Scott Taylor's Blog, page 59

Pocket52 Poker Sports League Season 5 – Bigger and Better Than Ever!

Pocket52 Poker Sports League Season 5 – Bigger and Better Than Ever!

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Lessons from a Veteran Staker

I started my career as a poker player just over 15 years ago, and my career as a staker a few years later. My motivation wasn’t entirely financial. It came out of a conversation I had with my oldest son Paddy in Vegas. Paddy is someone who is very socially conscious and keen to have a positive impact on the planet (at the time he was in his eco warrior phase).

When I expressed concern about the lack of positive contribution to humanity I was making in my own latest phase, the poker pro one, he shrugged and suggested that perhaps there was some way I could use my success to help others.

At the time post economic collapse and IMF bailout, Ireland was in the grips of deep recession and austerity, depriving younger people of many of the economic opportunities we had taken for granted only a few years earlier. Online poker was, however, still booming, and in it I saw the opportunity to provide a way out for young talent.

I decided to look around the local live scene in Ireland before eventually my gaze fell on a young low stakes cash grinder called Daragh Davey. Daragh also dabbled in tournaments both online and live. At this point he was grinding out a meagre living and had no really notable successes. As such, when I told people I’d decided to start staking him, the universal reaction was one of surprise.

“Why him? He’s done nothing special. Player X just got a big score in live tourney Y”

My primary reasons for choosing Daragh were his even temperament and his lack of ego which I felt would combine to make him hard working, disciplined, and possible to coach. His game wasn’t quite there yet as I quickly learned when I sent his hand histories to my new best friend David Lappin. At the time I did no coaching but David was already an experienced coach, so it was to him I turned to potentially coach Daragh.

After reviewing the hand histories, David rang me during the night (he didn’t think it could wait till morning) with his assessment:

“Stop staking him now before he loses another cent of your money. He plays like a coward”

Actually coward was not the word he used, but it’s probably best to leave it to you the reader to guess (clue: it rhymes with “fussy”). I stuck to my guns, hiring David to coach him, which was one of the best decisions I ever made. Over the next 18 months Daragh made us so much money he not only no longer needed staking, but had enough to become a staker himself in partnership with David and I as we expanded our operations into a collective, we called “the Firm”, staking about a dozen players.

While my initial foray into staking (Daragh) was an unqualified success, the same cannot be said for the Firm. There was no shortage of individual successes, and overall, we all made money (albeit probably not enough to justify the time we sank into it, and the stress it induced), but there were also heartbreaking cases of being stolen from by people we considered as friends, and players who just lost and lost no matter how much we coached them. Ultimately, we all quit staking as something not worth the time and hassle. In this article I want to look back at what I think were the most important lessons we learned

You have to trust your horses

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I’ll start with this one because I think it’s the most important. It’s essentially the staking equivalent of Doyle Brandon’s first law of poker (don’t play in a game where you’re not sure you’ll be paid if you win). It doesn’t matter how good someone is or how much they will win in the long term: variance in poker is massive (that’s why winning players need staking in the first place).

The swings are much bigger than most people intuitively expect, and tournament players in particular spend 99.9% of their lives on a downswing. It’s not unusual for a player who wins 100k a year but to be 200k in the hole and 200k up at some point during that same year. If he does a runner with the money after the 200k bink, or disappears or can’t be motivated to keep plugging away when he’s 200k in the hole, you have a massive 200k problem as his staker.

One player I knew who already some experience as a staker expressed this as “You need people who will fight for you”. What he meant by this is you need players who will treat your money with the same respect they give to their own, rather than a freeroll to gamble with and shoot for the fences.

Most poker players are fundamentally decent honest people who won’t deliberately scam you, so you have less to worry about the guy who just won 200k disappearing than the guy buried in makeup just giving up or switching to a gamble-gamble approach. But obviously there are a few bad eggs who will deliberately steal from you, so don’t stake anyone you don’t trust on that front.

Coachability trumps talent

As I said my decision to start with Daragh was less based on where his game was at the time (there were many other young players in Ireland well ahead of him on that front at the time) but where it could go. He impressed me as somebody who could be coached. This was a very accurate assessment but one I didn’t fully realise the importance of at the time.

Later on, I encountered many players both in my staking business and my coaching one who simply can’t be coached (at least by me). I’m considerably better at spotting them these days than I was back then.

Here are the primary signs:Ego: Often the most naturally talented players are the most difficult to coach. This may be because their natural talent blinds them to their failings, and causes them to underestimate what they can learn from other less talented but more experienced or studious playersImpatience: Ambition is good, but not when it tips over into impatience. An ambitious player wants to be the best they can be and achieve success within a certain time frame. An impatient player wants all that and more if not today then tomorrow.Bad Beats: any player who tells you endless bad beats and complains about their bad luck or variance is focusing on the wrong part of poker. The whole point of poker is that it is the variance that obscures the fact that it is the player with the superior strategy who will win in the long term, by allowing players with inferior strategies to win in the short term (encouraging them and others to keep playing). There’s a reason rich amateurs won’t play chess against grandmasters for money but will play poker or backgammon against strategically superior players.Argumentative: Debate is healthy but when you’re coaching someone you don’t want them arguing every single point. The best players I know are also the most unsure, the most prone to self-doubt and self-criticism, and most of the worst players I know seem supremely confident they never ever make a mistake.Discipline and routines are vital

When I was staking Daragh, a friend of his told me he stopped going out and drinking on Saturdays, in preparation for Sunday, the most lucrative online grind of the week. That’s the sort of attitude you want your horses to have rather than “it’s not my money so who cares?” It’s important to educate anyone you do stake that in a very real sense it is their money because anything they lose goes on the makeup pile that has to be cleared before they get anything. The players need to be disciplined and have good routines, but the staked and stable need to have good processes too.

Know when to cut your losses

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When I started the Firm with David Lappin, he brought up a concern: that the most profitable horses would make enough to go it alone (as had happened with Daragh) but the less profitable ones would require staking forever. This, he argued, meant that over time the average profitability of the players we staked would drop and we’d inevitably be left with the least profitable ones.

