Online Casino News
Don't be the Mark
August Casino Promotions
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Online Casino News
Here is some information you might find helpful in your quest to online casino utopia.
- Site Updates
- Peak Rewards Comp Program
Site Updates
Gaming Utopia has added party poker to the site. Read the
review. It is a fantastic poker room featuring Texas Hold'Em, Ohama, and 7 Card Stud. They have become our #1 poker room recommendation! Sign up today, and get a free $25 bonus. You can download their software now, or visit their site
Check out our new basic guide to
Texas Hold 'Em! Everything you need to know to get starting playing Texas Hold'Em!
We have also added a dictionary of Gambling Terms. If are interested in any terms used throughout the site, or in gambling in general, check here. There are currently almost 200 terms, and we will be adding more frequently.
Don't forget to visit the
forums at Gaming Utopia! Please check it out, and post a
message! Invite your friends to participate too. With a strong user base, this
forum can be a great source of information and entertainment for everyone!
Peak Rewards Comp Program
Peak Entertainment is handling the comp program for The Sands of the Caribbean Online Casino, Omni Casino, 49er Casino, 3 Diamonds Casino, and The Caribbean Sun Poker Room.
This is a great new comp program with some great merchandise and travel packages you can earn. The great thing is that you can earn points at any of the casinos in the program, and they will all accumulate at Peak.
Don't Be The Mark
Theres a saying in poker. When you sit down at a poker table, look around and find the mark If you cant find him, then you are the mark. Thats true in general as well.
I bring this up because I keep coming across "sure win systems" as I surf the net for useful gaming information. This falls under the category of another saying: "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is". Now I know that most players know that its probably a scam. But to be quite honest, they usually pitch their ideas very well. They use time-proven techniques of luring you in and setting the hook. Despite your best judgment, you may find yourself falling for one of these systems.
Well, I want to put your mind at ease. When I see these types of systems, I often read the sales pitch just out of curiosity. And sometimes their sales pitch is so refined that I almost fall for it myself, even knowing its a scam. But then its all too easy to remind myself: "If this system is so foolproof and so proven, then why bother trying to sell it to me for $19.95?". Of course they usually have some sort of ridiculous reason for trying to share it. Dont buy it. If they really had a system that was guaranteed profitable, they not only wouldnt need to sell it to you, they wouldnt want to for fear of it being discovered by the casinos.
Is there a system that can give you an advantage in some games? Actually, yes. That "system" is hard work, intelligence, knowledge, and experience. And it only applies to certain games. Most games have a "negative expectation". That means that no matter how well you play the game, over the long run, you will lose money. Basically any game that has professional gamblers is a game that doesnt have a negative expectation. But these games are almost without exception games of skill where your advantage is actually over another human being.
Horse racing is one. With enough knowledge and experience, you can determine when a horses chances of winning are actually better than the posted odds. Same with sports betting. The odds are set by the betting of the collective public. So if you have knowledge slightly better than the majority of other players, you can actually come out ahead.
Cards is another. Specifically poker. A players ability to understand the odds, to read other players, and keep them from reading you. That can give enough of an advantage to come out ahead.
Card counting in blackjack can give the player a very slight advantage over the house. Only because the betting is adjusted to reflect the actual expected odds of an outcome. Very, very few players can succeed at card counting. And get away with it.
Notice that all of these are based solely upon skill. And great skill at that. You cant pick up a book about some sort of horse racing system and expect to come out ahead. You can buy a book on horse race handicapping, and with a great deal of practice eventually learn the skill that can give you slight advantage. There is no magic bullet in gambling.
Another point to ponder. If there really was a system of some type that could give the player a consistent advantage, you can be very sure that the casinos would identify it as soon as possible, and immediately put an end to it. They can, and often do, change the rules of the game. The rules of Blackjack have been refined over many years. If a system were devised to find a weakness, they would make a rule to counteract it, or stop offering the game altogether.
As an example, consider the negative progression system where you always double your bet after a loss. Lets assume for a moment that you have a truly unlimited bankroll (which you would absolutely need for this system). Then it is true that given enough time, the worst you would do is break even. Sure you could lose umpteen times in a row and be risking thousands of dollars just to win back that original $5 bet. But once you did win, you would be back at even. And for every consecutive win, you would go ahead by your base bet amount. Now of course this system is ridiculous because you would be risking so much money to win very little. But just in case the casinos have a rule to prevent this type of system. Its called the table limit. Table limits are put in place so that you can hit the ceiling before you recover your bets.
