From poker to bingo: popular ways to gamble online

Gambling online has never been easier or more rewarding. There are hundreds of sites out there dedicated to the various ways to gamble on the Internet, from poker-specific to gender specific bingo sites such as Ladies online bingo. With so much choice it's important that a) you know what you want from an online gambling site and b) you know what safety and security measures to look for. Let's deal with 'a' and 'b' in turn.

What do you want from an online gambling site?

If you are after big jackpots in exchange for little effort then slots are probably the games for you. You can select autoplay features that allow you to just sit back and enjoy the - hopefully winning - ride. If you like to think and play the long game, blackjack and poker are better suited to your needs. You have numerous variants to choose from, so everyone's style is catered for somewhere on the Internet.

If you like to chat, enjoy idle distraction and potentially make some money on the side then bingo is your game. If you are a woman, and 85% of bingo players are, then you might prefer gender specific sites such as Ladies online bingo.

If you want a bit of all of the above you should choose an online casino that offers a variety of different gambling options from classic casino game including blackjack and roulette through to bingo and even arcade games.

What safety and security measures should you look out for?

Seeing as you are transferring money and personal data online you need to make doubly sure the site is safe and secure. There are several ways you can do this.

Initially you need to check the site's license. This should be found in the 'about us' or FAQs sections. The UK does not, at this time, give out online gambling licenses, so you should look for licenses from authorities in places such as The Channel Islands, Malta and Gibraltar.

The site needs to run encryption coding to secure your details. It should utilise SSL, which stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is the best type of encryption currently available. Again details of this should be in the 'about us' and FAQs areas, but there should also be site verification links to Thawte or Verisign on the homepage.

Slot machines are found in all casino floors across the world. They are an extremely popular game due to the short wagers required and the possibly to win a large jackpot that many people dream of.

The machine pays when the same symbols appear. The popularity of slot machines stems down to the fact that is requires no skill and therefore is an attractive option to anyone going into a casino. The most common slot machine is the regular simple three reel. Check the gif below to see the process of using one of these machines.