Category: Gambling and Casinos

Minnesota casinos are located in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” a Northern state known for its natural beauty, cultural attractions, and a prosperous economy. Minnesota, ranked as the “Most Livable State” in the United States, has a population of over 5,000,000 people and an area of 79,610 square miles. The capital of Minnesota, St. Paul, with a population of approximately 280,000, is located adjacent to Minneapolis on the Mississippi River. The two cities are often referred to as the “Twin Cities” of Minnesota.

There are a number of Minnesota casinos scattered throughout the state, either located on Native American Tribal land or under Native American jurisdiction. Minnesota has 22 tribal-state regulations for Minnesota casinos, which allow blackjack, slots, craps, and other video gaming machines, while separate tribal agreements allow poker and bingo. The Mystic Lake Casino, in Prior Lake, is the largest in Minnesota, with 125,000 square feet, 4,000 slots, 84 table games, four restaurants, and a hotel. The Treasure Island Resort and Casino, in Welch, is another large casino, with 116,000 square feet of gambling area, 2,500 slots, 44 table games, seven restaurants, and a small hotel.

Another popular Minnesota casino is Jackpot Junction, in Morton, with 80,000 square feet, 1,650 slots, 28 table games, with blackjack and poker, as well as nine restaurants and two hotels. In addition, Minnesota casinos include the Grand Casino Hinckley, with 54,800 square feet, 2,170 slots, 47 table games, six restaurants, and four hotels; and the Grande Casino Mille Lacs, in Onamia, with 54,800 square feet, 1,885 slots, 24 table games, five restaurants, and two hotels.

Some of the smaller Minnesota casinos include the Fortune Bay Resort Casino, in Tower, with 50,000 square feet, 686 slots, and 12 table games; the Northern Lights Casino, in Walker, with 40,000 square feet, 950 slots, and 12 table games; and the Fond-du-Luth Casino, in Duluth, with 20,000 square feet, 745 slots, and four table games. The Prairie Edge Casino Resort, a smaller casino in Granite Falls, has 27,000 square feet, 660 slots, and six table games.

Minnesota casinos do not provide any revenue in the form of taxes to the state of Minnesota. There are some fees, however, that compensate the state to some extent for inspections and other items in the tribal agreements. Minnesota is rich in natural attractions, a land of “sky-tinted” waters, with an economy that might be well be enhanced with the expansion and introduction of more casinos in the future.

Your progression from superior Texas Hold ’em Poker player to eventual tournament champion begins with mastering shorthanded games. Shorthanded games typically involve five or six players and are very common in online poker rooms. When you are playing in a shorthanded game the action can come to you fast and furious. You’ll be playing in more hands more quickly than in your typical ring games.

Playing in shorthanded games will typically favor the aggressive player. Because there are fewer players to begin with, hands that are not thought of as premium hands rise in value. Examples of this are medium pairs and high cards that you wouldn’t normally raise with in a full game (A-8, 8-8, 7-7…). If you are raising before the flop, when the flop comes down and your opponents do not connect with it you may very well steal the pot.

Drawing hands in shorthanded games are typically not good hands to play with because of the limited number of players in the game. It is highly unlikely that you will get pots large enough to make it worthwhile to chase.

If you do not have a hand that you feel comfortable raising with you may be better off folding and waiting to play a better hand.

Just because you are playing in a shorthanded game do not plan on playing a greater number of hands, rather, play the hands that you do play more aggressively.

Being aggressive and occasionally bluffing in a shorthanded game, especially when others are checking and calling, will allow you to pick up small pots. Your aggressive plays may make others fold and hand the pot over to you. While it may not work every time, in the long run it usually proves to be profitable.

If you find that most of your opponents will only bet when they are turning pairs, a well timed bluff can steal the pot for you.

When you find yourself seated in late position in a shorthanded game and your opponents before you have folded, a raise can force the blinds to fold thereby winning you the pot. This move, known as stealing the blinds can also be an effective way to pick up small pots and add to your chip total.

Playing in shorthanded games is also great practice for playing in tournaments. As your opponents are knocked out of the game, you’ll be going up against fewer players. Playing in shorthanded games will prepare you for these situations.

You’ll also find lots of shorthanded games played online. With players dropping in and out for a few hands before dinner or on a lunch break at work, it is not uncommon to be sitting at a table up against ten opponents one moment and then before you know it you’ll be up against Five opponents.

