Gaming In The Age Of The Internet: Is Online Playing Better Than Offline?

Many games today require players to be online to play, meaning we are playing less and less in the real world, which is shifted what is considered a “good game”. With increasing emphasis on skill-based gaming, would it be better for all of us if we were mostly playing offline?

The Internet: Social and Economic Impact

We use the Internet for social networking, shopping, and learning new information. What are the social and economic implications of the Internet?

The Internet’s effects on social interactions have been profound. With Facebook and Twitter, people can connect through online platforms. Social platforms have allowed people to develop closer relationships than before.

Additionally, it has allowed people to communicate with people from all over the world. Also, people learn about different cultures and exchange ideas.

Online Gaming in the Age Of The Internet

The Internet has revolutionised the way individuals interact. With each other, it’s changed the way we play games. The convenience of connecting with friends and opponents worldwide has made online gaming a top choice.

Is online gaming better than offline? In this article, we’ll explore both modes of play.

The Internet has revolutionised the way people play casino games. Now, anyone can access various online casinos from their home or office.

Therefore, this is excellent news for anyone who wants to enjoy a good game of craps or slots without leaving the comfort of their own home.

https://topcasinosearch.com make it easy to find the perfect online casino for your needs. You can also compare online casinos based on their features, payout rates, and customer service.

Are There Any Benefits to Playing Offline?

Offline gaming has not lost its appeal. There are a few advantages to playing games offline that can’t be found online, no matter how good the online experience may be. Offline gaming is more immersive because you are the only one in control of your game.

You are free to travel anywhere and engage want without fear of being disturbed. Your opponents are also nowhere near as distracting as other online players.

In addition, offline gaming allows you to take breaks when needed, rather than constantly checking your phone or computer for new messages or updates.

Finally, The physical act of pressing buttons on a game controller has a unique quality and an unrepeatable standard of excellence online. Whether or not these advantages outweigh the disadvantages is up to each gamer to decide.

Conclusion

There is no denying how popular gaming is an integral part of our lives, whether playing for fun or competition. There are many games available to play online, and it can be hard to determine which ones are the best for us.

However, playing offline may be the way to go if you want a more challenging experience.

Taking the time to get lost in a game offline can give you a sense of accomplishment that is difficult to find online.

So whatever your gaming goals may be, make sure you take the time to experiment with several games and see which suits you the most.

Film Review: “Jurassic World Dominion”

  • JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION
  • Starring:  Chris Pratt, Sam Neil and Jeff Goldblum
  • Directed by:  Colin Trevorrow
  • Rated:  PG 13
  • Running time:  2 hrs 26 mins
  • Universal

REVIEW  by J.R. DEETER

 

IT’S CLASSIC JURASSIC !

 

Jurassic World Dominion (or as I like to call it, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Jurassic World) is the 3rd and supposedly final film of the Jurassic “World” Trilogy.  It’s an All-Star mash up fest of the cast of characters that have driven the storyline for the 6 films in the series.  The JP3,  Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), still digging up bones, and Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) the paleobotanist, are back.  Jeff Goldblum returns as the quirky Dr. Ian Malcom. They are joined by the gang from the first two World films, Raptor trainer Owen Grady, played by Chris Pratt, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) and BD Wong as OG Dr. Henry Wu.  Isabella Sermon as Maise Lockwood, and Campbell Scott as Dr. Lewis Dodgson, CEO of Biosyn Genetics.

 

The story takes place 30 years after Jurassic Park introduced Dinosaurs back into existence, and as we learned from JW Fallen Kingdom, they now live among humans, mostly in city neighborhood shadows, or for the Big D’s, in wide open spaces and oceans around the World.

There’s a threat to the food chain, kidnappings, and as always, bad elements seek to profit from the science, under the guise of doing good things for humanity, that doesn’t go well, and you know the rest.

 

Full to the brim with exciting chase sequences, touching romantic moments, and those awesome dinosaurs, Jurassic World Dominion is a good summer fun film for the family.  (Some intense scenes maybe a bit much for littles).   Several not so hidden throwbacks are thrown in throughout…keep an eye open.

 

Overall, a fitting end to the franchise…..maybe ?

Important Things To Do Before You Travel

Image source: Pexels

6 Things You Need To Do Before You Travel

Traveling is an amazing experience, but it can also be stressful. Before going on your trip, you need to think about many things, including what to pack and where to stay. But there are some things that you should do before you leave that will make your travel experience much easier.

The best way to make your trip unique is to prepare for it. Planning can help you save money, avoid stress and ensure that you have a fantastic time on your vacation. Here are six things you should do before leaving for your next big trip:

Make a List of Items To Pack

Making a list of items to pack is a huge step and can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start! But, it doesn’t have to be. The best way to start is by considering the activities you will be doing while traveling, where you’ll be staying, and how long you’ll be gone.

Other factors include the time of the year and the types of clothing you need. It is also wise to check out top travel tips for the ultimate adventure to get the most out of your trip.

Create a Budget for Your Trip

Before booking anything, create a budget for your trip. It will help you plan the rest of your itinerary and determine what kind of vacation you can afford. You don’t want to get into debt because of an unplanned vacation.

If you’re traveling with friends or family members, make sure everyone knows about the budget and agrees before booking anything for the whole group. It will help you know how much money you should save before leaving on your trip.

Research the Destination

Once you know how much money you want to spend, start researching the destination. Find out what activities are popular in that area and plan accordingly. There won’t be any disappointment if something isn’t available when you arrive. Plus, it’ll give you something fun to look forward to during your trip!

Plan Ahead in Case of a Delay or Cancellation

Flights get delayed, trains break down, and weather conditions can change quickly. If you experience flight delays or cancellations and there’s no other option but to wait it out at the airport, make sure you have a contingency plan.

For example, you can make good use of this time by playing games online. Casino games, in particular, are a great time killer. There are plenty of them, and they vary by location. Suppose you are in an Arabic country that mostly prohibits gambling but do not worry. You can check the online casino reviews to find the best site where you can play anonymously and remain safe. From these sites, you’ll have various game types to choose from, clues on the best odds, and claim incredible bonuses.

