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Maximise Potential Returns

maximize potential returns

So, you have two face cards. With a total of 20, you stand pat, right?

Maybe not. There are plenty of people who would be looking to maximise their potential return.

Splitting is something you can only do after you receive your two cards, and can only be done with identical cards. They don?t have to be completely identical, i.e. two queens of diamonds, just the same rank.

The player has to place a second bet, identical to the first, next to the original wager and the dealer splits the two cards to create a second hand.

Rules of splitting include that there are no blackjacks. If you draw a queen on top of an ace, it?s 21 and not blackjack so you could still end up not winning.

Another standard rule is that if you split aces, you only get one additional card for each split hand.
Just occasionally, you?ll be able to really make the most of your hand by re-splitting. If the cards of a post-split hand are also the same value, you can usually split them again and place a further wager on the new hand.

To take the first example, of drawing two picture cards, the best advice is to stick at 20, regardless of what the dealer holds. You have a good chance of winning with that hand, whereas you don?t know what you would get with the split hand.

There is an almost universal rule: always split aces and eights. Because of the number of picture cards in a deck, your chances of getting 21 with your split hands is pretty good.
Eights are split not because they have great potential of winning, but because 16 is a lousy total to play with.

There are tables available online that can teach you when to split, when to stick and when to hit. It?s useful to memorise these guidelines if you?re playing in a physical casino, whereas you can always have them open in another window when you?re playing online.

Written by Alex Corcoran, online bingo fan, gaming expert and online features writer, specialising in casino games such as poker, craps and Blackjack.

KTO Casino & Sportsbook

KTO Casino & Sportsbook first appeared on the gaming scene in 2018, and have become one of the top casinos and sportsbooks around.

Not only do they offer a great sportsbook that will impress even the most seasoned sports betting punter, but their casino offering is also not to be sneezed at!

Offering over 4000 quality casino games, ranging from video slots, table games, video poker, virtual betting & skill games all from top providers like NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Oryx, Fugaso and many others (33 in total), players are most definitely spoilt with choice.

KTO Sportsbook

KTO’s sportsbook offering is one of best we’ve ever seen, with not only a wide range of betting markets for punters to choose from, but with some of the best odds we’ve seen at any sportsbook on the net.

Not only do they list popular events, they even have some of the less well known markets available to bet on. A few examples are League of Legends, Call Of Duty, StarCraft 2 and other massive multiplayer online games. You can even bet chess games…

What also tickled our fancy was the various views that punters can utilise. Choose between the “normal” dashboard where all the information is displayed in a four column view, Event View where an even can be chosen on the left, and all the available bets with their odds  are displayed in the center column – the bets and odds are even updated in real time as the event unfolds.

Punter who want to keep an eye on multiple events can use the Live Multiview, from here punters can “add” various events from the left panel to display in the center column, all with their latest bets and odds.

The last two views are Live Calendar and Results. The Live Calendar view displays a calendar-like view where punter can view current and upcoming events, neatly organised by date and time. Results view is where punters can go to check up on what an events outcome was – all easy filterable and sortable by using various dropdown filters.

KTO Casino Welcome Bonus

KTO Casino 1700 welcome offerKTO hasn’t kept back on their Casino player welcome bonus either – New players at the casino get up to €/$1’700 over their first 3 deposits. And with a low 25x times wagering requirement it is nothing to sneeze at. Unfortunately for us blackjack players, the welcome bonus funds can only be wagered on slots – but that’s no biggie, as the slots on offer will entice even the most hardened blackjack player.

Blackjack Games at KTO

KTO Casino offers a variety of Blackjack games that will please any blackjack player. At the time of writing this there were over 36 different blackjack games to play, ranging from classic classic Blackjack to exotics like Lucky Cat Blackjack and even a 3D Blackjack.

The blackjack games are also not all single hand blackjack games, players that can keep track of multiple hands will most definitely enjoy Habanero’s Blackjack 3 Hand or Double Exposure 3 Hand.

Think you know your Blackjack stuff – try out the Professional Blackjack Series games by NetEnt. Choose between the Low or High limit options available, and play Blackjack like a pro! Or try out the Elite Edition European or Atlantic City Blackjack by Genii for that something different.

And the best part, players can try out all of the games (be it Blackjack or any other casino game) for free without even making a deposit or wagering a cent.

