Poker Pros Network, or PPN, is the latest entry into a field that has gotten progressively smaller over the last year or two; first major sites Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars locked out players from the US along with fellow poker websites Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker in the events poker players would come to refer to collectively as “Black Friday.” In the months that followed, a string of smaller sites also shut their doors to US players, leaving those from the region who wished to play online poker with precious few options.

PPN will add another option to the list, but what sort of option will it be? The traffic at the network will undoubtedly be a bit light in the weeks immediately following launch, but there’s no reason that has to be a permanent state of affairs; after all, the Winning Poker Network is a great example of how a group of USA poker sites that all focus singularly on the one market can build reasonable player liquidity in a short amount of time.

The core of PPN at launch is formed by seven separate poker skins, each with a unique theme and target market. The skins range from CheapSeats, a site that is designed to appeal to low-stakes poker, to a proposed live dealer poker site that will feature (no doubt attractive) women dealing the cards instead of an automated avatar. The idea seems solid; enough individual players from small niches could be enough to generate a sustainable player base for the network.

Ultimately the success or failure of any online poker room is going to come down to banking, and in this regard it’s simply too early to give any sort of grade to PPN. It will take players a few months – if not upwards of a year – to feel comfortable with the track record of a new room on this particular point. Along with that challenge is the more basic one of managing payment processing in a legal climate that presents no shortage of obstacles to quick and efficient deposits and cashouts.

The old aphorism “time will tell” is certainly applicable in this case. Players should be happy for another option, but prudent until that option has earned a reasonable history of integrity and reliability.

April 25, 2012 – Wptpokerbonus.com wants players to know that there is more to online poker than the bonuses.  While the codes are important, this site works to provide players with more information about the WPT sites out there so that players can make the best decision for them regarding game play, extras and great ways to increase bankrolls.

Many online poker players are familiar with the WPT Poker sites.  They know that this is where players can enjoy a great poker playing experience and lots of other games in addition.  Players also know that this is one of the top rated legal online poker sites to play on.  Many players aren’t familiar with how they can get in on tournaments or how they can earn points on a WPT site.  When players don’t know, they can’t earn the points they need and want to increase their winning potential.  A great review site can help.

Wptpokerbonus.com knows that players want to be informed, so they make sure to provide the information that online players need to be able to fully enjoy the poker playing experience without having to feel like they jumped in on something that they will regret.  For many players, it’s not being totally informed that can cause them to want to change the site that they play poker on and Wptpokerbonus.com wants to help players avoid feeling unhappy with their choice.  The creators of this site are big fans of WPT Poker and they know that with some essential information, many players will be too.  That’s why they go beyond offering the most current bonus codes and work to provide players with information about everything on the WPT sites.

So, for the player that is seeking a legitimate WPT Poker code, this site has what they are seeking, but for the player that wants to know more about WPT sites, this is the site for them too.   A review site is only as good as the information it provides and the makers of Wptpokerbonus.com understand that.  They’ve played on the WPT sites and they know the ins and outs of them.  This gives you the edge when it comes to being fully informed about everything the sites have to offer.

For players that are in the market for a great online poker experience, Wptpokerbonus.com encourages a visit to their site first.  With all the information that they offer, players will be able to choose the right online poker site for their type of playing needs.

Bestpokersite.org is making it easier for prospective online poker players to find sign-up bonuses with a comprehensive, updated list of bonuses released today.

There are a lot of different bonus code sites online, and many of them simply don’t update their codes often enough to be of a service. You’ll wade through a list of codes, finally find one you think is perfect for you, fill in your info and plug the code in and…find that the code is expired.

You’ve now wasted 15 minutes downloading, signing up for, and registering on a poker site that you only wanted to play on because of an exceptional bonus code. You also may not have even heard of sign-up bonuses before, instead choosing to simply sign up and deposit onto sites without taking advantage of essentially free money and rewards for choosing a particular site.

