Thanks to the latest online slots technology, one of the country’s most loved slots has been given a facelift by none other than Red Tiger. The latest in a long line of payline-inspired updates, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM is set to take the conquistador’s adventure, and yours, to new heights on our Canadian online casino.

This new title hits our Vegas lobby on 23 July 2020, so stay tuned!

The setting, style, and mission remain the same. However, this time when you join plucky Gonzalo Pizarro, the adventure could be a lot wilder. As you play your way through the lost city of El Dorado, the search for ancient riches is helped along by a random number of available on each spin!

All part of the Megaways^TM upgrade, this mechanic not only ensures your adventure is full of twists and turns, but that you have up to 117,649 ways to win. Before you plot a course to the lost city of gold and play for the max payout topping 20,000x your stake, you need a map. This Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM guide is your map. Taking you from the first spin towards reels filled with potential, this online slot review will put you on the right path.

So, if you are ready to set sail for El Dorado and discover the latest in slot technology, let’s begin.

Gonzo’s Quest Theme

The year is 1541, and you find yourself aboard a ship floating somewhere off the coast of Peru. In the distance, you spot an island. Hazy at first, the landmass gradually comes into focus as you sail closer. It’s at this point Gonzo grabs his map and makes haste for what he believes is the lost city of El Dorado. The promise of Mayan’s riches prompts you to follow the intrepid explorer onto a beach. There, you find an ancient monument made of stone.

Each block is marked with tribal carvings that seem to form some sort of pattern. It’s at this point you realise you’re standing in front of the gates to El Dorado. However, only those that find the right combinations can enter. With that, your online slots adventure starts. You set the blocks free with each spin, knowing that matches are the key to unlocking prizes. Will you crack the code and find a way into the lost city of gold? Only time will tell.

What Are Megaways^TM Slots?

Before you can spin on Gonzo’s Quest and experience what this new video slot has to offer, you need to know what Megaways^TM means. This online slot innovation was created by Big Time Gaming. It takes the standard payline structure of popular slots and shakes things up. By introducing an extra reel and randomising the size of symbols, Megaways^TM makes it possible to activate a random number of ways to win on each spin.

For example, on one spin, you might have 100 ways to win. On the next, you could have 5,000. In tandem with mixing up the number of paylines, Megaways^TM makes mega-combinations possible. Because the reels are set in such a way that different sized symbols fall in random orders, it can open up more payout potential than your average slot. In fact, if things fall just right, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM will give you up to 117,649 ways to win from a single spin!

How To Play Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM

To play the game, it’s simple. Start by choosing your bet. The new Gonzo’s Quest has flexible betting limits, so you can stake between €0.10 and €10 a spin. Place your bet and you’ll unlock the six reels and set the blocks in motion.

What’s unique about Gonzo’s Quest, both the original and the Megaways^TM version, is that the symbols fall into place rather than spin. This not only creates a different slot feel, but sets up something known as the avalanche feature.

Gonzo’s Quest Online Slot Symbols

Since this is the gateway to the lost city of El Dorado, the symbols are suitably iconic. Each block has been carved into an ornate design. On any single drop, the six reels can host between two and seven of the following Mayan symbols:

• K ‘uk’ (quetzal)
• K ‘awil (spirit)
• Chan (snake)
• Hoy
• Grey stone god
• Yellow stone god
• Green stone god
• Blue stone god
• King of the gods

In addition to standard symbols, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM features a mystery icon in the form of a question mark. Substituting for all other symbols, this wild can appear up to twice on a single reel and can help complete winning combinations. Finally, to trigger the free spins bonus, golden coins must fall into place. Three or more coins (or two coins plus a wild) will initiate the bonus round and give you more potential ways to win.

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM Payouts And Bonuses

Megaways^TM online slots are full of potential because you have up to 117,649 paylines on any given spin. This dynamic alone means that a single spin can unlock various payouts. In this game, winning combinations are formed when clusters of three or more matching symbols line up.

