The state of Maine is another state looking for financial help. Hollywood Slots General Manager John Osborne believes that adding table games like power and roulette would funnel more cash to struggling state coffers and create up to 180 new jobs for the local economy.  Osborne is requesting that lawmakers authorize table games for the Bangor racetrack and casino. Osborne says even without another gambling facility in Maine or an expansion of state lottery games, Hollywood Slots is having trouble competing with casinos in southern New England because it doesn’t offer table games like poker and roulette. 

Currently the facility is using slots as its only money generating activity. Unfortunately they aren’t proving to be as lucrative as they have been for other states. It’s an oddity in the market because normally slots are a sure-fire way to bring in funds. Osborne said, “One of the difficulties we have in our environment is we really don’t have a lot of people with a high household income.  So when you look at some of these other jurisdictions, you’re sitting with several million people within 60 to 90 minutes of that location with household incomes that are 50 to 60 percent higher than what we have in Bangor.”

Osborne estimates that table games would generate approximately $8 million in revenue and result in 170 to 180 new jobs. Allowing the facility to add table games is among a menu of gambling options the panel is considering, including expanding the state lottery to include the mega-millions game and adding a keno game. In all, the committee is looking at options that could bring in up to $8 million to help balance the state budget. The state is like others throughout the nation. It is having problems making its budget and suffering with a huge deficit. The recession did a lot to hamper legislators from making ends meet. Most states are looking to some form of gambling to help build up funds. They are trying to avoid having to make huge budget cutbacks and eliminate government programs. Overall slots were the key to funding many state’s coffers, but Maine is proving to have a problem with solely relying on them. It is going to be a creative combination of gambling that is going to make it possible for the state to meet its budgetary needs in 2010.

If you enjoy gambling as a pastime, you may be looking into going to an online casino. It’s a great convenience to be able to gamble from the privacy of your own home. Gone are the days of having to travel to a live casino, find parking, walk to the casino floor, and wait for machines and then search for the cash cage. Now a days you can find almost any “real” casino game in an online casino.  The games are as varied in an online casino, as they are at a “real” casino.  Here are some of the basics game available and a little bit about the basics of each one.

Blackjack.  Blackjack is based on the number 21. The point of the game is to get a combined total of cards that are equal to, or less than the number 21. When playing at an online casino, you want to make sure that you also stay within the number range and beat the dealer as well. If you go over 21 or if the dealer’s hand is better than yours, you’ve gone bust. In this game the number values of each card are what matter, not the suits. It’s one of the easiest games to pick up because of its simplicity. In fact, the hardest part about this game is how fast some people play. Keeping up can be daunting. In Blackjack, all cards have a number value. For number cards, that is their value. Face cards are counted as ten and Aces are either 1 or 11, depending on what brings you closer to, without going over, 21.  During the game you’re playing against the dealer and all wagering depends on the casino’s individual rules. Make sure you understand that casino’s specific rules because there can be variations when it comes to standing, hitting, splitting, doubling down, and surrendering.

Baccarat. Baccarat is another relatively simple game to learn. The strategy here is a little more complex though and can take some time to practice. (This is a great game to play in “free play” mode if you can. That way you can get the rules, without losing money.) The object of the game is to see who of the possible fourteen players at the table can come closest to the value of nine based on their dealt cards. If you’re playing in an online casino, you wager on a player, or the dealer, to have the closest value. Games come down to the dealer and the wagered player, with all others waiting to see if their wager pays off. Cards are numbered so that the biggest number is a 9.  The ten card equals ten. If a total is more than 9, then the “ten” value is dropped. For example, if the total dealt is 11, then ten is dropped and the total is just 1.

Roulette. Another simple and popular game to play is roulette.  In this game, players wager on the wheel. We’ve all seen the wheel—black and red with numbers on it!  The croupier spins the wheel with the ball and the ball falls into a pocket. Whatever number and color it falls into, is the winning bet.  The wheel is divided into 37 or 38 slots, depending on the type of play. With this game, again, be sure to understand the details because different areas of the world play different versions of the game.

