Pick Your Favorite for Champions League Final

Monday, May 25, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Written by Daniel O

Even before the Spanish Soccer League (Primera Liga) season started, FC Barcelona was installed as everyone's favorite team. The favorite everything with their style and tremendous skill. As it relates to us in the online sports betting industry, the Catalan team was the favorite to win any game they played, the UEFA Champions League final included.

Alas, Barcelona will face another title contender and a club of no less fans and believers in Manchester United. Oh, and they're defending champions too.

While Barcelona last won in 2006.

Barcelona will face Manchester United in Rome on May 27. It is hard to call them favorites this time around.

The teams are tied with 13/8 odds at Bet365. They are tied at 17/10 odds on William Hill Sports and on Paddy Power Betting. Barcelona have a slight advantage (7/4 odds compared to Man U's 13/8) on Ladbrokes.

And the picture is pretty much the same across the boards.

Which leaves us with a hunch. And a fair bet. And good luck.

For all football betting and online sports betting, please visit our sportsbooks directory.

The Future: Harrah's Online Casino

Sunday, May 24, 2009 at 2:09 PM
Written by Daniel O
nline gambling might be thriving, give or take some insistent regulations, around the world. Practically all of Europe and the UK in particular have taken the lead and are setting an example for countries around the world to set up proper iGaming markets.
Then, lagging behind in conservative fashion, is the United States of America.

While efforts to reverse the ban, led mostly by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), seem to take on a positive track, it is the established casinos that will convince the US administration to regulate an online gambling market.

Furthermore, it will be Las Vegas that will actually lead the future market itself.

And so we have news of Harrah's Entertainment setting up an online operation that will focus its efforts on Europe and the non-US markets for months to come.

This from Chairman, President and CEO Gary Loveman: "As the world's largest gaming company, Harrah's is taking a proactive approach toward international and interactive expansion."
Humble words for a move that will very likely turn out to become a giant force in US online gambling in a year or two.

Talkin' Gambling

Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Written by Daniel O

One of our forum's main goals is to help you find reliable online casino sites, poker rooms, bingo halls or what have you.

The list of casinos on Online Casino Reports - each with reviews and reader comments and recommendation votes are a bountiful resource, but a forum for players and casino operators to raise issues and discuss them freely is no less important and can serve players all the same.

Players can find a thread for any casino they wish to discuss on the Online Casinos Discussions room (or poker rooms on the respectable room, and so on) and share their experiences, good or bad.

For any question - not sure if to join a certain casino, had a great experience with another casino's friendly customer service, hurt from a slow payout, anything! - check out the forum.

Watch the Games

Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 4:23 PM
Written by Daniel O

For a while now we've been producing short videos and posting them on the Online Casino Reports site and on our YouTube Channel, in which players can view slots games before signing up to this or that online casino and playing it for real.

It is the easiest, simplest, most friendly way for players to try a game before playing it.

Following its success - The Osbournes Game Trailer was viewed by well over 1,000 players and posted across the Web on forums and fan sites - we've decided to pick it up and cover ALL casino games.

Here is one example of a video - this of Microgaming's European Roulette - of many to follow in all major game categories: Poker, Blackjack, Baccarat, Craps, Slots, Video Poker, Arcade, Pachinko, Sic-Bo, War, Keno, Rummy, Fixed-Odds, Backgammon, Bingo and Roulette.

Mobile Gambling Options

Thursday, May 07, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Written by John W

The advances in wireless technology means exciting things for gambling enthusiasts. Those who enjoyed online gambling options will be thrilled about mobile gambling options. Here are a few things that those with wireless devices can do in the gambling arena.

Mobile Gambling Options: Mobile Casino
You can use your wireless device to download the mobile version of many of your favorite casinos. The convenience of online gambling will be transferred to your PDA or cell phone, enabling you to play blackjack, roulette, craps, etc. anytime, anywhere.

Mobile Gambling Options: Mobile Poker
Online poker sites are distinct from online casino sites, but there are mobile poker options available too. Many popular online poker sites have a mobile equivalent, allowing you to play Texas Holdem and other real money poker games with anyone on the globe no matter where you happen to be.

Mobile Gambling Options: Odds Calculators
If you do play poker, you often want to know the odds of winning a certain hand or making a certain draw. When you have mobile gambling access, there's no need to wait until you can get to your home computer to do the math. You can access poker odds calculators right on your phone and find out the odds information instantly.

Mobile Gambling Options: News
You can also use your mobile device to find out the latest gambling news - when the next poker tournaments take place, what big casino jackpots can be won, and even who is on the leader board of the latest high stakes poker event.

Practically anything you used to be able to do with gambling online, you can now do remotely on your wireless device, so start taking advantage of mobile gambling opportunities and make your casino play that much more fun and convenient.

Barney Good Luck

Thursday, May 07, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Written by Daniel O

May 6, 2009 was a good day for the online gambling community, in the United states and around the world, though how it turns out in the long run is yet to be seen.

Two US Congressmen introduced a much anticipated, and equally hyped, legislation that would regulate the online gambling market in the USA and in essence repeal the ban in place.

Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Peter King (R-NY) state their end goal in the 48 page bill thus:

"Internet gambling in the United States should be controlled by a strict federal licensing and regulatory framework to protect underage and otherwise vulnerable individuals, to ensure the games are fair, to address the concerns of law enforcement, and to enforce any limitations on the activity established by the states and Indian tribes."

In other words: the solution to these issues is not to ban the entire industry but to systematically and responsibly cope with them.

HR 2267 Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act insists that individual states and Indian tribes across the US should be allowed to manage online gambling in their jurisdictions as they see right. It also phrases new (strict) licensing requirements, and addresses the sports betting market, widely popular in sports-crazed America.

We wish the US representatives and their constituency good luck!