The list below shows how much you can win when you match a minimum of three symbols and a maximum of six. It is important to note that you will also win prizes when you match four and five symbols.

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways Prizes

• K ‘uk’ (quetzal) = win between 0.1x and 0.5x your stake
• K ‘awil (spirit) = win between 0.2x and 0.5x your stake
• Chan (snake) = win between 0.2x and 0.7x your stake
• Hoy = win between 0.2x and 0.8x your stake
• Grey stone god = win between 0.3x and 1x your stake
• Yellow stone god = win between 0.4x and 1.2x your stake
• Green stone god = win between 0.5x and 2x your stake
• Blue stone god = win between 0.7x and 4x your stake
• King of the gods = win between 1x and 15x your stake

The Megaways^TM system means that you can make multiple winning combinations on a single spin. So, while a line-up of three matching symbols might not seem too lucrative, this could be one of many winning clusters on the reels. Unlike most current slots, Gonzo’s Quest works on a cumulative basis. In other words, multiple smaller prizes can translate into bigger payouts.

In fact, things get even better when you factor in this slot’s avalanche feature. Winning combinations will trigger an avalanche. This means that the symbols that formed a winning combination disappear and new ones will fall into their place. If the avalanche creates another winning combination, the process is repeated.

Each consecutive avalanche moves the multiplier metre along a notch. Consecutive winning combinations become increasingly valuable. In Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM the multipliers increase in the following way until you either max out or don’t hit a winning combination:

• 1x avalanche = 1x multiplier
• 2x avalanches = 2x multiplier
• 3x avalanches = 3x multiplier
• 4x avalanches = 5x multiplier

If you can trigger the free spins round (known as Free Falls), your multipliers are given a boost. By dropping in three scatters (coins), you will receive nine free spins. Trigger avalanches during this bonus round and your prizes will be multiplied by 3x, 6x, 9x and, finally, 15x.

Finally, for even more added value, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM features “earthquakes”. Like avalanches, earthquakes shake the reels and unlock extra opportunities. The way they do this is by removing low-value symbols. Earthquakes are triggered at random, so you never know when they’re going to strike. However, when they do, high-value symbols will fall into the mix and give you a chance to make winning combinations with more payout potential.

Gonzo’s Quest vs Gonzo’s Quest Megaways: The Showdown

Before we give you some tips on how to play online slots, let’s compare Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM to the original. Overall, the two games are virtually identical. In both, your mission is to unlock the proverbial gates to El Dorado by matching blocks of Mayan symbols. The two also contain the avalanche feature and successive wins trigger up to 5x multipliers. Finally, the Free Falls (free spins) round is available in both games.

For all the similarities between the two online slots, there are also some differences. Gonzo’s Quest features five reels, 20 paylines, and bets ranging from €0.20 up to €50. In contrast, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM contains six reels, up to 117,649 ways to win and bets ranging from €0.10 to €10. The Megaways^TM version also has the added power of the earthquake feature.

The other major difference between these two popular slots is payout potential. Gonzo’s Quest has top payouts worth up to 2,500x your stake. Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM has top prizes worth over 20,000x. This, combined with avalanches and multipliers, means you could win more from Gonzo’s Quest Megaways than the original.

Our Recommendation: Play both games and see how the two compare!

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM Tips and Strategy

Online slots are all about having fun. Gonzo’s Quest is no different. Regardless of whether you play the original or the Megaways^TM version, you should always bet at a level that suits your bankroll, and not focus on the prizes. Always remember that slots are games of chance, and play responsibly!

Winning should be a happy consequence of playing the game. Adopting this mentality will help you get the most from Gonzo’s Quest. The Megaways^TM structure is expansive and adds a new level of excitement to the game. Add to this some vivid graphics and there are plenty of things to hold your attention as you play.

When you piece all of these elements together, it’s easy to see why NetEnt’s Gonzo’s Quest became an instant hit when it was released in 2013 and why its 2020 predecessor is equally successful. As long as you remember to play within your limits and enjoy the experience, you’ll get maximum entertainment value from this impressive online slot.

