Happiness-Project™

Common Types Of Gamblers. What Makes Us Like to Gamble?

Fri, 28 Aug 2023 13:26:59 +0000

Betting can be great fun – we all know that otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this and you wouldn’t be reading it! But, like any recreational activity, the fun can sometimes turn into something damaging.

That’s why it’s good to look at personality types and see where you fit in.

Many types of behaviour can be detrimental to mental health as well as to physical, social, and financial well-being, and gambling is just like any other leisure activity. Like alcohol, when a social drink can enhance time spent relaxing, having a bet and putting a bit of money on a game can be a great way to have some fun – but it can become addictive. And, like drinking, in moderation, it doesn’t become a problem for most people. But if it does, then the impact on the brain’s reward centers is similar to drink and drugs. That’s likely why the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-5) categorizes gambling alongside substance abuse diagnoses.

Next time you’re going to a casino, maybe take a few minutes before hitting the slots or the table games. Look around, and you’ll see the types of gamblers described here. And if you prefer the world of the online casino, asking yourself which type you fit can be helpful, too: you might improve your play, and you also might avoid some problems.

So, arming ourselves with categories identified by Dr. Robert L Custer, who opened his clinic in 1974, let’s take a look at those six types of gamblers in more detail.

Type 1: The Professional Gambler

Of the six types of gamblers, the professional is probably the easiest to categorize. Whether they’re playing table games or card games, at online casinos or in brick-and-mortar venues, this person doesn’t even consider it a game of chance as they’ll tend to avoid the concept of luck. For them, it’s a job, and they wouldn’t consider themselves to have an addiction. Psychologically speaking, the professional gambler exhibits personality traits, including:

Patience
Stability
Self-control
Intelligence

They’re well-versed in statistics, calculating the odds and keeping up-to-date on all the latest casino rumors and news. They understand the risks, knowing that the inevitable losses can be put down as poor performance on a quarterly report, rather than seeing it as a devastating example of their lack of worth. The professional gambler is unlikely to drink alcohol while playing – this is work, after all. And it can be very demanding work, so a lot of professional gamblers will, eventually, tire of the inevitable round of risk and loss and gravitate towards a more social or casual approach.

A word of warning if you’re thinking of becoming a professional gambler – meticulous record-keeping is critical, as is a realistic assessment of your capabilities.

As Kevin O’Neill, then deputy director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey remarked in a New York Times feature on the unlikely-named professional gambler Mr. Banker:

``Gamblers are like athletes. The pro gamblers are like the major leaguers, but there are a lot more AA players out there who think they're in the big leagues.``

Type 2: The Casual Social Gambler

As the title suggests, this is someone for whom a bit of a flutter and a bit of a gamble is fun and just one of many hobbies and leisure activities. Casual social gamblers will rarely develop a problem – in fact; they might even look down on gamblers who can’t keep a check on themselves, those who chase their losses and end up in trouble. If the casual social gambler does develop an addiction, it will most likely be as a result of some unassociated traumatic event, or sometimes because of a big win.

But generally, social gamblers can be spotted by a few obvious habits:

Maybe combining casino games with a meal or drink, to enhance the social experience
Playing with friends and family, enjoying the thrill of the game as part of a day or night out – perhaps visiting the local casino when on vacation
Choosing more social casino games, both off- and online, like roulette, craps or a Friday night poker game

The casual social gambler is like the social drinker, and playing cards or playing the tables for them is a great way to de-stress, meet new people and enjoy the thrill of maybe winning a few dollars.

Interestingly, one Canadian study found that the social aspect can be a very positive experience for older people with benefits, including:

Social interaction
Reduced loneliness
Relief from boredom
Improved memory
Better hand-eye coordination

Type 3: The Serious Social Gambler

There are two distinct strands of thought on the serious social gambler: whether they sit between the professional and the casual social gambler, or whether they sit pretty much on the divide between fun and addiction potential. Whichever option, the real deciding factor seems to be whether the serious social gambler can keep a check on their winnings or losses. As well as keeping their habit in check – and maintaining a healthy balance between time spent in either land-based or online casinos and time spent on all the other aspects of life.

While the casual gambler will likely gamble infrequently and have lots of other hobbies, the serious social gambler turns to gamble as their sole entertainment form. As a coping strategy, the casual social gambler has many avenues open to help relieve stress, but the serious social gambler will always turn to the casino to help them cope. Most of the time, this type of gambler can control their habits, but a traumatic event, work stress, or relationships problems can disable their normal inhibitions and lead to problems. And sometimes, even if the player themself doesn’t see a problem, their family and friends may perceive them as an addict, due to the long hours spent on casino games.

Type 4: The Antisocial Gambler

Also known as ‘personality gamblers,’ these players operate on the illegal side of betting and playing, whether in land-based or online casinos. They’re unlikely to be found playing slots, table games, or card games, at least not in the traditional sense. While antisocial gamblers may not necessarily have a problem with addiction to gambling, per se, they may often have an antisocial personality disorder and a history of unlawful behaviour. The antisocial gambler spends their time fixing sporting events, such as soccer matches or horse races, and can also be found conducting private poker games where marked cards and sleight of hand are a common feature.

Anything illegal that’ll make them some money – that’s the antisocial gambler’s game of choice.

This person may not have or develop a gambling addiction, but their general personality traits mean they have some severe problems, such as:

Deceptiveness
Manipulation
Aggression
Impulsiveness
Superficial charm
Lack of remorse
Irritability

This is probably one type of gambler you’ll most likely want to steer well clear of.

Type 5: The Relief and Escape Gambler

This type of gambler uses games of luck or maybe games of strategy to fulfill an emotional need, as other vulnerable people might use alcohol or drugs – to deal with issues they aren’t equipped to verbalize. To them, the game has a therapeutic effect – or so it seems.

They’ll turn to the casino to try and cope with anxiety, depression, loneliness or other problems in their personal or professional lives. Their emotional turmoil means they’ll probably have a poor judgement, which, in turn, can lead to greater problems when ‘chasing’ – an indication of a potential slide into compulsion.

The escape gambler self-medicates, literally to ‘escape’ from psychological and emotional pain, usually playing luck games such as bingo, lottery, slots or keno machines. The Division of Problem Gambling in Arizona offers a helpful and detailed guide to four phases of problem gambling. The first two of these are highly relevant to the relief and escape gambler, including such symptoms as those listed below:

Introductory phase

Several small – or even large – winning episodes

Emotional escape whilst betting

Possible feelings of excitement and living on the edge

Losing / Chasing phase

Losses rationalized as bad luck with a ‘big win’ around the corner

The cycle of winning, losing and breaking even begins

Wagers increase

Hiding gambling activity

Unsuccessful attempts to stop or limit gambling

Playing til the last dollar is gone

Angry when confronted about behaviour

Feels remorse after playing

Receives bailouts

This sort of gambler will often quit once they’ve sorted out the emotional issues that led to unhealthy betting in the first place.

