Companies Present Report on UK Mobile Gambling Trends

November 18th, 2013 by OBO-admin

Mobile blackjack is getting to be more popular as the days pass, as indicated by a recent report on mobile gaming trends in the UK.

Vivid Interface and Clarion Events recently released their report on mobile gaming after making a careful study of several UK mobile gamblers. They presented their report at the European iGaming 2013 event, which was held recently in Barcelona. Their report, titled Awareness, Attitudes, Motivations—UK Mobile Gambling 2013, has been prepared after carefully analyzing data collected by over 2000 mobile players across the UK.

The researchers focused on usage and awareness of various brands and the way they attract, motivate, and influence gamblers. Their report shows the various differences in playing casino games online and on mobile devices, taking into consideration factors such as crossover playing, gaming speed, and usage of accounts.

According to the report, mobile gambling services offered by companies such as Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, Bet365, and William Hill are the most popular. The researchers collected data not only from blackjack and casino players, but also from bingo and poker players and sports bettors.

Clarion Events calls it an “in-depth and thought provoking study,” adding that the results can be used by various brands to develop commercial strategies and compete effectively.

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Recreational Gambler Uses Blackjack to Deal with Vision Loss

November 11th, 2013 by OBO-admin

Mark Gruetze, noted writer and recreational gambler, spoke of how blackjack helped him deal with his loss of vision in a positive manner.

He says that he can definitely “vouch that blackjack is a blind man’s game.” In his case, blackjack was something much more—it was a healing force, a tool that actually helped him regain his confidence.

Gruetze had to undergo around eight surgeries in three months because of detached and torn retinas in both his eyes. The result was that he had to deal with loss of vision in both his eyes, something that proved to be very challenging not only for him, but also for his wife.

To comfort himself, he began playing blackjack. The first time he did so, he could hardly see the cards—they looked like fuzzy rectangles. In spite of this, he won the game thanks to his wife’s help. A week later, he could not only see his own cards, but could detect the croupier’s cards too. In fact, each trip to the blackjack table proved that his sight was actually getting back to normal.

Although medical care and time played an important role in the healing process, blackjack gave him the boost in self-esteem he badly needed.

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Betsson Launches Real Money App for iOS

November 8th, 2013 by OBO-admin

Betsson, a Nordic online sportsbook and online casino site, will launch an iOS real-money casino app in a bid to increase its mobile gaming revenue. While boosting the gambling company’s revenue, it will give blackjack players an opportunity to play their favorite casino games and bet on their favorite sports on the move.

Betsson’s mobile casino app, which can be downloaded on iPad and iPhones, is not meant for free play, but for real money. It may be recalled that Apple recently changed its policy and now permits real money gaming apps.

As previously mentioned, the app offers not only real money casino gaming, but also real money sports betting. It promises players a superior gaming experience.

Magnus Silfverberg, chief executive officer of Betsson, said that the new app allows Betsson’s operating subsidiary to regain the top position in the mobile gaming sector. He further said that the company has observed that mobile gambling is becoming more popular than ever and is confident that customers will prefer to download Native apps in the future.

Betsson also hopes to expand in the European market after getting the required licenses in each EU country. The company’s latest move has definitely put it far ahead of its rivals.

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Archie Karas Pleads Not Guilty in Blackjack Cheating Case

November 7th, 2013 by OBO-admin

The case of Archie Karas, who stands accused of cheating at the blackjack tables, is now being heard at a California court. Karas has stated that he is not guilty of the charges leveled against him while playing blackjack at a California casino.

Not many in the blackjack gaming community were surprised when Karas was arrested. He had been arrested on four different occasions for cheating at casinos based in Las Vegas.

The amount involved in the latest case is just $8,000, which does not mean much for a man like Karas. In the early nineties, Karas attracted attention when he won a large sum of $40 million only to lose it all. But he has been caught cheating at the blackjack tables, and it is not very easy to wriggle out of a legal mess like that. Besides, the casino’s surveillance cameras had caught the Greek gambler cheating at the tables, so the court is not likely to accept his not guilty plea.

Karas, a professional gambler of Greek origins, has won over $200k playing live poker tournaments, especially the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

He stands accused of cheating at Barona Casino, which now hopes that it will be compensated for the losses it sustained.

