Defining a High Roller

Firstly, let’s assess exactly what is meant by a high roller in gambling terms. These individuals are those who spent a lot of their money gambling online, with the amount sometimes being dizzyingly high.

A common saying in the world of betting online is that “the house always wins”.

For a high roller, this is not necessarily the case. Indeed, history is littered with examples of high-profile individuals who have been able to make huge amounts of money from betting.

Some gambling sites have been set up to serve these high rollers specifically. A range of high stakes casinos are available to join, promising top-level customer service and great bonuses.

High roller psychology involves assessing how exactly such sites try to attract – and keep – users.

Casinos and Betting Sites Target Addicts, Not High Rollers

One obvious thing to point out about online gambling operators is the fact they do not actually want high rollers to play on their sites, as they win too much money. Operators are more focused on addicts.

Casino games such as slots are carefully designed to be as addictive as possible. The flashing lights, sound effects and game design are constructed to provide a dopamine hit which players will chase.

High stakes gambling behaviour often revolves around the subject of addiction.

According to the American Gaming Association, some 90% of gamblers practise responsible gaming. But that leaves a significant number who are suffering from some level of addiction to gambling.

Operators push players towards playing and spending more by giving out a raft of bonuses, from free spins and deposit boosts to free bets and cashback, returning a proportion of their losses in the hope that they will add more funds to their account – and lose that as well.

Naturally, gambling also provides a high, with the thrill of potentially winning a significant amount of money keeping players playing.

The American Psychiatric Association has produced the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV), which is its official guide to psychological disorders. In the DSM-IV, it says that there are 10 warning signs of compulsive gambling, which players should make themselves aware of.

For high rollers, there remains a risk of developing an addiction to gambling. But while they might spend large amounts of money on casino games and sports betting, most high rollers are not actually addicts.

High Rollers and Risk Tolerance

One of the things that marks out high rollers from regular gamblers is their risk tolerance levels. A high roller is normally a lot more willing to take risks with their bets compared to the average gambler.

While most people will get a rush of adrenaline when they make a major bet, this is not necessarily the case for high rollers. They are able to remain calm and keep a cool head, which can be vital.

Although some people respond to a beaten bet by chasing their losses in a bid to recapture their losses, high rollers are more capable of shaking off a loss and moving on to the next bet.

After all, high rollers have a bigger bankroll to play with, so a losing bet or two does not hurt them much.

Gambling is known for its ups and down, so maintaining risk tolerance is often very challenging.

But for high rollers, this is one of the ways that they can ensure they will stand out from the crowd.

An Analysis of Cognitive Processes in Making Large-scale Gambling Decisions

When a high roller is making their gambling decisions, what cognitive processes are involved?

Studies have found problem gamblers often overestimated their chances of winning a bet. But high rollers are able to more accurately predict results, perhaps due to using more data and statistics.

Many high rollers have a process they follow in order to find the best value for their sports bets.

This helps to line up a better chance of winning a bet, with the process never changing no matter whether they are on a winning or losing run.

Remaining calm and in control of emotions is crucial for high stakes gambling behaviour as well.

A Real-life Example of a Top High Roller

One high roller found it was not enough to beat the gambling industry – he wanted to be a part of it.

Tony Bloom is a former professional poker player who is now the owner of Premier League football team Brighton and Hove Albion.

While Bloom’s net worth is shrouded in mystery, most experts believe he is worth billions of pounds, with his riches largely being built on the back of the gambling sector.

Bloom made his first fortune at the poker table, but then moved into the sports betting world.

The high roller went on to set up a company called Starlizard, which calculates sports betting odds and places wagers on behalf of high rollers all over the world. Bloom – who has also had financial success via property investments and a portfolio of private equity – has invested over £200 million into Brighton.

He rarely gives interviews but previously told the media that he would play on fruit machines in an arcade as a child, so his involvement in the gambling industry began at a very young age.

The Englishman also started betting on sport as a teenager, describing his early dalliances as being “a hopeless gambler”. There were few signs back then that Bloom would become a high roller and an example many hoped to follow.

Bloom graduated from the University of Manchester, where he continued to gamble on sports, then took a job at the accountancy firm Ernst & Young before getting work in options trading.

A short time later, he decided to give up his career for professional gambling and he was on the path to being a high roller.

It was not a straight path to success. Bloom once lost £5,000 on a single bet in 1994, on an England v West Indies cricket match, but he was soon headhunted to work for Victor Chandler, a top bookmaker.

The 1998 World Cup made Bloom’s reputation for outstanding high roller decision making. He persuaded his bosses that France were undervalued and they went on to beat Brazil in the final on home soil, earning Victor Chandler a massive amount of money as a result.

From there, Bloom’s career as a high roller saw him set up his own online bookmaker – Premier Bet – which focused strongly on the Asian handicap markets that are popular in the Far East.

An unusual high roller, Bloom’s Starlizard company is now the vehicle by which he makes his bets.