In conclusion, there is no substitute for hard work. Most of us play casino games to have fun. And rightly so. And it only makes sense to do the best you can and try to learn and acquire as much skill as possible at your game of choice. That's where the challenge and the enjoyment comes from. Just make sure to not fall for any snake oil salesmans pitches. Dont be the mark!
August Promotions
Here are the current promotions running for the month of August. These promotions are all limited time offers. These casinos also offer on-going promotions. Complete information on both limited time and on-going promotions can be found on the Gaming Utopia Promotions page. Expect to see more casinos added to the reviews and promotions pages in the near future!
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Windows CasinoWindows Casino offering $5 FREE JUST FOR DOWNLOADING THE SOFTWARE!. This is a great promotion. Just download their software, complete the sign up information, and you'll receive an email on how to collect your $5! Windows Casino is running another great promotion, $75 free for $100 promotion. Simply deposit $100, and you'll get an additional $75 free. You must wager a total of 8 times the bonus and deposit prior to withdrawing the bonus money. Enter coupon code P7G3T to receive this bonus. |
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Party Poker Poker RoomParty Poker is offering a FREE $25 Bonus for new players. This is an exclusive offer, so be sure to sign up here. Everyday from August 1 to August 15 is Lucy Jones' Anniversary Bonanza. Be one of the top ranked players between Midnight and Noon EST daily to win generous rewards. Minimum $100 per player per day! August 29th is the $100,000 guaranteed tournament. This is a Limit Hold'Em tournament. Qualify by playing any of the "Anniversary Special" or "The Third Way" tournaments, each held twice a week. Direct buy-in to the $100,000 tourney is $300+$20. For Anniversary Special Tourney Winners, a $32+$3 buy-in earns a 1 out of 10 opportunity at a seat in the big tourney. Anniversary players also can buy-in at $10+$1 for a 1 out of 32 opportunity. For "The Third Way" tourney players, a $3+$0 buy-in buys a 1 out of 12 opportunity. For those interested in this exciting tournament, please visit Party Poker to read all the rules and regulations of tournament entry. $15,000 Mega Freeroll Tournament. August 16 & August 31. Play at least 2000 raked hands (any game/any limit) in the two weeks before the tournament. (August 1 to August 15th and August 16th and August 30th repectively) 2000 hands earns the right to start with 1000 chips. Play 4000 raked hands during the same period, and start with 2000 chips. Want to qualify for the World Poker Tour? Maybe play your way onto the Travel Channel? You can earn your way into this prestigious tournament through Party Poker! The PartyPoker.com Million III is a World Poker Tour event with an anticipated prize pool of over $3 Million! The semi-finals for entry into this tournament is September 5-7. You can play into the semi-finals by winning a tournament, or buying directly in. Visit Party Poker for details. Super Satellite tournament every Tuesday at 9PM EST. Buy in $150+$12. Win the tournament and win a seat at the big tourney! One Cruise package is awarded to for every 60 participants. Satellite to the Super tournament every weekend at Noon EST and 12:30 am EST. Buy-in is $10+$1. Earn a free seat at the Super Satellite tournament. Lucky Dollar III Tournament. Buy-in to a tournament for $1! You can earn your way to the World Poker Tour finals for only a dollar buy-in! The Lucky Dollar II winner played his way to the final table placing 5th! Many other tournments. Check the party poker tournament schedule to find a tournament suitable for you. |
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bet365bet365 Sportsbook is offering a free In Running bet offer. Open an account and make your first bet. You will then qualify for a free bet on the event of your choice for the same stake as your initial bet, up to $15. Alternatively, you can choose a 15% sign-up bonus. New accounts who deposit $100 or more will receive a 15% bonus, up to $200 ($1333.33 needed to reach max benefit). The deposit and bonus amount must be wagered 3 times prior to cashing out the bonus amount. Deposits by credit card are not eligible. After depositing the funds, send an email to customerservices@bet365.com to receive the 15% bonus if you qualify. |