Bestpokersite.org has just finished updating their entire catalogue of sign-up bonuses and poker codes, making it easier than ever to look through a host of different bonuses and be able to quickly choose which one suits their needs as a poker player the best. In one glance, you can see if a site is US eligible, compare the size and percentage rate of many different sign-up bonus options –  all of the things that go into determining the best online poker sites - and directly download and play on the site from the review page, with the bonus codes you need to claim your bonus waiting right next to the download links.

You also have comprehensive reviews and bonus details to sift through on the same page, making the entire bonus search process a lot simpler, without the guesswork and arduous searching through sites that other poker bonus portals force you to work through. Use BestPokerSite.org to find the perfect sign-up code to supplement your game, today.

PRESS RELEASE –  Media Contact: Editor /  http://www.bestpokersite.org/
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We think Daniel Negreanu fits that mold, and he’s certainly had no shortage of interesting communications so far in 2012.  Even though we’re only at the quarter-year mark, Negreanu has already racked up enough hits to merit a recap.  Below are a few of his best moments to date.

Negreanu Banned from Two Plus Two

A slightly better headline than story, but still –  it’s always worth reading a bit more when you hear that one of the most famous poker players in the world has been banned by the most popular poker forum in the world.  What could have been the cause?  Hate speech?  A sinister conspiracy?  Account hacking?

Nope –  just some out-of-bounds shilling by Negreanu, it turns out.  While Negreanu is a vegan, no one knew he liked spam that much!

Negreanu Vlog-Smacks Full Tilt Poker

Video blogs are usually boring.  Video blogs about poker are usually doubly so.  Negreanu proved both rules to be more guidelines when he ripped into Full Tilt Poker and many of the company’s key players in an early 2012 video blog:

That vlog helped to re-ignite community discussion of Full Tilt Poker and definitely made some of those named more than a bit uncomfortable.

Dan Vs The Epic Poker League

Another great rant from Daniel where he takes the Epic Poker league fully to task.  It would be great to hear anyone from Epic –  especially Duke or Pollack –  respond to Daniel, but with the league mired in bankruptcy and god-knows-what-other legal quandaries I wouldn’t expect even a peep anytime soon.  Daniel has never been shy about speaking his mind regarding Annie Duke, and he seems to have taken particular satisfaction from picking at the carcass of Epic.

The good news: There are still nearly eight full months of Negreanu remaining in 2012, and we haven’t even hit the WSOP yet.  Hit us up after that for another Negreanu recap –  assuming the hits keep on coming.

The popularity of live casino sites is growing rapidly as word spreads across the web and new casinos are being opened on a regular basis. If compared to ordinary casino sites, live casinos are one step further into virtual reality, while also having pronounced features of ordinary brick and mortar casinos. Such sites provide a really interesting playing experience compared to ordinary gambling sites and after giving them a single try you will understand why. The game mechanics at live casino sites are often similar to what you find at any other quality online poker, roulette, blackjack or slot room. However, the main difference is the use of real dealers who receive the bets and deal cards in real time depending on your actions in the web playing console. It’s like sitting at a real casino table, only that you can be thousand miles away from the dealer, while other players sitting next to you can log in from virtually any spot on the planet. That’s a really interesting experience, and you can try it different sites these days, such as Casinos TV or any other gambling site featuring live games.

Features & benefits

One of the main features of online live casino games is the real-time video feed of the dealer, which takes the gaming on a whole new level and makes it as close to the real thing as it can actually get. Whether you’re playing live blackjack, roulette or poker, seeing an actual dealer and hearing the noise of an actual casino is a sensation that no other type of online gambling can offer. At this time, the selection of games available with life feed dealers is limited to the most popular games in casinos, yet the popularity of live gambling sites makes us think that we’ll soon see more games being featured with this new option. All casinos having live games usually state where the video comes from, and the dealers are typically located at some of the most well-known casinos all around the world. The benefits of playing this type of games are pretty obvious to any person who has ever been to a real-world casino. There’s a huge difference between playing online flash games, even when there’s real money at stake, and having a real person playing with you at the table. The atmosphere is unique, and it adds an entirely new dimension to the thrill of gambling, which is hard to feel even with the most advanced graphics in work. That’s exactly what live casino games are used to deliver.