KTO Live Casino

Looking for something more personal? Then try out any of the 23 Live Casino games available at KTO Casino. Interact with real live dealers while you play Lightning Roulette, Casino Hold’Em, Sic Bo and numerous Blackjack games.

Players can chat to dealers, tip them and even chat to other players when playing at multiplayer tables.

Remember that game, once started, could last a couple of days? Well, the live version of Monopoly is slightly different. In this game a host spins a supersized wheel and players have to predict where it will stop. Mr. Monopoly is ever present to award extra rolls, cash wins and multipliers.

KTO Banking Options

Deposit and withdrawing winnings at KTO casino has also never been easier. With over 36 banking options to choose, ranging from the usual Visa and MasterCard, Neteller, AstroPay, Qiwi, PaySafeCard and other well known options, to some less known ones like Bancomer, Oxxo, Banorte and Itau – chances are that the option that you prefer will be there.

Making a withdrawal is also just as quick as deposting – KTO strives to process payments as quickly as possible, and players can usually expect the payment to show in their banking account withing 12 hours. This obviously depends on the banking method used.

To Mobile or not to Mobile?

Another thing that was quite impressive – it doesn’t matter whether a player visits the KTO website via a desktop PC, laptop, tablet or mobile phone, all the features that are available for the one platform is available for the other. Their site is fully responsive and fully mobile compliant.

Create your account via a desktop PC, and play using your mobile while on the move, or just use your mobile to create an account and play. Players use the same account on all the platforms, so switching between them will still give you access to your bankroll.

KTO In A Nutshell

In the past when when looking at combination (Sportsbook and Casino) sites, it was mostly found that the operators tended to focus on either one or the other genre, with the one almost being “forgotten about” while the other was only the latest and greatest.

Not so at KTO – whether you are a sports fanatic, or a casino enthusiast, KTO will have you covered. Sports punters get all the hottest action at the greatest odds, and casino gamblers get access to 4000+ of the most popular games from only top providers.

The KTO offering is by far one of the best integrated operations we’ve come across – and we’ve seen plenty!

KTO Casino 1700 welcome offer

Gaming Widow Winners

Has your other half taken to poker or blackjack in a really big way? Does he move mountains to get to the nearest roulette table and constantly have a game on the go on his laptop and even his mobile phone? If this sounds familiar then welcome to the club ? you’re officially a gaming widow.

Don't be a gaming widowBut hey, this is not all bad news! You may enjoy a bit of time to yourself to play online bingo once in a while, but if his habit has escalated to a whole other level then as long as he is winning you are in for some great benefits. What starts out as an online pastime can quickly move into the real world if your man gets invited to big money games in person. Casino tournaments often take place in glamorous locations so pack your case, put on your sunglasses and get ready to check out the spa and the pool while he focuses on his game.

Another reason to tolerate his obsession is the pay off for you: how can he refuse your requests to head off out with the girls or hit the shops for some retail therapy when he is locked into his card games all the time? And who knows ? you may even get a share of his winnings to treat yourself with too: guilty husband equals open wallet syndrome is not to be ignored.

And finally, if you can’t beat ’em then join ’em! Women have a proven track record of success playing poker and blackjack so why not try your hand at the tables, virtual or in real time, and see how you get on. You are definitely not at a disadvantage and all his talk dissecting recent games may even have taught you a thing or too. Imagine his face if you turn out to be a better player than him!

Females in Poker

Liv Boeree, Vanessa Selbst and Vanessa Rousso

Poker is an equal opportunities game and while there may be more men at the felt than women, there?s certainly nothing stopping some women from profiting in the game. Indeed, some of the most talented players in the world are women which demonstrates that, unlike most sports, poker isn?t divided by gender.

Players such as Liv Boeree, Vanessa Selbst and Vanessa Rousso have not only proven themselves by winning million of dollars in the careers but by being students of the game; there is not one small detail they will not know about strategies and Texas holdem rules. All three are university graduates and have applied themselves to learning the art and skill of poker.

Above and beyond their capacity for playing cards, the trio have become ambassadors for the game and inspired women across the globe to learn poker.

While many women will feel intimidated at the felt by their male counterparts, the opposite is in fact true. Many male players now respect the women they face because they understand that it?s much tougher for a woman to break into the big time. Therefore, on that basis, they are much more likely to be strong player and someone to avoid playing against.

