5 Superheroes ‘’Enjoy A Night’’ At The Casino

5 Superheroes ‘’Enjoy A Night’’ At The CasinoWho doesn’t love a Superhero?

I’m sure many a time you have fantasised about wearing your pants over your tights, donning a cape and flying through the skies looking to save some damsel in distress. For those living in the Fens it’s a daily hope to escape the mundane life of being a farmer on 500 acres of black gold.

No wonder I enjoy a visit to my local brick-and-mortar casino, which sees me heading towards Great Yarmouth, with a pocketful of money, a room for the night, and a hope and a prayer that lucky number 35 comes in.

Sometime it does, sometime it doesn’t.

Thankfully, although no one believes me, I am winning a good bit of money from my visits to Grosvenor Casino. I’ve not added it up but a few hundred in profit. Not bad considering I’m far from a super hero.

I’m sure you’d rather talk about Superman, Aquaman, Black Canary, Hellboy, Wolverine and Zatara.

You know, I’m writing these names from a list because beyond a couple I may as well be talking Noddy and Big Ears.

Anyway, just set the scene. The final part of the blockbuster Super Hero film (you can come up with your own title), set in a casino, playing one of the many games, and one the winning turn of a card, roll or a dice, or ka-ching of a slot machine, your superhero (fill in the blank) saves the day.

So let’s take a look at 5 casino moment favourite superhero turns up at the casino. What happens next?

Probably the most famous of all superheroes. Even I’ve heard of this one and watched many a film over the years, not read one word from a comic, but that’s how it goes with us lesser interested types.

Superman –

Real name: Clark Kent

Birthplace: Krypton

Who does he love: Lois Lane

Nemesis: Lex Luthor

Weakness: Kryptonite

The blockbuster scene: While playing 3-card poker, his arch enemy Lex Luthor had sprinkled a small amount of green kryptonite on the ace of hearts. Thinking he was onto a winner with a prial aces, he slumped to the floor, weakened to the exposure of the toxic chemical. However, a quick-thinking assistant at the Grosvenor knocked the cards out of his hand, and he revived to fly off into the sunset to save a girl called Carol who was struggling in a bog off the Norfolk broads.

Aquaman –

Real name: Arthur Curry

Birthplace: Atlantis

Who does he love: Mera, wife

Nemesis: Black Manta

Weakness: Arthur Curry, fear of water

The blockbuster scene: While playing poker, Aquaman notices his nemesis playing on another table. He bets his life that he has the winning hand. Crazy? No, as sitting behind Black Manta is an aquarium and a sucker fish can see he’s holding a losing hand. Through marine telepathy, Aquaman goes full-in and wins the gamble.

Black Canary –

Real name: Dinah Drake Lance

Birthplace: –

Who does she love: Oliver Queen aka The Green Arrow

Nemesis: Vertigo

Weakness: Sick Throat

The blockbuster scene: Sitting at the gaming table, Black Canary twists to reveal 21 and just about to collect a stack of $100 chips. Feeling dizzy, she notices Vertigo in the crowd, no doubt after her boyfriend Oliver Queen aka The Green Arrow. She uttered her sonic scream powerful enough to shatter metal and stone. Vertigo left the casino fearing it was about to fall around her ears.

Hellboy – 

Real name: Anung Un Rama – The Beast of the Apocalypse

Birthplace: Hell

Who does he love: Alice Monaghan

Nemesis: Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin

Weakness: Short tempered vulnerable to holy attacks

Blockbuster scene: Hellboy sat at the roulette table with the Samaritan by his side. He cheered as number 32 (Red) came up only to see Rasputin was the croupier who instead of pushing a stash of chips his way pushed a bomb. It went off… What happened next (unknown).

Wolverine –

Real Name: James Howlette, Logan

Birthplace: Alberta, Canada

Who does he love: Jean Elaine Grey

Nemesis: Sabretooth (Victor Creed)

Weakness: Magnets

Blockbuster scene: At the bar at the Palm Beach Casino, London. He notices some dust on the seat next to him. Brushing it away he looks around with fear in his eyes. He swallows down a fireball (cinnamon whiskey) and charges into the gaming room searching for his nemesis Sabretooth who was enjoying craps. Snake eye! A fight ensues and it’s one hell of a mess.

Who says you need to be a superhero to gamble.

Author: Zatara.