Gonzo’s Quest FAQ

Is Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM fair?

Yes! This game has not only been developed by one of the biggest companies in the business, Red Tiger, it has been tested and certified by an outside agency. Before this game was licenced and allowed to go live on casino sites around the world, its randomness and RTP (return to player) had to be checked. The results came back positive and, as well as receiving a 96% RTP rating, the game has been classified as 100% fair.

Can I win real money playing Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM?

Yes, you can. The amount you win is never guaranteed, and the size of prize will depend on your stake and the winning combinations you land. However, if everything lines up in the best way possible, you could win up over 20,000x your stake.

Where can I play Gonzo’s Quest Megaways^TM online?

You can play Gonzo’s Quest Megaways at LiveRoulette. If you have not already created an account, you can register your details today. Once you are a member, you can make a deposit, scroll through our online slots lobby, and try a heap of top slots!

18+ | begambleaware.org | Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Terms & Conditions apply.

Written By: Mike Ifftner | Fact Checked By: Lauren Lister

Read More

In the expansive realm of digital gambling, slot games have risen as an undisputed favorite. Their appeal lies not just in the diverse themes and gameplay, but also in the seamless experience that online platforms provide. Amidst the numerous offerings, slots online have cemented their position as a central pillar of the virtual casino experience. The aim of this article is to dive deep into the captivating world of online slots and chart their transformative impact on the landscape of gambling.

The Digital Evolution of Slot Machines

Moving from the mechanical confines of traditional casinos to the limitless digital space, slot games have experienced a metamorphosis. While the transition from physical to online may seem superficial, it has completely changed the player-game dynamics.

• Ease of Access: The digital landscape allows players to indulge in their preferred slot games without the need to visit a physical casino.
• Variety in Gameplay: With an array of themes that span across myriad universes, online slots cater to a diverse audience with varied tastes.
• Progressive Jackpots: Interconnected games on online platforms allow players to contribute to a substantial progressive jackpot, elevating both the stakes and excitement.
• Bonus Attractions: Online slots regularly entice players with bonuses, promotional offers, and free spins, extending gameplay and bolstering winning prospects.

Furthermore, advancements in graphics, soundtracks, and gameplay mechanics present a gaming environment that traditional slots could scarcely offer.

Technological Breakthroughs Enhancing the Slot Experience

It’s no longer just about clicking and playing; online slot gaming has been transformed by groundbreaking technology.

The Realm of Virtual and Augmented Reality

Both Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are pioneering an immersive gaming dimension in the slot world. Players can now relish a comprehensive casino ambiance, interacting seamlessly with both the game and fellow players.

Incorporating Blockchain

Blockchain technology is elevating the trust factor in online slot games. With this, online casinos can showcase provably fair games, assuring players of genuinely random and unbiased results with every spin.

The Influence of AI and Machine Learning

AI and Machine Learning contribute to a more tailored gaming journey. By evaluating player behaviors, these technologies offer bespoke game experiences, deals, and game suggestions, thereby making slot gaming more captivating.

Online Slots in the Future: Beyond Mere Gaming

Online slots are transcending gaming to build communities and shared moments. Features like multiplayer slots, live events, and interactive bonuses are paving the way for a more community-centric gambling experience.

• Engaging Slot Tournaments: These enable players to challenge each other, introducing a competitive flair to the traditional solo play.
• Collaborative Bonus Rounds: Here, players can either collaborate or compete, infusing unpredictability and engagement into bonus sessions.
• Community Tools: Features like chat functionalities, leaderboards, and options to share on social platforms allow players to share their milestones and moments.

The dynamic nature of online slots indicates the vast potential that digital realms hold. As technology evolves, online slots promise a perpetually engaging and rewarding escapade for gaming aficionados globally. Each spin not only hints at a potential jackpot but also provides a glimpse into the ever-evolving future of gaming.