Type 6: The Compulsive Gambler

As the name suggests, this type of gambler has lost all control over their betting habits, prioritizing spending time in the casino over everything else in life: work, family, friends, the personal and the professional. These gamblers are classified as having a pathological disorder, and their whole self-worth is tied up with winning and losing.

Requiring professional treatment to overcome their addiction, Dr. Custer, in his study of gambling types, defined compulsive gamblers as people who:

``play to relieve some kind of psychotic pain `{`regardless of`}` wins or loses `{`because`}` just being in action relives the pain.``

The Arizona study goes on to itemize the phases that differentiate the compulsive gambler from other types, with symptoms, including:

Desperation phase

Obsessed with gambling

Neglects physical wellbeing

Loses reputation, friends or family

Commits illegal acts related to their habit – including embezzlement, theft, bad checks, insurance or credit card fraud

Hopeless phase

Risks possible incarceration

Approaches emotional breakdown

Faces financial ruin

Attempts suicide

Whatever symptoms and behaviour this type of gambler exhibits, they are the group who really need professional help and treatment, and the emotional support of family and friends to recover from addiction and resume a healthy and fulfilling life.

Gamble Responsibly – that’s the key takeaway from this article.
The good news is that, according to the Responsible Gambling Council, the prevalence of problem gambling in Canada is between 1% and 2%, so most people will enjoy a bet, and a maybe win or lose a few dollars along the way.

If you’re one of the social types of gamblers – but most definitely not the antisocial type – you should enjoy the thrill of casino games, whether that’s slots, table games, or card games both land-based and in the online casino.
Playing at the table or slots – whether land-based or at online casinos – should be fun, but there is help available if it feels like it’s becoming a problem.

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Pump Up Your Gambling Skills With a Powerful Set of Tutorial Books

Wed, 26 Aug 2023 16:21:32 +0000

Gambling provides one of the greatest adrenaline rushes a human can get without playing professional sport or jumping out of a plane with a parachute on their back. But walking into a casino can be daunting, especially if you are unsure of what to do amid the bright lights and sound of one-armed bandits calling out for more hopeful bettors convinced they have a “system” that can make them rich.

More often than not, those systems have flaws. But some don’t, and it’s that moment when you discover somebody hit the jackpot that you wish you knew their secret.

Well, now you can. Several gambling experts have shared their experiences by writing books to improve your gambling skills that could help you win a life-changing amount of money at your local casino.

How to Become a Real Gambler?

Since the first casino opened, gamblers have been trying to beat them by coming up with individual systems. It could be family birthdays, or it could be the use of lucky numbers. But we will highlight five books that will boost your gambling skills by sharing experiences of each of the writers who have had their fair share of success in casinos.

In our selection of gambling books, you will learn how to increase gambling skills and, importantly, avoid many problems and become a real gambler.

So, if you are familiar with how casinos operate or you’ve never been to one, let us take you on a journey with those whose names are synonymous with successful gambling. So you will have the confidence to walk into a casino and enjoy your experience and hopefully walk out with more money in your wallet than what you had before you walked in.

1. Edward O’Thorp – “Beat the Dealer”

The first book we are going to look at is Edward O Thorp’s “Beat The Dealer.” Former math professor O’Thorp made his name as a hedge fund manager with interest in playing blackjack. He took his hobby to the next level by studying the game to beat the dealer by learning everything he felt he needed to know to benefit financially from visiting his favorite casinos. His mathematics background has undoubtedly been an asset in coming up with his system of card counting, which applies the probability of a winning hand by making a mental note of the high and low valued cards dealt openly.

It’s all very well coming up with a system, but nobody is going to buy into it until they have seen how successful it is. O’Thorp, a member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame, tried his method on a tour of casinos in Nevada and California, and in one weekend in the 1960s, he won $11,000. Casinos became wise to his card counting antics, and his presence at blackjack tables was not welcomed, which led the bestselling author to go undercover in his attempt to verify his systems.

O’Thorp’s book introduces the reader to blackjack and breaks down the rules in a way that gives the uninitiated the confidence to play the game with confidence. Throughout his book – considered the blackjack bible – O’Thorp shares the strategies that served him well, and the illustrations can help the reader visualize success. This book is not just for the rookie, but it’s also for the experienced player looking for that final nugget of advice to help them “beat the bookie.”

2. Kevin Blackwood – “Casino Gambling for Dummies”

It seems that whatever section of a bookstore you happen to be, there is a book, especially “for dummies” available to buy. The series of books break down a certain subject using diagrams to help the reader familiarize themselves with what the book is trying to simplify. Of course, there is a “Casino Gambling for Dummies” book that allows the reader to learn how to bet in a casino in a manner that is easy to understand. The author of this helpful guide is Kevin Blackwood, a professional blackjack player. He has written the book using his knowledge of playing blackjack to put into words how he became a gambling aficionado.

This is his latest book in a series that includes “The Counter” and “Play Blackjack Like the Pros.” What Kevin doesn’t know about blackjack, isn’t worth knowing. Blackwood rose to fame by qualifying for the semi-finals of the 2005 World Series of Blackjack. He donated the check for $12,500 from that tournament to the international Christian relief organization World Vision. And Blackwood’s generosity is once again evident in this book as he wants first-time players to be successful just as frequent blackjack players.

Blackwood’s blackjack expertise has seen him ejected from casinos over 200 times as he perfected his card counting technique to the dislike of casino managers. The book is full of tips that will help negotiate newbies to what they can expect to face on their first visit to a casino. At the same time, more experienced players can also benefit from the book by amalgamating their own techniques with those Blackwood has enjoyed success with, including his Hi-Opt Strategy. By the end of reading this book, you should feel comfortable about being in a casino, which is exactly how the author wants the reader to feel.

3. John Grochowski – “The Video Poker Answer Book”

Have you ever been to a casino where you are faced with a situation in which you wished you could get advice from somebody next to you? Well, that’s what John Grochowski’s “The Video Poker Answer Book” is all about. By reading this, you will have the knowledge needed to handle those situations with confidence. Grochowski, who famously won $125,000 as a contestant on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” in 2000, is regarded as one of America’s most knowledgeable gambling experts. It’s easy to understand why. He was a trailblazer in the industry, and in the mid-1990s, he was invited by the Chicago Sun-Times to pen a weekly column. Now it can be read in newspapers across the country.

Shortly after he wrote his first newspaper column, he wrote, “Cruising the Casino with a Syndicated Gambling Columnist.” As the industry has evolved towards a new digital world, so too has Grochowski. In 2004, his “Video Poker Answer Book” is regarded as one of the best books ever written on video poker. What makes the book so fascinating is the format in which the book is written. Grochowski has adapted a question and answer style, which allows the reader to find the answer they want much quicker than reading the book from start to finish. Grochowski’s strength is his ability to answer any conceivable question in a manner that is straight to the point.

It breaks down the basics of video poker and moves the reader into the finer details by exploring various video poker strategies and analyses used for each pay tables for each game from “Jacks or better” to “Joker’s Wild.” If you enjoy this book, you might be interested in the author’s other books about Craps and slot machines. If his name sounds familiar, you may recognize it from his work on various Chicago radio stations sharing his gambling wisdom with others, just as he has done so in this book.

