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Winter Activities in Toronto

Winter is quite a magical time in Toronto! Freezing, but magical. The snowy atmosphere is perfect for the run up to Christmas. There are plenty of outdoor activities to do in Toronto including ice skating (which you can do during the day or even at midnight!), hiking along a snowy forest trail, or, for anyone who prefers a less adventurous outdoor activity, visiting a farmer’s market. It can get very cold in this city in winter, with temperatures sometimes falling to minus 20 and below and although outdoor activities can be very enjoyable, it can sometimes get too chilly. When it is simply too cold to be outdoors, there is also plenty of indoor fun to be had too.

Stay Indoors, Stay Warm

As with any large city, Toronto has a great selection of indoor activities available to enjoy. From creative options such as workshops and galleries, to cultural sights like art galleries, there is plenty to enjoy inside in the warmth during the winter months. Some of our favourites include the following:

  • Visit one of Toronto’s many restaurants. Oakville’s Cover Bar & Restaurant is a firm favourite for its harbour views and cozy patio
  • Try some DIY woodwork projects. There are many schools around the city that offers courses and workshops in woodwork construction
  • Stay active and try an exciting indoor obstacle course or escape room. There are also indoor tennis courts that offer affordable drop-in rates
  • Spend a relaxed and cozy afternoon in the Board Game Cafe
  • Visit the AGO, the Art Gallery of Ontario. It contains over 90,000 pieces of art – that should fill an afternoon or two!
  • For contemporary art, head to MOCA: the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto
  • Art lovers may also enjoy the Aga Khan Museum which presents Muslim art from all over the world, or the Gardiner Museum of pottery and porcelain
  • To create some art of your own, visit the Paintlounge cafe where you can paint a canvas while sipping a cool beverage
  • Explore underwater tunnels and meet the sea life at Ripley’s Aquarium
  • Toronto is home to some excellent theatres – catch a play at a theatre like the Mirvish, Tarragon or Crow’s Theatre

Toronto Woodwork

When it comes to woodwork, Canada is home to some of the best craftsmen in the world and is a great place to try building your own furniture or constructing your own piece. Top tip – if you are a complete beginner at woodwork and are trying it for the first time without an instructor, you can make life easy for yourself by using a strong wood glue. However, if you live in Toronto you can attend a class or workshop. Some wood workshops offer courses in working with hand tools only, while others will teach you how to use electrical tools to carve and craft a piece from wood. Treating, waxing or varnishing wood is also covered and, at the end of the course, you get to take home your own finished table, chopping board or shelf, for example, along with a new skill.

There are plenty of options available when it comes to making boring Autumn weekends more fun in Toronto. Although the choices may be somewhat more limited than usual for 2020, most businesses and organisations are open in some capacity and there is still plenty to do – both indoors and outdoors – throughout the fall and winter months, making it a great location for anyone who wants to stay active.

 

 

The Future of Entertainment: Is Bingo Headed Online?

The online entertainment industry is booming on all fronts. Attribute it to accessibility, user-friendliness, device affordability or a combination of these, but the fact remains: people love gambling online and the trend is projected to continue growing well into the years to come. Even traditional games such as Bingo appear to be moving in this direction. But the question is, will its modern online form overtake the tradition?

Find out more as we take an in-depth look at the matter below.

The latest statistics on gambling in Canada

First, a brief couple of words on gambling in Canada are in order.

It comes as no surprise that two thirds of Canadians picked lottery as their preferred game of choice. In contrast, only one fifth of players play casino type games.

The majority of gamblers are somewhere between 35 and 50 years of age. Bingo players, specifically, tend to be above 40 on average. Interestingly, in terms of age, bingo players are not the oldest of the bunch, since slots players are averaging to be anywhere between 55 and 64 years of age.

This goes to show that bingo is no longer a game for the elderly as it’s getting noticed by younger generations who love the social aspect of it.

Tradition meets modern technology

While the tradition offline variant of bingo yields obvious benefits (mainly socialization), those who play the game online enjoy a greater degree of flexibility. Not only time-wise, but also in terms of being able to participate with a wide variety of devices and operating systems.

The underlying concept is porting the game to the browser without cutting down on its features or appeal. That way, any device with an internet browser becomes compatible, whether you’re running Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, or any other operating system. Plus, there is nothing to install, which means less time spent waiting around for the game to download and more time enjoying the action.

