Monthly Archives: May 2021

Best Blackjack Strategies That Still Work in 2021 | Blackjack Strategy 101 – GamblingNews.com

Posted: May 27, 2021 at 7:51 am

Finding a blackjack strategythat fits your needs as a player can often prove a bit of a challenge. Yet, there are time-tested strategies that will repeatedly work as you try them at different blackjack games, and those are the ones you specifically want to pay closer attention to.

Today, we will look at the best blackjack strategies, alternating between a basic strategy for newcomers, a list of tips to stick to as catechism whenever you play blackjack, as well as recommended actions based on the current cards you have in your hand.

This strategy guide is designed to be used as a continuous source of inspiration and browsed through repeatedly.Its a living document, but of course, you can expect the core principles laid out here to be true, accurate, and helpful.

You do not have to memorize the information listed here, as it will always be available and guide you through your next blackjack game, whether you play single deck, multi-hand, or some other version of the popular game. We help you beat the house edge by understanding the dealer, game dynamics, and expected outcomes.

The first thing you ought to familiarize yourself with is how a blackjack table works. Once you do, you will probably benefit from picking a game version that is played with fewer decks. 4 and 8-deck blackjackis very popular, and every basic blackjack strategy will cover this type of game.

Since there are fewer odds to take care of, its much easier to approximately guess the next outcome. Mind, you will not be able to ever guess the exact card coming next, so dont misunderstand the way this strategy works.

Well, guess isnt the most appropriate word here. You are trying to minimize the house edgethrough evidence that certain plays are statistically more likely to happen. There are slight differences in how you would play physical blackjack and how you would play at an online casino.

We will cover that in a bit, but for now, the basic strategy we have at hand here will serve you well, no matter how new or experienced you are in the game of blackjack. We consider several scenarios, including where the dealer hits and stands on soft 17.

There are a few slight modifications to this blackjack betting strategy. If Double After Split is allowed, you will consider a few other moves, including:

There are a few small adjustments that you may want to consider if you are playing a game where the dealer hits on soft 17. Factor in the following changes:

To make it much easier for you to play blackjack and still know that you are playing to the best possible strategy, we recommend taking a look at our strategy charts. There is no need to memorize any of these situations, although, as you continue playing, you will notice that your understanding of the game and its rules, strategies, and dynamics improves intuitively.

To help pack the most information in the charts, we have used several terms that are widely recognized in the blackjack communityand will therefore be a language that you will find familiar as you continue to learn about viable blackjack strategies.

Below is a list of viable blackjack strategy chartsthat are designed to quickly advise you on what to do next depending on your present cards, as well as what the dealer is showing. The house edge will vary based on that information, so make sure to pay a close attention to each strategy chart.

We have made sure to provide you with an easy-to-follow, color-codedcharts that will help you improve your blackjack game and win more often than not. In case of questions, you can send us a quick email or leave a comment otherwise, stick to the charts and place your next bet in confidence that you are playing the best possible strategy out there.

Since there are so many versions of blackjack, and they all more or less come down to the same statistical probability, its very easy to create broader strategies that always work and cover numerous variations of the game.

The key variable is actually the number of decks. Well, that and whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17. As you can imagine, we have accounted for both variables in providing you with these tables. In fact, the most common variation of blackjack is the six-deck version, but its duly covered as part of our 4 and 8-deck strategy guides.

Below you will find what we consider to be the perfect blackjack strategy for 4 and 8-deck games, designed to help you win consistently in the long run by making the right calls at the right time. Winning at blackjack comes down to two things knowing the strategies or counting cards. We will touch on the latter later, and for now, lets focus on the strategy charts.

Card counting is one of the best ways to approach the game. A basic blackjack strategy wont teach you about card counting since this strategy takes a fair bit of understanding on how to tag cards, crunch odds, and follow through with what the dealer is showing each round.

You also have to be aware that if you start betting and winning too much, the casino will start sending complimentary drinks, and the dealer will chat you up more often. When this happens, it means you are being vetted by the Sky in the Eyeand the security teams casinos hire to spot card counters.

Oftentimes, the people calling the shots are former card counters. The best blackjack counting strategy really isnt difficult to comprehend in principle, though. You basically assign values to each card in the deck as per the Hi-Low System. Now, since you cannot have 15 values assigned, you will use blanket values to categorize a group of few cards at a time, as follows:

Once you have these assigned in your mind and the dealer deals the first cards, you can start crunching the numbers adding from a baseline of 0. The 0 is reintroduced every time the dealer decides to shuffle. Basically, you are following the (+) and (-) to determine what cards are left in the deck, i.e., low or high cards, and act accordingly.

You can have a spotter who waits for the table to get hot before signaling you to come and join because they know that the deck contains favorable cards.

Yes. Blackjack offers the highest percentage chance for players to win. There is usually a 0.5-0.6% house edge that is inherent to all blackjack games. However, blackjack allows you to study the game with the precision that in turn gives you a very strong chance to win at both a retail and digital casino.

Las Vegas rules blackjack is a common term that describes the game that is available in Downtown Las Vegas. That includes the availability of insurance bet, re-split options, and a double down rule on players first two cards. The dealer has to stand on soft 17, which leads to slightly better overall odds for the players.

Yes. Blackjack strategies will vary slightly as you try different games. A quick look through our charts will show some slight differences in the single deck and multi-deck blackjack strategy. With this said, there can be only one optimal strategy for each game, as the cards boil down to mathematical probability.

This depends. When playing online, there is really not much difference because you will use blackjack charts. Of course, you still need to factor in whether a dealer will hit soft 17s or whether they stand. However, you can always refer to the charts in real-time. A single-deck game, though, is better to bet on if you are trying to count cards. Card counting is a great way to make money in the long run, but beware that each casino is looking to identify and expel card counters from the gaming floor.

Yes. You can actually bring a blackjack strategy chart to your Las Vegas casino with you. That is a common practice on The Strip. Its good to double-check with the dealer first, but ultimately you should be allowed to play with a chart next to you.

Yes. You can count cards legally in any casino in Las Vegas. The only downside is that, since you beat the house edge, casino security is going to ask you to leave if they suspect you are counting cards.

Yes. Not only is it theoretically possible to, but its been proven time and again. There are entire crews that used to play at casinos throughout the 80s and 90s that cost properties millions. The most famous of those is the MIT team.

Card counting is fairly basic and straightforward math exercised over the course of thousands of hands without erring. There are at least two viable card counting strategies where you just assign value to cards and start tracking what the most likely outcome of the next dealers hand would be.

No. Online casino games operate based on a slightly different model. There, you no longer have cards that leave the deck. Rather, the cards are shuffled again after each hand dealt. Counting cards in online casino blackjack doesnt work. Strategy charts are helpful, though, as they are unaffected by the shuffling.

No. Generally speaking, you do not want to take an insurance bet. Its better to act on a bet or forfeit your hand than investing more money, which will be lost anyway. The payout is small and doesnt justify betting on insurance.

No. You will always be at the mercy of your knowledge and understanding of the game. Even the strategy charts wont be 100% accurate because of the 0.5% house edge.