Get the Right Travel Insurance

It should be one of the first things on your list, as travel insurance is essential for any trip. Ensure it covers you for cancellation, baggage loss or damage, and medical expenses in case of injury or illness. If you plan to drive anywhere during your holiday, ensure your policy covers rental cars.

If you’re traveling outside of the country, it’s essential to ensure that you have the right travel insurance policy. You do not want to be stuck somewhere without coverage if something goes wrong while away from home.

Ensure You Have All the Necessary Documents

You must have proof of identification and seek the best advice for travelling abroad. It includes your passport, visas, and birth certificates, if applicable. Carry an international driver’s license and vaccinations required for the countries you’re visiting. If you’re worried about losing these documents while traveling, bring copies.

If you are traveling by plane, make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months after the date of your return flight home.

Plan Your Next Vacation in Style!

Planning a trip can be overwhelming. Before you go on that dream vacation, there are a few things you need to do first. It’s not as simple as packing your bags and jetting off to paradise. It involves extensive planning, especially when traveling long-term or to an unfamiliar destination.

How to Host and Plan a Hybrid Fundraiser

Many nonprofits and schools want to increase their donations cost-effectively but lack the expertise or resources to create and host a major fundraising event. A hybrid fundraiser gives you the best of both worlds: an engaging live experience that shares your mission with supporters while leveraging new technology for acquiring donations.

Hybrid fundraising events can be a great addition to traditional donor cultivation activities, being more targeted than telephone campaigns while also providing significant opportunities for engagement through social media sharing.

These types of events enable your nonprofit to do something different from what is expected of you, stand out from your competition and avoid becoming obsolete as time goes on. You get all this while still increasing revenue!

To have a successful hybrid fundraising event, it’s essential to research your options and establish a budget for the event. The next step is to assemble a team of people with different skill sets. You can then create a fundraiser website, promote it and execute your live event.

In the end, you will thank donors for their support and deepen donor engagement by keeping them involved after the fact. Finally, you’ll analyze performance data so that you can improve upon future events.

We’ve created this guide to take you through these steps one at a time so that you can learn how to host your own effective hybrid fundraising event campaign. Have fun!

Step 1: Weigh Your Hybrid Options

The following are ten steps to help plan and host successful hybrid events. First, let’s define some terms:

Hybrid Fundraiser: A hybrid fundraiser is a type of event that allows your supporters to donate online or during on-site activities. At the same time, they learn about your mission and engage with like-minded peers.

The donation method is up to you (cash, check, credit card). If the donation method is cash or check, make sure to have someone at the event record all gifts for accuracy and security purposes.

Step 2: Determining Tech Needs and Budget

While it can be tempting to “go big” on your first hybrid fundraiser and spend money on the most prominent venues and most elaborate activities possible, this strategy could end up costing you more than the revenue gained in the long run. Therefore, it’s essential to consider your budget and how much you want to invest in this project.

Keep in mind that when it comes time for planning and executing stages of your event(s), vendors will likely charge more if they think you’re not organized or serious about what you’re doing. Turning to professionals for help early on is a great way to get better rates while also avoiding setting yourself up for failure later.

To determine your budget, ask yourself:

  • How much do I currently raise during fundraising events?
  • What percentage of these funds do I typically see arrive after the live event is over (donations + additional revenue, e.g., auction packages)?
  • How much money would this represent for my organization if I could feasibly capture 10-20% more capital through a hybrid fundraiser?

Another vital thing to consider is the technology required for hosting your fundraisers. Do you have the necessary equipment and software (e.g., iPads or tablets with card readers & digital signatures, laptops with internet access and compatible presentation software, wireless microphones)?

Additionally, it would be best to determine whether you want to host more than one live event as part of your fundraiser. If so, will some of those events be held off site where participants don’t have Internet access? Can you rent additional equipment as needed?

Depending on what kind of activities you’ll be hosting, you may want to hire support staff such as videographers or photographers.

Tech Needs

  • Tablets/iPads with card readers and digital signatures for event check-in.
  • Laptops w/ internet access and compatible presentation software for speeches or activities.
  • Wireless microphones to connect with the audience or participants at offsite events.

Budget Needs

  • Additional equipment rental fees (e.g., sound system, wireless microphone/speaker system) if necessary.
  • Support staff (e.g., videographers, photographers) depending on what kind of events you’ll be hosting.

Note: You may also want to consider hiring a professional event planner to assist your volunteers and keep everything running smoothly throughout the weekend.

Step 3: Assembling Your Team

As mentioned above, it’s a good idea to hire a professional event planner to assist your volunteers and keep everything running smoothly throughout the weekend.

It’s also helpful to have an experienced fundraiser on-site during your live events who can:

  • Verify credit cards, cash, & electronic checks.
  • Collect and record donations accurately.
  • Address any technical difficulties quickly so they don’t impact participants’ experience.

Support Staff:

  • Event Planner (at least 1 for each on-site event).
  • Experienced fundraisers trained in credit card and check collection procedures.

Step 4: Building Your Hybrid Fundraising Site

If you plan on letting donors contribute both online before the event(s) and during on-site activities, then it’s essential that you set up fundraising pages ahead of time. This way, donors’ credit card information is already stored in your system when they arrive to participate in your fundraiser so you can capture their donations quickly and efficiently.

At a bare minimum, a fundraising website should include:

  • Donations page(s), where supporters enter the amount they’d like to give.
  • Payment Gateway(s), which accepts online contributions.
  • Funding Progress bar that shows how much has been raised so far.
  • Organization profile picture/logo and contact information.

To be successful, make sure your site invites donors to participate, not intimidate them. Also, keep in mind that very few people will want to go through the donation process unless there’s an incentive for doing so (e.g., free raffle entry, donation matching, etc.).

Step 5: Promoting Your Hybrid Fundraiser

Just because you’ve built an excellent fundraising website doesn’t necessarily mean people will visit it. We recommend promoting your hybrid fundraiser both before and during your events via email, social media, flyers, event invitations, or any other methods you think are appropriate.

Include images of your donor incentives (e.g., certificates for free raffle entries) to motivate potential supporters to get involved. You can also promote specific event details, such as the date(s) and time(s), website URL, etc.