While it’s a good point and it’s certainly true it’s hard to maintain standards as the best players tend to leave and the worst to stay, it overlooks a number of factors. First, not all players who win enough to go it alone want to, for the same reason many people choose to stay employed rather than go for self-employment even when that’s clearly a more lucrative option (something I learned in my days in the tech sector when I was a contractor earnings multiple of the amounts the full-time employees I worked with).

Some people prioritize security and find it hard to sleep at night without it, and some players struggle with the reality of downswings when it’s their own money even if they intellectually understand they will win in the long run. Second, you can keep recruiting new players and guiding them to profitability. Third, and perhaps most importantly of all, you can cut your losses any time you want.

This third part is the part most stakers struggle the most with, and I include myself and my partners in that, for a couple of reasons. First, there’s a strong financial incentive to stick with your horses who are deep in makeup. If a horse who is out of makeup wins 100k, you get half of that (or whatever the agreed split is). If he’s 100k in makeup, you get it all. If you drop a horse in 100k of makeup, that 100k of your money that he lost is gone forever.

The second reason is a purely human one: it’s very hard to tell someone you don’t think they’re a profitable proposition anymore and you’re dropping them. It often spells the end of their dreams to be a professional player. However, it’s ultimately a lot kinder than prolonging the inevitable, keeping someone on the hook well past the point where there’s any likelihood, they’ll ever make a significant amount of money for themselves or their backers.

My biggest regret when I look back at my time as a staker is I didn’t recognize this at the time. Pretty much every player who lost us significant amounts of money were kept well past the point we all knew deep down it wasn’t happening for them.

The human mind very much hates accepting a loss. Any successful investor will tell you that the important question when deciding whether to sell is not “how much will I have made or lost if I sell now?” but rather “would I buy now at this price?” The poker staking equivalent is “Would I start staking this player right now if I wasn’t already?” If the answer is no, it’s time to cut your losses

Staking is not just taking

Most of us who started staking in the early days went into it naively thinking it was free money. We were all big winning players ourselves, so all we had to do was tell our horses what we knew and when they did what we did we’d all win. That was the theory: in practice everyone is different.

The biggest mistake poker players at every level tend to make is to think that everyone thinks the same as they do. Being a staker isn’t just a case of finding a potentially profitable player and then taking half the profit: you have to be able and willing to provide them with the individualized coaching and support they need to be successful.

Most of us who tried staking found it was not the gravy train we hoped for. Some like me were profitable but ultimately decided it wasn’t worth the time, effort and stress. Several top players I know but won’t name to spare their blushes bankrupted themselves chasing the gravy train. The stables that remain to this day like Team Xploit, Pocarr and BBZ are the ones who were the most professional in their approach and treated it as a business from day one rather than a side hustle or interesting sweat.

There’s variance but not just variance

Ultimately, I quit staking not just because I felt it had stopped being profitable enough to justify the effort and stress but also, I became concerned that it effectively ramped up my own variance. I observed that most former professional poker players had to go broke before they realized they weren’t beating the game anymore. There’s always the threat that the game will become unbeatable, at least online. If that happens when you’re not only bankrolling yourself but lots of other players too, the damage is multiplied.

These days I’m a lot more optimistic about the state of online poker, but the fact remains that if you’re stalking others, you’ll need to realize when the game is up that much faster to avoid going broke. The stables that have ridden out the variance best are the ones that put the most work into things like game selection (tracking which games on which sites are the most profitable), hand history reviews (to identify any leaks their horses might have) and mass data analysis (to identify leaks in different player pools that can be exploited).

In our group Daragh Davey was the only one to put much work into these, and ultimately the failure of the rest of us to do our fair share cost us all. Stables who do this work are not only more profitable for their owners, but also do a bigger service to their horses giving them the best chance to maximize their own earnings.

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Mengenal Situs Slot Gacor dengan Peluang Menang Tinggi

Mengenal Situs Slot Gacor dengan Peluang Menang Tinggi

Saat ini, permainan slot telah menjadi salah satu permainan https://www.shipwreckbarandgrille.com/ kasino online yang paling populer di dunia. Dengan keberagaman tema dan fitur menarik, slot menawarkan hiburan yang tak tertandingi bagi para pemainnya. Bagi mereka yang ingin mencoba peruntungan dengan taruhan kecil, situs slot bet 100 menjadi pilihan yang ideal. Dalam artikel ini, kami akan memberikan panduan lengkap tentang cara bermain di situs slot bet 100 dan bagaimana Anda dapat meraih kemenangan ratusan juta dengan mudah.

1. Pemahaman Dasar Mengenai Slot:

Sebelum Anda mulai bermain di situs slot bet 100, penting untuk memahami dasar-dasar permainan slot. Slot adalah permainan keberuntungan yang menggunakan gulungan putar dan baris pembayaran untuk menciptakan kombinasi yang menang. Setiap simbol pada gulungan memiliki nilai yang berbeda, dan Anda akan memenangkan hadiah jika mencocokkan simbol-simbol ini dalam kombinasi yang tepat. Anda juga harus memahami jenis taruhan yang ditawarkan di situs slot bet 100, seperti slot bet kecil dan slot bet 100 perak.

2. Mempelajari Fitur dan Desain Slot:

Setiap slot memiliki tema dan fitur yang berbeda. Sebelum Anda mulai bermain di situs slot bet 100, luangkan waktu untuk membaca dan memahami deskripsi setiap slot. Perhatikan jumlah gulungan, jumlah baris pembayaran, dan fitur bonus yang ditawarkan. Dengan memahami fitur-fitur ini, Anda dapat membuat strategi yang lebih baik untuk meraih kemenangan.

3. Mengatur Anggaran Anda:

Saat bermain di situs slot bet 100, penting untuk mengatur anggaran Anda dengan bijak. Tentukan berapa banyak yang siap Anda pertaruhkan dan tetap berpegang pada angka itu. Hindari tergoda untuk terus memasukkan uang ke dalam mesin slot hanya karena Anda berharap menang. Jika Anda mengalami kekalahan beruntun, lebih baik untuk berhenti sejenak dan mengambil napas sebelum melanjutkan bermain.

