games; and along with poker, popularity has exploded over the past few years.

As with everything on the World Wide Web, there are good and bad gaming sites.  My advice is to take a good look around a few sites before you start playing.  Everyone who plays games for money knows how easy it is to get sucked in.  So before you get hooked, at least have the peace of mind that the site you are using is reputable and offering you good odds. Online casinos generally offer odds and payback percentages similar to offline or traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ casinos. Just remember, if an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is!

Some online casinos offer what’s known as ‘Live Gaming’ in an attempt to give the game more of an authentic feel.  This is where online casino sites offer the gamer the chance to play popular casino games such as roulette and blackjack with a real-life card dealer.  Gamers can interact with the dealer and in doing so give the impression of a real-life game rather than simply playing against the computer.  As with any live streaming, the quality of a ‘Live Gaming’ experience depends on the speed of your broadband.

There are two types of online casinos – web-based and download-based.  Websites that offer the gamer to play directly from the website mainly use Flash or Java software.  Both require web browser plug-ins.  Most browsers come with these plug-ins but it may require you download a latest version.

Download-based online casinos require the user to download software onto their computer before they can play the casino games. The online casino software connects to the casino service provider and handles contact without browser support. Download-based online casinos generally run faster than web-based online casinos since the graphics and sound programs are located within the software client, rather than having to be loaded from the Internet. This is worth consideration if you have a slow or shared internet connection.

Before you download any software to your computer, be confident it is legitimate software and is unlikely to include a virus.

I have planned a trip to Las Vegas next summer.  But that’s more about visiting the casino capital of the world and playing at the same table as the rich and famous.  But for now, I am happy to play poker and casino games online.