Step 6: Excellent Tips for Planning Your Hybrid Event

  • Get creative with your on-site activities! The possibilities are endless depending on what you’d like to accomplish and how much time you have available. For more inspiration, think about previous events you’ve hosted or attended that were both successful and engaging.
  • Keep things moving at a fast pace, but don’t be afraid to take breaks if needed.
  • Wear comfortable shoes! If possible, bring an extra pair if one gets wet during an activity or is damaged by corrosive liquids (e.g., vinegar).
  • Make sure all required safety equipment is on-hand. This includes personal protective equipment (PPE), disposable gloves, safety goggles/glasses, and any other gear that might be required for activities.

Step 7: Executing Your Hybrid Event

Here are just a few possible event ideas to consider:

Live-Action Challenge: Participants compete in teams of two or three by performing different tasks that test their problem-solving abilities under physical stress.

For example, participants could assemble flat-pack furniture with the help of only verbal instructions while wearing emergency “hazmat” suits that make it challenging to use their hands effectively! Other examples include timed cooking challenges, puzzle hunts, water balloon tosses, etc.

Food Tasting Competition: Each team must create the best-tasting dish out of a set of ingredients.

Cookie Decorating Contest: Each team tries to decorate the most accurate replica of your organization’s logo with icing and sprinkles.

DIY Activity Station: Different stations could be set up where participants make slime, fold origami fortune tellers, or color in coloring book pictures.

Seasonal Activities: These could vary depending on the time of year, but examples include building snowmen, carving pumpkins, and making ornaments.

Step 8: Ending Your Hybrid Fundraiser

Now that you’ve completed your hybrid event(s) let donors know how their donations will make an impact by sending them a personalized thank you message afterward. Showcase the great things your organization has accomplished with their support and how they’ll continue to help build a brighter future for the community.

Step 9: Deepening and Thanking Donor Engagement

We recommend following up with donors within two weeks of their contributions to maximize their likelihood of giving again in the future. You can do this via email or text message (if you’ve collected cell phone numbers) and include a personalized video message from your CEO, executive director, or other key staff members (s).

Other donor communication tips include sending thank you cards or gifts (e.g., pens, notepads, magnets), updating them on important news related to your cause (i.e., upcoming events such as fundraisers, open houses, etc.), and including press releases of your organization’s accomplishments in all communications.

Step 10: Analyzing Data and Evaluating Performance

Once you’ve wrapped up your hybrid event(s), it’s time to take a look at some key metrics and determine the next steps. How did things go? What could have gone better? How much money did you raise?

Things to consider include social media engagement rates (e.g., likes, shares, comments) on Facebook and Twitter; how many donors utilized the online fundraising page; the number of participants who attended/completed your event(s); and more.

Make a note of any learnings or insights that can help improve future events and make sure to follow up with donors and thank them again.

The Second Coming of Immersive Sim Games

At one point in time, one video game genre ruled them all: immersive sims. 

These games would have been trending on Twitch and YouTube if those platforms had existed back then. You’d have found dozens of guides, tutorials, and walkthroughs. But in the 1990s and early 2000s, the success of a game ebbed and flowed based on word-of-mouth alone.

Still, immersive sim games became a source of inspiration for players and future game designers. Games like Ultima Underworld, Thief, System Shock, and Deus Ex changed how players, developers, and even critics thought about video games. Game publishers threw money (and total creative freedom) at the likes of Warren Spector and Ken Levine, hoping to capitalize on their success in the same way Hollywood celebrates auteur directors. 

But then, in the mid 2000s, the immersive sim genre just kind of…fell by the wayside.

The games listed above all questioned and pushed the limits of what a video game could be. But while they received near-perfect praise from critics, they never quite became blockbuster hits with a huge audience. And as publishers shifted to chase revenue rather than recognition, immersive sims became a noteworthy but unsustainable genre.

At least, until their recent (and somewhat surprising) resurgence.

Defining The Immersive Sim Genre

Before diving into the resurgence of the immersive sim, it’s important to at least cover the basics of what this genre is and why it became so important for players and game designers alike.

The core idea behind an immersive sim is a game that captures the magic of a tabletop RPG where player agency drives the story and changes the experience.

If you’ve played games from Arkane Studios (Dishonored, Prey, Deathloop) or IO Interactive’s Hitman trilogy, you’ve got an idea of how immersive sims play. They worry less about a gripping linear narrative or a steady ability progression. Instead, the focus is on giving the player a set of tools and letting them handle missions and objectives in any way they see fit.

Most games provide a highly polished and guided combat encounter or “main story” level, presented in a cinematic way. Think about the jaw-dropping details in Uncharted 4 or The Last of Us Part II — these are incredible experiences from master storytellers.

Now, think about Prey or Hitman. The experience is less about a preset path and more about you, the player, discovering your own path. These are part of the DNA of roleplaying games, and immersive sims take those principles and pack them into an adventure game (rather than relying on random dice rolls and a list of skills to determine how likely you are to succeed/fail).

Imagine you find a locked building. Do you pick the locks to get in? Climb to a window or hole in the roof? Steal a guard’s uniform/badge to gain access? Or — in truest immersive sim fashion — do you skip the level entirely, forging a different path for your character?

This concept of player choice is the central pillar of immersive sim design. After all, this concept of “pairing old design philosophies with modern ideas” is what led to masterpieces like Breath of the Wild, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Elden Ring.

The Risks And Rewards Of Player Choice

It’s safe to say that the 2010s were the decade of open world games. Some game publishers fine-tuned the genre into a formula they could copy and paste into new titles and churn out huge, 100-hour epics that players could get lost in for weeks, months, or even years.

But eventually, those huge world maps got bogged down with hundreds of icons. Suddenly the question wasn’t “How can we make the world bigger?” or “How can we add more stuff?” Instead, it became, “How can we encourage players to discover their own story?”

Emergent narrative is at the heart of these games — it’s the idea of an event or interaction in a game that means different things to different players. Think about the “Nemesis System” in Shadow of Mordor or Shadow of War, where the main story took a backseat to the personalized experience of each player.