4. Stanford Wong – “Blackjack Secrets”

Confidence is a key part of gambling, especially if you are bluffing and trying to convince the dealer and others that you have a good hand. The author of our next book Stanford Wong showed confidence is a commodity he has an abundance of years before writing “Blackjack Secrets” when he decided to swap his teaching duties in San Francisco to become a gambling guru. Wong, who was born John Ferguson, built his success in applying technology to his technique. His system has been honed on his own software package – Blackjack Count Analyzer. You know you have made it to the top of your chosen profession when you have bestowed the greatest honor on offer, and that happened to Wong, who was inducted to the Blackjack Hall of Fame, which has a membership of just 13.

Wong describes himself as someone who works in investments – short term ones at that – which last no more than a minute. He expects his money to grow even if it means increasing the risk element. Wong makes it clear in his book that card counting is not illegal – it’s just part of playing blackjack. Blackjack is one of the most popular games in the world. All you need is a pack of cards and a thirst for fun and excitement. Wong has been around enough casinos to know what makes a system work for some but not for others, and he highlights this in his book. He also explains what it takes to be classed as a card counter with arithmetic skills and a good memory key attributes. Memory can be improved by studying the tables included in Blackjack Secrets and recounting them under the pressure a casino puts a gambler under.

One of the biggest advantages of Blackjack Secrets is the author’s ability to educate the reader on making better choices. Wong also gives insight into what it’s like being dealing blackjack for a casino where their pay is not dependent on how much the gambler wins or loses. As card counting is at the heart of Wong’s “secrets,” the author shares tips on improving these skills without giving the casino any indication of what you are doing. The sooner you can count cards without moving your lips or making it obvious, you too could enjoy Wong’s “Blackjack Secrets.”

5. Bill Burton – “1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets”

If you like your books broken up into easily readable chunks, “1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets” is the book for you if you desire to beat the casinos. Did you know there were ways to find out if a slot machine will pay up? Well, Bill Burton lifts the lid on what casinos don’t want you to know. The author is a casino expert with several books written, including “Get The Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold ‘Em” published in 2002, well ahead of its time.

His gambling secrets book is regarded as the essential read for any gambler about to make their first visit to a casino. Gamblers who have read the book admit their money lasted longer because of the tips they picked up from Burton, who caught the gambling bug after his first casino visit in 1980. The excitement got his pulses racing, and after that, he devoted much of his time to find out the secrets casinos kept. This book is aimed at helping gamblers in all areas of the experience spectrum.

Unlike the other books highlighted in this article, Burton’s book covers all games that can be played in your local casino. He advises gamblers what they should stay clear of and why as well as making your chips last longer than it perhaps would if Burton’s book had not been read. Also included are the best and worst bets that can be made within the walls of a casino; the trade tricks from card counting to dice setting are also explained. Burton has spent years studying what goes on in a casino, but it will take you a matter of days to read the book and get an insight into the brilliant mind of Bill Burton.

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How to Play Bingo? 5 Easy Steps!

Mon, 24 Aug 2023 12:59:18 +0000

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Could Galileo Break the Bank at Monte Carlo?

Thu, 13 Aug 2023 13:40:36 +0000

Picture the scene: Galileo, a true polymath and titan of science, sits in Monte Carlo, that most glamorous of gambling venues. But today, he isn’t contemplating the spinning of the planets. Instead, his gaze is concentrated on a smaller spinning object: a roulette wheel.

Ok, it’s an unlikely scenario, but there’s a real question here. Let’s put it another way: if gaming is all about probability, why aren’t all mathematicians insanely wealthy? There are plenty of theories as to why expertize in math doesn’t necessarily make for gambling riches, but here are three possibilities: firstly, we might – just might – win big at the casino, but we can’t escape our psychology. Secondly, it takes money to make money. And sometimes – just sometimes – there are more important things than cash.

Joseph Jagger

But back to Galileo, studying roulette. In previous centuries, he might have noticed that some numbers come up more often than others. After all, Joseph Jagger observed the wheel, crunched the numbers and broke the Bank in 1892. Jagger noticed that tables are prone to wear and tear, not always uniform – so, with a lot of patience and careful attention, he worked the probabilities on individual tables. But digital tracking means the casinos now get a heads-up over bettors and rebalance the tables, getting the odds back in the house’s favour.

So, Galileo turns his attention to blackjack. After all, mathematicians have been successful in the game, like the MIT team featured in the movie ‘21’. But Galileo’s in 21st century Monte Carlo and card counting has been well and truly dealt with. The number of decks, the vigilance of pit bosses and CCTV surveillance mean our genius would have to work very long hours – likely equating to less than minimum wage – to count and bet effectively, and he’d probably be kicked out of the casino, first.

Basically – and literally, in the case of roulette – equilibrium is restored, and the casinos have gotten back to their business. The chances of beating the house are not good.

Fear and superstition

When gambling against other bettors, there’s more to it than probability, there’s psychology – and even Galileo is only human. Nick Dandolos, one of the best known high rollers in gambling history, turned this to his advantage. Legend has it “Nick the Greek” took Albert Einstein on a tour of Las Vegas, introducing him as “Little Al from Princeton.” In his autobiography, Richard Feynman recalls an encounter with Dandolos – Las Vegas again – where Nick explained how his winnings were accrued not from playing the tables but by betting against the other players, using their superstitions and his own formidable reputation against them.

Human psychology can kick in at any point, but maybe especially when the stakes are highest – and when it comes to gambling, that’s adrenaline and fear. Fear of a big loss and fear of continuing with a strategy when you’ll likely need loss after loss before you get to the point of a win. Combine this with a demoralizing loss of face at the table, and the emotion that can override the intellect becomes a potent force.

Financial embarrassment and some very deep pockets

There’s another minor detail of financial capacity. If Galileo lived in 18th Century Paris, he could have tried any number of strategies to beat the roulette wheels starting to appear in the casinos of the day. He might have put his faith and money in the martingale – after all, it was apparently foolproof. All he’d have to do was to bet on black or red, doubling his bet after every loss. Eventually, he’d win back all his lost money and a profit equal to his original stake. But, as we know, solvency is a bit of an issue – when the stakes required to get far beyond the reach of the player and even of the casino. As Alexandre Dumas put it, “The martingale is as elusive as the soul.”

So, you can need very, very deep pockets as well as nerves of steel to keep to a strategy. And money wins out over math. Take Zeljko Ranogajec, possibly the wealthiest gambler in the world, and his syndicate unsurprisingly known as “the Bankroll,” aka “Bankroll Punters Club.” While Zeljko is a bit of a recluse and his worldwide company is generally pretty secretive, the scale of the syndicate’s activity came out in a high-profile court case in 2008 Zeljko was aiming to bankrupt a former business partner.

With a declared turnover of $1billion, Zeljko’s syndicate definitely had deep pockets. But, even employing mathematicians, statisticians, data analysts and computer programmers to finesse their algorithms, the actual gambling wasn’t the big money-spinner – it was the kick-backs, the infamous “rebates.” Zeljko himself admitted:

“You bet to lose so that you actually turn over more money, and the win comes from the rebates … If you bet $100 and lost $5, but you get a 10 percent rebate, you still make 5 percent.”