4. Menggunakan Bonus dan Promosi:

Banyak situs slot bet 100 menawarkan bonus dan promosi menarik kepada para pemain baru dan pemain setia. Manfaatkan kesempatan ini untuk meningkatkan peluang Anda memenangkan hadiah besar. Periksa promosi yang tersedia dan pastikan untuk memenuhi persyaratan taruhan sebelum menarik kemenangan Anda. Dengan menggunakan bonus dengan bijak, Anda dapat meningkatkan saldo akun Anda dan bermain lebih lama di situs slot bet 100.

5. Memilih Slot dengan Tingkat Pengembalian yang Tinggi:

Tingkat pengembalian atau RTP (Return to Player) adalah persentase dari total taruhan yang dibayarkan kepada pemain dalam jangka panjang. Saat mencari slot di situs slot bet 100, pilih yang memiliki tingkat pengembalian yang tinggi. Meskipun tidak ada jaminan pasti bahwa Anda akan menang, slot dengan RTP tinggi memberikan peluang kemenangan yang lebih baik dalam jangka panjang.

6. Menggunakan Strategi Bermain:

Meskipun slot didasarkan pada keberuntungan, Anda masih dapat menggunakan beberapa strategi untuk meningkatkan peluang Anda meraih kemenangan. Beberapa strategi yang umum digunakan termasuk mengatur taruhan maksimum untuk memicu fitur bonus dan mengubah taruhan Anda dengan berbagai periode yang ditentukan. Penting untuk dicatat bahwa tidak ada strategi yang dapat menjamin kemenangan, tetapi menggunakan strategi pada saat yang tepat dapat membantu meningkatkan kesenangan dan peluang Anda.

Kesimpulan:

Bermain di situs slot bet 100 dapat menjadi pengalaman yang menyenangkan dan menguntungkan jika Anda melakukannya dengan bijaksana. Penting untuk memahami dasar-dasar permainan slot, mempelajari fitur dan desain setiap slot, serta mengatur anggaran dengan bijak. Menggunakan bonus dan promosi dengan cerdas serta memilih slot dengan tingkat pengembalian yang tinggi juga dapat meningkatkan peluang Anda meraih kemenangan. Terakhir, menggunakan strategi bermain yang tepat dapat memberikan sejumput kesenangan dan meningkatkan peluang Anda. Selamat bermain dan semoga sukses mendapatkan kemenangan ratusan juta di situs slot bet 100!… Read the rest

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5 Best Tower Defense Games on PlayStation 5

If you get off on crafting up solid strategies and thinking out-of-the-box while at it, I reckon you should have a couple of tower defense games in your library. If not, what are you waiting for, mate? Tower defense games are the epic guardians of the gaming world, standing tall and strong to protect your precious kingdom from waves of relentless invaders. 

So, do you have what it takes to protect your territory from impending hordes? There’s only one way to find out. How about a go at our recommended five best tower defense games on PlayStation 5? Let’s dive in.

5. Orcs Must Die 3

The Lord of the Rings first gives us a glimpse of the Orcs and how ruthless and ugly they are. They come in various sizes, and boy, they pack a punch. Robot Entertainment must have seen the trilogy and settled on these beasts as the perfect antagonists for their series. 

Orcs Must Die 3 is the fourth entry in the Orcs Must Die! series. The game retains the same wacky sense of humor as its two predecessors to lighten the meat-grinding bit. You play as one of the two apprentice war mages defending the Rift from waves of orc armies. To do this, you get a set of traps, weapons, and special abilities. The traps do come in handy if you’re aiming for a slaughterhouse. Plus, it’s easy to set them up. Simply barricade alternative routes and drive the orcs to their doom. 

Moreover, the game has 18 different levels. Each level is a challenging puzzle that’s satisfying to crack. You’ll soon appreciate the sadistic angle the game takes, since the more torture you have the orcs endure, the more resources you collect. The resources are valuable in creating more traps. Also, if you have some rage in you that you’d want to expend, you can check out the War Scenarios game mode. Here, you face off with orcs on a larger scale. 

4. Elemental War 2

Elemental War 2 takes you to the depths of hell, where hordes of demons (elementals) are invading Earth. Your job? Build a solid defense line and take the monstrosities down before they wreak havoc. Developed by Clockwork Origins, the game goes beyond the traditional tower-defense game. Its creative designs amplify the gameplay, which gradually gets challenging.

At inception, you’ll start with one or two monsters breaking free. Their release is widely spaced, but eventually they grow into a crowd. Essentially, the game calls for fortifying your defense with plenty of strategically placed towers. This eases things up when all hell breaks loose, literally. Tough enemies may be challenging to take down, but they hold elemental stones. These stones are useful in building new defense towers.

Moreover, the game has side-quests. Completing these quests rewards you with items that upgrade your towers. Plus, you can face these monsters alone or go into co-op mode. Either way, the game’s innovative mechanics offer endless fun. 

3. Wild Seas

Not every day do you see a crocodile running for his life to protect a jewel. But finally, the day is here. Wild Seas by DuDeeki Studio has you playing as a friendly crocodile. In your possession is a generation-passed jewel that you must safeguard from pirates. 

Aside from the wooden staff you get to deflect enemy bullets, you can also purchase towers. You can upgrade your towers and weapons using resources you find along your perilous journey. The game offers varied gameplay with four distinct maps. Each map has moderate difficulty, so you don’t have to worry about wracking your head on this one. Moreover, the game’s pixelated art is simply stunning. However, don’t get it twisted; hordes of pirates will be coming at you to collect the treasure in your hands. Therefore, fast thinking can bail you out if you’re stuck in Davy Jones’ locker. 

2. Slaycation Paradise

Are you sick of vacation destinations that stick to the theme of relaxation? Are you looking to switch things up? Well, Mereg Games has the perfect getaway for you. Slaycation Paradise is your go-to post-apocalyptic getaway. The game blends twin-stick action with tower defense to give you a world slowly withering away. Think of it as a virtual go at The Walking Dead. The difference is that you won’t only be gunning down zombies. 