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Best Blackjack Strategies That Still Work in 2021 | Blackjack Strategy 101 - GamblingNews.com

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Highest-Value Online Blackjack Variations and How to Evaluate Them – Casino Guardian

Posted: at 7:51 am

Fans of the game of 21 have plenty of variations to explore whenever they join online casinos. Depending on the rules that you enjoy playing with, your budget, and your willingness to take risks, you may enjoy different variants of blackjack. One thing to keep in mind is that the house, i.e. the casino, always has an advantage over the player. This being said, if you find online blackjack variations with more advantageous rules, you may significantly improve your winnings chances.

While card-counting is popular among players at land-based casinos, when you play blackjack online, you will need to resort to different types of strategies. Looking for blackjack variations with the highest value may be a good start to a successful virtual blackjack journey. Combining a game with great rules and the right blackjack strategy may significantly tilt the scales in your favour.

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To be able to spot the highest-value online blackjack variations, you will need to learn which rules are the most beneficial for the player. This way you will be able to recognize games that are worth betting on. While you can have a fruitful and fun experience playing most blackjack games available online, there are most certainly several variations that will offer you the best winning chances.

If you are interested in playing blackjack, then you probably know the basic rules of the game. If you, however, are new to the casino classic, we will clarify players main goal in this card game. Blackjack is played against a dealer, with the players hand competing with the dealers hand. While face-cards carry the value of 10, the cards between 2 and 10 count as their pip value. The Ace is the one card that can have two different values, counting either as 1 or as 11.

The main goal of the player is to get as close as possible to the total of 21, without going bust. If the player holds an Ace and a face card, their hand represents a blackjack, beating the hand of the dealer in most cases. Although being a game with simple rules, when played online, blackjack can have different variations of the standard rules. This can significantly affect the house edge, bringing the players chances of winning higher or lower.

When you are comparing online blackjack versions, there are several things to pay attention to. Different rules may have a negative or positive effect on a players potential return. Knowing the best rules to play with will allow you to spot the best online blackjack variant, giving you the best chances for fruitful results.

When you play online, you can come across blackjack variations that use anywhere between one and eight decks. Even if two variants of the game of 21 implement the same rules but use different numbers of decks, you can be certain that the house edges of the two games will be different. The more decks are utilised in the gameplay, the better the houses advantage becomes.

Naturally, if we draw a conclusion from the rule explained above, the best online blackjack variations to play will be those that use fewer card decks. If you come across a version that utilises only a single deck, you can expect to have better winning chances than playing with more decks. Of course, you should also check the rest of the rules of the game instead of simply comparing the number of used decks.

Let us assume that a blackjack game is utilizing standard rules such as dealer hitting soft 17, blackjack pays 3 to 2, dealer peeks on Aces or ten, players can double on any pair of cards, doubling after a split is allowed, players can resplit up to three times, there is no surrender. If the player uses a basic strategy, using eight decks will give the house an edge of 0.58%. Decreasing the number of decks will bring the house advantage lower, with a single-deck blackjack variant having a house edge of only 0.014%.

Some blackjack variations will have the dealer side draw a hole card, allowing peeking for a blackjack if the dealers facing-up card is an Ace or a ten. In the case when the dealer is indeed holding a natural, the player will lose their bet immediately, before making any further decisions. The only exception is when the player is also holding a blackjack.

Having a game with the dealer peeking for a natural is more beneficial for the player. Although a dealers blackjack will cost you your bet right away, it will prevent you from making additional bets and still lose them at the end of the game round. The peek rule gives the player better winning chances, lowering the house edge by 0.10%.

Some blackjack variations may try to fool inexperienced players by offering a blackjack payout of 6 to 5. Keep in mind that the best payout for a natural is 3 to 2 and you should avoid variations that will pay 6 to 5 for holding a blackjack. Typically, this type of payout can be found on single-deck or double-deck virtual tables. As it was mentioned earlier, fewer decks give the player better winning chances. This is why the casino tries to gain some advantage by lowering the payout for a natural.

Although a 6 to 5 payout might seem like a better offering than being paid 3 to 2 for a blackjack, a simple example will prove otherwise. Let us assume you have placed a bet of $10 on the game and you obtain the best possible hand. A 6 to 5 payout will award $12 while the 3 to 2 blackjack variant will grant $15 for a natural. Clearly, the 3 to 2 option is much better and you should always look for variations with this payout.

The blackjack variations that offer a 6 to 5 payout for a blackjack raise the houses advantage by 1.39%, significantly decreasing the players chances of winning. Usually, you can easily spot the blackjack payout when you play the game online as it is visible on the table design. If you see that blackjack pays 6 to 5, you better look for a 3 to 2 variation.

Another rule that often affects the house edge in blackjack is doubling down. While some variations of the game of 21 will allow players to double on any pair of cards, others will offer this betting option only if the two cards have a certain total. Most commonly, variants that have restrictions on doubling will allow players to double only on totals of 9, 10, or 11.

It is also beneficial to be able to make use of a double down after a split. If the blackjack variation that you play allows players to double down after they have split their initial pair, you can enjoy a game with a house edge that has been decreased by 0.14%.

Splitting is also an important rule in blackjack, affecting the house edge under different circumstances. While some variations of the game will not allow players to draw more than one card to split Aces, other blackjack options enable players to draw initial cards to split Aces. If the online blackjack variation you have chosen to play allows you to draw multiple cards to split Aces, this will increase your advantage by 0.14%.

Resplitting is also a rule that may have different variations as some games allow players to split pairs up to three times, forming four hands. The most common exception to this rule are Aces, which can be split only once. This being said, there are a few blackjack variations that will allow resplit after the player has split a pair of Aces. This rule lowers the house edge by 0.06%, giving players more opportunities to start a hand with an Ace, which is the best possible initial card in blackjack.

Having the chance to make use of late surrender while playing blackjack is another rule that is beneficial to the player. If the online blackjack variation that you play allows that rule, you will have the chance to surrender your hand after the dealer checks their down card. Some virtual blackjack games do not offer either early or late surrender. We advise you to avoid such variations as the surrender rule can significantly minimize your losses.

If you are playing with the correct basic blackjack strategy, having the late surrender options can increase your winning chances. Combining the right strategy with an online blackjack variation with late surrender will bring the house edge lower, decreasing it by 0.08%.

With online blackjack variations implementing different rules, there are plenty of factors that will affect the house edge of the game that you are playing. Meanwhile, many virtual blackjack options will also offer side bets that can also affect the house edge, giving the casino a bigger advantage. This being said, if you decide to simply play the base game without making use of the side bet options, the players return percentage will not be affected in any way by the side bets of the game. If you enjoy making riskier decisions, however, you can make use of some of the most popular side bets that can be found at various online blackjack games.

One of the most common side bets you can find while playing blackjack online is 21+3. In addition to the regular payout for a winning hand, players can significantly boost their winnings by making this additional side bet. The 21+3 bet is won when the players two initial cards and the face-up card of the dealer form a specific three-card poker combination.

The three-card hands that will win you this side bet include Flush (three cards of the same suit), Straight (three cards in a sequence), and Three-of-a-Kind (all three cards must be of the same value). Depending on the difficulty of getting the hands, Flush, Straight, and Three-of-a-Kind pay respectively 5 to 1, 10 to 1, and 30 to 1. You will also win the side bet if the three cards are in a sequence and of the same suit (40 to 1) or the three cards are of the same value and the same suit (100 to 1). The house edge for the side bet may be different, depending on the exact payout of every three-card hand and the number of decks used in the game.