So when developers started looking for new ways to incentivize player choice and engagement, attention turned back to a niche sub-genre that had influenced a generation of game designers. After all, hadn’t immersive sims discovered the solution 20 years ago, long before anyone was even asking that kind of question?

The biggest game of 2022 so far has been Elden Ring, which sets a new standard for open world design and emergent narrative by allowing players to explore, fight, and solve puzzles at their own pace and (for the most part) in their own order. Elden Ring’s DNA is really just the most recent example of a modern game that uses old ideas to revitalize the industry.

Now, as most big publishers are asking what they can do to create their own Elden Ring, the answer seems obvious: It’s all about the careful balancing act between the risks and rewards of building games around player choice.

And, in doing so, it’s only building more credibility behind the idea that immersive sims aren’t just making a comeback — they’ve been inspiring the best new games all along.


Drew Gula is the copywriter at Soundstripe, a company providing content creators with royalty free music for Instagram and lofi hip hop music. He’s also a lifelong gamer (and immersive sim enthusiast) that is excited to see how open world games will continue to evolve.

The Best Casino Films you Wouldn´t Want to Miss

Casinos, bets and money have become one of the most intriguing topics in our society. It is not surprising that the film industry has decided to take inspiration from the universe that hides behind this gaming paradise. In the world of cinema you can see a multitude of realities, where casinos are in the background or even as one more character in the action. You can see that the atmosphere in these films is unique, whether they are criminal, outlandish, hilarious, tense or anecdotal.

Rain Man

Rain Man is a film from 1988 starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. The film is about two brothers, Charlie and Raymond. Charlie finds out after the death of his father of the existence of the Raymond, who is also the legitimate heir of his father. The special thing about Raymond is that he is autistic. In the film, the protagonists spend a night in Las Vegas, where they manage to win a lot of money in a casino thanks to Raymond’s great ability to play. The film won four awards at the Oscars in 1989, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman.

Sydney

Paul Thomas Anderson entered the world of casinos with the film Sydney in 1996. Directed and written by him, it featured Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow and Samuel L. Jackson in the main cast. The film presents the union between Sydney, a veteran gambler and John, a young man who needs money to bury his mother. After convincing the young man to try gambling, they both go to the casinos to get the money they both need. This fleeting happiness will be interrupted two years later, when Clementine appears on the scene, a waitress and prostitute who is willing to do anything for money.

Croupier

Croupier is a film from 1998 directed by Mike Hodges and written by Paul Mayesberg. The film narrates the experiences of Jack Manfred, a young man who dreams of being a professional writer. While facing quite serious economic problems, he decides to start working as a croupier in a casino in order to improve his financial situation. However, what begins as a job to survive, ends up being the vehicle to establish a relationship with a woman who takes him down turbulent roads. The film was among the top ten films of 2000 for the National Board of Review. In addition, it was also nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Awards for best film.

Ocean´s Eleven

Steven Soderbergh started the “Ocean’s” franchise with Ocean’s Eleven in 2001. It starred faces well known to the public such as George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy García or Julia Roberts. The plot followed Danny Ocean, a charismatic thief who, after getting out of prison, decides to plan the biggest casino heist in history. In order to do this, he will gather eleven people, each a master in his field, in order to carry out his plan. The only complication is that the owner of the casinos is the current partner of his ex-wife. In casino films of this kind spectators have the opportunity to enjoy watching many games of chance which nowadays can also be played online and for free, for instance, to play at free casino table games, where you can gamble for free or real money on hundreds of classic casino games at the portal VegasSlotsOnline. The good thing is that these online casinos use the best technologies to ensure that user data is secure and the games are fair.

 21Black Jack

Robert Luketic released 21: Black Jack in 2008, inspired by the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The film showed the success of a group of young university students who, through mathematics and statistics, develop the key to be able to win in Las Vegas casinos and thus be able to pay for university tuition. The plan is perfect and there is no a single loose end, since they have the help of Micky Rosa, a statistics genius who shows them all the tricks necessary to rob casinos. Seduced by the idea of amassing great fortunes, Ben joins the group. However, the risk will increase and they will have to always be one step ahead of Cole Williams, one of the most terrible security chiefs.

In conclusion, these casino films are the best option for you especially if you are into robbery and theft too.

Tips for beginners in Music Themed Rock Mobile Slots

Slots are easy to play and you don’t need to know anything about online gambling to be successful while playing them. These are all important qualities that explain their popularity worldwide and the massive presence in the portfolios of online casinos. If you are new to online slots and want to enjoy a solid start, there are a couple of things you should know. These basic tips for beginners using online gambling sites for the first time is from personal experience and using trusted online gambling comparison websites like BingoSites.co.uk who have a huge list of verified reviews.

Choose a reliable casino partner

The long-term success of online gamblers is indissolubly linked to the quality of the casinos providing the reels. If you enjoy spinning the reels of slots, it is imperative to find an online gambling operator that can provide you with the right games. Those that are licensed and regulated while working with leading software developers should be given preference over unlicensed casinos. If the algorithms are checked for fairness by independent auditors, you have a better chance to fully enjoy the gaming experience.

Play the right online slots

This genre is incredibly diverse and beginners can be overwhelmed by the paradox of choice and the abundance of tempting options. It’s important to make the right decision when playing slots and there is one thing that matters above everything else. Pay attention to the average return to the player because this reflects the house edge, therefore your chances to win in the long run. You can easily find a game that has your preferred theme and game mechanics, without compromising the RTP.

Best maximum coins on progressive jackpots

Progressive jackpot slots are the most popular games at online casinos and for obvious reasons. These slots have the potential of triggering big profits, which makes them incredibly attractive for beginners and veteran punters alike. If you decide to spin the reels of slots that carry progressive jackpots, remember to bet the maximum coins. You need to do this to ensure the fact that if you hit the right winning combination won’t be deprived of the opportunity to win the jackpot.

Take advantage of free spins and bonuses

The main reason why players decided to gamble at online casinos is that bonuses are available to new and existing punters. If you are a slots enthusiast, you can consider yourself lucky because this genre benefits from more bonuses than any other game in online portfolios. In addition to matched deposit bonuses, you can take advantage of free spins, which can be used immediately to try any casino games. Some casinos require players to meet wagering requirements for the resulting winnings, on slots or other games.