Through interdimensional portals, you can access various apocalyptic scenarios. Thankfully, you can access a diverse inventory of weapons, from magic wands to cat-launchers to flamethrowers and a pump shotgun. The Construction Assembly Turret Kit (C.A.T.) is also handy in curating custom defense structures. 

If you’re not yet sold, the game rewards you each time you visit these exclusive destinations. The more you tour, the more you unlock new destinations, weapons, and upgrade perks. If you’re dying to go on a vacation, this is one tower defense game that’ll make it worth your buck.

1. Endless Dungeon

Topping our list of the tower defense games PlayStation 5 is the upcoming game by Amplitude Studios, Endless Dungeon. The game blends tower defense with a twin-stick shooter strategy in the Endless Universe. You take control of a team of three characters as you venture into an abandoned space station. Your goal is to protect a crystal. To do this, you’ll need to recruit shipwrecked heroes.

The game will launch with ten distinct levels, each procedurally generated. Exploring the levels will grant you access to resources such as dust shards, food, industry, and science. You may use these to research and build turrets, heal wounded teammates, or upgrade the crystal.  

Moreover, the game will feature roguelike elements. If you fail an objective or die mid-way, you’ll respawn in a saloon bar. Here, you can strike up a conversation with other characters or gather weapons and upgrades before diving back into the action. The game is set to launch on October 19. This is one tower defense game on PS5 to look out for. 

So, what’s your take? Do you agree with our five best tower defense games on PlayStation 5? Are there other games we should know about? Let us know your thoughts on our socials here … Read the rest

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How online casinos can turn the tables on CNP fraud.

CNP fraud is projected to account for 73% of all payment fraud in 2023; a whopping 57% increase on 2019. But, what’s the reason for the increase, and what can businesses do about it?

In recent years, card not present (CNP) fraud has become one of the most common types of payment fraud, especially in the online gambling sector. In fact, overall losses are expected to reach $9.49 billion by the end of the year, marking an 8.5% increase on 2022. 

The reason why CNP fraud is so common is because CNP transactions don’t require a physical card, just the details from it. Fraudsters can therefore steal and use the cardholder’s name, billing address, account number, CVV security code, and expiration date without needing to obtain the actual card. But online casinos are fighting back. 

What is CNP fraud? 

Put simply, CNP fraud occurs when a fraudster steals someone’s credit card information for transactions that do not involve a physical card, such as over the phone or on the internet. It usually constitutes a criminal using someone else’s credit card information and is also seen as a form of identity theft. 

Understanding CNP fraud. 

CNP fraud can be detrimental to businesses and users in numerous ways. The most obvious is that the victim of CNP fraud may be unable to reclaim their lost money. If a cardholder is unable to file a chargeback successfully, then the responsibility for the fraudulent transaction passes to the gambling platform. What can make this scenario even worse is that if a gambling platform receives excessive chargebacks within a specific timeframe, its payment service provider may impose penalties on the operator or even terminate their contract. 

How does CNP fraud occur? 

CNP fraud occurs when a criminal acquires payment information from a cardholder without their permission and uses it to buy products or services. 

Nowadays, criminals can easily buy ‘fullz’ (packages of individuals’ identifying information) through the dark web or obtain via phishing attacks or data breaches. 

Online casinos and CNP fraud. 

Online casinos rely solely on digital payments, so are considered prime targets for CNP fraud. As cardholders are not present during CNP transactions, it makes it all the more convenient for criminals to use stolen card details. 

Online casinos often deal with high transaction volumes, making identifying fraudulent transactions difficult. That alone gives rise to payment fraud in online gambling. A few signs that an online casino may be vulnerable to CNP fraud include a lack of proper security measures like SSL encryption and 2FA and a considerable number of chargebacks.  

It is worth mentioning that not all casino platforms are equally vulnerable to CNP fraud since some have better payment fraud prevention measures in place than others. 

What are CNP red flags to look out for? 

Red flags for potential CNP fraud in online casinos include the following: 

Frequent chargebacks: Many chargebacks can be considered a clear sign of CNP fraud since players may be using stolen cards and later reporting unauthorized transactions.Large numbers of small transactions: Fraudsters may make several small transactions to test the validity of stolen card information.Failed transactions: Repeated failed attempts to verify payment information usually indicates fraudulent activity.Multiple accounts from a single IP address: Multiple accounts originating from the same IP address usually implies fraudulent activities, e.g., one individual using multiple stolen cards.Rapid deposits and withdrawals: Fraudsters often try to deposit funds, play a few rounds, and quickly withdraw their funds before their activity is detected. How does CNP fraud impact online casinos? 

CNP fraud can have a significant impact on online casinos in numerous ways: 

Financial losses. 

CNP fraud can result in significant financial losses for casino platforms. Chargebacks are a common phenomenon in this type of fraud. If a platform receives significant chargebacks within a specific period, its payment provider may impose penalties or even end its contract. 

Reputational damage. 

CNP fraud, once discovered, can severely damage the reputation of online casinos. Negative reviews and publicity discourage new users from joining, resulting in a decrease in revenue.  

Legal and regulatory consequences. 

CNP fraud can lead to severe legal and regulatory consequences for online casinos. Operators may face hefty fines or even criminal charges if they are found to be negligent in preventing CNP fraud. The costs related to legal proceedings can be considerable, which further adds to the financial impact of CNP fraud. 

Can online casinos recover from the damage caused by CNP fraud? 

While online casinos can recover from the reputational and financial damage caused by CNP fraud, it requires time and effort. For financial recovery, casino platforms need to implement strict CNP fraud prevention measures, such as anti-fraud software and multi-factor authentication. Operators can also work with payment service providers to reduce charges and potentially recover lost funds. 

In terms of dealing with reputational damage, casino operators can be transparent with their users regarding the steps they need to take to prevent fraud and offer compensation to those affected.  

Preventing CNP fraud in online casinos. 

Operators can implement various CNP fraud prevention strategies: 

Robust identity verification.