Perfect Pairs is another very common side bet that you may come across while playing online blackjack variations. Unlike the previous additional bet, Perfect Pairs is concerned only with the players two initial cards. To win the side bet, your first two cards must be a pair, the type of payout that you will receive depends on the type of pair you have drawn.

If your pair is of different colours, you will enjoy a payout of 5 to 1, while a pair of the same colour but different suits awards a payout of 10 to 1. Provided you are holding a perfect pair, i.e. the pair is of the same colour and suit, you will be paid 30 to 1.

You can also find side bets like Lucky Ladies, Lucky Lucky, and Buster when you play different online blackjack variations. Lucky Ladies is won when the players initial hand is a pair of Queens or totals 20. If the pair is of Queens of Hearts and the dealer draws to blackjack, the payout for the side bet is 1,000 to 1.

The Lucky Lucky side bet is won when the players two cards and the dealers face-up card form a specific combination such as a total of 19, total of 20, unsuited total of 21, a suited total of 21, unsuited 6-7-8, unsuited three 7s, suited 6-7-8, and suited three 7s. The highest payout for the side bet is 200 to 1 and is won when there are three suited 7s on the first draw.

The Buster side bet is won when the dealer goes over the total of 21 with a certain number of drawn cards. The more cards the dealer draws to go bust, the higher payout for the side bet is.

You can have a wonderful blackjack experience online, especially if you find variations that offer the best winning chances one could enjoy. While the variety of options can leave you overwhelmed, there are several variants that utilise the most player-friendly rules, giving you better chances for fruitful outcomes.

There are several variations of Bonus Blackjack that you can come across while playing online. The one variation powered by 12 Gaming, however, has one of the lowest house edges you will come across when browsing through different virtual blackjack tables.

The game has a classy design, offering a great casino experience to fans of the game. In addition to that, the rules implemented in the game give players who use the right strategy some of the biggest chances for fruitful results.

In 12 Gamings version of Bonus Blackjack, the game utilises six decks and the dealer stands on soft 17. It is allowed to double down on any two cards and you can also double after a split. Unfortunately, it is not possible to resplit Aces or draw additional cards to split Aces. In this blackjack version, the dealer peeks for a natural but there is no surrender option. Still, thanks to the peek, the losses of players could be minimized. The payout for a blackjack is the standard 3 to 2, with all rules of the game and the proper strategy bringing the house edge all the way down to 0.18%.

As we have already mentioned, having fewer decks in the game gives players a bigger advantage. This is why many software companies have developed variations of single deck blackjack. You should not be too hasty to play any variant of the game, however, as some of the variations have further tilted the scales in favour of the casino with changes in certain rules.

When comparing different variants of the game, Single Deck by Cryptologic is the option with the lowest house edge. The reason for that is the various player-friendly rules implemented in the game. Of course, as the name of the game suggests, the game uses only one deck. The dealer is required to hit on soft 17 and there is a dealer peek for a natural. The player can double down on any total of two cards.

Unfortunately, players cannot double after a split and they can make use of only a single split of a pair. Aces cannot be resplit and you cannot draw additional cards to split Aces. This version of single deck blackjack does not offer surrender but it still has an extremely low house edge of 0.21%. To be certain that you have chosen the right single deck variant, make sure to always check the rules of every variation and play the one that gives the best chances for fruitful outcomes.

Another blackjack variation that can give players better chances for lucrative results is Atlantic City Blackjack. Popularised by land-based casinos across Atlantic City, this game has multiple variations online. This being said, the version by certain providers offer better odds, with Microgaming known to offer the option with the lowest house edge.

Atlantic City by Microgaming has an elegant design that can make you feel as if you are betting at a top-notch brick-and-mortar casino. What is more, the rules implemented in the game are extremely player-friendly, allowing those who utilise the correct strategy to gain a huge advantage.

The dealer is required to stand on soft 17 and there is a peek for a blackjack. Players can double on any total, including on a total of more than 2 cards. In addition to that, doubling down after a split is also allowed, with players being allowed to split up to three times, forming a total of up to four hands. Unfortunately, Aces cannot be resplit and players cannot draw additional cards to split Aces. Atlantic City Blackjack by Microgaming also offers a surrender option. All of these rules contribute to a very low house edge of 0.35%. The blackjack payout is the standard 3 to 2, giving players the best possible outcome for a natural.

Blackjack Surrender is another variation that is commonly seen at numerous online casinos, with various software providers offering the game. The one variant that is worth playing, however, is the one created by Playtech as it offers pretty good odds for players.

When it comes to design, Playtech has made sure that players will have the same classy experience as they would in any major land-based casino. The rules of Playtechs Blackjack Surrender allow players to play with an extremely low house edge of only 0.35%. The game utilises six decks. The dealer is required to stand on soft 17 and they also peek for a blackjack when holding an Ace or a ten-valued card.

If you are holding a blackjack, you will enjoy the best possible payout of 3 to 2. You will be allowed to double on any 2 cards but you will not be allowed to double after a split. The game allows just a single split and you cannot resplit Aces. You cannot also draw any additional cards to split Aces. As the name of the game suggests, you will have the opportunity to make use of surrender.

As you play online, you might come across plenty of blackjack variations inspired by the blackjack tables you can see on casino floors in Las Vegas. Provided by different software companies, some of the options you can enjoy include Vegas, Vegas Blackjack, Vegas Downtown, and several versions of Vegas Strip Blackjack. If you want to play with the highest odds for a win, however, you should try Vegas Single Deck Blackjack by Microgaming.

The rules of this online blackjack variation allow players who use the correct strategy to play with a very low house edge of only 0.31%. As the name of the game suggests, it is played with only one deck. The dealer must hit on soft 17 and peeks for a natural.

Players are not allowed to double down after a split and they can double only on totals of 9, 10, and 11. The game allows to split a pair only once and there is no resplit of Aces or drawing additional cards to split Aces. There is no option for surrender but you will be paid the standard 3 to 2 payout if you get a blackjack.

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Highest-Value Online Blackjack Variations and How to Evaluate Them - Casino Guardian

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25 Best Online Casinos for Winning in 2021: Best Payout Sites to Play for Real Money – L.A. Weekly

Posted: at 7:51 am

The goal of this article is to outline the best online casinos currently available for particular games in every region of the world.

Whether you live in the USA, Canada, Sweden, Japan, or New Zealand, or anywhere else, we have the best casino site for your language, currency, and region.

Related reading:

For those looking for the most respected online casino brands, Red Dog is high on this list. While it initially focused on the European market, it identified that the needs of players in the US werent being met in some regards.

This is a great option for those players who are looking for security, as Red Dog has been around for years and has a license with many different respected gambling regulators. Therefore, it has a steadfast track record of protecting its players.

The design of Red Dog is so intuitive that even complete beginners to online casinos will have no problems. Another standout highlight is the game library that offers over 1,000 different games. Youll never get bored and get to play the best games on the market from creators like Playtech and NetEnt.

A fully-stocked up live casino promises an incredibly immersive playing experience for people who prefer table games. Last but not least, their slots variety is probably the biggest in the world, which is great as youll never get bored.

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If you are looking for an online casino that has been accepting USA players for a number of years, then Ignition Casino is a good fit for you. Having launched in 2016 with a license from the Curacao government, it has been a trusted platform ever since. As both biggest names in the industry, Rival Gaming and RealTime Gaming, provide the casino software, you can be sure that there will be a top-quality playing experience.