Slot Machines. Finally, the slot machine is the most popular casino game around. Look at any casino floor and you’ll find a packed slots area. They are great machines and they are very flexible due to the wager amount. You can find machines that take a penny and others that take $20s. Just look around and you’ll surely find a machine that fits your budget.  The basics of these games are to match symbols and win money. Pretty simple! If you’re new to gambling, this may be a great game to start with. They come in a wide variety of themes and you’ll surely find one that suits your preference.

If you’re a fan of tournaments but don’t necessarily want another slots tournament to participate in, check out VIP Casino.  As of the first of this month the casino will be offering tournament play roulette.  If you want to participate, all you have to do is be a member of the VIP Casino with a “real money” account.  To access the casino tournament, click on “More Games” on the menu.  From there you’ll see “Free Tournament 1.” This is the tournament that is scheduled for the first half of October. “Free Tournament 2” will be for the second half of the month.

Once you sign up, you’ll be directed to the roulette game where the tournament is being held.  You’ll automatically get a $500 credit in the casino and it can only be put towards this one event.  The great news is that the $500 credit allows you to come out of the stall swinging. You can immediately jump aggressively into the bets, knowing you have some free credits to play with. It’s always good to get free credits when playing online games, but this is a great way to enjoy a tournament while doing so.  Plus the novelty of playing a roulette tournament is not lost on most online gamblers.  There aren’t a whole lot of roulette games of this type around, so take advantage. Plus it has some true bonuses that are outstanding advantages for all players.

The prize pool for this tournament is $1,000. Not bad for a roulette game!  It’s going to be shared by 23 players and the lead player will get $300, second place will get $200 and the next placing players will each get $25.  All prizes will be automatically credited to the winners’ accounts within ten minutes. That’s the great thing about online gaming—once you win, you almost immediately get your funds deposited. No waiting in long lines or having to seek out the cashier’s cage!

VIP Casino is the sister casino of InterCasino, which is one of the most popular online gaming brands available today. It is powered by software from Cryptologic, a company that is known for its outstanding gaming capabilities.  If you’re looking for a new tournament, check out VIP Casino’s roulette event. It should be great fun for anyone who enters and hopefully, you’ll win some cash!

If you’re a fan of Roulette, check out VIP Casino. The casino is offering a Freeroll Roulette Tournament during August and this makes for a great bonus for any player.  The online casino is postponing the entry fee so it truly is a “free” game. Unlike many online casinos that offer “free” bonuses, only to have strict qualifications that are anything but free, VIP Casino’s deal is different.  They really have created a tournament that lives up to its name. 

If you enter the free tournament, $500 is automatically deposited to your account for gameplay.  Throughout the tournament, you can up your chips to maximum value. At the end, the players at the top of the leader board are eligible for VIP Casino’s prizes.  You can’t cash out before gameplay, but you can have some great fun and see if you make it to the leader board at the end.

VIP Casino is guaranteeing a payout of $2,050 for the entire Freeroll Roulette Tournament.  The top winner is set to receive $600, second player gets $400 and then the next players who make the leader board get $50. Not bad for a game that required no buy-in at the beginning.  Roulette is a game favorite among in-house and online gamblers. The game involves a wheel with a range of numbers and the colors red and black.  Players bet on a number, a range of numbers, red or black, or odd or even numbering as they place their bets. It’s completely a game of luck as the wheel is spun. It falls into one of 37 pockets if you’re playing European roulette or 38 if you’re playing American roulette.  In the end, luck is the only thing that dictates the game. It’s simple to figure out your probabilities of winning if you take some simple probability numbers and add them up.

Roulette has been around since the 18^th century and has gained a huge following both in-house and in online casinos. If you’re a fan of the game, be sure to check out VIP Casino’s Freeroll Roulette Tournament.  There’s nothing like a free game, that still has the possibility of winning money, to keep a player’s interest.