Live dealer

The right dealer can make the game times more exciting, this is what many experienced casino players will tell you. Apart from being very professional, each dealer has his own unique traits, and well-known dealers are usually in high demand, with many gamblers preferring to join their tables over others. That’s what you’ll find at a live online casino, as most of these sites usually tend to work only with the best professional dealers from various brick and mortar casinos. You will typically have a detailed description of the location where the dealer is seated and his personal profile to tell you more about the man. As in actual casinos, there are certain dealers who are constantly in demand by live casino players, and that’s a great depiction of why live casinos are becoming so popular. It’s the closest thing to the real playing experience you can get on your computer, so don’t stop yourself when you have the opportunity to.

No download live casinos

As with ordinary online casino sites, you can enjoy playing live casino games without downloading any additional software. Of course, there will be the same down sides to it as playing typical casino games directly online: the speed may be lower; there could be some lags to the game; the graphics are usually not as good as in standalone applications. But this way you will have the opportunity to see what’s the buzz is all about and if live casinos are really worth considering. Fortunately, there are certain sites with this feature, so it shouldn’t be a problem to find a place to enjoy your first live dealer gambling sessions.

This is especially true among English-speaking countries and online gambling content, where reviews and other information meant for players from the US regularly ends up in search results made by players from the UK; Australian punters looking for the top online casino for their region often have to wade through content either explicitly (or implicitly) of use only to players from the EU and so on.

Why does it matter?  Because promotions, terms and conditions and even the types of games available can vary very significantly from one country to the next.  Beyond differences at the casino, players from different regions also tend to use distinct payment processors and have unique processes for making deposits and withdrawals.  The process of setting up and funding an online casino account is already complicated enough; misleading information only adds to the confusion.

It’s not hard to see how a region-specific site can benefit players; for example, OnlineCasino.com offers general reviews and information about online casinos, while its AU counterpart is wholly focused on casino information from an Aussie point of view.

For that reason, it’s worth the time for players to seek out guides that are focused on information that’s germane to their location.  There’s no great way to filter for this when you’re search, but focusing on sites that are either explicitly titled as content for your region is a good place to start.  If that’s too annoying, you can try restricting your searches to certain top level domains (such as .com.au for Australians) that are almost certain to be focused only on the region the domain extension is reserved for.

Research is a great tool for fans of online casinos, but nothing is worse than spinning your wheels.  Narrow down the field by searching from a region-specific perspective and you’ll find more of your time can be spent at the tables.

Another good reason to keep your gambling money separate from the rest of your money is that in the event of a banking error or an account breach, you will not experience the loss of any funds other than those you had already earmarked for online gambling.
 
A related, and equally important aspect of responsible gambling involves the motive behind gambling.  If you are short of money and need fast cash, it might be tempting to think you can quickly earn it by playing slots or real money online poker tournaments.  In some instances this can happen, but more often you can quickly lose all your cash. 

If you need money to pay bills, rent, and other life expenses, don’t look to online poker and gambling as a quick means of getting it.  There is an inherent risk to any online gambling, even with skill-based games like poker.  You may end up losing the money you hoped to grow.
 
With some online casinos, you can establish pre-set limits with regard to the maximum amount money you can spend, lose, and an amount at which you’d like to be cut off.  These offers are fairly standard at most rooms, and within the US it is the law that all land-based casinos must offer self-determined limits to players.  If you are looking into gambling at an online casino not offering limits, you might want to look into other casinos that do.  Establishing limits is a very important aspect of preserving your gambling funds and perpetuating responsible play.
 
Earlier we discussed the importance of not gambling for the wrong reasons.  Much like it is a terrible idea to gamble in order to earn money, it is also ill advised to gamble to get even. 

It is uncomfortable for any gambler to be in the hole, but gambling more is typically not a good way of getting out of one.  Gambling with money you don’t have in order to make up for lost money is only going to worsen your problems, and is not a responsible gambling choice.

That’s because the French, love them or hate them, are generally credited with inventing the game of Roulette.  One of the most popular games in both online and land-based casinos, roulette is instantly recognizable to people who have never stepped foot in a casino.