If you are someone who gets disinterested in games quickly, then Ignition Casino has you covered. The game library contains hundreds of games, including a variety of table games. For those people who want to replicate a real-life casino experience as much as possible, look no further than the live casino offering.

Many crypto gambling enthusiasts enjoy using Ignition Casino thanks to the great support and promotions involving the likes of Bitcoin. However, you also have the standard types of transaction methods to use too, providing you with great flexibility.

You dont have to wait long to have any issues resolved thanks to the 24/7 support, and the lucrative welcome offer means that you will be starting off your new account on the right foot.

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If you are looking for the best place to play poker, then Bovada Casino is the one. Bovada is actually an excellent one-stop-shop for all casino games and sports betting needs, but online poker is something where they really stand out. Thanks to the large base of players, Bovada Casinos poker offering match everyones needs. It doesnt matter if youre looking for small stakes tables or want to go after the big pots in high stakes and no-limit games right away.

Besides great poker games, with Bovada, you can start your new account with a bang thanks to the lucrative welcome bonuses.

The wide choice of depositing and withdrawal options means Bovada is a trusted company and that you can find the most effective and efficient option for your needs.

The library of table games and slots is not as big as some of its competitors have. However, they place more focus on quality over quantity.

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Ruby Fortune Casino might not be as famous as the other casinos mentioned on this list, but it is definitely the best place for playing blackjack. Players are safe knowing that it has been in business for more than two decades and has built up a good track record during this time period.

Users will be particularly impressed by the strong table games selection, with over 650 games in total making up the game library at Ruby Fortune.

For fans of blackjack, you have a huge range of different titles to check out. Standard variants are present, as well as some more niche types of variants such as Blackjack Multi-hand. This means that Ruby Fortune Casino can be a one-stop-shop for your blackjack needs.

Leading game developer Microgaming provides most of these titles. In all, 35 blackjack titles are available to check out. You will find it hard to discover a more extensive offering in this regard.

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Spin Palace Casino has long been one of the more popular online casino platforms, having first launched back in 2001. You can choose from more than 600 titles, covering the most popular game types. However, its roulette offering stands out from the rest.

In any other online casino, you will come across a handful of different roulette variants. However, Spin Palace Casino players can access many exciting live roulette variants covering a wide range of betting limits.

If you are playing via mobile, you have full access to every roulette game in a simple-to-play manner. Therefore, no matter where you are, you will still be able to access all of the roulette games you could ever need.

The live casino aspect of blackjack games is what makes Spin Palace Casino exceptional. You can play roulette in an immersive environment thanks to real-life dealers, and it can be a fascinating experience.

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If you are looking at what online casinos have to offer, you will see that a wide variety of game types are available to you. All gambling sites have their own unique identities and offer different playing experiences. Here are some of the most popular real money casino games you will come across:

The bulk of most game libraries at online casinos are slots titles. These will range from basic, classic-style slots to very modern video slots with amazing graphics. The newer types of games are often very innovative, offering all sorts of special features and bonus rounds. Some will also be jackpot games with big prizes on offer.

To quickly gauge the quality of a slots offering, you can look which game developers are providing these games to an online casino.

Blackjack is a famous table game that has been the focus of many movies and documentaries over the years. While card counting at casinos is not really something that is possible anymore, blackjack games are still very exciting to play.

You will often find a number of interesting variants at casinos that tweak the standard gameplay. This includes introducing certain side bets, playing multiple hands at once, and playing with just one deck of cards.

Roulette is another extremely popular online casino game. The excitement of the spinning roulette wheel at casinos has people on the edge of their seats. You have many different bets that you can place, with many exciting variants being on offer. As well as the standard European and French Roulette options, you can often come across fun variants like Immersive Roulette, Speed Roulette, and Auto Roulette.

Most online casinos offer some sorts of poker games. These can be in the form of casino poker, whereby you are playing against the house. There will also often be video poker options at casinos, which hold some similarities to a slot game. Finally, some casino sites have a poker platform that allows you to pit yourself against other real-life players.

Craps is another game that has become popularized by movies. The scene of people gathered around a craps table while someone throws the dice is iconic.

In most cases, you will only find the classic craps game in online casinos, as you will not really find any variants. You still can capture some of the excitement as you hold your breath and see what the dice turn up.

Baccarat is very popular at casinos among high rollers thanks to the low house edge. This popular game pits the players hand against the dealers hand. You simply bet on whichever hand you think is going to be the winner. As well as standard baccarat, other popular variants include No-Commission Baccarat and Punto Banco.

Keno is a game that holds a lot of similarities to bingo due to its lottery elements. The player has to choose a certain amount of numbers at the start of the game. Random numbers are then pulled out of the pot, and you mark your card if you have matched a number. The payouts will vary depending on the game type, the casino site, and how many balls are in play.

As you can see, gambling sites offer loads of different types of casino games that you can play online. You really have an abundance of choices available to you. No longer do you have to visit a physical casino in order to play your favorite games or face constraints due to the selection of land-based casinos.

Now you can play at real money online casinos from your mobile device no matter where you might be. The difference is huge. When you are looking at playing casino games online, two main distinctions are under consideration.

You will come across casino games that are free to play, whereby you do not put any real money on the line. Then you have the real money casino games where you will be in with a chance of profiting when you are successful. Here is a look at these two key distinctions:

A lot of people who do not have much experience playing casino games will often begin their journey by using free-to-play games. This means that they will be using virtual money and not having to risk anything. This is a good way to learn the rules of a given game and get familiar with a given platform.

Most online casinos these days will allow people to play a lot of the available titles for free. Sometimes, you need just to have an account with that platform, while others require you to have made a real money deposit. Even experienced online casino players will often use the demo games to try out new strategies without risk their real money.

One of the most exciting aspects of playing games at real money online casinos is being in with a chance to win real money. If you do not put any skin in the game, you are usually not going to be able to reap the rewards from the playing experience.

The ability to both lose money and win real money on casino sites means that adrenaline will be pumping. You can also enjoy playing the game itself, but with an extra edge involved.

It is important that people gamble responsibly and do not get overly emotional when playing. However, the excitement that can come from playing online casino games is why most people will use real money. They will still have the option to play games in demo mode if they wish.

If you have concerns about spending too much playing real money casino games, most operators will have useful account tools that you can use. This can include setting a limit on how much you can deposit in a given time period, a betting limit, or a cap on your net losses.

The best online casino sites will have a welcome bonus package for real money players. These can come in many forms, such as free spins, a match bonus, bonus funds, and no deposit offers. Deposit bonuses are the most popular.

Usually, the online gambling operator requires you to make a min deposit. After making the min deposit, you will normally need to meet the offers wagering requirement before cashing out the bonus funds. This is a protection mechanism for casinos, otherwise all the professional gamblers communities, like CasualGambling, would take advantage of these welcome bonuses.

The legality of online casinos in the USA will vary on a state-by-state basis. Many states have a regulated online casino sector up and running, while others will not prosecute new players for using offshore online casinos.

A payout percentage is a useful way that you can compare the expected win rate of different types of online casino games. If a game has a win rate of 99%, you would expect to get a return of $99 from $100 in bets over the long-term.

Table games generally will have the best payout percentages at online casinos. The likes of blackjack, video poker, and baccarat have some of the best payout rates at casino sites.