If you’re new to online slots and you don’t know your wilds from your win multipliers and your scatters from your stacked symbols, take some to browse our A-Z slots glossary. This article lists all the common terms you’ll encounter the next time you play slots online.

Hopefully, you should have a better handle on how online slots work after reading this glossary. Our goal is to help you become the next slots slayer right here at LiveRoulette!

A

All Ways: Otherwise known as ‘win both ways’ these slots can have hundreds of available paylines  which can pay from left-to-right or right-to-left, maximising your winning potential.

Autoplay: If you want to play a multiple number of spins without having to press ‘Spin’ each time, set your gameplay to autoplay a pre-selected number of spins.

B

Bonus Games: Most online slots have at least one bonus game, which is often triggered by scatters or wild symbols. These bonus games can range from free spins rounds to bonus wheels and “pick-me” features.

Branded Slot: A branded slot is one that’s themed around a specific franchise, such as a Hollywood movie or hit television series, featuring exclusive visual and audio content.

C

Cascading Reels: Symbols involved in winning combinations are removed from the reels, leaving gaps to be replaced by new slot symbols that drop in from the top. This gives you a chance to win multiple combinations on a single spin.

Classic Slot: A ‘classic’ slot is one which nods to old-school fruit machines, featuring the classic fruity symbols, bells, lucky sevens and BARS, amongst others.

Cold Game: More common on casino floors than online slots, when a slot game is said to be ‘cold’ it means it does not pay out as frequently.

Coins: The funds you add to your chosen slot are displayed in a coin value, based on the minimum bet size per spin.

E

Expanding Wilds: An expanding wild is a special type of wild symbol (see ‘Wild’ for full description). Whenever the expanding wild feature is active, a wild symbol will expand to fill an entire reel to bring greater winning potential.

F

Fixed Jackpot: Online slots with a fixed jackpot have a fixed maximum prize, usually triggered by landing five of a specific symbol on a payline, or sometimes triggered at random.

Free Spins: It’s possible to unlock extra free spins by landing certain win combinations, such as three scatter symbols on a payline. A free spin is quite literally a free spin of the reels.

Fruit Machine: The British name for a classic slot machine. Fruit machines are the classic three-reel, three-payline slots featuring fruit symbols, lucky sevens, bells and BARs.

G

Gamble Feature: Within some slot games it is possible to gamble the winnings from your spin. You may be asked to pick a card suit or colour, or to guess high or low on the outcome of a card displayed on screen. You could double, triple or even quadruple your money depending on the game, but it’s also possible to lose all your winnings.

H

High Volatility: A slot deemed to have high volatility means that it is programmed to give out less frequent prizes and jackpots. However, most high volatility slots tend to offer bigger prizes when they do pay out.

Hit-And-Run: This term is used to describe slot players that play on single payline slots using maximum coins for a few spins and move on to the next slot if they don’t win.

Hit Frequency: How often a slot pays out on average. For example, a game with a hit frequency of five is expected to yield a winning payline approximately every five spins.

Hot Game: The opposite of a ‘Cold game’, hot slots are those that are said to be paying out regularly and in large sums.

J

Jackpot: The jackpot of an online slot is the coveted top prize, and can be fixed, progressive or linked across a network of slots.

L

Linked Progressive Jackpots: On occasion, there are multiple slot games whose progressive jackpots are linked together, often branded slots based on the same franchise. It doesn’t matter which one you play, you will be playing for the same progressive jackpot.

Loose Slot: A ‘loose’ slot is one that is considered to have low volatility, paying out more regularly than a ‘tight’ or high volatility slot.

Low Volatility: Low volatility slots tend to have higher hit frequencies and are often great slots for beginners. The trade-off is that low volatility slots may have smaller prizes on offer.

M

Maximum Bet: The maximum bet is the largest stake you can place per spin on your chosen slot game, based on the number of active paylines and the maximum coin denomination available.

Megaways^TM: This is a popular slot game engine is designed to expand the number of rows played per reel, giving you up hundreds of thousands of potential ways to win.