These four tips are going to increase the odds of winning when playing slots, so remember them when you play for the first time. Don’t hesitate to try the games for free before making the deposit, so you better understand the core game mechanics.

9 Big Celebrities You Did Not Know Were Using Crypto

Celebrities have always been drawn to the lure of cryptocurrency. Their fame and influence can make them some of the most successful crypto investors. In the past few years, it has become a tradition to release songs, books, and movies paid exclusively with Bitcoin with the help of marketplaces like https://www.okx.com/markets/prices. Here are nine celebrities you did not know were using crypto.

Kanye West

Kanye West has spoken out about his pro-Bitcoin stance, often posting pictures of him wearing clothing with its logo. His most famous crypto-related moment came in 2015 when he launched his Yeezy Season 1 fashion line and accepted only bitcoin as payment.

Floyd Mayweather

The undefeated boxing champ and famous for his lavish lifestyle is now also a crypto investor. He has said that he will be leaving the bulk of his $400 million fortune to his children, and they will inherit his profits from his investment in Bitcoin.

Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton is one of the most famous faces to promote cryptocurrency. She has been involved with Monacoin, a cryptocurrency only available in Japan. She also promoted LydianCoin as a way to be paid for her social media posts.

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx, known for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the biographical film Ray, is a self-proclaimed crypto investor. He also invested heavily in Bitcoin when it was still trading at $300 per coin and currently has coins valued at over $1 million.

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg is an American rapper and producer. He has sold over 35 million albums worldwide since 1994 and is considered one of the most successful rappers of all time. He had been vocal about his interest in Bitcoin for a while now. He even released a song called “Smoke Weed Everyday” that was only available to purchase with Bitcoin.

In 2013, he invested in startups like Uber, Airbnb, and Robinhood, which all found success in the same way that Bitcoin has through decentralization.

Kim Kardashian

The Kardashians are a family of reality TV stars and social media influencers. Kim Kardashian is the most famous member of the family, mostly because she is also a celebrity actress and fashion designer. Kim Kardashian became interested in Bitcoin in 2014 when she tweeted that she wanted to accept it as payment for her clothing line.

50 Cent

In 2014, 50 Cent made headlines when he announced he was accepting Bitcoin as payment for his album Animal Ambition. The move was seen as a savvy decision as the crypto space was exploding in popularity at the time.

Jared Leto

Jared Leto is one of the most famous celebrities in the world. A musician, actor, and director, Jared Leto has been seen in numerous films, including Dallas Buyers Club, Fight Club, and Requiem for a Dream. He is also known for his work as the frontman for Thirty Seconds to Mars and his performance on Broadway in Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

However, what many people might not know about Leto is that he is an avid investor in cryptocurrencies. The singer-actor reportedly owns over $30 million worth of Bitcoin alone, which he invested in back in 2013.

Jack Dorsey

Jack Dorsey is the founder and CEO of both Twitter and Square. He has been an outspoken supporter of Bitcoin for years and even predicted in 2017 that it would one day be the world’s single currency.

The fictional elements of casinos portrayed in movies

Casino scenes have become very prominent in films, especially in Hollywood. These gaming destinations are glamorized with excess wealth, attractive dealers, and corporate-looking gamblers.

This practice in the film industry did not start today, as it dates to the early days of Hollywood. One would find such displays in blockbusters like The Sting, The Gambler and California Split. The casino movies and scenes developed even more glitz as the film industry evolved. So the display of wealth in films like Casino Royale, casino tricks in Casino Jack, and other recent movies have become even more exaggerated.

Impact of movies on the perception of casinos

For a long time, casinos were a controversial destination. They were associated with prostitutes, criminals, drugs, alcohol, and other forms of negativity.

Over time this perspective has metamorphosed, and casinos are now viable sources of recreation. The cinema played a massive role in this regard as it portrayed casinos in a glorious light with high-rollers dressed up in luxurious suits.

Hollywood downplays the risk factor and maximizes the entertainment. So the casino is now less of a taboo.

The fictional elements of casinos in Hollywood movies

These movies often use real-life casinos but take some aspects to exaggerated levels. So you would find real-life casinos like The Bellagio in films like Ocean’s 11 or Caesar’s Palace in Iron Man. But what is the difference between what you see on screen and in the real world?

Unnatural luck: It becomes fiction when a movie keeps showing the character with perfect hands all the time. Even if a player uses a casino bonus finder to get some of the best promotions, winning chances are still nowhere near what’s portrayed in movies. 

Exaggerated bluffing skill: Bluffing is an essential part of Poker and involves tricking your opponents into backing down even when they have a better hand. However, in films like Casino Royale, the main character gets so good a hand that going all-in is the rational move. This takes away the crux of bluffing.

Telepathy: There are cool card skills, and then there’s telepathy. In most casino-centric films, the difference between these two is usually faint as the characters practically display superpowers. For instance, in the movie Rounders, Mike accurately told every player’s hand in a private table game. This might have impressed the players and perhaps the viewers, but it is pure fiction.

Aesthetics: When visiting a land-based casino, you’ll realize that there are hardly any patrons in $10,000 tuxedos as portrayed in movies. Gamers aren’t so happy in the hall as a lot end up losing their money. Also, the dealers around the casino tables are not all 6-foot-tall models as most movies suggest.

Conclusion Casinos make for fascinating movie additions with so many amazing features directors can take advantage of. There is a certain level of truth to how these scenes are depicted in terms of the gameplay. However, the plots are often over-dramatized to grab viewers’ attenti

Being an Independent Artist or Signing with a Label – Which Option is Better for You?

If you want to get into the music business, two main options are open to you. You can start as an independent artist and build your own name, or sign with a major label. Each option has its pros and cons, and you shouldn’t assume that one is automatically better than the other. For instance, a lot of artists seem to think that record labels are obsolete when they could actually benefit from them. On the other hand, some people think that signing a deal is the only way to go when it could severely hinder their career. Let’s take a look at whether signing a deal or staying independent would be the best option for you.