You need to first make sure that you are dealing with a reputable online casino. This means checking to see if the online casino has a license, encryption technology, separation of player funds, and secure payment methods.

Many blackjack games have very high RTPs, with the house edge for online casinos being minimal. Super 7 Blackjack is a game that you will come across at some online casinos and it has a payout rate of 99.59%.

Related reading: Best csgo gambling sites

If you are using casino sites in the UK visit these organizations for free gambling addiction resources. All sites are 18+ only. Please gamble responsibly. #AD

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The Ritz Club London Owes Over 781,000 to Customers After Casino Permanent Closure in May – Casino Guardian

Posted: at 7:51 am

Some gamblers at the Ritz Club have lost over 780,000 in transactions following the clubs basement casino was forced to cease operation during the first lockdown.

Reportedly, patrons, including billionaires and celebrities, have been devastated after the announcement of the gambling establishments closure because of the coronavirus pandemic outbreak before it permanently stopped operation.

Celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Al Pacino and Bill Clinton have been among the customers of the gambling venue before it closed at the end of May 2020 never to reopen. The club had operated as part of the world-famous Ritz Hotel that was sold in March 2020 to an investor from Qatar by Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay.

The iconic casino, which was situated in a basement ballroom, had announced losses amounting to over 20 million in 2018 and 2019. Despite its popularity, it was unable to start working again after its sale for a total of 750 million. Recently, the major gambling regulator in the UK the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has revealed that the total amount that is owed by the casino to its customers is estimated at 781,585.

The aforementioned amount was released after Metro.co.uk made a request under the Freedom of Information Act. The request was initially rejected until an internal review was completed.

According to Private Eye, a separate amount of 409,551 that was related to two table games existed, too. As reported by the magazine, 224,666 was taken on blackjack and 184,885 was taken on three Card Poker, with the fate of the cash still remaining unknown. Reportedly, the money was intended for a progressive jackpot and was also subject to legal obligations and special terms and conditions as casino patrons built up funds.

The Ritz Club London stopped working temporarily on March 19th, 2020, right before the UK Government announced the first lockdown in the country. Its members received an email informing them that the club is permanently shut and will not resume operation.

Reportedly, the members were devastated to learn that, especially considering the clientele described the casino as the most prestigious and respected one in the UK. The club was established in the late 1970s but reopened in 1998 under new ownership after the billionaire brothers Barclay bought the Ritz in 1995. In January 2020, they injected 8 million into Ritz Club as they sought a buyer for the hotel.

The casino had announced an 8.9-million loss in the year that ended on December 31st, 2018, followed by an 11.3-million in 2019.

The operating licence of the club has been taken over by the Hard Rock Cafe. The new venue is set to be situated in the establishments basement. As a response to a Freedom of Information inquiry, the UKGC confirmed that the Ritz Club owes a total of 781,585 to gamblers at the time when the original request for information was made. Reportedly, the gambling regulator advised gamblers to consider whether the casino has violated any contractual obligations and to seek compensation if it has.

Olivia Cole has worked as a journalist for several years now. Over the last couple of years she has been engaged in writing about a number of industries and has developed an interest for the gambling market in the UK.

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Connecticut on Path to Legalize iGaming in Next Few Weeks – LegalUSPokerSites.com

Posted: at 7:51 am

Home Poker News Connecticut iGaming Progresses but Florida Omits It

As has been the case for years, a handful of American states tossed around the idea of legalizing online poker in 2021, most often alongside online casino games and/or sports betting. Most of those bills die a few months into the year with no progress.

Connecticut, however, is a different story in 2021. Native American tribes (Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan) have long wanted the opportunity to offer online poker and casino games to complement their land-based gambling revenue. But Governor Ned Lamont declined in past years due to concerns regarding MGM Resorts legal action and general perceived igaming difficulties and complications.

This year is different, though, and agreements among all parties seem to be pushing the Connecticut bill forward with approval from the Connecticut House.

In Illinois, members of its legislature continued to consider igaming as part of its larger efforts to expand gambling in the state. However, instead of doing so with the information available, a new Senate bill proposed a study due later this year to examine revenue potential.

Meanwhile, Florida dismissed the opportunity to legalize online gaming alongside sports betting via a new tribal compact.

The Connecticut legislature was all over the place at in 2021 with bills regarding gambling expansion. State Senator Catherine Osten put forward SB.146, which seemed to be the most comprehensive bill and the one that specifically included online poker and casino games.

However, Governor Lamont emerged from intensive talks with tribal leaders this year with a bill of his own HB.6451. There are other associated bills, but Lamont specifically touted his legislation, which passed the Connecticut House of Representatives last week. It sailed through the Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding before hitting the House floor on May 18.

The House needed 72 votes to pass the bill but received 122 yea votes as opposed to only 21 nay votes. Eight members were absent or chose not to vote on the measure.

After that May 20 vote, the House sent the bill to the Senate the next day.

In his press release touting the move, Governor Lamont focused heavily on sports betting and urged action. I look forward to this measures swift passage in the Senate, he said, so we can start the federal process of ensuring this legislation and agreement is authorized.

The title of the HB.6451 reported that it is an act concerning the authorization, licensing and regulation of online casino gaming, ,retail and online sports wagering, fantasy contests, keno and online sale of lottery tickets.

The word poker did not appear in the original iteration of that bill. The first full substitute bill did mention online poker in the following contexts:

Online casino gaming means slots, blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, poker and video poker, bingo, live dealer and other peer-to-peer games, and any variations of them, and any games authorized by the Department of Consumer Protection, conducted over the internet

Authorized games means any game of chance, including, but not limited to, blackjack, poker, dice money-wheels, roulette, baccarat, chuck-a-luck and any other game of chance authorized by the Commission or Consumer Protection.

Gambling means risking any money, credit, deposit or other thing of value for gain contingent in whole or in part upon lot, chance or the operation of a gambling device, including the playing of a casino gambling game such as blackjack, poker, craps, roulette or a slot machine.

The final bill passed by the House included the same language. It is unclear, though, what the authors mean by poker. If they mean true, peer-to-peer online poker online, then all is well for poker players. There is a chance, however, that they could mention poker as a table game, such as Three-Card Poker.

As it stands, the legislation does not specifically mention online poker.

(Authors note: If only there was an organization of some sort that could represent online poker and its players in situations like this, something like the Poker Alliancebut I digress.)

There has been chatter for years that the Seminole Tribe of Florida wanted to expand its gambling beyond land-based casinos. They specifically wanted to offer online poker and casino games. This year was the first that it had the chance to do so with any seriousness, as tribal leaders worked with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis worked on a new compact.

In April, the Seminoles and DeSantis finalized that new gaming compact to the tune of $500 million. This means that the tribe will pay the state at least $500M in annual payments. The focus was on sports betting via a mobile app, and the new compact authorizes betting on sports, including collegiate and individual events and Olympic competitions. And the Seminoles now have an exclusive hold on the market for 30 years.

Online Poker Report pointed out that there had been a clause in that new gaming compact to allow good faith negotiations to consider amending the compact to include more online games. This could have, theoretically, included online casino games and online poker.

As the State Senate took up the bill, lawmakers in both houses agreed to remove that clause. House Speaker Chris Sprowls noted, Some language in the compact could be construed to lead to the backdoor expansion of online gaming. Even the mere possibility of this was unacceptable.

The bill is now likely to pass with regard to sports betting only.