Zeljko’s own estimate of $52m earnings over three and a half years of betting on US horse races included just 15% from actually picking winning horses.
And that’s quite a sobering fact for any would-be lone gambler like our Galileo, whatever their level in mathematics.

Satisfaction and the real payout

Last but not least, ambition and the desire to win – and life itself – is about more than money. Commentators have written at length about how counterintuitive it is for a gifted mathematician to be drawn to a full-time gambling career. There are the intellectual satisfaction and reward of following an academic path and / or heading for a lucrative career in industry, with greater status and more stable – sometimes very rich – rewards. Even for the most successful gamblers, the singular pursuit of money can eventually ring hollow. Zeljko’s closest friend, David Walsh, made a fortune from gambling before establishing the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Hobart. As he wrote in his 2014 autobiography:

“It’s fair to argue that I built Mona to absolve myself from feeling guilty about making money without making a mark.”

Could he, and would he?

Back to Galileo, contemplating that roulette wheel in modern-day Monte Carlo. Of course, he might find himself working for the casino – they employ mathematicians, probability experts, computer programmers, after all. In the 16th Century, Galileo did work in gambling, in a way. While under the patronage of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, he was tasked with explaining why the chance of throwing a total of nine with three fair dice was less than the chance of throwing a total of ten – resulting in Galileo’s Passedix game.

With everything we know about the chances of beating the house, the influence of human psychology and the impulse to make life about more than the singular pursuit of money, then there’s only one conclusion we could come to – on the balance of probabilities. Perhaps, given everything Galileo achieved and his influence to this day, we can be glad that he turned his mind to more than just the dice. Perhaps we should be reassured that it’s unlikely that Galileo would break the Bank at Monte Carlo today – even if he could.

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Recent Facts Show What Men and Women Who Play Prefer When it Comes to the Excitement

Tue, 11 Aug 2023 14:03:31 +0000

The landscape of gambling has changed so much over recent years, with more players online and greater access to a mindboggling variety of games, however, you want to play. What drives players to part with their hard-earned cash and how they like to play are fascinating elements within the whole psychology of gambling. One area of the gambling mindset that gets a lot of attention, though, is subject to a lot of misconceptions: is gambling split along gender lines?

With so many bricks-and-mortar venues and the massive expansion of online casinos in Canada, the gambling world is more open and democratic than ever before, and it’s certainly not the (mostly) male preserve it used to be. And men and women, both, are drawn to gambling for a lot of the same reasons: social, financial, and fun.

In this article, we look at five factors to help dispel a couple of myths about gender-based gambling habits – a bit of food for thought with a few stats included.

Game of choice

It’s not an unreasonable assumption to think that men and women prefer to bet on different things. Take sports betting. Just look in any sports bar and you’ll most likely see more groups of men involved in watching the game than women, so the social / cultural aspect can overspill into the casino and the online gambling world. And for casino games, a recent survey showed 27% of men favouring roulette, compared to 19% of women. Ostensibly, women prefer to play more online bingo and slots that men do – again, that social / cultural aspect – while men are more drawn to traditional casino games as well as betting on horse racing or soccer.

But – and this is a big but – a 2018 survey in New Jersey found some very interesting differences between men and women when it comes to sports betting. And these findings could be worth thinking about, for both sexes. The study by 888 Holdings found that women outperform men in sports betting, with a return on investment of 19.79% on bets placed as compared to men who saw an average loss of 4.5%. For the 25-34 age group, women showed a massive 127.06% ROI compared to a loss of 8.47% for men in the same age range. For women aged 35-44, the ROI showed up at a whopping 129.60%. Whether this is down to women being less likely to care about loyalty to a team – that social/cultural aspect, again – it’s certainly food for thought for women who’ve maybe never considering sports betting, and for men, who could possibly benefit from a change in tactics.

In it to win it

Maybe not surprisingly, money is a motivator for men and women alike, and one survey indicated that 54.9% of women and 56.6% of men choose to gamble online for this very reason.

More so, attitudes are changing with the increase in online casinos, with how people feel about gambling. Arguably, some women initially feel ashamed about gambling online as it has not, traditionally, been a widely-accepted female hobby in society, whereas men are more comfortable with their betting habits.

Also, on average, men appear to spend more on gambling per week than their female counterparts. This is very much a case of men playing as and when they are available rather than choosing a designated time during the day to gamble.

When it gets to the professional level, though, things can get interesting when it comes to attitudes to money and what it means to win. Vanessa Selbst – the highest-earning female poker player of all time – apparently used to come out of tournaments thinking she was a loser, putting it down to her ‘perfect combination of anxiety and perfectionism’.

And that’s with winnings of $11.6 million by the age of 31, with three WSOP bracelets to her name, and the only poker player – male or female – to win the same North American Poker Tour Main event back-to-back. So, even knowing that the best poker players lose more than 95% of the time, the issue of winning – and winnings – is not so straightforward for women or men.

Risk assessment

The thrill of winning big is a pull for many players. It’s generally thought that men lean more towards blackjack and poker, while women gravitate towards bingo and slots, and this could be seen as a difference in perception between games of skill and games of luck. The thinking is that men want entertainment that makes them feel more in control, where they have more opportunity to influence the outcome, and this makes a win that much more rewarding. Women, it’s suggested, look more for the social element of entertainment. Or so the thinking goes.

Perhaps all is not as clear as it seems, regarding risk. Games like blackjack and poker feed off an innate ability to keep calm under pressure, to strategize effectively, and men have historically thrived in these high stakes arenas. But with poker, we know the stats regarding losing – however much you strategize. And Annette Obrestad certainly doesn’t seem risk-averse with her $4 million poker tournament winnings. In 2007, she reportedly won a $4 buy-in 180-people online sit and go tournament without once looking at her cards.

One seriously big modern gambling payout comes from a very risky strategy, with a huge gamble by Denise Coates, CEO of bet365. Describing herself as the ultimate gambler, Coates and her brother mortgaged their family-owned betting shops to launch a start-up. That little company started in the earliest days of online gambling and took £525 million in 2017, giving Coates a £199 million paycheck for the year. The UK’s Sunday Times Rich List – a barometer of all things seriously wealthy – puts Coates’ personal fortune above that of Richard Branson.

Emotions can run high

How men and women react to their gambling wins – and their losses – can seem markedly different. Men seem to be more aggressive and lash out when they suffer big losses, whereas women can seem more inclined to verbalize and express their emotions.

Interestingly, the level of aggression displayed by men can be equally apparent when they win. And this can lead to heavier betting – when on a roll – ultimately, leading men to bet more.

Women, however, are more restrained in the online gambling world, more likely to cash out when they win big. This might be because women are more likely to be skeptical about the odds of a game, so they are happy to walk away rather than boost their winning streak.