There’s also a wide variety of games to choose from, including the likes of 75-ball, 90-ball, 9×9 grid variants, etc. Last but not least, there’s nothing stopping your social circles from entering the same room online, meaning you could gather your best friends and play at your convenience. And who could resist the temptation of spending quality time with friends from the comfort of one’s sofa?

Bingo comes in many variants and captivates players of all ages.

Canada’s laws on gambling tend to be on the lenient side of things, so it’s not surprising that this is a good place to be if you enjoy this activity. So in the eyes of the law, both offline as well as online bingo in Canada is positioned well and doesn’t infringe on any laws or regulations. It’s worth noting that several bingo games are organized in this country that fall under the category of charitable gambling, which is another element that’s healthy for the game.

Then, we have have the global effect of social distancing that set the trend of gambling moving toward the online environment. No one knows whether the effect will only be temporary or not, but for the time being, it’s another force that is pushing the game in this direction.

Furthermore, let’s not forget the introduction of 5G technology. In a nutshell, this will have a significant impact on how we access online entertainment, bringing in a massive upgrade in terms of speed and overall experience. Since connection speed will no longer be a barrier, we can expect to see the graphics be polished to perfection. Since 5G isn’t going away and there will be a flood of devices that support the technology, this will also have a positive effect on online bingo.

Last but not least, VR technology deserves an honourable mention. Although still not having reached the consumer level of affordability, we’re likely nothing but a year or two away from getting there. As it goes without saying, VR technology will benefit all online casino games because it makes everything appear much livelier and more engaging.

Conclusion

Everything considered, the online variant of bingo has a bright future ahead of itself, with much of it already coming to fruition. Whether it will overtake its traditional offline counterpart is anyone’s guess.

 

 

How to Stay Ahead of the House at Online Casinos

Betting Tips to Beat Online Casinos

Online casinos and games are plentiful, and players are always keen for some tips to beat the house edge and finish in the black. Intrigued? Then read on.

Choose from the Best Canadian Online Casinos First

We’ve got some great advice on getting ahead at online casinos, but before that it’s essential to have a place to play. Players in Canada have a number of provincial and offshore sites to choose from, most of which are are accessible in Toronto and across Ontario are as well. The best casinos listed are all regulated and audited, and have a plethora of games with great return to player percentages, not to mention exciting bonuses. By taking your time to choose sites with the best offers and games, that’s already one way to help ensure you have a greater chance of making a profit.

Of course, Toronto is home to great brick-and-mortar casinos and excellent restaurants but even if you prefer the atmosphere of playing in person, the pandemic situation does make it safer to play online. And live dealer options accurately reproduce the experience of playing in person, with no mask (or risk of COVID-19) required.

Picking the Right Slots

Slots are the biggest draw to modern day casinos, including online betting establishments. Because of the lack of physical constraints and the desire to create more games for players to enjoy, online casinos can offer hundreds or sometimes even thousands of different slots. This is a dizzying array from which to pick and might lead to option paralysis. But if your strategy is to focus on trying to finish ahead there are some tips on which slots will suit you.

There are two main factors you need to know: RTP (return to player) and volatility. RTP is the average return a player will get. A 96% RTP (which is reasonable) means you’ll end up with $9.60 on average, if you wager $10. Volatility refers to how far from the average the slot tends to stray. A high RTP slot with low volatility will ensure you enjoy lots of little wins but will encounter few big wins. A slot with the same RTP but high volatility could see you go through long barren spells only to enter purple patches where you win larger sums.

The slots available at any given casino will vary according to which developer(s) contributes games. Many casinos only use a solo developer, but lots are multi-developer, which obviously presents more choice for players. Some slots with RTP, exceeding 98%, include Thunderkick’s idiosyncratic 1429 Uncharted Seas, Mega Joker by NetEnt, and Playtech’s Ugga Bugga.

Keep an Eye on your Bankroll

For any leisure activity, whether it’s golfing, reading, or going on holiday, you’ve got to have a budget in mind. That’s especially important for a pastime that has a great potential for either costing you or making you money.

