How to Download, Deposit and Cash Out Your Wins:
  GET STARTED PLAYING AT ONLINE CASINOS

GET STARTED PLAYING OR GAMBLING AT ONLINE CASINOS

Here are the questions we hear most frequently about downloading, depositing, playing, and cashing out your winnings at online casinos. Make your online casino gambling or free play more fun by being prepared.

1) YES, IT’S SAFE. IF…

Whenever you put together your money and the Internet, it is important to make sure that your personal and banking information stay private and absolutely secure. The casinos and Internet banks we recommend use only the latest and best security technology to protect your money and your personal information, and in many years of playing online, we have never yet run into a problem with them.

The other thing people always want to know is whether the online casino software is fair—in other words, are the cards in the card games dealt randomly from complete decks? Do the slots and roulette wheels and dice give you fair random spins? Or are the games rigged against you?

In the decade or so since online gambling was born, online gaming watchdog groups, mathematicians and professional players have uncovered some rotten apples in the barrel that did indeed deal rigged games. Other casinos dealt fair games, but simply refused to pay players who won. We are some of the people that have been following this industry since the beginning, and we want to tell you there is no reason for you to ever fall prey to these scoundrels.

The good news is that some online casinos and casino software companies have established impeccable reputations during this time. We only list the casinos with impeccable reputations. And on our dishonest casinos Bad Apples page, we tell you the casinos to avoid.

Slotty's Secret Slot Tip #18   Most online casinos are honest. But you have to be very careful of the ones that aren't!

2) DEPOSIT METHODS FOR ONLINE CASINOS

Most players can use a credit card to deposit at an online casino. If your particular credit card doesn't work, contact casino support and they can usually help you.

There are also a variety of other excellent online banking options (called "e-wallets") that you can use to transfer money to and from online casinos and poker rooms. The best e-wallets for U.S. players are Ecocard, EWallet Express, EPassporte, and NuCharge. (A new e-wallet, called Youteller, will be available in March.) For players in the U.K., Europe, and everywhere else outside the U.S., Neteller is an excellent option. If your favorite of these e-wallets isn't yet accepted at a particular casino or poker room, it will be available soon.

Most e-wallets have little or no fees for players, and they make withdrawals exceptionally fast—much faster than waiting for a check for your winnings, for example. Opening an e-wallet account is easy. After you download any online casino and log in, you will see a button or link to the “Cashier” or “Bank” area. Inside this area, you will find links for opening the above e-wallet accounts. Or, you can go directly to the online bank itself to fill out the short form and make your first deposit to your new account.

Once you have linked your e-wallet account to an on-land checking account, you can transfer winnings and any other funds from your online account to your on-land account any time with little or no charge.

Slotty's Secret Slot Tip #19   Neteller is an excellent option for online casino deposits and withdrawals: fast, free and safe. For U.S. players, we recommend Youteller, which will be available in March.

3) GET READY TO CASH OUT YOUR WINNINGS!

Now, let’s talk about how to withdraw your profits when you win!

Whenever you deposit, and whenever you play and win, your money and any winnings remain in your account, where they can be used to play again, until you decide to withdraw them.

To withdraw your money, simply click on the same “Cashier” or “Bank” link that you clicked on to make your first deposit. Once inside the casino banking area, select “Withdraw.”

Once you are inside the Withdrawal area, you can select between a variety of ways to receive your winnings, including your e-wallet account, bank draft (that is, a check that is mailed to you), refund to your credit card or wire transfer. Depending on the casino and the method you choose, receiving your money can take as little as a few minutes up to a few weeks.

Again, that’s why we recommend e-wallet accounts. If you use an e-wallet account, the casino will process your withdrawal within a specified number of hours. This time period will be stated either on the Cashier screen or the casino’s Terms and Conditions. Then the funds will be in your e-wallet account within 24 hours after processing.

If, on the other hand, you made your casino deposit with a credit card, a common method of paying winnings is to credit an amount equal to your original deposit back to credit card. But the additional amount--your winnings--are usually sent by check (or, for an additional fee, wire transfer or Fed Ex). (In the UK, your winnings can usually be transferred to your credit card.)

If you have your winnings mailed to you, it could be weeks before you see your money, depending on the mail system and where you live. Some casinos only cut checks once a week so you can add this to your wait.

If you like to play, do yourself a favor and try an e-wallet account!

Some online casinos require that you send them proof of who you are before they send you your first withdrawal. You can usually fax this info, but faxes tend to have transmission problems that make them dark or blurry. Then you have to resend the documents—sometimes a number of times. There is nothing a casino can do about a fax that comes through dark. They can't read it! That makes it easier and more reliable to simply email the info to the casinos. To do this:

* Get a scan of your driver’s license (front and back)

* Get a scan of a recent utility bill (just the top portion with your address)

* Get a scan of a bank statement (again, just the top portion with your address)

If you don’t own a scanner, any Kinko’s or similar type of photocopy or business center can make scans of these documents for a small charge. They will put the scans on a disk for you, and you can use these files over and over, attaching them to an email any time a casino requests your ID.

Make sure that the name and address are the same on all these documents, and that they are the same name and address as the ones on your casino account. The casino will notify you by email if they require you to send copies of any identification.

Also be aware that a few casinos mail you a personal identification number, or PIN, that you need in order to cash-out. Since your PIN number comes via regular postal mail, your first cash-out at these casinos will take longer than usual.

One more thing: Watch out for payment maximums and schedules!

High rollers should watch out for casinos that limit withdrawals, typically to something like $3000 to $5000 per week. One casino limits withdrawal amounts to a maximum of $5,000 per month! In our opinion, that is unacceptable. If a casino can't afford to pay total winnings immediately they shouldn't even be in business.