There are hurdles, though. Not only did the Florida legislature need to approve it, the US Department of the Interior must do the same. In addition, a group of business leaders and others who oppose gambling expansion in Florida plan to sue. They claim that the 2018 ballot measure (Amendment 3) gave the right to authorize gaming compact changes solely to the voters of the state. The lawsuit will be based on DeSantis violating that law, changing the compact without voter approval.

Sports betting may be tied up in court for years. And it looks like lawmakers are miles away from even considering online poker and casinos for the state of Florida.

About Jennifer Newell

Disclaimer: The information on this site is my interpretation of the laws as made available online. It is in no way meant to serve as legal advice or instruction. We recommend that you seek legal advice from a licensed attorney for further or official guidance.

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Why didnt the Eternals help fight Thanos? – The Daily Dot

Posted: May 24, 2021 at 8:25 pm

The first Eternals trailer is pretty enigmatic, but it does introduce new fans to the basic concept of the film: The Eternals are a group of immortal, superpowered aliens who settled on Earth thousands of years ago. And they chose not to interfere in human affairs until now.

That until now thing is kind of a head-scratcher because it introduces a silent question hanging over the films head. Why did these heroes ignore 7,000 years of genocide, war, and natural disasters, including Thanos killing off half the worlds population? It doesnt seem to be a King Arthur situation where they just took a really long nap. They just decided it wasnt their place to interfere.

This is an unavoidable problem when telling a story about immortal characters and/or a secret civilization living alongside our own. In Wonder Woman, the Amazons were physically secluded from the rest of the world, with Diana choosing to leave the island of Themyscira during WWI. In the Old Guard comics and Netflix movies, the immortal heroes secretly fought in numerous wars throughout history. Meanwhile, the Minions franchise found a tongue-in-cheek explanation for why the Minions didnt team up with real 20th century villains like Hitler. They were frozen in an ice cave from 1812 to 1968.

The writers of the Transformers franchise werent quite so circumspect, positing that the Transformers worked alongside Harriet Tubman. This inevitably led people to wonder why the Transformers didnt do more to end slavery. Not the kind of question you want people to ask about a new Marvel spinoff.

We cant judge a full movie based on its trailer, but The Eternals writers may have an uphill battle on their hands here. While audiences will happily suspend their disbelief for fantasy concepts like magic and immortality, we have a different response to real historical events. The initial conflict of The Eternals will touch upon something like Star Treks Prime Directive (Should a powerful, high-tech civilization interfere with someone elses cultural development?) writ large over the course of human history. That means theyll have to find a very good explanation for why this is the right moment for the Eternals to take action.

*First Published: May 24, 2021, 1:44 pm CDT

Gavia Baker-Whitelaw is a staff writer at the Daily Dot, covering geek culture and fandom. Specializing in sci-fi movies and superheroes, she also appears as a film and TV critic on BBC radio. Elsewhere, she co-hosts the pop culture podcast Overinvested. Follow her on Twitter: @Hello_Tailor

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Texas House votes to yank state funding from sports teams that don’t play national anthem at games – The Texas Tribune

Posted: at 8:25 pm

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The Texas House gave preliminary approval on Monday to the so-called Star Spangled Banner Protection Act, a conservative-backed bill that would require any professional sports teams with contracts with the Texas state government to play the national anthem before the start of a game.

Senate Bill 4 was passed on a voice vote, with no changes by the House. It is expected to receive a record vote and final passage on Tuesday and head to Gov. Greg Abbotts desk.

House Republicans defeated several proposed amendments along partisan lines, signalling more division on the issue in the lower chamber than was seen in the Senate, which passed the bill last month with overwhelming bipartisan support and only two votes against it.

Athletes protesting the national anthem has become a divisive and partisan issue since NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling in 2016 to protest police brutality against Black Americans.

In February, Patrick named the bill one of his legislative priorities after Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, stopped playing the anthem prior to home games, which went largely unnoticed during the pandemic with no fans in the stands.

That decision quickly drew the ire of conservative lawmakers in the state.

Sell the franchise & some Texas Patriots will buy it, Patrick said in a tweet at the time. We ARE the land of free & the home of the brave.

In a public response to the outcry condemning his decision, Cuban expressed support for the anthem, but he said team executives also loudly hear the voices of those who feel that the anthem does not represent them. The NBA later said all teams would play the anthem before games.

During Mondays debate on the House floor, opponents questioned the constitutionality of a law that they said ties funding to free speech by threatening negative action against sports teams that choose to express their opinions by declining to play the anthem.

Once again, were carrying legislation that is openly and aggressively unconstitutional, said state Rep. Gene Wu, a Houston Democrat who unsuccessfully tried to turn the bill into a resolution, allowing the House to take a stand in favor of the anthem without the force of law.

The bills House sponsor, state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, said the bill does not violate free speech because teams can still choose not to play the anthem and forgo the funding and business relationship with the state.

Its very simple. If they do not want to play the national anthem, they dont take the tax dollars, Burrows said. If were going to go ahead and subsidize with hard-earned American dollars the sporting facilities and the teams in the different ways that I think is articulated in this bill, then this would apply.

Attempts by Democrats to require teams to play both the Star-Spangled Banner and Lift Every Voice and Sing, or to choose between them, were shut down along partisan lines.

Lift Every Voice and Sing is commonly known as the Black National Anthem, said Rep. Jasmine Felicia Crockett, D-Dallas, who authored one of the amendments.

I dont even understand why we would feel the need to force someone into singing any song, Crockett said. But if we are going to force people to sing a song, we should at least be mindful of the people playing on these teams, the people that are actually in the stands supporting these teams.

Burrows opposed the amendments with the deepest amount of respect to my friend and colleague because he wanted to avoid any changes to the bill, which would slow its progress to the governors desk during the final week of the legislative session.

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Editorial: In light of censure, U of T must take action to support free speech particularly speech about Palestine – Varsity

Posted: at 8:25 pm

Resignations, cancellations, breakings of connections and partnerships.

These are the impacts of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) censure of U of T, following the universitys failed efforts to dissipate the months-long hiring scandal at the Faculty of Laws International Human Rights Program (IHRP).

The controversy began last September over allegations that Dr. Valentina Azarova was denied the position of director of the IHRP after a university donor suggested that she would be an unwelcome choice, due to writings of hers that were critical of Israels policies toward Palestine. U of T has denied these allegations since they first arose.

The scandal bubbled beneath the surface for many months as U of Ts efforts to move on were moderately effective. Though individuals most concerned by it such as law faculty professors and former IHRP directors remained outspoken, the scandal had not fully caught the attention of the community at large.

That is, until the CAUT announced a rare censure of the university, and its members listened. Suddenly, countless events that would have improved the quality of learning and community experience at the university were cancelled. Entire groups, such as Amnesty International and Citizen Lab, have cut ties with U of T over the censure.

Support for the censure appears to grow by the day, as entire departments of the university most recently, the School of the Environment are expressing their support.

So what happens now?

The university has already attempted to put the matter at rest by commissioning an independent and transparent review, which has been criticized for being neither.

The Varsity has published many articles on the controversy as it has unfolded over the past year, and weve reported on the criticisms levied at the university by faculty and by the law community almost every step of the way. At any of these points, the university could have stopped its doomed attempts to sweep it under the rug and instead make substantive changes. For example, when met with criticism that the review process would be ineffective and lack transparency, U of T could have created a review body composed of a group of multiple diverse individuals, rather than tasking one former Supreme Court judge with the investigation.