Implementing robust identity verification processes like Know Your Customer (KYC), is effective in fraud prevention and can combat crimes like money laundering. KYC processes typically include document verification, which involves submitting government-issued identification documents that the online casino verifies. Biometric authentication, such as fingerprint scanning and facial recognition, is also effective in verifying the identity of users. Read more about the importance of KYC in online casinos in our blog.

Multi-factor authentication. 

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires users to provide multiple forms of authentication, such as a one-time password sent to their mobile phone, before accessing their account. MFA enhances security by requiring users to provide multiple forms of authentication. There are three main categories. Something you know, such as a password; Something you have, like a phone with an authentication app or one time passcode; and Something you are, such as a biometric feature like a fingerprint, face, voice, or other biometric piece of information. With MFA, users must present more than one of these factors, before gaining access to their account. This adds an extra layer of security to the conventional login process. 

AI and machine learning solutions. 

Emerging technologies like AI and ML can help operators combat CNP fraud. For example, AI-powered identity verification services can validate player identities by comparing submitted information with external databases, identity documents, and biometric data. This helps ensure players are who they claim to be.  

Regular security updates.

Online casinos should regularly update their security measures for protection against CNP fraud. How often they should update their online casino security measures depends on factors including the size of the casino, the existing security measures, and the risk associated with fraud. However, operators must review their security protocols at least once a year. It is also important to note that operators must comply with anti-fraud laws like KYC and AML. 

How can players protect themselves against CNP fraud in online casinos? 

Players can protect themselves and prevent CNP fraud by the following: 

Only signing up with licensed casinosVerifying their identity through the online casino’s KYC processKeeping their login information secureFollowing the casino’s fraud prevention policies and proceduresUsing security features such as multiple-factor authenticationFrequently checking their accounts for suspicious activity or transactionsInforming the online casino of any suspicious transactions or activity on their account How online casinos can prevent CNP fraud while ensuring seamless gaming experiences. 

As CNP fraud remains a serious threat to online casinos, operators must implement robust safety measures to prevent it. Online casinos can achieve this through the use of MFA processes, state-of-the-art fraud detection technologies such as anti-spoofing facial recognition, and secure payment gateways. 

That said, it is equally crucial to maintain a healthy balance between security and a seamless gaming experience for users.  

Preventing CNP fraud should be a top priority for operators to maintain their integrity and protect their bottom line. 

Card not present? Well, identity verification should be. 

Our highly configurable platform for identity proofing in the gaming market allows operators to keep abreast of constantly changing regulations, and new fraud schemes and scams, while ensuring a safe, secure and seamless gaming experience. With our latest round of platform enhancements, we now offer UK-specific data checks, and financial risk checks, which provide operators with insights into a player’s affordability indicators to comply with the latest updates to the UK Gambling Act. 

If you would like more information on obtaining a UK gambling license, read our ‘Everything you need to know to get a UK gambling license.’ blog.

By

Ellie Burns
Team Lead of Product Marketing at IDnow
Connect with Ellie on LinkedIn

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Biggest Snooker Tournaments ✔️ Snooker Championships Worldwide

There are many events and championships worldwide, but to keep this blog post short, we will introduce only the best snooker tournaments. First, we will briefly present the snooker game and then introduce the major championships.

Below you can see the main sections of the article, and we added answers to interesting questions at the end. We listed major events like the Snooker World Championship, amateur, women, and more championships in various countries.

Why Is Snooker Popular?

The sports news report about the biggest snooker tournaments, their champions, and fascinating details about the players’ skills. People unfamiliar with this game frequently mistake it for pool and wonder how a pub game has international ranking championships. Read on to learn what makes snooker special:

GameSnooker Origin1875 in India PopularityWorldwide Government BodiesWorld Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA)
International Billiards and Snooker Federation
Snooker Associations in Various Countries EquipmentBilliard Table with Green Baize and 6 Pockets
White Cue Ball
Cue Stick (per Player)
22 Coloured Balls Coloured Ball PointsRed = 1 point
Yellow = 2 points
Green = 3 points
Brown = 4 points
Blue = 5 points
Pink = 6 points
Black = 7 points
White = 4 points for the opponent Counting PointsEvery time a player pots a coloured ball without committing a foul, the points are added to their score.
Potting the white cue ball brings 4 points for the opponent. Game DurationA ‘frame’ is one snooker game.
A ‘match’ consists of 7, 9 or 11 frames (17 or 19 frames for finals).
Some championships decide how many frames will be in a match. PrizesMoney Prize Pool, Material Rewards Highest AchievementCareer Triple Crown Series

The history of this billiard variation began over 150 years ago in India. A British officer invented snooker in 1875 by combining the rules of black pool and pyramids. The new game was easy to remember and, therefore, well received by his fellow officers.

By the 1990s, snooker was played all around the UK. The Professional Championship of Snooker was the first major event we know as the World Snooker Championship held in 1927. Joe Davis became the first winner whose name entered the hall of top and memorable snooker players.

Today the main event organiser of the best snooker tournaments is the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), but there are also Matchroom Sport, World Snooker Tour, and more.

The International Olympic Committee considers is considering snooker for entry into the 2024 Olympic Games. If this happens, gamblers may have more snooker events to wager on at the UK’s best snooker betting sites for 2023.

Most Popular Snooker Events & Tournaments

The most popular and biggest snooker championships draw spectators and players worldwide . Fans of the different national snooker tournaments and international competitions can view them on TV or sports channels.

Snooker’s popularity allows people to wager on their favourite players at the best sports betting apps in the UK. If you are still finding your way around the pool table, we will share the snooker tournaments you can watch or participate in.

Biggest Snooker Championships in the World

The 17 ranking snooker competitions are deserving of players’ and spectators’ attention. Besides recognition, the winners receive trophies and money rewards like the Snooker World Championship prize money of almost £500,000 (first place).

