the Sandbox
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| Riverbelle Online Casino www.riverbelle.com Whether it’s the Venetian, Paris, or New York-New York, gaming enthusiasts can discover a plethora of elaborate themes at Las Vegas’ newer megaresorts. The same, however, cannot be said about Internet casinos, many of which are limited by their presentation on a flat computer screen and plain old poor concepts. If there is one online gambling theme that truly works, though, it’s the Riverbelle. Online for more than three years, the Riverbelle is not only the best themed online casino, it’s probably the first to truly pull off an online theme, period. One thing is known: Riverbelle was the first online gaming site to pay out a big jackpot. The site paid out over $80,000 to a U.S. schoolteacher way back in 1998. The jackpot was won while playing Micro Gaming’s “Cash Splash” progressive jackpot. The site’s design and presentation are slick, yet simple, and its navigation and efficiency are top-shelf. The Riverbelle utilizes software from Micro Gaming, one of the world’s largest and most respected online casino software providers. A software download is required, but the site offers the option of downloading specific games to speed things up for users. The actual download process is typical: download the software, and launch it while connected to the Internet. Then register for either real or fun play (as a “Guest Passenger”) and you’re off (real money registrants need to supply a credit card number at this point and purchase at least $20 in casino credits). The site also gives users the option of registering for play via phone, which is a comforting alternative. You’ll find a large selection of casino games, but it’s the odds and loose slots that should attract you. The Riverbelle Casino’s slots deliver a minimum win margin of 95 percent, their single-zero roulette gives the player 2.5 percent better odds than the double-zero roulette offered by many other online casinos, and all the video poker machines pay “full” (or “proper”) odds. For transaction security, the Riverbelle, like many other sites, uses a third party for their e-commerce. They use Proc-Cyber Services (PCS) as their e-commerce partner. The site claims that PCS has “a thorough Fraud Department skilled at using the latest credit card control measures to ensure confidentiality of your personal details.” But perhaps most impressive is that the site’s payback percentage is audited by Price Waterhouse Coopers, one of the largest accounting firms in the world. The site proudly displays certificates from the accounting firm. Finally, Riverbelle offers a new feature called Play Check, which enables users to view all their wagers and payouts over 24, 48, and 72 hours. As for customer service, it’s top-notch, since the Riverbelle was the first online casino to offer 24-hour, seven-days a week, toll-free support. They even list toll-free numbers for over 40 countries. |
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If you still fondly recall those lazy pre-school days, and you now do your playing online, we’ve found a great site for you: sandbox.com.
Sandbox.com has been all about fun and entertainment for several years. The site is best known on the Net for its free fantasy sports games and stock market simulations. But recently, they have launched an area that will likely interest you: a casino games section.
The Casino-go-go section of the site includes favorites such as blackjack, video poker, and roulette, with slots, craps, and solitaire coming soon. The game play is smooth, the graphics are rich, and there is no software download needed. The only thing missing is audio to accompany the game, but I’m sure that addition will be coming soon. Of course, game play is not for real money, but Sandbox does allow users to play with “Sand Dollars,” which can be traded in for discounts on various consumer goods in the Shop Sandbox section of the site.
Along with Casino-go-go, sandbox.com has many other games and simulations to try. If you’re a sports fan, you should give the site’s free fantasy sports a try. From the popular fantasy football and baseball games to newer fantasy games such as golf and NASCAR, this site offers more than enough to satisfy even the extreme fantasy sports player. Draft your own fantasy team, compete against thousands of other players, and win some pretty cool prizes. You’re the owner, general manager, and the coach. That’s why they call it “fantasy” sports.
If the stock market is your thing, sandbox.com offers an abundance of stock market simulation games. Prove that you are the “Maverick of the Market” in the Sandbox quarterly stock market games. Register for free and build a portfolio of real stocks. Trade stock tips and game strategies with other players. Take advantage of stock research tools at your fingertips. You can even create your own private competition among family and friends, all the while accumulating those precious Sand Dollars. If you’re not interested in games or prizes, you can track stocks and make trade experiments using “PortfolioTRAC” to monitor the ups and downs of the Street.
| Fun with Numbers | |||||
| 60 According to Yahoo, out of the percentage of people who play games (such as bingo, chess, Monopoly, Jeopardy!, and the elaborate 3-D shoot-’em-up games) online, the percentage who are women. 7,000 The approximate number of entries for Casino Player’s “Best of Gaming” survey that were submitted online. This is the first year Casino Player has collected “Best of Gaming” survey responses online at www.casinocenter.com. $1,500,000 The amount of money game portal iwon.com paid out in its first six months of operation. |
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