Photo: Pixabay (free)

5 Horrible Mistakes You Can Make at the Casino

5 Horrible Mistakes You Can Make at the CasinoThe best-laid plans of mice and men. We could be talking casinos, hey? Becuase for all the fun to be had at your brick-and-mortar casino or even online, any punter can look back in horror at a night they would much rather forget. It could be any number of reasons, but we will take a look at 5 mistakes which have caught even the best of gamblers who have literally lost their shirt. And you know that means pounds, shillings and pence.

1) Set Out How Much Money You Wish To Gamble

If you don’t have an answer to a question, you will be floating around on a tide of emotions and the answer you find will most likely lead to a costly mistake. When going to the casino to play your favourite game decide how much you are willing to lose. Ideally, you won’t have to think about losing if you get lucky in those first few hands or spin of the roulette wheel. But have a figure in mind: £20, £50, £100 or £500. It depend on your budget and ‘literally’ how much money you are willing to lose. When you get to that figure stop right there. Why? Because at that point you are betting out of your comfort zone and on emotions. Neither are good news. The chances are it will lead to even greater loss.

2) Don’t Drink Too Much Alcohol

Sure, you’re going out for a good night. But remember, you could well be betting at the tables from early evening to the next day. We’ve all seen the episode of Only Fools And Horse when Dell and Rodney leave the casino to find it’s the next day. I’ve seen it happen to friends and family that they lose track of time and basically asked to the leave the casino at 6am. If you’ve been drinking alcohol for ten-hours straight you simply can’t be thinking straight. If you are gambling under the influence of alcohol you could well bet far too much, leave you pocket less and with a hangover. Neither good news. It’s hard work.

3) Be Careful When You Are Winning Big

It sounds anything but a problem. But it can be just that. If you are winning big, make a decision to go home with your winnings. I’ve seen plenty of punters winning thousands and then the tide turns and the next thing they are losing thousands simply because they didn’t make the decision to stop when they were in front. Let’s face it, no one will win forever in a game that the odds are against you. In practice, the longer you play the more you will lose. When you are flying high with a pocketful of chips you have the option to cash out and go home with a smile on your face. Losing is bad enough but to go from winning to losing is a sorry state of affairs and it can easily lead to huge losses. Don’t find yourself saying: ‘What on Earth happened.’ You only have yourself to blame.

4) Be Aware Of The Casino Cut

They are not all the same. For instance, roulette and blackjack are some of the better games to play. While 3-card poker (pair-plus) is a raw deal and it can erode your money fast. Fair enough, if you just love a certain game then don’t change because that’s your enjoyment but do appreciate what you are playing against. At the end of the day gambling – unless for a profession – it is about fun, enjoyment, and not losing a week’s wage and going home skint.

5) Be Careful When Going Home

It’s never nice to be cynical but it is better to be safe than sorry. Casinos are a melting pot of many different people and you really don’t know who is watching. And if you’re a big winner, cash out a couple of grand, then I can guarantee someone in that casino is watching your move and thinking about the money you put in your pocket. They probably saw which pocket you put it in, know where you are staying from small talk or listening in, and if you are walking back to your hotel or waiting for a taxi to arrive you could find you have a problem. The chances are you could walk home without a care in the world. However, a quick call from someone may see you walk around the next corner to see the heavy mob and they aren’t going to be asking if you have the time. Go home with family and friend or better still get a taxi and wait inside until it arrives.

Photo: Pixabay (free)

5 Cynical Things About Casinos

5 Cynical Things About CasinosWhere would a casino be without punters who lose plenty of cash? Broke. So what all gambling industries need is fresh blood. After the old ones have been sucked dry of every penny and they disappear to live on the streets in a cardboard box. As a willing victim, you notice an advert from your local casino tempting a new-be gambler with a free bet. What more could you ask for? Give it a little time and you could be living on the breadline too. Of course, this is a very cynical perspective. It considers that individuals have no freewill or choice. As the adverts say: ‘When the fun stops, stop.’’

But what could we view as 5 cynical aspects of the casino world which tempt you to bet and lose.

1) No Membership Needed

Once upon a time you would have needed to give all your details to get into a casino and they were pretty determined to get you to use your membership card when changing your money into chips as some form of accountability. That seems to have had its day. I can’t remember the last time anyone at the casino asked any question about anything about anything.

2) No One Knows The Time

You will never see a clock on a wall. The casino is a timeless place where you really don’t need to know what’s happening outside this gambling world. Also, you won’t have a chance to look out of a window as there aren’t any. Remember the episode of Only Fools And Horses when Dell and Rodney came out of the casino to find it was the next day. It happens more than you think. Very few people leave with any money.