The first thing to do is to work out a disposable amount of income in dollars, and deposit that (taking full advantage of deposit matching and other bonuses that online casinos frequently offer). Of this sum, pick a certain amount and use that as a standard stake. This might vary according to how much you play. If you only go in for a single slot or table game and play for quarter of an hour a day it will be relatively more than if you sit down for hours at a time. Just be aware that this should be a small slice of your playing funds, so that if you have a really unlucky session you don’t get wiped out.

The Top Table Games

Table games have been around for a long time, some for decades, others for centuries. This is actually an advantage for players, as this heritage has helped to ensure they tend to have very low house edges.

This is especially true for blackjack and roulette, with blackjack having a house edge that can be as low as 0.5-1%. Blackjack is a special game, not only because of the low edge but because players can memorize the ideal moves to maximize their chances of making the right call. Even with that, the casino will have the edge, but it’ll be wafer-thin and require only the slightest drop of good fortune for the player to come out ahead.

Roulette, by contrast, is entirely random but there is a big choice players can make to massively improve their chances. Always avoid double zero games. Odd as it may sound, this dramatically enlarges the house edge while offering nothing to the player. Always opt for single zero roulette games.

Another advantage afforded by playing online is the inherent stability and resilience of the virtual world when it comes to the healthcare situation. Entirely rightly, real world casinos had to close temporarily during the lockdowns imposed to help stymie the pandemic. This is something that does not affect online casinos, enabling players to continue enjoying themselves without fear of either catching the virus or suffering interrupted service.

Things to Avoid

Just as important as understanding the best way to get ahead is knowing about tempting pitfalls to avoid. There’s no advantage making a bundle only to lose it through missteps, after all.

A top tip is to avoid ‘clever’ maths. The fact is that casino games always favour the house. They have to, or casinos would average a loss and the business model would be unsustainable. This doesn’t stop some people trying to employ seemingly smart mathematical strategies but you should avoid them like the plague. Not only will the cunning plan (in the Baldrick sense of the expression) of doubling stakes every time you lose lead you to risk catastrophic losses, it’s also frequently banned by online casinos and could see your account closed for contravening the terms and conditions. Don’t get us wrong, it’d be a terrible idea even if that weren’t the case, but players should know this mathematical madness can also see them thrown out of a virtual casino.

On a similar note, you should only ever bet when you have a level head. Playing slots and table games is a lot of fun but it’s well-known that casino games can be moreish, and whether you’re excessively merry or in a bad mood it’s as well to shun betting until you’re calm.

Casinos offer plenty of rule variants when it comes to popular table games. It’s not unusual to find dozens of different types of blackjack and roulette. Generally speaking, alternative rule sets serve to increase the house edge. These games are historic and come with low house edges most of the time, so be aware that updated versions tend to favour the house.

With Canadian casinos slowly reopening their doors but in a restricted way, complete with mask-wearing and social distancing, there’s never been a better time to try your hand at top online casinos.

We hope you found our collection of tips for finishing ahead of the house to be useful. Always remember to stay cool, and have fun.

 

 

The Fundamental Reasons Behind the Rise of Cashless Slot Machines

  • October 12, 2020
  • Entertainment
  • Comments Off on The Fundamental Reasons Behind the Rise of Cashless Slot Machines

Physical slot machines are going increasingly cashless; is this simply in line with a general societal trend towards digital payments, or has it been more fundamentally influenced by the rising popularity of online casinos? People are becoming very familiar with cashless systems and it appears that cash may no longer be king. What are the main motivators behind brick-and-mortar casinos following the zeitgeist and trending towards cashless slots and gambling?

The Online Casino Effect

The increasing prevalence of online casinos is indicative of a population that is very comfortable with making digital payments. One of the core reasons for the success of online casinos is the convenience they offer – this is because of the freedom to play from home or on-the-go with mobile. The transparency of online casino systems in terms of payment extends to the gameplay also, with players being immediately aware of a game’s return to player (RTP) and volatility, allowing them to make informed decisions about their game choice.

But the ease of these platforms is also down to the multitude of payment methods. Players enjoy the ease with which digital payments can be made, whether via card or through emerging methods like cryptocurrencies. It, therefore, makes sense that users have an increasing appetite for this level of payment convenience when it comes to physical slot machines.

Traditional slots have often meant ardent players sitting with a bucket-full of coins to put into the machine. This is clearly inconvenient and unwieldy for many people; the example set by the ease of equivalent online casinos has led to a natural transition to cashless physical slot machines that benefit the customer experience.

