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The Ultimate Guide for Beginners

For the most part, the best way to learn a new game is through personal experience. That’s true for casino games and esports alike. A newcomer can read all of the beginner guides they want, but they’ll have to learn a few skills the hard way. After all, that’s where the most robust strategies come from—a blend of instinct, experience, and plenty of studying.
But learning the ropes for casino games isn’t quite the same as cutting your teeth in a game like chess. Because there’s an element of chance involved, learning how to handle certain situations at the tables is even more important. And, as any casino gamer knows, there’s also an element of self-control at play.
In other words, games like blackjack and baccarat challenge players to bridge their problem-solving skills with their cold-cut experience playing that game. They’ll also need to factor in other considerations, like their competitors, house edge, probabilities, and managing their bankroll.
Everyone will offer you advice as you start competing in these games—but which beginner advice is actually worth your time—especially when you’re just starting out? Let’s dive in below.
Blackjack: Follow the Numbers
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games because it offers a high edge for the player. It’s incredibly popular both at online platforms, which tend to offer a few variations such as High Roller, and at brick-and-mortar casinos. While you might be swept away by the romantic ideals of popular players like Stu Ungar and Ed Thorp, don’t be distracted by those Hollywood-caliber stories. Stick to the numbers instead.
As mentioned above, blackjack offers a stronger edge to the player. Whether you’re playing online or in person, you can approach each hand from a mathematical perspective by calculating the probabilities and knowing how to make the strongest play. In other words, study up to excel early on at blackjack by understanding the probabilities attached to hitting and splitting.
Poker: Temper the Tilt
Similar to blackjack, poker comes with plenty of myths attached. Plus, poker has tons of variations, from three-card stud to Texas Hold ’em, which will greatly affect a player’s strategy. For this reason, we’re keeping our beginner advice for poker very basic: focus on your emotional reactions when playing to avoid sliding into an undesirable mental state. In the professional poker world, this is known as ‘tilt’.
When tilt takes over, it’s easy to start playing based on emotional reactions—not a strategy, experience, or how the game is unfolding. Regardless of which variation of poker you want to excel in, you’ll first need to keep your focus. Keep in mind that this is what separates amateurs from pros, and even separates pros from masters.
Roulette: DIY Strategy
When it comes to casino games, there are few titles with as many strategies tacked on to them as roulette. There’s the Fibonacci sequence, the Martingale system, the d’Alembert system, the reverse-Martingale system, and much more. These approaches lay out how much to wager on roulette and when.
But roulette’s outcome is entirely determined by a spinning wheel, which means strategies like these don’t offer nearly as much dynamic advice as in blackjack and poker, where the player has a mathematical insight into the game or the ability to bluff. If you want to succeed in roulette, be careful what advice you take from these strategies—and don’t be afraid to craft your own. Just like with sports betting, you should take into consideration your bankroll more than anything else.
Slots: RTP vs. Volatility
Similar to roulette, the outcome in slots games is entirely chance-based. For those who play digital slots, the outcome is determined by an RNG or a random number generator. And just like roulette, though an outcome is up to chance, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a strategic way to approach each game.
For slots players, keep a lookout for things like RTP or return to player rate, and volatility. RTP shows what a player could hope to win in terms of their total bets. Keep a lookout for games with an RTP over 95%. Volatility relates to how often a game pays out—the higher the volatility, the more often a win comes around. While it’s not easy to find a high-volatility and high-RTP slot, they’re certainly out there.
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Maryland Lottery and Gaming Comission Selects Intralot for Lottery System Contract