3) Free Bets, Incentives and Offers

Where would the casino be without the carrot dangling on the end of a stick? A steady stream of mules chomping at the bit finding themselves in the casino and there is no door to get out. They are literally trapped inside with their credit card until they die due to vertigo from watching the ball spin around the roulette wheel once too often. To think it was that free bet which led to my destruction and poverty. The sound of the slots paying out echoes in my cardboard box as the rain falls down. Others heading to the restaurant to get a discounted meal. Later digging through bins on the seafront. Be careful of those offers and incentives – they may just ruin your life.

4) Everyone’s Your Friend At The Casino

The staff at casino come off the same production line as The Stepford Wives. If they weren’t asking if you wanted a free drink they’d be out the back making Cherries Jubilee. There’s nothing wrong with polite, courteous and caring staff but these guys can lean back so far they make world record limbo dancers look stiff and their head can spin 360 degrees as they notice you need a free top-up of cola. If you look very close into the eyes of any staff member at the casino you will see red eyes which can scan a barcode. No wonder I love going to the casino because they are always there to help with every problem.

5) Special Occasions – We’ve Got Just The Present

If you happen to have a birthday coming up, you can guarantee you will receive an offer of some kind to tempt you to turn up to the casino. This is a prime opportunity to take advantage of a free bet or match bet and lose all of your money. If you are a particularly big loser they may even bake you a cake. Whatever you do, don’t mention it’s a significant birthday else they will get the voodoo man to put a spell on you and you will never be seen again. Perhaps washed up on a beach in Haiti with a sucker fish stuck to your lips.

Good luck.

Photo: Pixabay (free)

5 Games To Play At The Casino

5 Games To Play At The CasinoWe all have our favourite casino games. Some like blackjack while you’re old aunt loves to choose her date of birth on the roulette. For many, the reason why they play a game is what they had some luck at back in the past. I’ve had many nights at the casino and tried different games. Some were better than others. Here’s my 5 games (played or not) and my positives and negatives for each.

1) Roulette –

Let’s start with one of my favourites. I’m not sure how popular or not the spin of the wheel is compared to other games but it’s one I find myself playing and I’ve been quite lucky too. Over the years, betting small money, I have won a good few hundred. Most people don’t believe it’s possible but I’ve tasted success. I have a very boring approach that sees me betting on the same number all night long. Yes, it is like watching paint dry but this approach seems to work and shown a profit.

Positives: Getting match bets can put the odds in your favour to win. Betting small stakes on a single number means you cannot lose too fast. If one or two numbers come up you are likely to break level or show a profit.

Negative: Can be pretty repetitive and boring after an hour or so.

2) 3-Card Poker

I’ve played this game a couple of times. My cousins love it and have won and lost a lot of money over the years. There is no skill involved. You simply bet on the outcome of your hand (before it is dealt) and hope beyond hope you win. You have to pay the ante which can erode your money over time. I often play pair+ which means you are hoping for a prial, straight or flush to give you wins up to 30/1. A straight flush (3 in sequence suited) pays 40/1. It’s a fun game, where you often get a chance to talk with other players and croupier. I think the casino edge is pretty high on pair+ which takes your money over time.

Positive: Fun to play and makes a change from roulette. If you get on a run of luck you can make good money. It’s a game you don’t need any skill to play and you can sit down in comfort and chat with friends or others at the table.

Negative: I’ve won easier more money at roulette. I think the casino edge is pretty hard going. I’ve had a very good evening and had umpteen winning hands and I was surprised how little money I was winning. Also, the hands come round pretty fast if there are only a couple of you playing and you can’t really sit out a hand like roulette.

3) Blackjack –

I don’t think I’ve ever played blackjack at the local casinos in the UK but my brother has a few times. He’s done OK and made some money by getting lucky. It’s a simple game and you can bet small or large stakes so you can easily sit at the table for an hour or two without burning through your money. It does have an element of skill it twisting or sticking. If you are into your card counting you may have the odds in your favour. However, it doesn’t take much working out that you are playing the casino at their own game and they may well ask you to leave.

Positives: It’s easy to play and not a bad game to enjoy an hour or two of play. If you get away with card counting, you could have a very good night. It’s a decent game for the novice as well as the pro gambler. Can’t knock it.

Negatives: If you are thinking about card counting you may well have a short-lived visit.