An Increasingly Cashless Society

Of course, it’s impossible to ignore the effect of a global trend towards an increasingly cashless society. It can bring vast improvements in efficiency to both the consumer and the company as keeping track of digital payments is automated and immediate in comparison to the difficulties involved with tracking physical cash. In turn, this can also help with customer protection as casinos have the ability to restrict and limit the amount of funds gambled to ensure they do not exceed certain amounts.

Canadian casinos are currently making preparations to re-open and they appear to be giving increased emphasis to cashless elements as it allows for less handling of notes. Replicating the cashless elements so prevalent across businesses from cafes to supermarkets to bars certainly seems to be an obvious progression for physical casinos.

Recent technological advancements also go hand-in-hand with these changes as it becomes more affordable and accessible for people and businesses to provide digital payment services. Payments can now be made via mobile phones, wristbands, and watches which makes it increasingly unlikely that customers will be caught in a situation where they are only able to pay with cash.

The longevity and continued popularity of casinos has been driven by the commitment of the industry to keeping up with the times and consumer interests. Although the success of online slots have certainly informed the evolving nature of physical slot machines and their transition towards cashless, the general societal trend towards digital payments has likely been the most fundamental reason for the ongoing changes. Expect the rise of cashless slot machines and the physical casino experience to continue apace.

 

 

Top Ideas for Making Your Boring Autumn Weekends More Fun

  • October 5, 2020
  • Entertainment
  • Comments Off on Top Ideas for Making Your Boring Autumn Weekends More Fun

Summer is already gone, and shorter and cooler days have replaced all that warmth. While the working days haven’t changed much for the majority of people, the weekends indeed have. As the weather changes, so does our mood, which consequently makes us lose interest in going out and having fun in general.

If you have let colder Autumn days ruin your weekends, this text is about to give you a few ideas on how to change that. There are a few variants for both outside and inside activities, so you can choose the one that seems most appealing to you once the weekend starts. Let’s take a look!

Visit Casa Loma

If you haven’t already, you should take a weekend while the weather is still gentle towards Canada to visit Casa Loma. This stunning castle was built in 1914 in a Gothic style and it has proudly carried the title of the only castle in this part of the continent since.

The castle’s eye-catching flower gardens and overall splendour were enough for many movie directors to use it for the shooting of popular films such as Chicago and X-Men. If you wish, you can have dinner at a restaurant located inside the castle and feel the atmosphere of the aristocracy for at least a day in your life.

Organize a Casino Night

If you don’t feel like going away for the weekend and you prefer having friends who share the mood with you over, there’s no better idea than to organize a casino night at home. Thankfully, this kind of party won’t require a lot of work as it used to years ago since the technology has made this process a lot easier.

While it would be great to get a poker set and make it realistic, you can also take advantage of electronic devices in your home and access various online slot games. In this way, you will be able to replicate the casino part filled with slot machines so that anyone who doesn’t feel like playing cards can have some fun on their own.

Furthermore, the slot games that you can find online are extremely fun as there are more than a thousand of them to choose from. You will be able to find both the classic fruit machines and the latest movie-themed slots, or anything else for that matter. The web is full of attractive games, and everyone can find something that suits their preference for sure.

Check Out the Hockey Hall of Fame

Considering that most Canadians love hockey, this will probably be the most popular idea. Pay a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame and spice up your weekend with some cool activities that include your favourite sport.

The hall is well-equipped with a model rink, but there are also real sticks and pucks that enable you to play some hockey against the legends of this sport. Practice your shots against Frederik Anderson and Carey Price that you’ll be virtually facing over there.

Indulge in a Movie Marathon

Cold Autumn weekends are perfect for finally watching those trilogies you’ve always wanted to see but never had enough time for it. All you need for this activity is a TV, cozy and warm pyjamas, some snacks and drinks, and the party can start!

Dive into the story of the timeless classic like the Godfather, or choose the extended versions of LOTR movies. In case you’ve already watched these and other blockbuster trilogies, or you are more interested in TV series than movies, even better. There’s no better time to start watching a TV series with more than a dozen episodes than a cold weekend with nothing else to do. You can do it alone or in a company — one way or another, you will enjoy it.

 

 

 

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