Mobile Slot: Mobile slots are those optimised for responsive gameplay across desktop, smartphone and tablet devices, utilising the latest HTML5 technology.

Multi-Line: This term is used to describe online slots with more than a single payline.

Multiplier: A multiplier could be a specific symbol which can multiply your winnings by a predetermined figure. Multipliers can also be found in free spins rounds, when the more consecutive wins you land, the bigger the multiplier grows.

N

Near miss: Players that narrowly miss out on a winning combination on a payline describe this as a near miss.

Nudge: Inspired by classic fruit machine gameplay, some slots have a ‘nudge’ functionality included, allowing players to hit the nudge button to move a reel up or down one space to form a winning payline.

O

One-Armed Bandit: The first slot machines produced in land-based casinos, which required players to pull a lever to spin the reels.

P

Payline: A payline is the line that symbols need to align with to trigger a payout.

Pay Table: The pay table for any slots online is designed to fully explain the rules and payout sizes of each game. It outlines the low and high-value symbols to look out for on the reels.

Penny Slot: A penny slot game is one which requires players to pay as little as €0.01 per spin.

Pick-Me Bonus: A type of slot bonus screen whereby players must select on-screen options to reveal instant prizes.

Progressive Jackpot: A progressive jackpot is a rolling jackpot that continues to increase in value until it is won. A percentage of each player’s stake per spin is contributed to the progressive jackpot, so the more players play, the higher the pot.

R

Random Number Generator: All state-of-the-art online slots are powered by a random number generator (RNG), which is a tamper-proof algorithm designed to randomise the outcome of every spin.

Reels: These are the columns within which the symbols spin to create potential winning combinations.

Return To player (RTP): The RTP percentage gives slot players an indicator of how much they can expect to return from their spins. If a slot has an RTP of 97%, for every €100 you stake, you can expect to receive €97 back on average.

S

Scatter Symbol: The scatter symbol is often used to trigger bonus rounds, and is usually the only symbol on the reels that the wild does not substitute for.

Stacked Symbols: Whenever the same symbols appear on top of one another on the reels, they are considered stacked.

Stacked Wilds: Whenever the wild symbol appears on top of one another on the reels, they are considered stacked.

T

Total Bet: The size of the total bet in an online slot is the total number of coins staked across all paylines.

V

Variance: The variance of a slot is the payout rate of a specific game. Slots with high variance are programmed to pay out less frequently than low variance slots. Variance can be used interchangeably with volatility.

Video Slot: A video slot game is designed to be displayed on desktop, smartphone or tablet screens using virtual reels instead of mechanical reels.

Volatility: Highly volatile slots are those that pay out less frequently, but with typically larger payouts when they do. Low volatility slots are those that pay out smaller prizes over a greater hit frequency.

W

Wild: A wild symbol is one of the most lucrative symbols in a slot game. Wilds can usually substitute any other base game symbol to improve winning combinations, except scatters. The same way that a joker works in a game of cards.

Win Both Ways: Slots with win both ways functionality can pay out on paylines running right-to-left as well as left-to-right.

Z

Zig-zag: Some slot paylines are designed to go up and down the reels or diagonally. These are known as zig-zag paylines.

Ready To Play?

Now that our slots glossary has equipped with all the slot lingo you need, log in or create a new account to play online slots at our Canadian online casino today!

18+  | Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly | Terms & Conditions apply.

To help you get started down the right path of winning at online poker, we’ve devised some winning tips for online poker that are essential if you want to succeed in the digital poker space.

• Start Off Slow
• Have A Healthy Bankroll
• Start With One Table
• Remove All Distractions
• Take Frequent Breaks
• Learn The Math
• Be More Aggressive
• Don’t Bluff The Fish
• Think In Ranges, Not Hands
• Be Prepared To Lose
• Have Fun

Start Off Slow

Many players start off at stakes that are way too high for their skill level. It’s important to know that $1/$2 online is light years away from $1/$2 live; even if you’re a winning player in your casino’s $1/$2 game, you’ll find yourself getting crushed if you play $1/$2 online.