How High Rollers Leave Their Ego at the Door

While some degree of confidence in gambling ability is necessary to be a high roller, ego should not come into it. Poker is an interesting area of the gambling world to look at in this department.

Poker players often have a substantial ego, but they have to be able to keep it in close check. As the game has professionalised in recent times, a more data-driven approach has become more common at the table.

Those who rely heavily on their ego carrying them through, by bluffing a lot, have been left behind.
Being a high roller can be something of a status symbol, but some individuals – like Bloom – have shown they can have huge success in gambling without needing to embrace the limelight.

While Bloom is a billionaire who has made huge fortunes from gambling as a high roller, many people have not heard of him – and that is just the way he likes it.

Perhaps other high rollers should take a leaf out of Bloom’s psychological playbook – and succeed.

In this blog post, we’ll look at some of the key advances in the history of blackjack that have come about thanks to technology. We’ll see how the game has evolved recently and discuss its possible future.

The Rise of Online Blackjack

Of all the blackjack innovations, the biggest one is without a doubt the development of online casinos. This wasn’t exclusive to blackjack, of course, but it still affected the game.

The world’s first real money online casino software was launched by Microgaming back in 1994. Details about this are scarce and it’s not known exactly what games were created first.

It’s assumed that slots were among the first digital casino games, though there’s a good chance that blackjack was available at the earliest online casinos. This is due to the game’s popularity and rather long history.

There were two key factors that prevented online gambling from becoming hugely popular right away. These are the lack of computers and the lack of internet access.

Back in the mid-to-late 90s, most people didn’t have computers and internet availability was still very limited. Both of these gradually improved thanks to consumer demand, though it took a while.

People wanted to access the internet for all sorts of things, not just playing casino games such as blackjack online. Thanks to the general demand for the internet, online casinos grew in popularity.

The earliest blackjack software was very basic compared to the games we’re used to playing today. Even so, people loved playing them and enjoyed playing other online casino games too.

Throughout the rest of the 90s and early 00s, internet usage became more and more mainstream. Likewise, online gambling became increasingly popular. Being able to play blackjack and other games from home appealed to many.

Software Innovations

The aim of online casino games is to replicate the real-life equivalents as closely as possible. The earliest digital games weren’t able to do this because the software wasn’t that sophisticated.

Naturally, as the technology behind computers and the internet advanced, so too did online casino games. New types of blackjack software enabled the game to become closer to its real-life counterpart.

Developments also meant that digital blackjack games became much safer and more convenient for players. For example, interfaces gained more user-friendly designs and were much more straightforward.

Graphics also improved not just for blackjack, but also all online casino games. The earliest ones looked like simple video games, though as time went on, they started to look more realistic.

It’s also worth mentioning some of the back-end tech that powers blackjack games. A key innovation is the RNG (random number generator). This generates numbers at random to ensure all outcomes are fair for everyone.

There have also been developments in general gaming security such as SSL encryption. This involves using codes to protect data from third-party hackers.

If you compare an online blackjack game released today with one that came out two decades ago, the differences will be clear to see. Anyone will be able to tell which of the two is the newest one.

The more recently developed game will look lifelike, have a well-designed interface, feature realistic sound effects and will be quick to load and play. It will also be powered by advanced back-end software.

All these innovations have come together to make playing online blackjack in the UK and elsewhere a smooth, seamless experience. Whatever type of internet-connected device you’re on, you can play blackjack with ease.

Live Dealer Blackjack

Live dealer games have been a huge success for the online gambling industry. They’re real-life games you can take part in through your online casino account. Live dealer blackjack games are now very popular indeed.

The way these games work is straightforward. The game, which is completely real and physical, takes place in a TV studio or casino and is filmed. Anyone who plays the game online watches a live recording of it.

When playing live dealer blackjack, you can typically communicate with both the other players and the dealer. This is possible thanks to a public message-based chat system. This makes the game more sociable, fun and enjoyable for everyone.

While live dealer games are quite common – there are lots of UK casino sites that have live blackjack and other games – some people don’t realise how advanced these games are. A lot of technology goes into running them.

First, there’s the equipment that records the gaming action and streams it to players in real time. Then there’s the online casino software that runs the game.

If you play live dealer blackjack, you should find that the quality of the streaming is very impressive indeed. Also, provided you have a strong internet connection, these games rarely lag and perform to a high standard.

What’s particularly impressive about live dealer blackjack is that you watch the action as it takes place in real time. The broadcast is live with no delay, so it’s as if you’re actually there yourself.

It’s necessary that these games are broadcast as they take place, so that players can interact not just with one another but also with the dealer. The software behind these games makes them lifelike and seamless.

Mobile Technology

First, you could only play physical blackjack. Then, you could play digital versions of the game on computers. Thanks to mobile technology, a new way of playing came about.

In the mid-2000s, mobile casinos started popping up. This was a key point in the history of casino games, not just blackjack ones. Now, people didn’t just have to play at home; they could play on the go too.