Depending on the organiser, slight differences in the rules, number of frames, and match duration might exist. Without further delay, here are the details of the most popular snooker championships worldwide:

China Championship: was first held in 2016 in China and now is one of the most popular ranking snooker championships globally with a prize pool of £751,000. International Championship (Snooker): has been held in China since 2012 and currently has the second highest prize pool outside of the UK, up to £802,000. Players Championship or the Players Tour Championship Finals is a ranking event with a prize fund of £385,000. WPBSA first held it in 2011 in England, featuring the top 16 players of the year’s rank listing. Shanghai Masters (Snooker): is a non-ranking invitation-only event established in 2007. This tournament is held in Shanghai, China, and offers a £751,000 prize pool. Snooker Champion of Champions: is a UK-based event established in 1978 and organised by the WPBSA and Matchroom Sport. It is a non-ranking event with prizes of up to £440,000. Snooker Championship League: has been held in England since 2008 and has both ranking and non-ranking formats. The prize fund of this Matchroom Sport-organised tournament can go up to £328,000 for ranking players and up to £205,000 for non-ranking players. Snooker China Open: is one of the ranking professional snooker tournaments held by the WPBSA. Established in 1997, this international championship offers one of the highest prize funds, reaching up to £1,000,000. Snooker Tour Championship: is a UK-based and WPBSA-organised ranking snooker tournament. First held in 2019 and is the final championship after World Grand Prix and Players Championship, with a prize pool of up to £380,000. Snooker World Cup: is Mike Watterson’s non-ranking invitational team snooker tournament held in China since 1979. WPBSA organises this international event and grants prize pools of up to £660,000. The Masters’ Snooker: is a non-ranking professional invitational snooker tournament organised by the World Snooker Tour. It was first held in 1975 and is one of the Triple Crown events. The current total prize fund is £725,000. UK Championship (Snooker): is a professional ranking snooker event first held in 1977 in England. The World Snooker Tour organises it, and it is part of the Triple Crown event with a total prize pool of £1,009,000. World Open Snooker: is organised by the WPBSA and held in China since 1982 (founded as Professional Players Tournament). Today, it has a prize pool of up to £772,000. World Snooker Championship: was established in 1927 by the World Snooker Association and is currently the longest-running ranking snooker event globally. It is held in England and has a prize pool of £2,395,000, of which £500,000 go to the winner.

All those events draw crowds to the arenas and in front of the TVs. One of the most exciting events is the World Snooker Championship 2023 and the events from the Triple Crown.

Even if you are not a devoted fan, you might find the biggest competitions entertaining. There are interesting twists and turns in the frames, and the commentators always share curious information, like who the richest snooker player is.

Women’s Snooker Tournaments & Events

Women are always welcome at professional snooker competitions and often win titles. There are also women-only snooker championships organised by the World Women’s Snooker like those:

Eden Women’s Masters UK Women’s Championship US Women’s Open World Women’s 10-Red Championship World Women’s Snooker Championship (formal Women’s Professional Snooker Championship) created in 1934

The ladies’ professionalism and skills are why many tournaments listed above have become some of the most-viewed snooker events. The most popular female snooker winners are Reanne Evans, Allison Fisher, Kelly Fisher, Karen Corr, Ng On Yee, and more.

The ladies also break records like Reanne Evans’ 12 wins of the WWSC (World Women’s Snooker Championship) and the highest number of consecutive title wins (2005 until 2014). Allison Fisher has won 68 main titles, which is still a record.

Snooker Triple Crown Series

Many players attend and win the biggest snooker tournaments, but one competition stands above all else – the Triple Crown Series snooker championship. This achievement is hard to get even by the best World Snooker Championship winners because they must win all three:

World Snooker Championship The Masters UK Championship

The Triple Crown Series is the most-viewed snooker event, and many players wager on their favourite players at the top British betting sites for pool. You may even find wagers on who will win a ‘career Triple Crown’ (win Triple Crown more than once).

So far, Stephen Hendry has won the Triple Crown series in a single season twice, while Steve Davis and Mark Williams had done it once. As of 2023, only eleven snooker players have won a career Triple Crown.

Types of the Best Snooker Tournaments

The biggest snooker championships are not only for professional players. For example, the World Seniors Snooker Championship is an invitation-based event, organised by the International Billiards & Snooker Federation. Players compete outside of the professional rank list and for different rewards.

The championships are open for people of all ages willing to show their skills and compete for a prize. Here are the main types of the most-viewed snooker events you can watch and sign up for:

Ranking Non-ranking Invitational Pro-Am (professional & amateur)

The most popular snooker championships are hard to get in, especially for beginner players. Don’t give up because one day you may become the greatest snooker player of all time and outrank Ronnie O’Sullivan, Roanne Evans, and the rest.

Interesting Questions

Many questions arise when we discuss the biggest snooker tournaments, so we selected and answered the most interesting inquiries. The answers below are brief and on the point, but we added links to more details in the relevant sections of this blog post.

*⃣ Why is snooker popular?

Anyone who has seen or played billiards is familiar with the competitive and fun character of the game. In the 1870s, billiards’ sports version was born and called the Snooker. Ever since, devoted players and fans of the game spread it worldwide and created the biggest snooker tournaments to rank the players.

*⃣ Why are the best snooker tournaments popular?

The list is long and includes national and international snooker events. The fans like the twists in the games, players’ trophies, and prizes, and the silent tension while waiting for the shot. Some of the most popular snooker events are the World Snooker Championship (since 1927) and the Triple Crown Series – the highest mark of the snooker player’s skills.

*⃣ Who is the greatest snooker player of all time?

Each of the biggest snooker championships has a list of their top players, winners, and spectacular achievements, and the best contestants win multiple championships. Becoming a Triple Crown winner is the highest achievement reached only by 11 snooker players. There are only three career Tipple Crown winners – Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, and Mark Williams.

*⃣ What types of snooker tournaments are there?

The most popular snooker championships can be divided into four : ranking, non-ranking, invitation-only, and pro-am. The ranking events are valuable to professional players because they allow them to find their place in the competition. The other tournament types allow amateurs and retired players alongside professionals.

*⃣ Which are the biggest snooker championships in the world?

Some of the best snooker tournaments players dream of winning are the World Championship, China Open, the Masters, and more. At the biggest snooker championships, the winning snooker players receive trophies, money prizes, and recognition. Winning a ranking championship is also a ticket to many invitation-only snooker events.