That’s why it’s important to start off at lower stakes when first playing online. Playing lower stakes means you’ll be up against a lot more recreational players, and you’ll be able to get a feel for how the game is played. While live and online poker are the same game, just through different mediums, people play them very differently. Live poker is a lot more passive, whereas online poker is far more aggressive, which can take a bit of getting used to.

Have A Healthy Bankroll

When playing any form of poker it’s recommended that you have at least 30 buy-ins for your stake level in cash games, and at least 100 buy-ins for MTTs. However, this need is exacerbated when playing online, as the game moves a lot faster, meaning that you’re more likely to see big swings that could see you go broke if you’re not properly rolled.

This is part of the reason why we suggest starting off at small stakes – it’s much easier to find $300 to have 30 buy-ins at $0.05/$0.10 than it is to find $6000 to have 30 buy-ins at $1/$2.

Start With One Table

Online poker is significantly faster-paced than live poker. While at a live poker table you may expect to get 20 hands an hour, at an online table you can easily get 3-4x that. If you’re playing a fast-fold version of poker, it’s common for people to play 200 hands an hour – that’s ten times as many hands as you get playing live!

It’s tempting to load up as many tables as possible now that you’re finally able to play more than one at a time, but we’d recommend against doing that until you’re comfortable at your stake level. Playing 3-4x the number of hands you usually play can take some adjusting, so start with one table until you’re comfortable with the pace of online poker.

Remove All Distractions

Playing online poker requires a lot of concentration, as you’re constantly being dealt hands and being forced to make decisions. If you’re sat there scrolling through Instagram while your favorite TV show is on in the background, it’s going to be hard to make optimal decisions.

That’s why we recommend removing all distractions from your playing area while you play. Put your phone on silent, turn off the TV, and focus on the game. You’ll be surprised at how much your game improves when you’re able to give your sole focus to the task at hand.

Take Frequent Breaks

One of the reasons people surround themselves with distractions is that it’s hard to keep focusing on one task for a significant amount of time; therefore, by having distractions nearby, people give themselves mini-breaks from the game to reset their focus. However, in practice, this doesn’t work, as the distractions become too enticing, and take focus away from your game.

Not only that, but online poker is an intense game with a lot of swings that can be tough for some people to handle. It’s incredibly common for players to log on and be down a couple of buy-ins within the first 2-3 minutes of playing. This is part of the reason why it’s so easy to tilt when playing online poker.

If you’re prone to tilting or losing focus while you play, we recommend taking frequent breaks during your sessions. This allows you to reset your focus, check your phone, de-tilt, and then come back to the game ready to play.

Learn The Math

Yes, we know it’s boring, but math is a vital part of poker, and you won’t be a winning player until you can do it backwards, forwards, and upside down. You should have a complete understanding of poker odds, outs, pot odds, minimum defense frequencies, and general poker probabilities – and know how to use them in-game.

Without understanding the math, you’re unable to know whether a play you’re making is profitable or not. “Should you draw to this flush?” “Is your hand a favorite against your opponent?” “What are the odds you’ll improve on the river?” These are questions that any winning poker player should be able to answer, and without knowing the math, you won’t be able to.

Be More Aggressive

A trademark of every winning online poker player is that they’re aggressive players. They don’t often take the passive route and are always betting and raising when they come into a pot. If you had to boil it down to a single attribute, aggression is the key factor that makes someone a winning player.

By being aggressive, you give yourself two chances to win the pot – either your opponent can fold, or you can win at showdown. If you play passively, you’re relying on having the best hand at showdown. While this can happen often if you play strong enough preflop ranges, it’s never a guarantee, and there will be long stretches where it seems impossible to win a hand at showdown.

This means we want to be aggressive preflop and postflop. We never want to open the pot with a limp, we want to 3bet and 4bet our opponents more, we want to be doing more continuation betting on the flop, and we want to be doing more raising when our opponents bet. A player who regularly does all of these things is a tough player to play against, as they’re always putting you under pressure and putting you to a decision.