As a result of the review, U of T has committed to creating guidelines around external attempts to interfere in hiring processes, and to review suggestions that academic freedom protections be implemented for certain managerial positions, such as law clinic directors.

Still, little attention seems to be paid to the many U of T community members, especially faculty, who wholeheartedly support the censure and have been calling for action from the university for weeks. It is clear that this will not end without substantive efforts made by the university.

The most prominent solution circulating and the solution that the CAUT cites as a requirement to end the censure is that U of T should re-offer Azarova the position. This idea has been offered for months, yet U of T has not acted upon it. U of T responded to this suggestion by saying that Azarova is welcome to apply for the position again following a review of the program as a whole.

So far, the university has not taken any productive action following the censure it has not even taken responsibility for the inadvertent effects of its inaction on the campus community. When the CAUT censure was announced, the universitys response was that it disagreed with the decision and that the CAUT had no jurisdiction over the case. Instead of taking the CAUTs censure as a sign that something was wrong, the university merely attempted to pretend that everything was business as usual.

Following the censure, a U of T spokesperson wrote to The Varsity: We remain committed to academic freedom for academics, including academic administrators, and to search processes that are confidential and insulated from external pressures whatever their source.

Despite its statements, we are echoing the calls for U of T to stop the scandal here by finally taking responsibility and accountability for any wrongdoing, and expressing an interest in true transparency so that the university may begin to repair its reputation.

Supporters of the censure have also been trying to shift the narrative to refocus around Palestinian rights, rather than just academic freedom, as the escalation of the censure has also coincided with escalating violence between Israel and Palestine.

The central question of the scandal is really whether U of T will unequivocally support individuals right to speak freely on Israel and Palestine. Ensuring this right to free speech is also a moral imperative right now, as Palestinians have been disproportionately killed by Israel over the past two weeks.

Violence erupted between the two sides after an Israeli court decided to forcibly remove Palestinian families from the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah a decision that the United Nations called a potential war crime in addition to Israeli raids on al-Aqsa mosque that injured many Palestinians.

While there have been casualties on both sides, the effect on Palestinians has been far greater. In addition, there is an extreme imbalance of power between Israel and Palestine that makes it impossible to accept that both sides are suffering equally. Israel has an incredibly well-funded military, and the Palestinian people lack the same rights as Israeli individuals.

These developments also did not appear out of nowhere. Israel has been occupying Palestine and displacing Palestinians for decades, which has been widely criticized by the international community.

During the most recent fighting, Israel also targeted the offices of the Associated Press and Al-Jazeera in Palestine, claiming it was an attack on Hamas, rather than the media. As journalists, these developments are extremely concerning.

The Varsity stands in solidarity with Palestine and Palestinian community members at U of T. Over the next few weeks and throughout this volume of The Varsity we hope to increase our reporting on what the violence in Palestine means for our community members, as well as to make room for community members to write their own stories and experiences.

This is in line with an open letter that The Varsity has signed, along with hundreds of other prominent journalists and news organizations in Canada, demanding better and more nuanced coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict from Canadian newsrooms.

In addition, The Varsity has donated $200 to Save the Children, a non-governmental organization working in Palestine, as 58 children in Gaza and two in Israel have been killed. We do so out of a sincere belief that anyone regardless of their politics, background or religion can sympathize with the tragedy of violence that takes the lives of innocents.

Yet, despite the stance expressed here, The Varsity remains committed to a Comment section that is open to all well-meaning U of T community members. Students may write for the section from any position that is fair, well-reasoned, and based on evidence.

In light of recent events, at minimum, the university needs to affirm its commitment to protecting speech about Palestine, as that is the fundamental question of the IHRP hiring scandal: will U of T protect speech that is critical of Israel, even when pushed back upon?

The Varsity calls on U of T to finally listen to what its community has been saying, to take action and accountability, and to affirm a commitment to free speech for all community members but particularly for the Palestinian people who have felt silenced for so long.

The Varsitys editorial board is elected by the masthead at the beginning of each semester. For more information about the editorial policy, email [emailprotected]

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Why bees are so important to human life and health – Medical News Today

Posted: at 8:24 pm

Bees are essential for the health of people and the planet. Honey and other products have medicinal properties, and the role of bees as pollinators makes them vital for food supplies.

There are around 20,000 known bee species worldwide, and over 4,000 are native to the United States. Humans only manage a few of these, and most species are wild.

As well as valuing bees for their honey, people have come to recognize the importance of bees in promoting food security and variety in plants and animals.

However, a rise in factors, such as pesticide use and urbanization, means that bees are currently in decline, negatively affecting many of the Earths ecosystems.

A loss of bees would affect honey supplies, but, more importantly, world food security and biodiversity. Without them, the world could be a very different place.

Bees are significant for many reasons. They have historical importance, contribute to human health, and play a role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Not all bees produce honey, but it is one of the main reasons people value them. The substance is a natural sweetener with many potential health qualities.

People have used bees and bee-related products for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Researchers have noted claims that it has antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties.

In traditional medicine, people use honey when treating a wide variety of conditions. While many of these uses do not have scientific backing, they include:

Beeswax is another important product that people have previously used in waterproofing and fuel. It currently has benefits for health and features in a number of skincare products. Additionally, pharmaceutical industries use it in ointments.

Other bee products that can benefit human health include:

In a 2020 study, scientists found evidence that melittin, a component in honeybee venom, could kill cancer cells.

Learn more about the benefits of honey.

In recent years, it has become clear that honey may not be the most important reason to protect bees. This is because bees play a crucial role in pollination, where they use the hairs on their bodies to carry large grains of pollen between plants.

Around 75% of crops produce better yields if animals help them pollinate. Of all animals, bees are the most dominant pollinators of wild and crop plants. They visit over 90% of the worlds top 107 crops.

In other words, bees are essential for the growth of many plants, including food crops.

People have been working with bees around the world for millennia. The significance comes from the direct harvesting of honey and beeswax and cultural beliefs.

For example, the Ancient Greeks thought of bees as a symbol of immortality. In the 19th century, beekeepers in New England would inform their bees of any major events in human society. Meanwhile, native northern Australians used beeswax when producing rock art.

For history experts, bee products are a key aspect of archaeology. This is because beeswax produces a chemical fingerprint that people can assess to identify components in organic residue.

Bees are very intelligent, and people have applied knowledge of their mannerisms and social interactions when creating human initiatives.

For example, researchers have suggested that studying the actions of bees could help experts develop emergency plans to evacuate people from an overcrowded environment.

Observing honeybee dances can also help scientists understand where changes are taking place in the environment.

Farming practices, global warming, and disease are just a few reasons why bee numbers are declining. Experts are concerned about the impact on world food supplies, especially fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

They say that without bees, there will be no more nuts, coffee, cocoa, tomatoes, apples, or almonds, to name a few crops. This could lead to nutritional deficiencies in the human diet, as these products are essential sources of vital nutrients.

Additionally, the emerging medicinal properties of bee venom and other bee products may never be accessible without bees to provide them.

In financial terms, the pollination of fruits and vegetables by wild bees across the United States has a high economic value. One 2020 study found that wild bees were responsible for a significant portion of net income from blueberries. There is a direct link between the economic yield of farmers and the presence of bees.