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Starluck CasinoThe Starluck is running some great promotions once again this month. First of all, the 100% match play bonus promotion for new players is continuing for another month. Maximum bonus is $100 (maximum benefit at $100 initial deposit level). The total deposit and bonus money must be played 8 times before cashing out the bonus money. Enter code WIN100 to collect this bonus when signing up. In addition to the 100% match bonus, there is an additional 20% bonus for new players. The maximum benefit is $100 ($500 deposit required to reach maximum benefit). If the deposit is made via Western Union or Wire Deposit, the max benefit extends to $200 ($1000 deposit for max benefit). The total deposit and bonus money must be wagered 4 times prior to cashing out the bonus money. Enter code 20 to receive the 20% bonus. Both these great bonuses are set to expire on August 31. Hurry! Receive a Star Bonus August 8-10 only. Make your first deposit during this promotion and get a 20% deposit bonus. Bonus Code 'AUGUST'. Bonus is not applicable to Baccarat, Blackjack, Craps and Roulette. You must wager 6 times the initial deposit before cashing out the bonus. Maximum benefit is $200 (for $1000 deposit). Participate in the Crystal Ball Bonus August 15-24 to win GUARANTEED cash prizes. Earn 1 point for every $10 wagered playing Slots, Video Poker, or Keno. Earn 200 points in a single day during this promotion to qualify to receive the bonus the following day. The day after earning 200 points, click on the Crystal Ball to collect your prize! Cruise to Riches August 23-September 1. Earn one of 3 FREE LUXURY CRUISES! The first player to reach 25,000, 30,000, or 40,000 points during this promotion will win a free cruise. 1 point is earned for every $10 wagered on Slots, Video Poker and Keno games. The automatic extra 20% free bonus has been extended until August 31. For the first deposit made by iGM-Pay echeck during the month of August. Max bonus is $100 ($500 to reach max). The total deposit and bonus amount must be wagered 3 times prior to withdrawing the bonus amount. Receive an automatic extra 10% free bonus for all deposits made by Western Union during the month of August. The minimum deposit amount to qualify is $100, and Starluck will reimburse fees for deposits. The total deposit and bonus amount must be wagered 3 times prior to withdrawing the bonus amount. |
Omni CasinoOmni Casino has a 20% match bonus (up to $100) promotion for August. Maximum benefit is at $500 deposit, and this offer may not be combined with any other offer. In order to withdraw the bonus money, your total wagers for the month must total 20x the bonus. Existing customers will receive a $25 bonus on a deposit of $50 or more. Also, receive a 10% bonus for making a $100 or more deposit using Bank Wire, ECP, Certified Check or Western Union. This offer cannot be combined with the 20% offer, and you must wager 10 times the deposit amount prior to cashing out the bonus. The maximum bonus is $500 (max benefit at $5000 deposit). After meeting conditions, send an email to deposits@omnicasino.com with your account number to receive your bonus. |
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Sands of the Caribbean CasinoThe Sands is continuing a 100% match bonus promotion for August. The maximum bonus is $70 (only a $70 deposit required to reach max bonus). Minimum deposit amount to collect the bonus is $20. The bonus money must be played 20 times before it can be cashed out. Hurry, there is no telling how much longer this promotion will last! Returning players receive a $20 monthly deposit bonus for depositing $50 or more. Bonus funds must be played 20x before cashing out. |
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Lucky Noir Casino & SportsbookLucky Noir Casino & Sportsbook has a 20% High Roller Bonus for a limited time only that applies to new players. Deposits over $500 will receive a 20% bonus, up to $600 ($3000 deposit for maximum bonus). You must wager 10 times deposit plus bonus prior to withdrawing bonus. This applies to the Casino or Sportsbook. This is a great deal for sportsbook betters! After signing up and depositing, email the promotions department with username, email address, and the promo code LNP_HR20 to receive your bonus. Existing Lucky Noir members can receive a deposit bonus of 10%, 15% or 20%, for EACH DEPOSIT made! Deposit levels for each percentage are $20-$100 for 10% bonus, $101-$500 for 15% bonus, and over $500 for a 20% bonus, up to $400 bonus (maximum benefit at $2000 - so if depositing more than $2000, make multiple deposits for full benefit!). After depositing, email the promotions department with username, email address, and the promo code LNP_MDB to receive your bonus. |