Online Casinos - The
Ultimate Beginner Guide Page
Two
Probably the easiest way
to instantly give you the basic information is to answer the
questions frequently questions by newcomers. So let's do
just that.
What is an online
casino? An online casino is a virtual casino. You connect to
the online casino via the internet and play the casino
games. Everything is controlled via your mouse or
keyboard. You see the cards turn, the ball spin, the dice
roll. In almost every way, it is a real casino - but on
your screen.
Do I need to
download any software? That's up to you. Most online casinos are 'download'
casinos, meaning that they offer software to download.
This software contains all the games and enables you to
connect to the casino. Most online casinos will also
offer a 'no download' version when you simply play in
your browser. The download versions will usually be of
much higher quality and we recommend that you usually
take the option to download the casino software.
Is it like a
land-based casino? In many ways, yes. In other ways, no. At an online
casino you will usually find all the games you would
expect to find at a land-based casino, such as roulette,
video poker, slot machines and blackjack. Just like you
would exchange cash for chips at a land-based casino, you
will exchange money for online chips at an online
casino.
Of course, in a real casino you simply walk from game
table to table. At an online casino you do the same thing
with your mouse. Had enough of baccarat? The simply click
to play another game.
Online casinos are more than aware that realism is a big
'pull' for players so the current generation of online
casinos are as realistic as it's possible to be with
current technology.
Do I play
alone or with other people? When you play in a land-based casino, you are
sometimes happy to get involved with other players, chat,
and enjoy the company. At other times, you would rather
keep to yourself and concentrate. Well, you have the same
choice when playing at an online casino.
Many online casinos feature both multiplayer and
single-player versions of the same game, so you can
decide whether to have company or not. If playing the
multiplayer version, you can even chat to the other
players.
How much can
I win? Seeing dollar signs already, huh? That's only
natural. Online gambling has resulted in some serious
winnings for players who would never normally walk into a
land-based casino. There really is no limit to what you
can win. You are limited only by how much you are
prepared to wager.
What games can I
play? This is where online casinos walk all over land-based
casinos. When you first enter the online casino you will
probably be dazzled by the sheer number of games
available to play. There will probably be single-player
and multiplayer games (see above), all the 'usual' games
and a multitude of video poker and slots games.
Don't be overwhelmed. Take a breath and look around. It's
free to loiter so take your time. Have a look at what
games are available. You probably won't even know what
some of them are. That's fine. Click those games. See
what they are and how they play. Each game will have a
menu which includes rules on how to play. Doing all this
is fun and, most importantly, free.
Are online casinos
fair? Perhaps this should have been the first question we
raised because it's perhaps the most common of them all.
We're pleased to confirm that 99% of online casinos
are completely trustworthy.
Every casino listed anywhere on this site has been
verified by us and confirmed to be reputable. The
reputation and good name of Winners
Online Casinos is
important to us. Put simply, we will not promote
dishonest companies. Not a week goes by without us being
contacted by one of these casinos - wanting to advertise
their casino to you, our visitors. They will always be
turned away.
If you are in any doubts, just ask us. And remember to
regularly check out our Scam
Alerts
page.
How do I buy
chips and receive my winnings ?
Until quite recently, the simply answer to that questions
would have been "Use your credit card". However, due to
credit card fraud and 'chargebacks' (players trying to
cancel their purchases if they lose!) some credit card
issuers now block online gaming purchases. We still
recommend that you initially try to use your credit card.
If your card issuer is one blocking such transactions,
the casino software will inform you that the purchase was
unsuccessful.
If you do not want, or can't, use a credit card to
purchase chips then you have a number of options. By far
the most common approach is to use an alternative method
such as PrePaid ATM, FirePay
and Neteller.
