Early Monday morning, July 31, the Miss Belterra Riverboat Casino was struck by a barge enroute to its berthing site in Indiana. No serious injuries have been reported. The $55 million casino boat was on its way to its permanent home in Vevay, Ind., where it had been scheduled to open Aug. 21. The boat was expected to hold 3,000 gamblers and include 1,400 slot machines and 60 tables.

The highly anticipated Addams Family slot machine is now in casinos in Nevada, Mississippi, Louisiana and Atlantic City. Two hundred of the machines are currently installed, with 1,200 more on the way.

The Addams Family design and sound effects are among the most elaborate ever built into a gaming machine. It is a 5-reel, 9-line, 45-coin nickel reel spinning video game that features custom voiceovers by John Astin, who played Gomez on "The Addams Family" TV series.

Among the first Nevada casinos to install The Addams Family are Boulder Station, Harrah's, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Paris, Rio Suite Hotel & Casino, Stardust and Westward Ho in Las Vegas; Club Cal Neva, Harrah's and the Peppermill in Reno; and Harrah's and Caesars at Lake Tahoe.

One of the complaints I've had with online craps is that it has always been played straight up against the computer, which lacks the excitement of a real life craps table. But that will soon change.

Casino On Net, a reputable and long-established online casino, has just released the first multiplayer craps game on the Net. The game is currently available in demo mode and will be open for real-money play later this week. Casino On Net already offers multiplayer blackjack.

Click here to play multiplayer craps

Dear Mark: Horrific as it sounds, it seems that the only game I'm able to win at lately is bingo. The thing is, for a comparatively small amount of money I can get a pretty good return. It also makes a nice relaxing change of pace if I'm on a losing streak and need to slow down my losses but I just don't want to leave the casino yet. Agree? Rick M.

Most players don't realize it, but bingo is one game the casino offers that generally operates as a loss-leader for the house. Casinos can actually show a net loss by paying out more in guaranteed prizes than they take in. Now for those who think $5 is a hefty price for a buy-in, try a special non-cash game - yes, FREE - that casinos occasionally advertise. Rick, you answered your own question correctly. Bingo does offer a great return and is a nice, relaxing change of pace if you're on a losing streak and need to slow down your losses.

Get more expert tips from Mark at http://www.dealmein.org

Check out the multiplayer tables and use a real time chat application, which adds a definite buzz and friendly atmosphere. Enjoy automatic 20% bonus on first deposits and legendary Happy Hours.

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One of the tremendous benefits of gambling online is the widespread availability of deposit bonuses - whether it's a set bonus amount, a match play bonus, or a bonus percentage added on top of your deposit. In places like Vegas, the highest you're likely to find is a $5 matchplay coupon, and even then only a few casinos offer this.

These deposit bonuses are currently the most common method being used by casino marketers to attract new gamblers - but as the industry evolves you are likely to see these deposit bonuses diminish or even disappear - so it might be a good idea to take advantage of them while you can.

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Now that George W Bush has announced Dick Cheney as his running mate, the attention focuses on Presidential candidate Al Gore and the Democratic Party. Amid the speculation that Gore will announce his selection just prior to the convention in Los Angeles, Intertops.com became the first established online bookmaker to accept wagers on who will be selected as the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee.

Intertops.com has listed Senator John Kerry (D) Mass., as the early favorite to be nominated -- currently listing him at 6/4 odds (i.e., win $6 for every $4 bet). Intertops.com also feels that Congressman Richard Gephardt (D) MO listed at 2/1, Senator Evan Bayh (D) Ind. (5/2), and Senator Bob Graham (D) Fla. (4/1) have a solid chance at grabbing the nomination.

Baseball legend Reggie Jackson is the latest celebrity to enter the online casino business with Reggie Jackson Casino at http://www.reggiejacksoncasino.com

Although Jackson's image and name appear on the casino, the site makes it clear that it "is neither owned nor operated in any manner by Reggie Jackson, or by any entity in which he has an ownership interest," presumably to shield Jackson from any legal repercussions.

Other celebrities that have lent their names to online casinos include Kenny Rogers, Larry Holmes, Rodney Dangerfield and Evel Knievel.

I found a Web page this week loaded with excellent info on the best Las Vegas hotel prices. The page, which is part of the American Casino Guide Web site, summarizes the best Las Vegas hotel room specials as listed in the Sunday Los Angeles Times Calendar Section. But you don't have to live in the Los Angeles area to take advantage of these deals.

Check out the specials at http://www.americancasinoguide.com/Travel/LA-TIMES-DEALS.shtml

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Have you taken a gambling trip to Las Vegas, Atlantic City or anywhere else lately? Then why not send me a short note summarizing your experiences? I'd love to share the info with all our readers. Thanks in advance! Your editor, Steve Johnson, .

See you next week!

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