4) HOW TO PLAY IN ONLINE CASINOS

Playing in online casinos is not only fun, it’s a great entertainment deal! You can play the same games you play in Vegas (and more) with the same odds and payouts (or better), for high stakes or low stakes or free, and you can do it in your kitchen, in your pj's. Or you can do it from your local coffeehouse (but not in your pj's there). Wherever there is an Internet connection, you can play online.

When you click on a banner for an online casino, you'll arrive at the casino web site. This web site is where you can read about the casino’s Terms and Conditions, their current sign-up bonus, loyalty club, and other promotions, their toll-free support numbers and other contact info, and the games they offer.

This is also where you may choose between the download or no-download versions of the casino software that you actually play on. Here's how to make an informed decision whether to download or not.

About 45% of players prefer not to download--either because they have a Mac and can’t download, or they don’t want to take the time to download right now, or because they want to try out the casino before they start committing computer space to it.

Downloading casino software, on the other hand, is like downloading and installing any other piece of software. When you actually log into the software to play, the software communicates with the casino server site to deal the next card or spin of the reel, or to handle financial transactions.

Downloaded software is nice because it tends to have better graphics and run faster. The only problem is that, depending on the browser you are using, you may occasionally run into a problem with the download. Generally speaking, though, you should have no problem and if you do, Customer Service can help.

As to the download packages themselves, be aware that they can get pretty large. If you’re on a dial-up connection, it may take 20 to 30 minutes to download. (This download time is much shorter on a good DSL connection.) Once installed the software can take up as much as 30 or 40MB on your harddrive. This should only be a problem if your computer is pretty ancient.

How do you download? Simply click on a “Download” button or link at the online casino web site and follow the instructions. After downloading and installing, you will see a new icon for the casino on your desktop. Double click on that icon to fire up the casino. Once the software starts, you may be asked whether you want to play for Real Money or for Fun or Play Money. Or, hit “Connect,” and you will be prompted to either log in or register a new account.

INSIDE THE ONLINE CASINO

Whether download or no-download, each of the online casinos uses a particular brand of software to deal their games, arrange deposits and withdrawals, and offer customer support. You might find yourself thinking, hmm, this Jacks or Better game in Golden Palace looks a lot like that Jacks or Better game in Casino Europa. That's because they both use Playtech software. The decorations may be different, but it is the same software, the same buttons, the same games. If you are comfortable with a particular software, you might want to stick with it. Then, if you feel like a change, try another one.

Do be aware that the rules or payouts offered on a game may be different on different software—or even at different casinos that use the same software.

In most online casinos, once you log in you will find yourself in a lobby where you can click on the cashier to make a deposit, or select between the various types of games to start playing. (In Microgaming casinos, click on the “Games Lobby” button to choose from their games offerings.)

Normally, when you select a game, you will be taken to a screen where the game is dealt—a blackjack table for blackjack, or a slot machine screen to play slots. You may also be able to choose multi-player games, where you can play and chat with other real players on the table, and a real dealer on your screen, dealing real cards or spinning a real roulette wheel.

Once you’re at a playing screen, the buttons for making a bet or choosing how to play a hand or bonus round are usually pretty self-explanatory. But there will always be some type of clearly-marked “Help” or “Rules” or “Options” buttons to press for more information.

 5) IS ONLINE CASINO PLAY LEGAL?

There is no federal law in the U.S. that prohibits online gambling. Some states in the U.S. have passed laws against gambling online, usually at the instigation of local on-land casinos who don’t want the competition.

But, to our knowledge, no U.S. or Canadian player has ever faced charges for playing online for real money.

What the government has occasionally done is harass people for advertising Internet casinos and poker rooms. That's why all the television ads for the online poker rooms now mention only the free games they offer.

All of the online casinos we list offer free games to play if gambling online for money is illegal where you live.

Our advice is to check your local laws before you play to see if Internet gambling is legal in your state or country.

6) A SPECIAL WORD ABOUT ONLINE CASINO BONUSES

Since the online casinos can't give you a comped suite, show, or dinner, they give you money to play with instead. Casino bonuses are literally free money, and can be very valuable to players. Sometimes they are money you can cash out, and sometimes you can’t cash them out, but you can play on them. Don't underestimate the value of any bonus—whether cashable or for wagering only. Having a bonus to play on can double, triple or quadruple your chance to win big.

Although bonuses are free money, they come with some strings attached. Specifically, if you accept a bonus, you must usually give an Internet casino a specified amount of action on their tables or slots to cash out your bonus or winnings. This action is called the wagering or play-through requirement. Also, sometimes certain games are excluded from play on this wagering requirement.

How do you find out the requirements for any particular bonus? By reading the Terms and Conditions!

Slotty's Secret Slot Tip #20   Bonuses from online casinos are very valuable. But before you accept one, make sure you read the Terms and Conditions!

Most of the misunderstandings between players and online casinos come from a player not reading a casino’s Terms & Conditions. Read them carefully! Sometimes the applicable Terms & Conditions are listed in several areas of the casino’s web site—be sure to look for Promotional or Bonus Terms & Conditions, as well as the casino Terms & Conditions. Make sure you can live with a casino’s terms and conditions before you deposit money or accept any bonus money from a casino.

Remember, if you only play at reputable online casinos, which give players generous bonuses to play on, you have more of a chance to win, no matter what else you do or don't do. Just take a moment and look, really look, at the valuable bonuses you'll find offered on our Hot Bonuses page and throughout Slot Secrets Online. And all you have to do to get this money to play on is click on a link and follow the instructions to collect.

Be sure to check the rest of Slot Secrets Online, because the secrets of how to play and win at online casinos are on every page, and we want you to learn every winning secret tip for online gambling available. Our slot machine secrets and winning strategy are here for you. See you in the slot winners circle!