On a final note, with all the extra hands that you will be playing in shorthanded games your bankroll can take large swings. You need to be ready to handle these swings. Shorthanded games can be very profitable and remember you will need to know how to play in a shorthanded game if you ever want to play in and win a tournament.

You can always tell when people are truly from the state of Massachusetts, as they speak with an unforgettable accent. Boasting Boston as the state capital, Massachusetts is small in size, but large in population, entertainment and just about anything else. There are 6,349,097 people living in Massachusetts, which means there must be a lot to keep busy in this state to keep this many people living in it.

Well, of the many entertainment options, Massachusetts casinos slide right in under the radar. There are a smattering of Massachusetts casinos located throughout the state. Many of these Massachusetts casinos focus on horse racing, though most of them do boast slot machines as well.

One of the more popular, Vegas-style casinos is the Horizon’s Edge Casino Cruises, located in Lynn, Massachusetts. This Massachusetts casino boasts more than 170 slot machines, bunches of table games (including poker, roulette and blackjack) as well as a variety of entertainment. All style and flash, this Massachusetts casino is sure to win over those who are Vegas-diehards.

There are more laid-back options in selections such as Atlantic Casino Cruises, located in the Massachusetts fishing village of Gloucester, Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville and Suffolk Downs in Boston. These casinos feature live racing action and video lottery machines. They are more laid-back than the Vegas style Horizon’s Edge and are the kind of Massachusetts casinos that better reflect the calm culture of this state. There are Massachusetts casinos that are geared towards a more local crowd and the games and services are reflected accordingly.

Not to be discounted, there are also several greyhound parks with the Massachusetts casino realm. The Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere and the Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park in Raynham, both feature heart-pound dog-racing action that is both fun and can be very lucrative, particularly for seasoned gamblers. These dog-racing parks also feature musical entertainment, dining options, accommodations and more, to make for an all-encompassing Massachusetts casino experience.

While the state of Massachusetts is not necessarily known for its casino action: it has plenty of it and with the selection, Massachusetts casinos boast variety. From dog-racing to slot machines to table games, Massachusetts casinos dot the state and feature a variety of services geared towards gamblers of all levels and types. When you enter a Massachusetts casino, amid all of the games, racing, entertainment, food, fun and more, there is truly something to be found for everyone.

Pick up any Roulette book and you’re bound to read about the Martingale system. It’s a simple system that’s been in use for eons. In fact, many other games besides Roulette use this system as well.

For the most part, the Martingale system was designed for even-money bets, but the premise can be applied to just about anything. Today, we’ll look at the Martingale betting system from an even-money Roulette perspective.

Technically, this system, which is a series of bet progressions, can go on forever, but that would be foolish. Normally, system bettors will limit their progressions to eight or fewer. And when we go over the progressions, you’ll see why.

Is betting the Martingale way foolish? Some say so. That’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself. I’ve seen it work and I’ve seen it fail. But heck, everything fails. The ticket is to win more than you lose. And that’s why so many try the Martingale way. It’s not a way to quick riches, but it sure can be hard to lose it all sometimes.

I told you we’d look at this from a Roulette pair of eyes, so let’s imagine that you’ve just walked up to the Roulette table or loading one up online. We’ll keep this simple. You’re a $1 bettor. Easy enough right? Now, we’re going to play Red.

Your first wager on Red would be $1. If you win, your next wager on Red is also $1. In other words, you never bet more than a buck after a win. Now, when you lose, that’s another story.

In essence, you’ll be doubling your wager after every loss. For instance, let’s say you wagered $1 and lost. Your next wager on Red would be $2. Lose that and you’ll bet $4 next time. It’s an easy system to play, but you need to be careful. If you use a large progression chain and lose it all, you’ll be playing for ages to recoup the cash.

Here’s an example of an 8-step ladder.

Bet One: $1
Bet Two: $2
Bet Three: $4
Bet Four: $8
Bet Five: $16
Bet Six: $32
Bet Seven: $64
Bet Eight: $128

As you can see, when bet eight is on the table, there’s $128 in action. If bet eight loses, you’re out just over $250-all to win $1. And that’s why some think this is a foolish system.

However, let’s play the odds. The probability of getting 8 losses in a row on a close to 50/50 bet is very low. Still, it does happen.

Want to boost your odds? Wait for the other side to come out 2-3 times in a row then bet the opposite. It would then take 10-11 losers in a row to clean out the system.