So how did it come to be that the game originated in France?  Well, for those who don’t speak French, it’s right there in the word itself –  roulette –  roughly translates from the French to “little wheel”.  The first of such little wheels that the world knows of was reportedly the invention of Blaise Pascal, a man more famous for his triangle and work with hydraulics than his work with gambling.

Despite the reputation history has assigned him, Pascal was equally interested in science and gambling, seeing one as a window into the other.  It was this combination of interests that led him to develop the roulette wheel in its primitive form while he searched for a solution to the problem of perpetual motion.

Pascal may have failed in the sense that the roulette wheel does eventually stop (it wouldn’t be much use for casinos if it didn’t), but he succeeded in laying the groundwork for a game that would become wildly popular not only in France, but across the globe. 

Other countries would come to put their own twists on the game.  For example, an American roulette wheel used to feature an Eagle slot.  While it may seem like a symbol of freedom, that slot actually tilted the odds of the game further toward the house –  hardly liberating for the gambler, unless you count the liberation of his money from his billfold.

You don’t have to speak the language or love the culture to admire the French for their innovations in gambling.  Cards may appeal to some and dice to others, but the hypnotic appeal of the spinning roulette wheel is perhaps more epitomizing of the esprit de la vie (the spirit of life) of the casino floor.

Thankfully, that world does exist, at least in a sense, thanks to the proliferation of online casino guides.  Your typical online casino guide is generally a small shop, often run by a single gambling enthusiast or two, and they’re a great boon the average bettors as they do almost all of the legwork regarding the details and nuances of ongoing casino promotions.

The natural question that arises for most is something along the lines of “Great, but why should I trust these sites?  And why do they even bother with all of this work?” Fair questions, to be sure, but they do come with fair answers as well.

Regarding the issue of trust, it’s certainly true that not every online casino guide is scrupulous –  some are just out to make a quick buck, and extensive research simply isn’t a part of that scheme.  Thankfully, you can generally spot these sites a mile away; their design will be clunky and broken, their writing sub par and their content often out-of-date.  Avoid these sites and head for those that obviously communicate credibility with their brand and content.

As for why anyone would bother to do all of the tedious work involved in deconstructing online casino bonuses, that’s an even easier answer: Money.  After all, why does anyone do anything?  Webmasters receive commissions from sites for sending them customers, which does undermine the objectivity of reviews a bit.  However, there’s a natural check against that bias; commissions are generally paid over the life of a given player, so if a site were to regularly send customers to low-quality casinos they’d be broke before too long, as the customers would head for greener pastures before gambling much, if at all.

Casino promotions are a great way for online gamblers to stretch their wagering funds a bit further than they otherwise might.  Add online casino guides to the mix, and you’ve got a sure path for more enjoyable –  and more profitable –  online gambling.

The object of the game is simple: pile as many casino chips on as many boxes as you like and if your number comes in you win. Single bets, which are simply chips placed on a specific number, are the most lucrative paying a generous 35 to 1.

Outside bets come in two forms: 2 to 1 shots and even money shots. The 2 to 1 shots allow you to choose either a third (numbers 1-12, 13-24 and 25-36) or a row. These bets are often good ways to slowly and steadily make a profit at the table. Indeed, by betting on two separate thirds you give yourself a 66% chance of making 50% profit.

For those looking to have a more casual roulette experience and enjoy the buzz of the casino then outside bets are the way to go. Betting options include: odd/ even, red or black and 1-18/19-36. Place a $10 on any of these and you’ll double your money if the right number comes in.

There’s often a misconception amongst casino stalwarts that roulette wheels produce traceable patterns which favour certain numbers. As a consequence they furiously scribble down each result in a bid to find an edge. In reality this is a casino myth, as a true (not faulty) roulette wheel won’t favour any particular numbers.

For people venturing to the casino for the first time a roulette table can be a daunting affair; especially when lined by harden gambler types all vying for position. As a way to remedy this casinos offer video roulette tables which display live action on a computer screen. Players are then free to place their bets and watch the action without the hustle and bustle of the actual table.