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Online Gambing Addiction – Play Safely

Can you imagine being able to place a bet with just a press of a button? Can you imagine playing and betting as long as you want?

Can you imagine gambling from the comfort of your own home?

We know for a fact that gambling is risky business, and unrestrained gambling is just asking for trouble. Compulsive gamblers already have a hard time restraining themselves from the call of casinos and bookies, and now Internet gambling just takes the ante a step further.

With Internet gambling, you don?t need hard cash. Everything that is online is so easy to access. Play Baccarat, Blackjack, Craps, Keno, Roulette or Slots. Play all day, all night.

Before the 1990s, gamblers who wanted to place a casino or sports type bet in the United States basically had two choices: they could travel to a legitimate brick-and-mortar gaming establishment or place an illegal wager through a bookie. However, with the emergence of the Internet in the mid-1990s, a new form of gambling appeared; Internet gambling through gaming casinos and sports wagering. Internet gambling can take place on any electronic device that offers Internet access anywhere on the globe.

Internet gambling makes payment options for gambling individuals easy. They can just choose from several types of payment options other than credit cards. These include:

VISA and MasterCard cards: These cards are tied directly to the cardholder’s bank account. Funds for all transactions are deducted directly from the cardholder’s bank account, but cardholders can make credit card-type transactions that do not require a personal identification number.

Private-label debit cards: These cards are similar to check cards above but are issued by private companies rather than credit card associations.

On-line payment providers: These companies send and receive funds electronically for such uses as on-line auctions and purchases.

Wire transfers: Some Internet gambling sites promote this method of payment, which allows Internet gambling customers to wire money directly from a bank account to the site.

?E-cash? or digital cash: It is a digital representation of real money that can be placed on a computer hard drive, smart card and other devices with memory. It can be purchased from an authorized provider.

Internet gambling sites also offer money orders; traveler?s checks; bank drafts; cashier?s, certified, and personal checks; and a number of other electronic banking systems or processors as payment options. With Internet gambling?s easy payment options, even a non-gambler would be tempted to try.

Statistics also show that Internet gambling has nearly doubled every year since 1997 ? in 2001 it exceeded $2 billion. It also boasts 110 sport-related Internet gambling sites.

According to the American Psychological Association, Internet gambling could be just as addictive as alcohol and drugs.

This is a confession from quoted from The Gambling Problem Talking Point website:

?? I am addicted to online poker, not to mention soccer betting and casinos whenever I am in the vicinity of one.

For the longest time I thought I had the beast under control. Thought I was smarter than the pack, and shrewd enough to beat the pack. Considered my betting to be more of an investment than anything else.

How much have I lost gambling? I am afraid to tally.

Has it ruined my life? Almost ? I guess being from a wealthy family, it helped me to cover the tracks not to mention the losses.

How To Win At Blackjack

When it comes to blackjack, you don?t really need to have excellent bluffing skills to win as you would in poker. Or even have an inordinate amount of luck as you would when spinning the wheel in roulette or simply trying your chances at a slot machine.

In the game of blackjack, you must not be afraid to take risks because this is the game that offers the best chances of winning. So take advantage of that and remember to always play to win in blackjack!

Blackjack Tip #1 ? Play to Win and Take Insurance Only When You Have To

Remember, in the game of blackjack, you?re only gambling against the dealer and no one else. Yes, it helps to know the cards of other players because you?ll be able to determine the probability of your cards winning but the most significant thing to concentrate on is how to beat the dealer?s cards.

Hence, don?t take insurance unless you have to since it?s truly just betting against yourself.

Blackjack Tip #2 ? The Rules of Splitting

When the first two cards you?re dealt with are a pair of the same value (like 7/7), then you have the option to split your cards into two and play them separately, just as long as you place the same amount of bet on each card.

Now, while most players would either always or never split their cards, there is actually a strategy that can be applied to this particular situation and improve your chances at winning in blackjack. If you have two 10?s or two 5?s, it?s inadvisable to split cards so simply stick with them. If you have two 8?s or 7?s for example and the dealer shows you a card that?s equal or with a lower value like 6 or 5, that?s the time you should split your cards. When it comes to having face cards, you?re advised to never split them as well. But when it comes to aces, split them immediately.

Blackjack Tip #3 ? Maximizing the Use of Double Down

If you feel that the first two cards the dealer gave you are so good, you always have the option of doubling down and doubling your bet. This is actually the best option available to blackjack players so never let the opportunity to double down slip you by. Be aggressive, especially if the situation warrants it!

Enjoyed reading the tips so far? Feeling confident right now? If so, go play blackjack and see how much your new found knowledge can help you!

by: Linda Harrison