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Blackjack Games with 3 – 2 Payout Rare in Atlantic City

November 4th, 2013 by OBO-admin

New Jersey gambling regulations required all Atlantic City casinos to offer single-deck blackjack games once upon a time. Today, players will find only a few single-deck blackjack games, and even if they do find one, they pay only 6 – 5 for blackjack instead of the usual 3 – 2. Since this raises the house edge for these games by 1.58 percent, players are urged to avoid single-deck blackjack games at Atlantic City casinos.

Unlike casinos in Las Vegas, casinos in Atlantic City deal cards from shoes in order to discourage card counters. Besides, they limit bet sizes, refuse mid-shoe entries, and shuffle the cards whenever they suspect a player of counting cards. Back in the eighties, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin convinced a dealer to deal from the hand, instead of the shoe. The Casino Control Commission slapped a fine of $25,000 on the casino, which Sinatra felt obliged to pay. Besides, four casino workers, including the pit boss, the croupier, and the supervisor, were suspended.

Players are advised to choose a simple blackjack variant that pays 3 – 2 for blackjack instead of 6 – 5. The best way to lower house edge is to choose a game with the fewest decks possible with an affordable betting limit.

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How Blackjack Players Can Track Cards Favoring Dealers

October 30th, 2013 by OBO-admin

Blackjack players are fond of aces, picture cards, and tens, and if they can somehow figure out how many such cards a 6-deck shoe might have in the middle of a blackjack game, they stand a better chance of winning.

Here is a simple method to keep track of such cards by simply focusing on cards that favor the croupier—fours, sixes, and fives. Mathematicians have already shown how fours, sixes, and fives can help the dealer create strong hands, especially as blackjack rules require dealers to hit on 14, 15, and 16. Players, on the other hand, have more flexibility as they can stand on 14, 15, and 16 in the hopes that the dealer will go bust.

Each deck comprises 12 fours, fives, and sixes, which means that six decks with have 72 of each of these cards. This constitutes around 23 percent of all the cards. Twenty-three, therefore, is the magic number. About 23 fours, fives, and sixes ought to have been dealt after playing two decks in order to keep the game balanced. If less have been dealt, the game is in favor of the house; and if more have been dealt, the game is in favor of the player.

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Casino Introduces Pink Blackjack Tables to Raise Breast Cancer Awareness

October 28th, 2013 by OBO-admin

Island View Casino has introduced pink blackjack tables to increase public awareness of breast cancer, especially as October is considered to be Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Kathy Santiago, the former area executive director for American Cancer Society, was recently appointed as Island View Casino’s special project manager. Expressing her passion for research related to cancer, particularly breast cancer, she said that she appreciates the casino for supporting women who are not only suffering from, but have also survived breast cancer. Santiago is a breast cancer survivor who recently celebrated her sixth year of freedom from cancer.

The casino covered three of its blackjack tables with pink felt and male as well as female blackjack players noticed this change as they played. Ellen Guillot, a gynecologist and obstetrician at the Louisiana based Women’s Medical Center, says that she thinks it is great support.

Island View Cancer was also the co-sponsor of a local anti breast cancer campaign titled Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, which began in August. A group of casino employees, including Santiago, will take part in a walk related to the same campaign.

Stating that the event remembers breast cancer victims and congratulates its survivors, she said that the best defense against breast cancer is early detection.

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Blackjack Player Refuses to Pay DJ $200,000

October 25th, 2013 by OBO-admin

A blackjack player who had offered to pay a huge sum of $200,000 to a DJ called Deadmau5 for playing a Bon Jovi song at a nightclub based in Las Vegas refused to pay up as he had lost his blackjack game. The issue led to a mess, which is now being sorted at a Nevada federal court.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the blackjack player, Don Johnson, is an important customer of Wynn Casino as he used to spend anywhere between $100,000 and $500,000 playing blackjack and other casino games. The high-stakes player is also the chief executive officer of Heritage Development. During a period of just four months, he had won $6 million gambling at Tropicana Casino, $4 million at Caesars Casino, and $5 million at Borgata Casino.

When Johnson refused to pay the promised $200,000 to the DJ, Deadmau5’s talent agency and the owner of the nightclub paid him. The issue appeared to have been resolved, but the owner of the nightclub sued the talent agency for inability to repay $50,000, the amount he had contributed toward Deadmau5’s payment.

According to the court papers, the two parties plan to sign a settlement deal soon. The owner of the nightclub says that the event is ridiculous.

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