4) Poker –

The casino usually offer poker with a set buy-in. I don’t play poker and really don’t know the rules which may sound usual for a gambling man. My mate Eric always tells me how easy it is to play. I’ve heard of a few people who have made a killing and won a few grand. I think I would rather watch than play. It’s a skill-based game so if you have a little bit of luck and skill you could be onto a winner.

Positives: A game based on skill so you could be the best on the table. Not a great deal of money to enter and a good pot to win.

Negatives: You need to learn the rules and be proficient to have any real hope of winning a competition.

5) Slots –

I have played the slot before. The trouble with most of these machine and multi lines is that you really don’t know what is going on. You can win good money if you get lucky but they can be a money pit if you get too comfy. Personally, they do nothing for me and I would rather play the old style one-armed bandits which are more interesting. However, the slots are a big part of the casino and they make the majority of their cash.

Positives: Easy to play. Comfortable sitting in your chair and getting free soft drinks, tea and coffee all night. You can win big money if you get lucky.

Negatives: Very easy to lose track of time and money playing the slots. Also, one of the most addictive forms of gambling. It can be difficult to stop once you start pressing that button. Best to stop at a certain point and have a breather to reassess your losses (or wins).

5 Gambling Venues To Visit At Great Yarmouth

5 Gambling Venues To Visit At Great YarmouthAs a holiday destination the Norfolk coast has lots to offer – from Heacham all the way to Lowestoft and beyond. Stop three-quarters way round and you will be at Great Yarmouth. A place where we had our family holidays as young children (including Caister-on-sea, which is a stone’s throw away) and enjoy all the fun of the fair, days on the beach, arcades aplenty and even experience thoroughbred horse racing. In memory of my late father, Colin, we go to the Eastern Festival every September, a merry pilgrimage of family and friends to reflect on those who are no longer with us and raise a drink to the ones we love. As you may have gleaned from this introduction Great Yarmouth is a place gambling fans head for a true betting experience. Take a look at these 5 gambling venues.

1) Great Yarmouth Racecourse

Not a million miles from the headquarters of Newmarket, means Great Yarmouth is a racecourse associated with top-class horse trainers and quality horses. A Flat racing course with a straight mile and a lovely place to enjoy a day or three racing. The course isn’t over big and a little bit dated but a grandstand which not only looks over a winning post but a sea view. With race meetings from April to October you have plenty of time to visit. All the fun of the seaside you really are onto a winner.

2) Great Yarmouth Greyhound Racing (Located at Caister-on sea)

I can’t say I have ever been to a greyhound meeting but I know my dad, family and friends used to go to the horses in the day and venture to the dogs at night. A mix that saw many suffering great losses in the early days of their holiday, borrowing money from those who were more financially stable or had a bit of luck. A track opened in 1940. Racing every Monday (6:20), Wednesday (6:25) and Saturday (7:00). Plus additional meetings including the Derby Festival in September 14th with a price of £15,000.

3) Grosvenor Casino

A venue I have frequented on many occasions. A beautiful grade II listed building Shadingfield Lodge which has been in the ownership of the great and the good since it’s building in the late 19th century. A lovely restaurant on the ground floor and the gaming room in the basement. Plenty of action including slots, blackjack, 3-card poker, roulette live and terminals. A very professional outfit and staff are exceptional. One of the better settings for a casino and on the seafront, across the road from the Wellington Pier. You don’t need membership to have some gambling fun. Join their mailing list to get plenty of offers, incentives and promotion which, for small bettors, puts the odds in your favour. You won’t be disappointed. Also, the Palace Casino is worth a visit, down Church Plain.

4) Golden Mile

Like most seaside locations Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile offers all the tourist trapping with shops, restaurants and arcades. Regent Road is vibrant and full of life with locals and holiday makers alike. Enjoy the Landaus Station for a horse and carriage ride, Sea Life Centre, Britannia Pier, Pleasure Beach, Cinema, The Hippodrome Circus, Wellington Pier, Castaway Island Crazy Golf, Merrivale Model Village, Great Yarmouth Road Train and so much more. Including a vast number of arcades including The Mint, The Flamingo, Caesar’s Fun Palace, Magic City and traditional bingo. Literally all the fun of the fair.

5) Super Casino

There was talk of a £35M super casino and leisure complex which was almost given the go ahead by Gordon Brown back in 2008. However, such bold plans have been put on hold and we await further developments.

Photo: Pixabay (free)