It?s true that women are a minority in the poker industry but that doesn?t mean they are the weaker sex. Indeed, some of the best players into the world are female and with more and more rising to the top it won?t be long before parity reigns in the world of bluffs, bets and bad beats.

Counting Cards

Many inexperienced players have a misconception about card counters as mathematical geniuses who can keep track of every card in a multiple decks of cards. While there may very well be people who can do this kind of thing, card counting is not about keeping track of every card. The idea behind counting cards is to keep track of the players statistical likelihood of winning a hand and then adjusting betting and playing accordingly.
The idea behind card counting is simple gambling strategy. Any professional gambler will tell you that the way to win at gambling is to bet more when you have the advantage and bet less (or not at all) when you do not. It is that simple. In black-jack, certain cards remaining in the deck are good for the player and certain ones are not. If you “count” these cards, you will always know when you have the advantage.
Edward O. Thorp’s work confirmed that 10’s and A’s remaining in the deck were good for the player, while 5’s and 6’s remaining in the deck were bad for the player. He worked out the circumstances under which particular combinations of cards remaining in the deck gave the player and advantage over the house. He also presented the first two card-counting systems, Thorp’s five-count and Thorp’s ten-count. The latter, which is more powerful, was based on determining the ration between 10’s and non-10’s remaining in the deck. Card counting was born from irrefutable logic: Keep track of the cards: make small bets when the deck favors the house and large bets when it favors the players.
Thorp’s analysis was later improved upon by the work of many others, notably Julian Braun, Lawrence Revere, Peter Griffin, Stanford Wong, Ken Uston, Arnold Snyder, and Lance Humble. Today the game is understood at a rather deep level, and sophisticated systems exist that give the knowledgeable player a distinct edge over the house.
Which Cards Matter?
The object of card counting is to keep track of cards that are advantageous to the player. The simple question is, then, “which cards matter?”
The card most beneficial to the player is the 10. 10’s are ad-vantages to the player for several reasons. One, they will cause the dealer to bust since he is required to take cards based on the rules of play. He may not take other factors into account while playing (like you do!). Two, they turn hands that you double down on into very strong hands (which is why you double down on those hands, by the way). Three, they are used to create blackjacks. Remember that blackjacks are more beneficial to the player since getting one pays 3 to 2 but losing to one only costs the original bet! Another important card for the player is the A. Aces present soft doubling (and hitting) opportunities and they create blackjacks. Remember – blackjack is more important to the player than the house!
The worst cards for the player are the 5 and the 6 (and 2, 3, and 4 to a lesser degree). The reason these are not good for the player is simple – they are beneficial to the house. Since the house is forced by the rules of play to take cards on any hand lower than 17, the 5 and the six present the possibility of very strong hands for the dealer (remember that 10’s are not advantageous to the dealer since they make “busts” of these hands).
Before we begin to learn how to count we should talk about how this will help us. You should remember that the purpose of counting is to know when the player has an advantage and when he does not. This knowledge will do nothing for you unless you do something with it. What you want to do is adjust your betting and your play based on your advantage.
Adjusting Your Bets
Adjusting your bets is very straightforward. When the composition of the deck is in your favor, you bet more. When it is not, you bet less. Very simple. Learning just this can give you as much as a 2% advantage against the house. If that advantage does not sound like much, keep in mind that many casino slot machines only produce a 2 – 3% advantage for the casino and that is enough to make billions of dollars of profit for the casino. Granted, this is at a much higher volume than you will play at but remember that bet sizes are much smaller.
Adjusting Your Play
Learning to adjust your play based on deck composition is not an easy task, but the rewards are phenomenal. Taking this step can increase your advantage by another 2% for a total of 4% against the house. The good news is that you can learn this with a lot of practice. The principles are simple but mastering this level of play takes many hours of practice.
An expert card counter will adjust play in many different ways depending on the composition of the deck. It is common for an expert card counter to do things that “break the rules” of basic strategy like:
1. Standing earlier if the deck is very 10 rich — if the dealer can bust, so can you!
2. Standing later if the deck is very 10 poor.
3. Splitting 10’s when the deck is extremely 10 rich.
4. Doubling down on A, 9 when the deck is extremely 10 rich.
Of course, the most important play adjustment can be deciding when to start playing at a table and when to stop.