So, if you want to become a winning poker player online, make sure you’re aggressive!

Don’t Bluff The Fish

It may sound like simple advice, but you’d be surprised at how many people mess it up! Many recreational players are calling stations; players who will call down with a wide range of hands in the hopes that they’re good and to “see what you’ve got.” These people cannot be bullied off their hands, and they very rarely fold if they have a piece of the flop.

So, for the love of God, do not try to bluff them! These players are walking ATMs, and we want to be making withdrawals, not deposits. By all means, build the pot if you’ve got a big draw so you can make more money when you hit, but if you miss, save yourself the cash and just check – they weren’t going to fold anyway.

Think In Ranges, Not Hands

One of the biggest differences between a losing player and a winning player is that a winning player will think in terms of ranges, not in individual hands. Not too long ago, it would be common to hear people say “I put you on AK,” or, “I think she has 99.” This type of thinking is flawed and doesn’t take into account how people actually play.

For example, you’re first to act UTG, and you raise to 3bb in a cash game. If you’re a good player and not a complete nit, you’ll be doing this with more than one hand. You’ll be doing it with AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK, AQ, AJs, and a number of other hands. Therefore it would be stupid of me to try and pinpoint what you have to a single hand, I should consider how to play against all the hands in your range.

Trying to put your opponent on a single hand is essentially guesswork, and while you might be right sometimes, most of the time you won’t be and will be making significant mistakes.

Train yourself to think in terms of ranges, and you’ll quickly see a vast improvement in your poker game.

Be Prepared To Lose

This is one that no one likes to hear, but it’s true nonetheless – get ready to lose. A lot. Online poker is a tough game, and even the winning players only win between 50-60% of their cash game sessions and only cash 15-20% of their tournaments. This means that winning players are still just less than half their cash game sessions, and only cashing one of every five tournaments!

The variance in online poker is much higher than it is in live poker, due to the increased number of hands you’re playing. This means that the swings are a lot more dramatic, and it’s common for players to go on 20, 30, or even 50 buy-in downswings during the course of their online career.

At some point, you will run worse than you ever thought possible, for longer than you ever thought possible – what matters is how you deal with it and how you bounce back from it.

Have Fun!

The most important part of playing online poker is to make sure you have fun! After all, what’s the point of becoming a winning poker player if you don’t enjoy playing the game? You should play and study poker for the enjoyment of the game, rather than any desire to get rich or make some fast cash.

If that’s your goal, you’ll soon find out why people say poker is a hard way to make an easy living!

If you enjoy yourself while at the poker table, you’ll always be a winning player.

Conclusion

In conclusion, mastering online poker demands dedication. By starting low, managing your bankroll, and embracing aggressive play, you’ll pave your path to victory. Stay focused, take breaks, and think in ranges, not hands. Remember, losses are part of the journey; resilience matters. Ultimately, prioritize enjoyment – the key to lasting success at the virtual felt.

When it comes to travel, most people are aware how stressful it can be getting to a destination. With digital identity verification at the forefront, waiting times are over allowing travelers to enjoy that cocktail on the beach sooner than expected.

With the travel industry booming once more, many people are booking their long-awaited vacation to far-off destinations around the globe. However, a majority of customers have directed their focus to booking their travels online with around 82% of travelers booking through a website or mobile app. Technology has taken the front seat when it comes to travel, and not only through booking, but the entire journey of the traveler.

It is estimated that around 700 million people will make a booking online in 2023, as people around the world click, book and leave on a jet plane to their dream destinations. Thus, it’s no surprise that the online travel market has been valued at $2.3 trillion in 2023 and will only go up from there with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 10.3%. But despite this surge in travel, with it comes the insecurities of fraud as well as the long waiting times throughout the journey from booking to arrival.

Online travel fraud awareness.