Record Labels Can Stifle Creativity

If you’re a true artist, you might suffer under a record label contract. This is because the record company will eventually have the final say on what kind of work you can release. Not only that, but they may pressure you to create music when you don’t feel like it or simply aren’t ready.

You have to remember that you will become a commodity once you get signed, and one of the things record labels like to stress is that you have to remain fresh in the public’s mind. This is why you will have to be prepared to release work regularly or they might stop supporting you, and this is when bad things start to happen.

Not being able to release the tracks you want can also be very frustrating. Even if you create an absolute masterpiece, the record label may tell you that they don’t want it on your project. And the worst thing in all of this is that you may never be able to release the song. This is enough to send some artists into a deep depression. So, if creative license is extremely important to you, think twice about signing a deal.

A Record Label Can Give You a Mainstream Push

One thing you have to know, however, is that signing with a major label is still the only way to reach international superstardom. This is because major record labels have a level of access that independent artists and labels will never be able to get.

Some companies are under huge international conglomerates and can get you everything from TV show appearances, to interviews on major radio stations, sponsorship deals, and more. If you feel like you have the total package and the potential to be a big star, staying independent may limit your potential.

Independent Artists Often Make More Money

If your main goal is making money, however, then starting a label could be a much better option. Not only will you be able to release your music when you want and have complete artistic license, but you’ll also keep a much bigger slice of the pie. Not to mention that you’ll be able to sign other artists that you like and feel would fit with your brand.

You have to know that starting a record label is hard work and that you’ll need to have certain things in place first. First of all, you’ll need to hire a good entertainment attorney and an accountant. They are probably the two most important people as one will help you draft and understand contracts while the other will ensure that you always stay on budget.

You will also need to start your search for a good studio. Here, we would suggest that you look at a music studio like PIRATE. They have locations all over the country and offer tons of freedom to independent labels and artists. You can go in for a studio session at any time of the day and bring your own engineers without having to spend on equipment. They also have some of the best prices compared to any professional studio you’ll find out there. If this sounds appealing to you, you can click here to book a session and see what the experience is like firsthand.

Independent Artist Often Struggle with the Business Side of Things

You cannot build a record label and expect it to be successful if you don’t understand business. So, if you don’t have at least a basic formation, you will need to consider getting one right away if this is the path you want to take. You don’t have to get an MBA or anything, but you should at least complete a course that will teach you the basics of the music industry.

These are all things that you will need to consider before making your decision to sign or stay independent. Don’t hesitate to ask for advice from people in the industry and take the time to carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of both options.

Top 20 Best Movies About Gambling

It’s a gamble to go to the movies. Every time you buy a movie ticket or watch a movie on Netflix from your couch, you’re taking a chance. Will the investment be worthwhile? Will the two-hour time investment be worthwhile too? Of course, when choosing movies to watch, there is always a risk, but there are ways to reduce that risk, such as reading a list of the top movies in the gambling genre.

  1. Uncut Gems Uncut Gems‘ greatness lies in the main character, Howard’s ability to draw us in and convince us that, yes, he might be able to carry off this mad escapade he’s created — yeah, maybe this is how he wins.
  2. The Hustler – Fast Eddie Felson’s early years as a notorious poolroom hustler are chronicled in The Hustler. Throughout the film, audiences will see Eddie compete against a billiards champion, fall in love with a woman who carries a lot of emotional baggage, and meet an experienced gambler who wants to mentor Eddie.
  3. Ocean’s Eleven – Okay, we all know this isn’t a gambling film. But, c’mon, it has Vegas, poker, and slot machines in it. Plus, robbing three casinos is a bit of a risk.
  4. Casino Casino is one of the lesser-known gangster epic movies. Despite this, because it is set in Las Vegas, it is arguably the most well-known of all gambling films. It’s not for the faint of heart, and it can be rather brutal at times.
  5. Croupier – An aspiring writer is recruited as a croupier at a casino, where he discovers that his experiences as a croupier would make a fantastic novel.
  6. Rounders – While managing his relationship with his fiancée and his responsibilities to law school, a young, rehabilitated gambler must return to playing high-stakes poker to help a friend pay off loan sharks.
  7. The Gambler – The game of blackjack has been the subject of numerous casino films, and The Gambler is no exception. Mark Wahlberg plays a literature professor who enjoys playing blackjack as a recreational activity.
  8. 21 – It can be challenging to find a gambling film full of suspense, thrills, and humor. All of this and more can be found in Robert Luketic’s classic film 21.
  9. Guns, Girls & Gambling – Take Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and set it in Las Vegas, and you’ve got Guns, Girls, and Gambling on your hands.
  10.  The Cincinnati Kid – At the time, it was thought to be a rip-off of The Hustler, but this picture, which focuses on poker rather than pool hustling, holds up just as well, if not better, than that one.
  11.  Maverick – Consider that Maverick was nominated for an Academy Award in 1994 if you don’t believe it’s a fine parody. Mel Gibson can sell any joke, firefight, or card game.
  12.  The Sting The Sting – which includes tonnes of poker and a fraudulent off-track betting operation – never stops dragging you into all of its traps because it is so full of twists and turns at every unexpected moment.
  13.  Ocean’s Thirteen – After casino owner Willy Bank double-crosses one of the original eleven, Danny Ocean gathers the gang for a third robbery.
  14.  High Roller – The story of Stuey Ungar, a poker legend. Ungar, a gambler since the age of ten, amassed a fortune through card games.
  15.  Owning Mahowny Owning Mahowny, one of the best gambling movies of all time, stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as a real-life Canadian banker who went too far.
  16.  The Hangover – Although the film isn’t about gambling, various gambling sequences are sprinkled throughout it. With a cast of well-known actors, The Hangover isn’t too shabby.
  17.  Bugsy – This film chronicles the story of criminal Bugsy Siegel and his idea of constructing a gambling oasis in the Nevada desert, which would ultimately become Las Vegas.
  18.  Bob Le Flambuer Bob le Flambuer is a film that depicts what occurs when someone is forced to put everything on the line. When his fortunes turn sour, and his excellent luck fades, the people who once loved him the most decide to desert him.
  19.  The Color of Money – Paul Newman earned his lone Academy Award for The Color of Money, in which he reprised his role as Fast Eddie Felson from 1961’s The Hustler. The sequel is a film about an aging pool shark who finds himself at a fork in the path.
  20.  Hard Eight – Anderson’s debut film, about an experienced card player and a lonely orphan, is a gripping investigation of the guys who spend their lives in Vegas, assuming you enjoy your casino flicks with a touch of sadness.