*⃣ Are there women snooker championships?

The biggest snooker tournaments allow in players of all genders and ages. There, ladies fair surprisingly well. There are also women-only snooker events where the contestants are divided by experience, age, professional or amateur skills, and more. All-female competitions include US Women’s Open, World Women’s Snooker Championship, Eden Women’s Masters, and more.

*⃣ How do I count points in snooker?

If you can watch one of the best snooker tournaments, you will notice that each coloured ball has an assigned value. The snooker rules state that each colour awards different points to the player. Don’t pot the white because points are awarded to your opponent.

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Are Aces Face Cards?

If you’ve played any kind of card game that uses a standard 52-card deck, you’re familiar with the term “face card.”

Any king, queen, or jack in a deck of cards is considered a face card. Face cards are near the top of the ladder when it comes to card rankings, coming in just behind the strongest card in the deck, the ace.

Do aces qualify as face cards? The answer is no, and let’s take a look at why:

What Are Face Cards In a Deck of Cards?

As mentioned, kings, queens, and jacks are called face cards in a standard deck of playing cards. The term is derived for that those three cards depict a face, or more specifically the face of a person.

No other cards in a standard deck of cards depict a face. A 52-card deck is divided into four suits (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs), and each of those four suits contains 13 cards.

The 13 cards in each suit start at 2 (aka the deuce) as the lowest card in the suit, and ace as the highest card. Note that the ace can act as both the high and the low card in a suit in many games.

Here’s a look at how these cards look, using spades as an example:

The two of spades is the lowest card in this suit, while the ace of spades is the highest. Note that the face cards in the suit (2 through 10 and the) simply display a number or a letter, along with a corresponding number of symbols for that suit.

The ace of spades has an “A” and one spade on it, the two of spades has a “2” and two spades on it, and so on. All non-face cards use this same system.

Note that only the jack, queen and king depart from this system. These cards don’t display a number or symbols that correlate to the numerical value of the card, instead depicting a picture of a member of the royal court. While the ace card matches the other face cards in terms of having a letter instead of a number, it doesn’t depict a person or a face.

Face cards are also called court cards, paint cards, or picture cards. All face cards count as 10 in a game of blackjack, but in most other card games the king outranks the queen, which outranks the jack.

What is the Difference Between a Broadway Card and a Face Card?

You would be forgiven for thinking that broadway cards and face cards are the same think, but they’re not.

Broadway cards consist of the ten, jack, queen, king, and ace of each suit. In blackjack, the ten, jack, queen, and king all have a numerical value of ten. The ace can count as one or as 11. A blackjack (or 21) is the best hand you possibly make, and the combination of an ace and any 10-value card counts as an automatic blackjack.

In poker, the highest straight you can possibly make is A-K-Q-J-T, called a broadway straight. The elusive royal flush is the strongest possible hand you can make in poker, and that consists of A-K-Q-J-T all of the same suit.

In blackjack, poker, and many other card, games, A-K-Q-J-T are grouped together in a lot of ways. Only the K-Q-T cards are face cards, however, while the T and the A are not.

Face Cards In Different Countries

Note that the face cards that we refer to as the jack, queen, and king in the U.S. (and many other English-speaking countries) are depicted differently in other countries.

French playing cards, for instance, call the king the “Roi” and place an “R” on that card. The card itself looks identical to what U.S. players see as the king, but the “K” is replaced with the “R”.

The queen is called the “Dame” in French playing cards (with a corresponding “D”), and jack is called the “valet” (with a corresponding “V”). Also note that in some countries, the jack is called the “knave.”

The ace in a deck of French playing cards is called the “1”, and looks just like an ace from a U.S. deck, only with “1” where the “A” would normally be.

Face cards and the ace can differ in these relatively minor ways if you’re outside the U.S. Keep in mind that the modern deck of cards was invented in Europe, and the differences you see when playing cards in the U.S. are alterations made after the deck style made its way to North American shores.

For comparison, let’s look at a couple of different versions of the queen of hearts.

The North American version of the queen of hearts looks like this:

The French version looks like this:

If you’re familiar with standard North American playing cards, you’ll recognize face cards in French, Spanish, and other European decks. The letters on the cards might be different, but the cards themselves look very much the same.

Is a Joker a Face Card?

While jokers certainly do depcit a face, they’re not considered face cards. Jokers don’t officially count as part of a 52-card deck. When you add jokers to the mix, the total number of cards in the deck goes up to 53 or 54, depending on whether one or two jokers come with the deck.’

Jokers are generally used as wild cards if they’re in use in a card game. When you play poker or blackjack in a casino, you generally won’t see jokers added to the mix.

The 52 cards that are in play in most casino games are the total cards (aka the non-face cards) and the face cards.

Final Thoughts On Face Cards

Face cards are usually some of the highest-value cards in the deck. When you’re playing blackjack or poker, having one or more face cards in your hand usually leads to good things.

Games played with the standard 52-card deck of playing cards can also include rummy, bridge, hearts, war, spades, and a host of other games. Be sure you know the rules of the game you’re playing and understand how face cards fit into your strategy.

The card probability of drawing a face card out of the deck is 12/52, as there are 12 total face cards in the 52-card deck. In a well-shuffled deck, you won’t see face cards (or aces for that matter) appear nearly as much as the other cards in the deck.

Check out this Wikipedia article for more on the history of face cards around the world.

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Who Decided Which Books of the Bible Made the Final Cut?

Many of the New Testament texts familiar to Christians today were being used authoritatively already in the second century, but different congregations preferred some texts over others and included some texts that don’t appear in the New Testament. Here are a few:

The Gospel of Peter

Only a fragment of this text was recovered in 1886 in Egypt, but it includes the only narrative account of the resurrected Jesus leaving his tomb. According to Peter’s version, two giant angels descended to the tomb and escorted the resurrected Jesus, who was also suddenly gigantic. But the oddest note was that the three figures were followed by a floating cross that could talk.

“And they heard a voice from the heavens, saying, ‘Thou hast preached to them that sleep.’ And a response was heard from the cross, ‘Yea.'”