Intralot S.A. informs the investor community and its stakeholders that on July 15, 2025 the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission approved the recommendation to award a new Lottery Central Monitoring and Control System (LCMCS) contract to its US subsidiary, Intralot, Inc. following a competitive bidding process.
The vendor awarded the contract will manufacture the counter terminals and self-service vending machines that sell tickets at 4,300 Maryland Lottery retailer points of sale; develops the software that runs the system’s sales and accounting functions; and provide numerous related services that are necessary to operate the Maryland Lottery. The term of the contract is 10 years with a possible 5+1 year extension.
As part its proposal to the State, Intralot has engaged nine local business enterprises (MBE) to service the Maryland Lottery contract. Historically, vendors have used fewer MBE partners, but Intralot believes its new approach will create far greater opportunities for local communities.
Intralot’s financial proposal corresponds to a total estimated contract term price of $260,393,946.
The Gaming Control Commission’s approval is an intermediary step in the award process for
approving any future contract.
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ISI Sports Partners with Canton Gaming to Launch Retail Sportsbook at The Greene Turtle

Global race and sportsbook technology provider Internet Sports International (ISI) has entered into a partnership with Canton Gaming LLC, a retail sports wagering facility located at The Greene Turtle in Baltimore, Maryland. ISI is powering the retail sports wagering operation using its award-winning sportsbook system.
The Greene Turtle Sportsbook is now live, offering patrons a thrilling experience to wager on their favorite sporting events with real-time odds and live-action updates. The automated sportsbook kiosks feature a broad range of betting propositions suitable for both novice and veteran bettors alike.
“ISI Sports is the perfect partner to elevate our sportsbook offerings. In a competitive industry, ISI’s state-of-the-art kiosks enable us to set new service standards and continuously innovate for our guests’ entertainment. The seamless process from negotiations to opening was remarkable, thanks to ISI’s outstanding service,” said Jay Sapperstein, owner of Canton Gaming.
The Greene Turtle has been accepting sports wagers for two seasons and has now upgraded all 10 of its sports betting kiosks with ISI’s proven software. In the near future, the sportsbook plans to offer an increasing array of tailored betting options to meet the evolving preferences of Maryland customers.
“ISI’s advanced technology, combined with 25 years of industry experience, allows us to quickly support both start-up operations and providers transitioning from exiting platforms,” said Ernest Matthews, Vice President and General Counsel.
“With multiple sportsbook providers leaving markets across the US, more retail casino clients are seeking innovative, cost-effective ways to establish or replace their sports betting operations. Their existing hardware can often be reused, significantly reducing initial investment. The recent rollout went flawlessly, thanks to the top-tier facility and staff. We look forward to a long-term partnership, as we are confident that ISI is here for the long haul in retail sports betting,” Matthews added.
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NYC Council Rejects Bally’s $4B Bronx Casino Bid

The New York City Council has rejected Bally’s land-use rezoning proposal for its planned $4 billion Bronx casino.
The City Council voted 29-9, with four abstentions, against gaming giant Bally’s request to rezone parkland for commercial use at the Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point property it operates in the Bronx. The move effectively ended Bally’s shot to secure the required land use and other zoning approvals needed for winning a casino license. The motion to disapprove of Bally’s request was put forward by Bronx Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato.
The proposed $4 billion Bally’s Bronx hotel and casino resort, totaling more than 3 million square feet, was planned for roughly 16 acres of parking lots and the practice green area at Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point. The complex’s design includes a 500,000-square-foot casino with 3500 gaming machines and 250 table games, a 500-room upscale hotel and a 2000-person event center.
Bally’s, in its official application filed in late June with the New York State Gaming Commission, called Bally’s Bronx a “once-in-a-generation” investment. “This development represents an audacious vision to develop a former landfill and transform it into an economic engine for the Bronx — the borough’s single largest private development.”
Without Bally’s in the running, the field of New York casino contenders narrows to seven. Three developers previously ended their plans, including the $12 billion Hudson Yards West casino proposal from Related Cos., Oxford Properties and Wynn Resorts. The group dropped its bid following strong community opposition.
Three casino licenses are available for the downstate region that includes New York City. A viable bidder would have to secure a two-thirds majority vote from a community advisory committee before a proposal could advance to the next round and be considered by the state’s Gaming Facility Location Board, which will make its final decision by Dec. 1. In addition to a $1 million filing fee, the teams selected would each have to pay a $500 million license fee while also meeting the requirement of a $500 million minimum capital investment.
If none of the bids secures enough committee votes, the state will not issue any licenses.
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