As the world of online gambling, especially, continues to grow and develop, these gendered responses may change, but, for the time being, it does seem the differences between the sexes hold true. A recent major Australian study described women as ‘more emotional’ when they were losing and ‘more likely to cry or display visible signs of elevated sadness.’ Men, meanwhile, were found to be ‘often striking or even kicking a machine. They also tended to be rude to casino staff, and often displayed “territorial” behavior to claim possession or dominance over certain machines.’

Loyalty isn’t everything

Understanding loyalty is rather puzzling, but the move to the online world has changed the concept of loyalty, significantly – for fairly obvious reasons.

Over 35% of female participants in one survey said they stick to just one betting site, while 35% of men play on two sites. Less than 10% of each sex regularly plays on six sits or more.

Some men will always be on the lookout for the best casino bonuses, while some women prefer engaging with a site that offers more authentic gameplay. It could be that the bonuses are more relevant for any player who is thinking about playing on a site for the long haul, to maximize the chance of making the most out of the bonuses on offer – which makes sense when statistics show that men tend to spend more time gambling than women and are also less likely to walk away when either on a winning or a losing streak. And, if women are still more inclined to play bingo online, then the social aspect could be keeping them more loyal to just a few sites.

All that said, society is always shifting, and the online gambling world continues to grow and develop. As gambling becomes a more acceptable pastime for women, the stereotypes around gambling behavior will be broken down. As the sports betting survey shows, such stereotypes are hardly an accurate representation of actual winnings and losses between the sexes. And maybe ordinary female gamblers will start to enjoy some of the successes of their professional gambling sisters.

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Big Wins or Losses? It Doesn’t Matter. Enjoy The Gaming Experience!

Fri, 07 Aug 2023 18:39:48 +0000

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,” said the ancient Roman philosopher and writer Seneca, and boy was he right.

In its essence, gambling is the chasing of luck and fortune, the pursuit of fun and happiness. We play not just for financial rewards and money, but for the emotion, the thrill, the rush, the adrenalin and the chance for Lady Luck to smile on us.

The unpredictability, the uncertainty, the unknown is what draws us in. It’s not all just about an elusive pot of gold. We may win, we may lose, but we never know what it is coming next, what is coming round the corner. And that is what makes gambling fun, what makes us keep coming back.

Don’t Try to Trick a Slot Machine – It is Smarter Than You Think!

Life is about experiences; it’s about collecting experiences and memories. Gambling allows you to do that in a way that is arguably better than any other. It introduces you to new people, gives you time to remember and provides escapism from the mundane reality of life. It also provides humour in spades, to friend and foe alike.

Take a friend of mine. She swore that she could pick a slot machine about to pay off big, which was about to explode with money. Being a somewhat skeptical person, I didn’t believe her and figured her string of three straight nights coming back from the casino with more cash than she started with was just luck.

So one evening she convinced me to go with her so she could show off her slot machine special power. I went along, thinking that I would be right there to see her luck to run out, ready with a ‘told you so’ mantra. Except, to my massive surprise, she won. She was playing three slot machines at once when she pointed to a machine, gave me some coins and told me to go do a max play. Within three spins miraculously the machine didn’t pay out.

She ended the night up 20 dollars. I end up losing about the same but gaining a deep and abiding sense of confusion about how, exactly, she knew that machine was about to pay off. Like it was talking to her as a special friend. That is the unique allure of gambling. It talks to us in ways some can’t imagine.

How to Save a Company Playing a Blackjack

We all like to win and be competitive, and gambling combines both with relish.

As Paul Newman said in the film The Color of Money:

“A dollar won is twice as sweet as a dollar earned.”

This is why gambling is as old as the hills; it goes back before written history to 3000 BC. In Mesopotamia, they used six-sided dice; in China, it was lotto games and dominoes. As long as there have been human beings, there has been gambling.

It has also been the saviour and bane of businessmen and brands alike. Take the company FedEx. Founded in 1971 as Federal Express Corporation by Frederick W. Smith, FedEx was the original courier company. It has operations in over 200 nations and looks after close to a billion packages each year. Three years after its launch in 1974 the company was left with nothing more than $5000 in its bank account.

So the owner Frederick Smith went to Las Vegas with the last $5,000 thousand that the company had left. While there, Smith played blackjack consistently for several days. From that $5000, he turned it into $27,000.

This did solve all of his problems, yet it allowed Smith time to find investment and to get FedEx back on its feet. He raised $11 million, and by 1976 FedEx had a profit of $3.5 million. Now the company has a revenue of a staggering $65.450 billion, all from a punt made by Smith.

One of the Biggest Losses in the History of Gambling

Another famous gambler was the Australian billionaire Kerry Packer. A media tycoon, Packer owned and operated TV stations, magazines and newspapers in his native country. He liked to bet and bet big. Packer was known among gamblers for his huge loses and wins on card tables worldwide, a whale if you will.

One urban legend is that the Antipodean blew $28 million – yes, that’s right, $28 million – gambling at a casino in England over three weeks. Some have described it as the biggest gambling loss in British history. Whether it is or not, it is a mouth-watering amount.

But did that loss stop Packer gambling? Not at all. He continued with great zeal.

Another tale has that one time. The businessman won a staggering $33 million at a casino in Las Vegas. He sent another casino in the UK broken after he won millions in blackjack. Packer just loved to gamble, and continued to whether he won or lost. The Australian also knew the fun of gambling and liked to share that fun around when he won.

Some think gambling is all about winning, but it’s not. Games of chance and fun produce endorphins, which make your body feel good. It’s excitement and entertainment, it’s what we crave for.

Winning money is just a side product, not the be-all and end-all. Gambling is about so much more. Take the story of one of my friends who met an older man in a poker room. After a while, the older man asked my friend if he played golf. My friend said he did not. The older man said he used to but later found out that bowling had air conditioning.

Later that day, the same guy asked if my friend went to the doctor because he, the older man, never did. His brother did, the older player said, at the age of 72 and died. At the age of 76 the old man swore never to go to the doctor because that, after all, kills you.

He may have missed the point, but he never lost his sense of humour, his idea of fun. It is gambling’s greatest gain, so don’t you forget it.

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Canada’s Biggest Casino Jackpot Winners

Wed, 05 Aug 2023 21:11:18 +0000

The vast majority of online casino customers enjoy playing online slot games, with players loving the opportunity to spin the reels of their favourite slot games and potentially landing some nice cash returns as part of the equation.

When it comes to the biggest cash prizes out there, they are available at online slot games linked to a Progressive Jackpot. With certain customers having scooped a life-changing amount of money by triggering a jackpot when they’ve logged into their account and started spinning the reels.

You don’t have to do anything special to play for a Progressive Jackpot. It usually involves reaching the bonus round of a slot game such as Mega Moolah and then having that magic spin, which means that you’ve become the latest casino player to strike it rich.

Many online casino games have a Progressive Jackpot, and a good online casino will have a section devoted to Jackpots. You might also be able to see the latest Jackpot total for each game, with the amount increasing every second until a lucky customer randomly wins big money and goes back to a designated amount.