In 2012, experts estimated that total pollination to be worth $34 billion, with a large portion of this amount due to bees.

Green backyards and gardens can be vital resources for bees. Growing native flowers and leaving weeds to develop can contribute to bee health and numbers by providing food and shelter. Reducing landscaping activities, such as mowing or pruning, can help bees by increasing the amount of vegetation available.

According to a 2019 study, as well as benefitting the bees, increasing rural spaces in urban areas can boost human mental and emotional well-being.

Nonscientists and volunteers can contribute to research through citizen science initiatives, where people report what they see in their local area. This can help experts understand what is happening in a particular area or country.

For example, a citizen-based 2020 study revealed that squash bees occupy a wide geographic range and prefer farms with less soil disturbance.

Additionally, in the 2007 Great Pollinator Project, a partnership in New York encouraged members of the public to watch bees and record the types of wildflowers they visited.

Such findings help scientists find useful ways to protect bees. However, this depends on people being able to identify species correctly. Therefore, learning about bee species and habits can also help individuals protect them.

Bees have cultural and environmental importance as pollinators and producers of honey and medicinal products. The movement of pollen between plants is necessary for plants to fertilize and reproduce.

Both farmed and wild bees control the growth and quality of vegetation when they thrive, so do crops. Bees are vital when it comes to food security. However, the welfare and number of bees worldwide are in decline, and it is essential to protect them to maintain human well-being.

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The Handmaids Tale Recap: Were Gonna Need a Bigger Boat – Vulture

Posted: at 8:24 pm

Photo: Sophie Giraud/ HULU

The Handmaids Tale is, to put it far too lightly, often difficult to watch. Former viewers sometimes send me messages, explaining exactly when they had to call it quits in season two after the forced surgery to remove Emilys clitoris or when Loaves and Fishes was shot up in season three. (Some of you poor souls didnt make it past the first seasons ominous ending.) And right now, in the late spring of 2021, just as large parts of America are reopening and the roses are peeling open outside my window, its somehow harder than ever to tune in. When dark art follows you into lighter times, its former meaning sometimes turns into an affront.

Vows isnt an especially violent episode. Yet it was the most trying 50 minutes of The Handmaids Tale in a while because the shows writers finally keyed back into the original resonance of Margaret Atwoods novel: that the biggest burden of the Gilead regime is the way it entirely sweeps away the past. The women (and men) locked inside Gilead are still in their home country, sometimes their own towns and cities, but their everyday lives are wallpapered over with some alternative reality. They have their memories of neighbors who used to chat over fences, or coffee shops where they met up with colleagues, or the spot of sidewalk where their son first rode his bike but the past and the present are entirely disjointed.

The emotional rigor of Vows feels like a return to form, or at least a hiatus from the catch-and-release tension of this season and the last. Will June get caught? has been replaced by Will June ever find her daughter?, a far more rewarding and fascinating tension, not least because to save herself, June has had to essentially give up on saving her child.

As unlikely as it is that Moira ends up in Chicago on a humanitarian mission at the same time June is in the city, and as even unlikelier as it is that Moira wanders down the exact street where June has just survived a carpet-bombing, Elisabeth Moss and Samira Wiley are so good together the current of love that zips between them is so forceful and apparent that its a joy to watch them. Moira has floundered in Toronto: The writers needed to keep her close to June, so they saddled her with Nichole and Luke, as if Moira wouldnt need to reclaim some of her own identity. But in both the flashbacks and their scenes in Chicago and on the boat, the character came alive again. She got that old zip back.

Its probable that June didnt recognize the urgency of the situation or the divine luck offinding her best friend among the rubble because of her concussion. (June can be dense and stubborn, but lets chalk this one up to the traumatic brain injury.) And her insistence on finding Janine is laudable she might be waiting for help under rubble just a few feet away or dazed herself in a nearby alley. Moira seems certain that Janine is dead, but what she doesnt know is that this is The Handmaids Tale and anyone, anywhere can stay alive if the writers room wills it.

If were meant to be invested in the moral quandary of whether or not to stow away June on the boat or turn her over to Gilead authorities, well, it wasnt much of a question. As the humanitarian workers argue over the merits of either alternative, I just found myself wondering what the hell such a mealymouthed agency believed it was doing inserting itself into such a volatile situation. Oona (whom I have been calling Luna for weeks because closed-captioning doesnt work on screeners sorry, Oona!) makes the valid point that if theyre found out for hustling Gileads most wanted out of the country, there will be no more returns, no more food, medicine for all these people. But she and most of the crew also express no moral ambiguity about turning June over to people who will certainly rip her fingernails out, gut her like a fish and then hang her up on the biggest wall in Gilead. June isnt some common handmaid shes an international symbol so while Gileads blows will be all the heavier when she turns up in Canada, her escape will also provide the Americans in exile with the spokeswoman and mascot they need.

Not to mention the fact that a simple solution of passing June off as one of the crew has existed all along! When Oona turned to her shipmate and blurted out, Print her an ID, I thought my ears must be deceiving me. Certainly, if the solution is so simple no need to scramble manifestos or rip up floorboards or keep June hanging on a rope over the side of the ship while inspectors came onboard someone would have brought it up earlier. Oona, why dont we just print her an ID with the handy-dandy ID-maker onboard and give her one of these official vests? And yet here they were, ready to offer her to butchers! (Tack on the fact that Moira is also pretending to be Canadian to work on this mission and we have ourselves one seriously creatively devoid group of aid workers.)

June and Moiras second confrontation, the one by the side of the lifeboat, would have made more of an impact if not for the virtually identical conversation they had hours earlier. Junes hesitation makes sense for the character sweet God, absolutely nothing could convince that woman to save her own skin until now, and if she had immediately hightailed it for that little cargo ship in Chicago, I might have lost my grip on reality. But the acting! Oh, the acting! Moss and Wiley perfectly execute on the stakes here. The fury, the shouting, Junes shifting blame its all exquisite.

And it brings home the reality of how hard it is for June to show up in Canada without Hannah. After torture (and more torture), rape (and more rape), and escape attempts (and more escape attempts), she is about to step onto Canadian soil and immediately reap the benefit of that safety. And she didnt, couldnt, bring along her innocent child, even though she saved the lives of so many others. If I dont go back now, she shouts at Moira, Hannah is gone forever. And shell have to explain to Luke why she failed at that which we expect of all mothers: to put her child first, to die for her child, to take on superhuman capabilities.

The flashbacks with Moira were sweet touches, reminders of their fierce love and complicated friendship. But it was the scene in which June tells Luke shes pregnant that hit me like a brick. Her rush to tell him the news, even at the expense of her plan, just rang true. And it restored June as a wounded being, not an unstoppable force able to take on anything to keep her child alive and well in her arms. The Indestructible Mother is a dangerous trope that insists women can and should absorb any blow for their babies. Giving birth or adopting or sheltering a child doesnt bestow some cloak of immortality on parents. June smashed through every barrier for far too long its far more gripping when she finally comes up against one she cant surmount. And at its heart, this is what The Handmaids Tale can be: the story of a mothers imperfect but buoyant love.

So when Luke bangs through that door and sees his wife for the first time in years, it makes sense that her first words are an apology. Im sorry I dont have her Im sorry its just me.

Now June needs to work her magic from across the border.

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The Handmaids Tale Recap: Were Gonna Need a Bigger Boat - Vulture

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