The Gospel of Mary

Combs says that some apocryphal texts reflected theological and doctrinal debates going on within the early church, such as the role of women. In the Gospel of Mary (discovered in the late 19th century), Mary Magdalene is not only referred to as one of Jesus’s disciples but perhaps his favorite one.

In this text, after Jesus’ resurrection, he relays esoteric teachings to Mary, who then tells the other disciples. Peter asks why they should listen to a woman, to which another disciple Levi [Matthew] responds:

“If the Savior made her worthy, who are you then, for your part, to cast her aside? Surely the Savior knows her full well. That is why he has loved her more than us.”

1 Enoch

Purportedly written by the ancient prophet Enoch before the time of Noah, this text was well-known to early Christians like third-century theologian Tertullian and quoted as authoritative scripture.

The text is famous for its description of the “Watchers,” fallen angels mentioned briefly in the Old Testament book of Genesis. These angels lusted after human women and came down to Earth to be with them, creating giant offspring. In 1 Enoch, these angels also introduce evil into the world in the form of weapons, magic and sexy makeup.

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How to Play Roulette and Where You Can Find It for Free

Roulette is a casino game with an infinite number of spins.

Players bet on the outcome of the ball in the roulette wheel, or its position relative to numbers on the board or in relation to other numbers.

The game is played by placing bets with chips on various portions of the roulette table, which can correspond either to numbers, colors, or even whether the player is betting “even” or “odd”.

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Roulette is a game played with a spinning wheel that has slots for placing bets. In this game, the players place their chips on the table as they choose one of the numbers or colors on the wheel. The croupier spins the wheel and then spins it again after all of the players have placed their bets.

In order to win, you have to bet on a number or color that is coming up in a random fashion under one of those two spins. You can also bet on a specific range of numbers or colors by putting your chips at the back edge of those numbers or colors. There is also an option called “outside bets” which are any other number outside of 0 and 00 that you can place your bet on.

The odds at winning roulette

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BetMGM Partners With UK’s Atlantic Digital to Bring The Godfather, Other Movie Slots to the US

BetMGM Casino has announced an exclusive partnership with London-based developer Atlantic Digital to bring the studio’s titles to the US, with Michigan as the first market. Atlantic Digital’s content stands out amongst other casino content developers because it specializes in TV and movie-based slots and has licensed the rights to several valuable pieces of intellectual property. The first such title in the US is The Godfather, a slot based on the iconic 1970s Francis Ford Coppola film starring Marlon Brando as mob boss Don Vito Corleone.

The Godfather is now available at BetMGM Casino Michigan.

Additional games from Atlantic Digital will become available soon. BetMGM intends to extend the partnership to all other states in which it operates—New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Other popular Atlantic Digital titles players can look forward to in the near future include:

Charlie’s AngelsCSI: Crime Scene InvestigationStar Trek: The Next GenerationCheersThe Value of Licensed IP

Adding the UK studio and its content to its portfolio is a strategic move by BetMGM. Pop-culture slots are interactive and engaging, and the specific titles Atlantic Digital has licensed will resonate with Gen X in particular. They may also hold “retro” appeal with younger players, whom operators see as the most elusive and desirable group of online casino users.

Meanwhile, BetMGM has set its sites on European expansion, having launched its product in the UK. Partnering with more European developers aligns with that strategy, as it means adding games that the audience overseas will be familiar with. Last year, BetMGM purchased Swedish-based LeoVegas and recently became the first contemporary US operator to launch in the UK. Meanwhile, for Atlantic Digital, partnering with BetMGM means access to a large audience. The operator claims it holds the leading position for iGaming market share in the US, though DraftKings has begun to dispute that.

European Developers Are Targeting the US Market

Atlantic Digital’s entrance to the US through Michigan makes it the latest in a string of European studios flocking across the pond. Other examples of this year’s Euro invasion include:

1×2 Network bringing crash games to Michigan.Hacksaw Gaming bringing high-volatility games to West Virginia.4ThePlayer expanding to its second state, Michigan, in July.White Hat Studios and Greentube expanding to Pennsylvania in March and June, respectively.Could Atlantic Digital Rival White Hat Studios?

Atlantic Digital will give US players more options for movie and pop-culture slots. That emphasis will put Atlantic into direct competition with another IP-focused, London-based studio, White Hat Studios. Interestingly, White Hat also expanded to the US a year ago through a deal with BetMGM in Michigan, so the TV and film tie-ins seem to be a consistent strategy on the operator’s part.

White Hat’s content is now available at many top online casinos, with popular titles like Ted and The Goonies.

That said, there is a significant difference in the companies’ approach. White Hat takes a maximalist approach when it comes to bonus features and novelty mechanics. Many of its titles feature multiple types of bonus rounds or have power-up features that trigger randomly.

By contrast, Atlantic Digital is fairly traditional—though not simplistic—in its designs, usually sticking to a single exciting but readily understood bonus mechanic.

Game In Focus: The Godfather

[image error]Oliver Bartlett, Director of Gaming at BetMGM, called The Godfather “one of the most iconic movies,” which is hard to dispute. Coppola’s film is considered a masterpiece by many and is still highly popular five decades after its release.

Atlantic Digital’s take on the movie takes players in Don Vito Corleone’s office, where they can listen to the iconic music synonymous with the movie while they play.

Don Corleone is, naturally, the highest-paying symbol in the game. Meanwhile, the Book of Corleone acts as both a Wild and a Scatter. Spinning three or more of these Scatter-Wilds activates the free spins bonus round with at least one expanding symbol.

There are two perks to the bonus round. First, it begins with a hold-and-spin round, where the player can earn cash prizes, more free spins, or additional expanding symbols. After finishing the hold-and-spin phase, the player proceeds to traditional free spins, with one or more expanding symbols and an increased chance of re-triggering the bonus round.

The Godfather features some nice audio clips from the original movie. For instance, players triggering the bonus round will be treated to the eternally-referenced line, “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

The post BetMGM Partners With UK’s Atlantic Digital to Bring The Godfather, Other Movie Slots to the US appeared first on Bonus.com.… Read the rest

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