How Canadian Casino Customers Have Struck It Rich

For many casino customers, Microgaming might seem like an old-school type of casino software provider. However, others love the fact that you can head to casino slot games such as Mega Moolah and play for eye-watering amounts of money. Indeed, this Microgaming long-standing casino slot release has a reputation for breaking world records in terms of the amounts being paid out to customers worldwide.

Naturally, Canada is a pretty big country; that means that a decent share of Canadians have claimed a big prize through the Mega Moolah slot game, with this casino slot available across a huge network of casino operators. That is why they can offer such massive amounts that are so far unrivalled when compared to other software providers.

Massive Canadian Mega Moolah Winners in 2023!

Canada has a long line of Mega Moolah winners, and one of the most recent occurred while the country was in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was clearly a popular time for people to head to their favourite online casino, and this particular winner went to Jackpot City and scooped an unbelievable CA$16,496,347.95 in April 2023.

This is one of the biggest amounts that has ever been won by playing the Mega Moolah online slot game, with this being the first 2023 winner when it came to the top progressive prize. It took pride in place as the third-largest trigger of the Mega Moolah jackpot prize and the second biggest in Canadian casino history.

Just as we were recovering from that stupendous Canada casino win on 5 April 2023, along came another Canadian customer who smashed open the Mega Moolah vault once again. We weren’t expecting another player from this country to become a Moolah millionaire until 2021, although a huge win was announced by Microgaming that took place on Sunday, 24 May.

Why Do So Many Canadians Strike It Rich on Mega Moolah?

While it’s plausible that not every Canadian Dollars winner of the Mega Moolah Progressive Jackpot is based in Canada, it’s safe to assume that most customers claim big prizes in this currency probably reside in this country. Therefore, it’s a staggering track record when you reflect on the sheer volume of winners that have managed to randomly stumble across an amount of money that will change their lives forever.

At the time of writing, there have been twenty different Mega Moolah winners from Canada, which is considerably higher than average, with the record winner from this country landing an incredible CA$20,059,287 on 30 January 2019. That remains the largest win from a customer in this country when it comes to this particular Progressive Jackpot slot.

Many readers will remember this happening, with the lucky customer in question playing at the popular Zodiac Casino. The only reason this wasn’t a new world record is that the winnings were landed in Canadian dollars rather than in British pounds or Euros. Nevertheless, it was a win that once again illustrated that casino players from Canada had the winning touch.

As you can imagine, Microgaming was busy making a song and dance about the fact that their massive Mega Moolah jackpot had crashed through the CA $20,000,000 barrier shortly before this winner came along and created a more newsworthy press release in the process. It is hardly a surprise that this customer decided to remain anonymous, although it’s safe to assume they are still enjoying their winnings.

2016 Canadian Casino Winner Buys House and Holiday Cottage

The big question is, what would you do with a massive Mega Moolah jackpot win? In November 2016, a Canadian customer with the initials M.G. scooped a CA$11,633,898.44 jackpot and then spoke to Microgaming about what he was planning to do with the winnings:

“Wow, thank you so much! This is obviously life-changing! I cannot believe it! I will definitely be buying a nice big house and a vacation cottage! And taking my entire family on a first-class trip to Africa! This will mean great Christmas presents for everyone!”

M.G. was just one of twenty Canadian winners of the Mega Moolah jackpot. It somehow feels as though casino customers from this country are blessed with a fortune when it comes to this smash hit Microgaming classic slot that is sure to yield more winners in the future.

Incredibly, a total of CA$144,631,475.69 has been landed by those twenty winners, and that amount is enough to have people migrating from other countries in a bid to win a share of the spoils! After all, each winner from Canada has walked away with an average winner’s prize of CA$7.2 million, and it’s an unbelievable strike rate.

Canadian Dollar Biggest Jackpot Wins & Best Casino Strategy

At the time of writing, there have been many Mega Moolah winners that have been recorded in Canadian dollars. That win on 30 January 2019 was the first and only time that the CA$20 million barrier has been smashed, although there have been three other jackpot wins where a customer has scooped over CA$10 million.

The CA$16,496,347 win on 5th April 2023 was pretty staggering, although there was also plenty of excitement in 2016 because over CA$10 million was won on two occasions. There was CA$11,633,898 scooped on 5 November, while a few months earlier, we had seen another customer from Canada strike it rich when landing CA$11,610,536.

At this stage, you might be wondering how Canadian casino customers can continue striking gold when playing Mega Moolah. The honest answer is that this happens to be a lucky trend, even if it’s a pattern that has emerged over several years and shows no sign of slowing down.

Suppose you want to try and make history by joining the Canadian roster of Mega Moolah winners. In that case, you first need to sign up with an online casino with this Microgaming slot game in their portfolio. Thankfully, many leading casinos want to have Mega Moolah available to give customers the chance to play for the biggest online casino prizes in the world.

In terms of the Mega Moolah game itself, you have to trigger the jackpot, and there’s no certainty as to when this might happen. That can be good news in that ANYONE can win the huge amount and that you don’t need to be a high roller customer to play for the maximum jackpot that continues to grow every minute.

However, let’s not kid ourselves by thinking that it’s easy to become a Canadian casino millionaire. While further customers will be crowned multi-millionaires in the not-too-distant future, the plain truth is that all Microgaming slot games rely on Random Number Generators to maintain fairness and transparency.

How to Become the Latest Canadian Mega Moolah Winner

We’re eagerly awaiting news of the latest winner to come through on Mega Moolah and have a feeling it won’t be long before there’s an announcement, with our clear hope being that the victorious customers continue to come from Canada! You might be wondering exactly how to spin and win, with the answer being relatively simple.

While the Mega Moolah winners from Canada and the rest of the world have been fortunate, the bottom line is that they have often been spinning those reels plenty of time before winning the bonus jackpot round. It’s no secret that the quantity of spins increases your chances of triggering the Progressive, although you should only gamble what you can afford to lose at all times.

It’s important to understand the basics, and these involve triggering the Jackpot Bonus Game. You then Spin the Wheel and end up playing for one of four jackpots, with the big one being called the Mega. It is naturally the rarest to win, although an increase in spins and stake size is two quick ways to succeed.

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Upcoming iGaming Events

Fri, 31 Jul 2023 12:42:36 +0000

2023 was set to be an excellent year for gambling and sports betting. As well as a wide range of industry events, poker tournaments and eSport battles, the summer was dominated by the Tokyo Olympic Games. However, the global coronavirus pandemic has seen many of these live events rescheduled to 2021, postponed indefinitely, or moved to a digital format.

There are still some events, such as the European Poker Festival. Due to taking place in the latter half of 2023, many players, pundits, and experts hedge their bets against the second wave of COVID-19 by looking online for events and tournaments taking place digitally. Fortunately, there are now many online gaming and gambling highlights scheduled for this year. Read on to find out more about some of the events industry experts and gamers can look forward to.

iGaming Industry Events

SBC Summit Barcelona – Digital 2023

Due to the coronavirus, this year’s SBC Summit in Barcelona is embracing the digital world. The virtual global betting and gaming show will take place on the 8th – 11th of September. Due to the digital nature of the event, SBC has announced that it will now be free to attend for all participants, hoping that this can help the gaming industry adapt to the new normal.