Online casinos steadily grew in popularity and the same can be said for mobile ones. People loved being able to play mobile blackjack and other games wherever they might be.

Mobile versions of blackjack became more technologically advanced, with improvements in graphics, sound effects and performance coming over the years.

While the games were initially designed for small-screen mobiles, they were adapted for tablets too when they started coming out. They were made to be fully compatible with pretty much any type of touchscreen device.

Both online and mobile blackjack have soared in popularity. Whether you want to play on your computer, laptop, phone or tablet, there are countless options available. What’s more is that there are new games constantly coming out.

Future Trends

As you can see, blackjack technology has come a long way, just like the tech that powers other casino games. There are many different ways you can play the game wherever you may be.

The most recent innovation has without a doubt been virtual reality blackjack. This is where you wear a special gaming helmet and are immersed in a virtual world in which you can play blackjack games.

Basically, you’re playing regular online versions of blackjack, though the virtual reality helmet makes the experience a whole lot more immersive. It does this by recreating a casino venue.

There are already some virtual reality casinos with blackjack games available to play. These aren’t widespread due to the high cost of virtual reality helmets. However, there’s still a lot of potential for this type of gaming.

In the near future, we will most likely see virtual reality blackjack continue to grow in popularity. What’s great about VR is that it effortlessly combines the real-life casino experience with the comfort of playing at home.

Virtual reality versions of blackjack will no doubt become more advanced as time goes on, becoming even more realistic with even better graphics, animations and sound effects.

Another area in which blackjack could see some changes is live dealer blackjack. While the current setup is already advanced, there’s a lot more that could be done to improve the player experience.

For example, we could see unique blackjack variants along with highly realistic customisable avatars and gaming environments. Speaking of customisation, games themselves could be adjustable in many more ways to suit individual players’ needs.

AI could also play a role in the future of blackjack. While it’s already being used at some sites, it’s no doubt going to become even more widespread in years to come.

With AI, the player experience can be a lot more convenient and efficient. Also, AI can help greatly with customisation, giving each player the chance to enjoy a gaming experience that’s completely unique to them.

In fact, there are a huge number of ways in which AI can affect the gambling experience. These include attracting and retaining players, offering a more personalised experience and offering specialised promotions and bonuses.

Summary

Blackjack is in an exciting place right now, with a massive number of opportunities available however you want to play. Technology has made it incredibly accessible and has enriched the gaming experience considerably.

The future of blackjack is very exciting indeed. The game is hugely popular and is very advanced compared to several decades ago. As technology continues to advance, who knows what might be in store for blackjack games?

By John Grochowski

Player choices make a difference in blackjack, regardless of whether you’re playing online blackjack or in a live casino. That’s one of the keys to the game’s long-standing popularity.

The most obvious choices that make a difference come in blackjack strategy. Do you hit or stand. Should you double down? Should you split a pair?

Basic strategy can be your guide to those options, but there are choices beyond playing strategy that make a difference in your chances to win or lose.

To continue reading this article, please visit: https://www.888casino.com/blog/choices-beyond-strategy

By Jerry Stitch

Video poker players who play the game regularly – or even not so regularly – tend to have a favorite game or few games. They tend to play these games exclusively. They play the same pay tables for these select games. 

The reason for this is these players have learned and practiced the proper playing strategy for the specific game (or games) and pay tables that they play. They do this to maximize the return from their video poker play. 

But what happens if they cannot find one of their games and pay tables, but there is a similar – but different – game/pay table available. 

To continue reading this article, please visit: https://www.888casino.com/blog/wrong-video-poker-strategy

By Frank Scoblete

The famous fashionista Tim Gunn has a theory about why today’s civilized folks aren’t quite so civilized after all. His theory can be filed under the heading of “the slobbification” of our world. Or some such title.

Today’s citizens of the United States and, perhaps, England, just don’t have a fashion sense the way they used to. Even the poor had “Sunday, go to meeting clothes.” Heck, Easter Sunday saw thousands of well-dressed folks frolicking down Fifth Avenue in New York City – and many of these people, those taking part in the parade, were not rich. They were, shall I say? All of us!

To continue reading this article, please visit: https://www.888casino.com/blog/dressed-to-gamble-casinos

The Inner Workings of Your Favorite Slot Machine

Matt Bourie2024-07-19T11:00:23-04:00

By Jerry Stitch

Serious casino gamblers understand the concept of the return of casino games. Simply put, it is the amount of money bet while playing a casino game that is returned to the player.

Most also understand that the return percentages given are mathematically calculated and are based on an infinite number of bets. They understand the short-term return percentages can vary significantly from the mathematically calculated long-term return percentages.

Few gamblers understand how the transition from short-term to long-term results works. Many gamblers, systems sellers, and pundits also do not understand this phenomenon.

Is any casino game ever due? Read on to find out.

To continue reading this article, please visit: https://www.888casino.com/blog/casino-games-due