Wild Symbols in Online Casino Slots

Today, online casinos are gaining huge popularity. And this is especially true when it comes to gambling platforms offering slot machines with bonus symbols. Such incentives allow gamblers to multiply their investments and boost their winning odds. The same refers to wild symbols, which can easily make winning combinations and help you land jackpot prizes with ease.

If you are looking for slots full of special symbols, then you can find the best gaming emulators at the easywinnings.net platform. Each of the symbols on the reels has its own purpose and performs a specific role. But it is worth noting that none of them will be replaced as wild. In this review, you can find detailed information about wild symbols, their pros, types, etc.

The Main Function of Wild Symbols

Wild symbols are available in most modern slot games, and they significantly simplify the configuration and bring you closer to victory. In modern machines, one wild symbol is found in the scrolling mode, and the other one is available as a bonus that makes the spin free.

Sometimes it fills the entire reel, offering the user several winning combinations at once. This does not always happen, but in some cases, it is possible to collect several profitable chains at once. The only thing that a wild symbol does not change is other special icons on the reel.

Depending on the game, the wild symbol plays a role. In some games, it is not useful at all, but in others, it makes winning combos. You never know when a wild symbol will appear on the playing field, but it will definitely appear on one of the lines.

Some new slots increase the monetary coefficient if the wild is a part of a winning combination. In some combs, the value of the multiplier may depend on the number of “wild” symbols that make the combination.

Benefits of Wild Symbols

Of course, wild symbols bring a lot of benefits. Most often, this is a motivation for gamers who want to multiply their winnings and get prize money in general. Therefore, all top online casinos strive to ensure that their slot machines meet the wishes of users. So here are the main advantages of the wild symbol:

  • Makes the slot more attractive;
  • Increases the level of excitement for many players;
  • Helps to receive and increase the bankroll;
  • Increases the rate coefficient;
  • Allows you to get a win even for one spin;
  • Expands adjacent lines;
  • Forms a consistently high demand for the slot.

Conclusion

At the end of this review, it should be said that modern gamers choose video slots with “wild” symbols. Taking into account all the features that they provide, such gaming emulators immediately gained popularity and still maintain their leading positions in the online casino industry. So if you are looking for a game with increased winning odds and interesting gameplay, then you should definitely go for “wild”-friendly slot machines; they have a lot to offer.

Esports Trends and News For 2022

The esports industry, also known as the competitive video game industry, has experienced exponential growth over the years. Some of it has to do with the changing demographics, as people who used to play games at a young age can now enjoy a completely new experience brought on by professional video game competitions, but there’s more that goes into that.

In the last decade, the esports world has been making its presence known in the mainstream media, but it has also gained some serious traction in the world of betting. If you were to search for Vegas NFL odds, you would find yourself only a couple of clicks away from looking at esports betting markets, which only shows how far the esports industry has come.

Over the years, esports has morphed into one of the most popular competitions amongst bettors. Many online betting sites, including BetUS, have acknowledged that and didn’t hesitate to incorporate esports betting markets into their sites, but there’s more than just the betting side of things that keep pushing the esports forward as it looks to cement its status as one of the most exciting industries heading into 2022.

Esports Become a Medal Event at the Asian Games 2022

Many people stand by their idea that “esports is not a sport,” but merely kids playing video games while other kids watch them. That may be true – esports professional players don’t have to run as fast as football players, nor do they have to jump as high as basketball players.

Still, suppose we are technical about it. In that case, the definition of a sport is “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.”

Hence, by that definition, esports definitely is a sport. And beyond the description, esports competitions have many similarities to sporting events, and as of late, that includes a medal event.

The continuous growth of esports’ popularity has sparked interest by the global competitive gaming community, eventually leading to what is now billed as one of the most significant milestones the esports world has achieved. As revealed, esports will be a medal event at the upcoming 2022 Asian Games, slated for September 2022.

The event, which is held every four years, and is by some recognized as the Asian version of the Olympic Games, will be the first major sporting event to recognize esports as a discipline, with cash prizes and medals.

This, however, is not the first time Asian games introduced esports, as video game competitions were already present at the tournament in 2018. Albeit, it will be the first time that Asian Games will fully incorporate esports into the event, featuring seven esports titles.

As revealed, the 2022 Asian games will hold competitions for Street Fighter V, Dota 2, League of Legends, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile, FIFA, Dream Three Kingdom 2, and Arena of Valor.

The Industry Continues to Boom

The COVID-19 pandemic, which halted almost every industry and sports entertainment venture, hasn’t had much of an effect on esports. 

Admittedly, offline events had to be canceled, and there are still very few that happen; however, unlike other sporting events, esports had the option to continue with online play.

It’s more than fair to say that the global pandemic helped esports grow in 2021, largely because it had left the industry largely unaffected. And it shows in the gross revenue produced in 2020, 2021, and the projected numbers heading into 2022.

The esports industry managed $1,1 billion in 2020, with those numbers growing exponentially in 2021. The industry experts are projecting esports’ revenue to reach $1,8 billion by the end of the year, with projections for 2022 showing even more exciting numbers.

2022 promises to be a monstrous year for esports, with early projections estimating the total revenue at $2,5 billion. To put it into perspective, that’s a 38.9% increase from 2021.

While those are only projections, they are based on the increased viewership of esports around the world. And since there is no end in sight of the global pandemic and the possibility of returning back to “normal life,” the prospect of seeing esports further grow in 2022 and beyond seems like a real possibility.

Betting on Esports

But it’s not only the esports viewership numbers that continue to grow but also its popularity on online bookies. Nowadays, you won’t find a single bookmaker that doesn’t offer lines on esports events.

While some are still very cautious about offering markets on esports, most reputable brands have gone all-in into the world of competitive video games in 2021.