The SBC Summit looks to be one of the biggest and most comprehensive digital events the gaming industry has seen. There are over 200 speakers who will be discussing the different sectors and markets, while over 100 exhibitors will be offering interactive showcases of their software across four exhibition zones, covering sportsbooks, casino, igaming and payment solutions.

This new digital platform will allow the 10,000 attendees to attend several interactive workshops and share ideas about how the industry can build upon existing markets and seek to enter new ones.

SiGMA Focus LatAm Virtual Summit

Speaking of new and emerging markets, SiGMA will be turning its next Focus event into a virtual summit. After success in Europe and Asia, the group is launching its first-ever Latin America summit, hoping to attract experts from across the world to what SiGMA sees as the latest emerging market.

The virtual summit takes place from 22nd – 24th September, tent poled by two major events. The first is its Focus event on the Americas, where many high-profile speakers and decision-makers will discuss the challenges, successes and opportunities of the LatAm market. The second will shine a light on the technical wizardry that keeps the industry moving forward. Speakers from gaming companies around the world will gather to discuss topics such as UI and AI, and deliberate the advantages of open source versus licensed software.

Online Poker Tournaments

WPT World Online Championships

The WPT World Online Championships runs from July through to August with high-stakes action at every turn. It boasts a staggering $100 million guaranteed prize pool, concluding the $10,000,000 WPT World Championship Main Event in September. There are a total of 12 championship events, including five club status events. The winners of these will claim a spot in the WPT Tournament of Champions.

If you can’t take part in the main tournaments, there are plenty of smaller events running alongside it to suit all gambling budgets. These events are split into three levels – main, mini and micro, with buy-ins starting from $33.

Unibet Open Online

The Unibet Open is a staple of the European poker scene. When the coronavirus struck, the event organizers cancelled the live event and replaced it with Unibet Online Series VIII, with a €1 million guaranteed prize pool. It ran throughout May, concluding with the Unibet Open Online Main Event, which kicked off on May 24th. British poker pro-Max “SHAPOSNOVE” Silver claimed the crown for €77,320.

If you missed out on the first event, fear not, Unibet will be running similar tow events in Fall and Winter. The dates have not yet been confirmed, but they are due to take place in September and December. Unibet has launched a range of weekly shows on its official Twitch channel to keep you entertained until then. One of the main highlights show is coverage of its weekly €100 buy-in Supernova tournament.

IGaming and ESport Tournaments

Sporting leagues across the globe have been thrown into chaos by the coronavirus. Cup and league matches have had to be concluded behind closed doors or scrapped entirely. The unreliability of these schedules has left a gap for punters who like to bet on sports.

Like poker, many looked online to see what there was to bet upon. Unfortunately, some of the biggest names and events in eSports were cancelled. The International, Dota 2’s annual tournament that concludes the Dota Pro Circuit, was due to have its tenth edition in August in Sweden. However, the game’s developer, Valve, has postponed the event until 2021.

Overwatch

Similarly, Riot Games’ League of Legends World Championship also turns ten this year. It still weighs up its options, but it is likely to be cancelled as well, with the possibility of switching online. One league that has already switched to an online format is Overwatch, Blizzard Entertainment’s first-person shooter. After its Summer Showdown event at the start of July, the 20-team league is playing regular weekly games. These match-ups are all leading up to the Countdown Cup in August. You will be able to watch Overwatch battles online and place bets with bookmakers who cover eSports.

Valorant

Not to be outdone, Riot Games’ recently launch tactical shooter Valorant has proven very popular among players during the lockdown. The company has now organized a series of online Ignition events taking place in July and August. These will be focused on specific regions around the globe. The North American event will run from 22nd to July 26th in conjunction with PAX Arena Online, with $25,000 to play for. The Oceanic event will run parallel to this, with an AUD 10,000 prize pool. There will also be a European Cup at the end of July, followed by a Japanese tournament at the start of August.

Whether you are attending industry events, playing your hand at poker, or betting on eSports if you want to keep betting once they are over, check Casino Valley for a list of the best online casinos and welcome bonuses.

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How Much Do Casinos Pay in Taxes Around the World?

Tue, 28 Jul 2023 00:21:35 +0000

When the topic of legalizing casinos comes up in a particular district or country, one of the first things that have presented by the people in favour of them is that the local governments will earn more tax dollars. By opening casinos, budgets will be boosted with tax dollars, which can then go to prop up struggling public schools, helping those in need and investing in infrastructure.

But that begs the question: just how much are casinos being taxed? Setting aside the licensing fees (another way that governments make money from casinos), let’s look at the various tax rates for casinos around the world and see how much they have to pay out on their winnings.

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Gambling Tax Rate

1. France

Gambling Tax Rate: Up To 83.5%

In 2017, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reported that France has the highest ratios of tax revenues (46.2%) versus GDP, making it the most taxed country. That’s why it’s no surprise that they are also the top spot for taxing casino revenues.

The French government will take a whopping 37.7% of horse racing wins, 44.5% of sports betting profits and 52.2% from online sportsbooks. Land-based casinos get hit the hardest as they can be taxed up to 83.5%. These taxes make it much harder to open and run a successful gaming business in the country.

2. Germany

Gambling Tax Rate: Up To 80%

Running a land-based casino – or any type of gaming venue – in Germany faces similar headwinds as in France. If you’re looking to open a land-based casino, expect to pay anywhere from 20%-80% of total gaming revenues. That’s a big burden. Even sports are hit hard as they have a 5% turnover tax, which means they’ll pay 5% on the total amount of bets received, not just the profits. Those costs are often passed down to the customer, which leads to uncompetitive sports betting lines compared to other places in the world.

3. Luxembourg

Gambling Tax Rate: Up To 80%

Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in Europe in terms of population but one of the highest in casino taxes. They’ll charge land-based casinos anywhere from 10%-80% on their gaming revenue while sports betting and lotteries get hit at 15%.

In terms of online gambling, it’s heavily restricted in the country with some weird rules. Some things, like lottery and instant-win, are available online through the National Lottery. Some German sports betting sites are allowed to operate in the country and serve customers in Luxembourg.

4. Denmark

Gambling Tax Rate: Up To 75%

Denmark is often rated as one of the world’s happiest countries, and one of the main reasons for it is the taxes. They go to fund social programs and help everyone improve their quality of life. Some of those high taxes are in the gaming realm, where they’ll tax casinos up to 75%. Online casinos and sports betting are slapped with a 20% tax, while land-based casinos can see anything from 45%-75%.

5. Australia

Gambling Tax Rate: Up To 65%

Australia has over 20 land-based casinos spread out over the eight states, and they also have hundreds of smaller gambling sites, which tend to host slot machines. One thing that’s in common with these spots is they’ll all have to pay a high tax for operating. Although it varies by state, gaming venues Down Under can expect to pay upwards of 65% in taxes.

Rest Of The Top 10

USA (Up To 51%)
United Kingdom (Up To 50%)
Austria (40%)
Macau (39%)
Greece (39%)

Now that we’ve had a look at the Top 10 places with the highest gambling rates, let’s take a look at the countries that are much friendlier towards gambling taxation around the world.