Travel fraud is a growing problem in the industry, with many different types facing travelers and booking platforms. Specifically in air travel, airlines account for 46% of all online fraudulent transactions, so it’s no surprise that airlines lost over 6.5 billion to fraud in 2021. Even the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that the airline industry suffers about $858 million a year, coming out to $639 million just for the airlines in payment fraud.

But what are the most common types of online travel fraud? Perhaps the most obvious, and what’s costing airlines millions of dollars, is stealing payment and personal information such as credit card fraud and using stolen payment information for last-minute bookings or hotel price spikes.

While credit card fraud and identity theft are two of the more widely known types of travel fraud, there are many other forms that can be just as damaging. Such instances include:

• Travelers finding themselves victims of scams such as fake bookings or hidden fees on hotel rooms or airline tickets
• Phishing attacks, where criminals attempt to gain access to sensitive personal information by pretending to represent legitimate companies
• Ticketing frauds like double booking flights
• Cyberattacks targeting airline loyalty programs

Additionally, data breaches on online booking platforms have become increasingly common. A data breach is when sensitive information, such as credit card details, passport or address information, is accessed without authorization. In the context of travel bookings, this information is often collected by third-party booking platforms, making it vulnerable to travel fraud. Hackers can use compromised data to book unauthorized trips or even sell that information on the dark web for monetary gain.

As technology continues to advance, so do the methods used by criminals to take advantage of unsuspecting travelers – making it essential for everyone involved in the travel industry to stay vigilant against these kinds of threats.

Hotel fraud in the hospitality industry.

Learn more about the different types of fraud in the hospitality industry and how to secure your booking platform.

Get your free copy

Planning ahead for a seamless journey.

But despite the threats and negative consequences that fraud causes in the travel industry, digital identity is there to step in not only to prevent fraud from occurring but to make travel seamless for both travelers and booking platforms.

When it comes to digital identity verification, verifying travelers before they even check-in to a hotel, vacation rental or flight can provide security for both guest and host. By asking for a form of identity verification in advance, this allows hosts to know they are doing business with honest and responsible individuals and the guests in turn can rest assured they are using a verified site to book their travel needs. Even world-renowned rental platform Airbnb expanded their ID verification earlier this year to require all rental customers and hosts to verify themselves through an ID check with biometrics and in some cases selfie, to help better manage fraud and hold guests and hosts accountable for their actions. But it doesn’t end there.

Along with upfront security, by asking for verification in advance, hosts and travelers can save time later when they are checking in to their rooms, homes or flights making the journey less stressful just like a vacation should be. By optimizing booking, the time that verifying identity would take up later during check-in can be spent instead already getting settled into a seat on a plane or unpacking in that nice hotel that was booked. All that is needed later is a smartphone for a quick digital check-in.

Furthermore, by preparing all verifications in advance, there will be fewer documentation requirements later and no need to continually have to search for them in bags at the airport or at the accommodation. Eurostar has already begun using such systems at London’s St Pancras International Station where travelers have the ability to go contactless when verifying their identity at pre-departure gates. Paperless verification is just over the horizon.

Digital Identity Verification—the best travel buddy.

With the many benefits that digital identity verification has to offer, travelers and hosts can truly be at ease when booking and accessing their trips. Efficiency is reached along with improving the customer experience.

Hosts need only implement ID verification when booking in order to receive the peace of mind that guests are who they say they are. Once that has been approved, which only takes a couple of minutes, hosts can focus more on the customer experience which in reality they already did. By providing an easy-to-use verification system when booking, guests will know they are not only using a safe site, but also are saving time later when traveling.

IDnow’s verification services provide travel businesses with the assistance they need in order to implement a seamless experience for them and their guests. With fraud on the rise in the travel industry, especially data breaches and stolen payment and personal information, our fully automated identity proofing solutions provide the ease needed to verify customers’ IDs along with age and address verification. Our solutions protect your business in real-time and offer worldwide document coverage.

Waiting times are over with digital identity verification.

By

Edouard Baussier
Global Mobility and Travel Sales Director at IDnow  
Connect with Edouard on LinkedIn