Big betting brands such as BetUS offer esports betting on almost any esports title imaginable as a response to the COVID pandemic, which effectively shut down most of the professional sporting leagues. And having nothing to offer to its customers, bookies had to resort to starting exploring new opportunities – of which there were plenty in esports.

With time, esports betting gained serious traction, as bettors who never thought of playing a bet on a video game now started betting on esports and began following the scene.

By introducing something new and refreshing to their offer, the bookmakers reduced the losses from missing out on accepting bets on sporting events and found a new revenue stream that is here to stay.

As we move into 2022, betting companies have fully embraced the idea of offering esports betting, opening a new market niche that was barely touched pre-pandemic.

And with the continuous growth of esports popularity, it’s more than fair to say that online betting companies will continue expanding their esports betting offers, effectively helping the industry grow for years to come.

A Review of Online Slot Game Bigger Bass Bonanza

It’s not a secret that online slots are the most popular online casino games in the world. This is mostly because of the fact that many newbies and novices in the online casino industry will turn to online slots as the gateway game. However, even though many prospective online gamblers are flocking to various online slot games, it’s still an incredibly competitive space for developers and casino operators. That’s why it’s important for slot games to really set themselves apart from the competition. The online slot game industry is becoming increasingly oversaturated to the point that new players might not even know what games to start with. This is why it’s always worth noting whenever there are certain titles that just manage to stand out from the crowd.

Bigger Bass Bonanza is the official sequel to the big hit Big Bass Bonanza that was originally developed by online casino giant Reel Kingdom. The prequel Big Bass Bonanza was such a huge success for many avid online gamblers and grew to big and unexpected heights. It managed to do so without necessarily integrating a lot of unique features and gameplay dynamics that other games need in order to set themselves apart from the competition. Big Bass Bonanza was a game that had all of the basic elements of a slot game along with some very immersive graphics and immersive details. In fact, the game was so popular despite its relative simplicity, that many fans of the platform clamored for a follow-up title. Reel Kingdom delighted the hearts of these fans by coming out with Bigger Bass Bonanza towards the end of 2020.

One of the major changes that the sequel has is the extra row that’s been added to the game. Bigger Bass Bonanza now boasts of a 5-reel 4-row game panel with 12 fixed paylines. That alone has done a lot in terms of beefing up the gameplay for loyal fans of the original game. Aside from that, the game underwent some very dramatic cosmetic changes for its sequel while also maintaining a lot of the classic design elements that original fans of the game have grown to love. The background image no longer sports a deep-sea excursion that was present in the original game. Now, it shows a line of beautiful palm tree silhouettes nested against the backdrop of neon buildings. It’s very evocative of the 80s Miami Vice aesthetic.

For the backend modeling of the game, certain changes were undertaken as well. The default RTP of the sequel is the same with 96.71%. However, some major changes took place when it comes to volatility. The sequel’s volatility is now rated at 5 out of 5, a very high level when compared to its prequel which had a 4 out of 5 rating. The betting system has also been revamped in order to match the new payline structure. Bets top out at a maximum of £/€240 per spin.

Another big feature in the game are the scatter symbols that appear on all reels. During free spins, wild symbols that land at the same moment as money symbols will entitle the angler to collect all of their values. The money symbols add a layer of excitement to the game with their randomly assigned money values as well. Aside from that, there’s an exciting fish scatter that is worth 4,000 times the initial bet.

Lastly, wild symbols can be collected on a moving meter that’s located right above the reels. For every fourth wild symbol that is collected, a retrigger takes place and awards the player an additional ten free spins along with a multiplier for the wild money symbol collector. The added dynamics to this game should be welcome developments to fans of the original who were clamoring for more depth to the gameplay. These new gameplay elements ultimately justify the name Bigger Bass Bonanza as it offers all of the familiar charm and appeal of the original game while also building upon the foundation that it has already set. Bigger Bass Bonanza is on track to amass the same kind of success that its predecessor had by sticking to the same winning formula while adding more layers of interest and depth to the actual gameplay.

What Options do SMBS have for IT Support

IT Support is especially important for small to medium sized businesses. Of course, these days it is almost impossible to conduct business without IT, and therefore IT is a necessity. But unfortunately, SMBs often don’t invest enough time or enough money into getting the right IT Support for their business. This may be because of budget restraints or simply because they are prioritising endeavours which will help their business more directly. We spoke with TechQuarters, a company providing IT support and service solutions to many small to medium sized businesses in London. They discussed the options SMBs have for their IT.

Outsourced IT Support

To start with, outsourced IT support is perhaps the best solution for SMBs in terms of making sure they have access to the expertise and resources needed to keep their business going and avoid downtime due to technology. IT support for small business is not just a service, it’s almost like an insurance policy against issues that could slow down your business operations and prevent you from working for long periods of time.

Full IT Support – as you can guess, this is the most comprehensive type of IT support you can get from an outsourced provider. It gives you access to all the features your provider can offer for supporting your IT infrastructure. This will usually involved access to some form of helpdesk that can manage cases and help fix issues remotely; but the Full IT Support package should also include access to physical, onsite support – this means your provider can send engineers to your site to help fix IT issues.

Remote IT Support – one of the great things about modern technology is that more and more IT issues can now be fixed completely remotely. In fact, TechQuarters told us that 80% of IT issues can be resolved remotely – all their engineers need to do is take remote control of a users’ computer, and they can go through the steps of fixing whatever issue they have. Additionally, if the customers’ IT infrastructure has been migrated to the Cloud, more complicated issues, such as network or server issues, can also be investigated and fixed remotely.

IT Manager or ‘Bounce out’ Support – this is a more selective type of support. Let’s say your company already has an IT specialist who is the official IT manager of the organisation. Now let’s say your business has taken on new employees, your network has grown, and the overall demand being placed on your IT department has grown. This may be too much for a single IT manager, or even a small team of engineers. This is why IT support providers like TechQuarters offer services that actually work alongside a customers’ internal team – it is a way of taking the pressure off of the customers’ own staff.

If you are an SMB, outsourced IT support is most definitely a great solution to consider. If you are in London, there are so many options for London IT services. If you want a solution for your IT that can be adapted as your company grows, then outsourced IT is well worth considering.