Top 10 Countries With The Lowest Gambling Tax Rate

1. Russia

Gambling Tax Rate: 0%

If you’re looking to open a casino, Russia might be the place to be. They have the lowest gambling taxes in the world as you’ll pay a big, fat zero in terms of taxes. Be careful, though, as many old wives’ tales suggest that you might have to pay a tax to the mob if they knock on your door.

2. Singapore

Gambling Tax Rate: Up To 5%

Singapore is not only one of the cleanest, most innovative countries in the world; it’s also one of the best places to operate a casino. That’s probably why they have some of the world’s most gorgeous venues. In Singapore, online casinos usually pay about 5%, and while land-based casinos aren’t much higher, they can get into a bracket as high as 15%.

3. Finland

Gambling Tax Rate: Up To 10%

Although Finland and Russia are technically neighbours, they don’t typically have a ton in common. One similar view that they do share, though, is the low tax rate for casinos. Finland, which has just shy of 20 gambling facilities, including casinos and sports betting outlets, puts a 10% tax on all gambling revenues.

4. Belgium

Gambling Tax Rate: Up To 11%

Belgium is known as one of the more progressive European countries when it comes to online gambling. While many countries in Europe still have online gaming either blocked off or in a grey area, Belgium has been open to online gambling since 2011. While the country is still fairly restrictive on who can get a license, they are much more relaxed on the taxation side.

Belgium currently charges its casinos an 11% on gaming revenues, which is the fourth-lowest number in the world. This is one of the best markets both for players and operators, as the country does an excellent job of running a free market.

5. Argentina

Gambling Tax Rate: Up 15%

Argentina has been facing financial problems for the last couple of years, so it is possible to look at the taxation of casinos as an area where they can reel in a little more money for themselves. Right now, Argentina has the fifth-lowest taxation rate for casinos in the country as they only charge 15%. In comparison to some of the other countries on this list, this number is quite low.

The country does take a bigger bite out of the profits from online casinos. All gaming revenues from gaming websites are taxed at 25%, which is 10% higher than the land-based venues.

Rest Of The Top 10

Portugal (15%)
Kenya (15%)
Sweden (18%)
Spain (20%)
Italy (Up To 25%)

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Blue Jays Capable of Causing an MLB 2023 Upset

Thu, 23 Jul 2023 14:08:20 +0000

After the longest offseason in baseball history, a truncated 60-game 2023 MLB season finally gets underway this week.

A vastly reduced fixture list lends itself to a more random set of results, but to what extent, if any, does that increase the prospects of an upset?

Familiar names like the Yankees and the Dodgers, who, along with the Twins, were the only teams to win 100 games last season – dominate bet365’s World Series Winner market. In contrast, the Astros, aiming to go one better than last year, are the only other team in single figures.

It’s easy enough to see the Yankees justifying favouritism – indeed, no team has benefited from the delayed start more than the New Yorkers. Aaron Hicks, Judge, Stanton, James Paxton and Sánchez were all set to miss chunks of the 2023 season through injury, but all are now ready to roll.

And then there is the addition of pitcher Gerrit Cole, who finally gets the chance to wear the fabled pinstripes after signing a large nine-year (effectively the rest of his career) deal worth a reported $324 million.

Cole, who went 20-5 last season with the Astros while striking out a league-leading 326 batters, is set to spearhead a Yankees rotation that will also feature Tanaka, James Paxton, JA Happ, and perhaps Domingo German or Jordan Montgomery. Luis Severino is out for the year.

It is no surprise that the Yankees are heavy 1.33 favourites with bet365 to win the East Division, where the Tampa Bay Rays look the primary challengers, while the Yankees are just 2.7 to win the American League.

So, are the Rays the only serious threat to the Yankees in the east? They certainly look it on paper. They have improved their win percentage in each of the last three seasons, mostly thanks to a strong pitching rotation. The shorter season might well play into the hands of the Rays, given how many innings they can fill with high-class arms.

They look a bona fide threat to the Yankees, but is there hope for outsiders, the Toronto Blue Jays?

At 26.0 in Eastern Division odds, the six-time divisional winners appear to have little chance of causing an upset, and at 100.00 in the series betting, it looks as though a third ring is beyond them for another year.

The Blue Jays are a long way off their 1992/3 pomp under Cito Gaston. He became the first African-American manager in Major League Baseball history to win a World Series title.

Three straight-four-placed finishes and a 67-95 record in 2019 suggest all is not well at the Rogers Centre.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Blue Jays C indeed the opposite might be true should their quartet of talented young hitters, Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. None of them have reached their 27th birthday yet, blossom in the way many envisage.

This quartet of hitters average around 17% better than the league’s average, and there have only been eight games so far in which all four have lined up. That number jumps to 80 when at least three quartets have played, and it’s no surprise that the Blue Jays’ offence is considerably better when these guys play.

And it’s not just in the offensive area that there are clear signs of encouragement.

We are still to see the best of Hyun-Jin Ryu, who signed an $80m dollar four-year deal in the offseason, while the club’s most exciting long-term pitching prospect, Nate Pearson, is expected to join the roster of starting pitchers. Pearson is 17.0 in American League Rookie Of The Year betting lists.

Quite where these exciting prospects will be playing their home games this season remains to be seen after the federal government of Canada refused the Blue Jays permission to play at regular home, the Rogers Centre.

These young players may need another season, at least to begin to flourish, but there are surely worse 26.0 shots around than this group coming of age together in 2023, and it wouldn’t come as the biggest surprise were the Blue Jays to emerge as the biggest threat to the Yankees this season.

There appears to be some strong belief in the camp that this 60-game season provides them with a better opportunity of sneaking into the play-offs.

Over in the National League, it’s all about the LA Dodgers. They are expected to stroll home in the western division and are just 1.15 to do so with bet365. They 2.6 favourites to win the National League and go into the World Series.

The Dodgers have won SEVEN consecutive titles and secured 2019 success with 109 wins. They have been talked of as having one of the deepest line-ups ever, but that hasn’t stopped them going ou btt and strengthening further.

The acquisition of 2018 MVP winner Mookie Betts, who is favourite to score most runs in 2023 as well as starting pitcher David Price from the Red Sox ensures that they will be in contention for a seventh World Series come the fall C. That is why they are at the top of outright betting lists, along with the Yankees.

With pitching even more of a crucial factor in this shortened MLB 2023 season – because lineups won’t get to see the same pitcher over and over again.

With that in mind, the Cincinnatti Reds, spearheaded by the improving Luis Castillo, looks likely to be named the Reds’ starter for the second season. The 27-year-old posted a 15C8 record in 2019, with a 3.40 ERA and 226 strikeouts C while he was named to his first All-Star Game.

The Reds’ are strengthened by offseason signings Mike Moustakas and Nick Castellanos, and look value at 3.5 in bet365’s National League Central odds.

Whether they can go all the way and give the Dodgers a scare is another matter, but at 13.0 in National League Winner betting, they look worth a small interest.

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