The game industry is one of the most lucrative branches of entertainment nowadays, and for a good reason. We learn through play, and having the ability to boost our cognitive skills and enjoy some top-notch aesthetics, is going to justify our expenses for purchasing games. Moreover, there are so many smartphone owners now, and apps and games that are made for phones are really accessible, so it’s easier to get into gaming now than it was a few decades ago. Considering how games have become part of our everyday lives it would be interesting to go back to the 20th century and see how it all started. 

First players

Even before computers people invented games for the purpose of entertainment, competition and learning. So it is only natural to come up with new games that are closely tied to the new available tools. The first games were designed and played in the 1950s and 60s, by the computer scientists, and these were mainly simple games and simulators that could be used for scientific experiments. 

Mainstream popularity 

The time games became more mainstream was during the 70s and 80s. It is during this period that we had arcade games as well as consoles for gaming that relied on joysticks. This period is marked by the Atari 2600, console that kids played with in front of their TV, and it clearly inspired work like Ready Player One. A few years later or during the 80s computers started getting more games, and handheld consoles started to make their appearance.

Console wars 

That’s right console wars did not start with Sony and Xbox, it actually started in the late 80s, with Sega and Nintendo. To be precise it was between the Sega Master System and NES in North America. It is around this time that we got a legendary title for Sega, Sonic the Hedgehog, and soon afterward we got some of the longest-running franchises today like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. 

Furthermore, games started to gain in popularity so much that producers decided to make live-action movies that were based on these games. So we got Mario Brothers, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter movies. Unfortunately, apart from iconic names, these movies did not have much going for them. 

As far as the winner in the console war is concerned it was Sega, but it was not as successful in Japan, and a new war was already looming on the horizon. 

Sega vs Sony

The first main leap in gaming was going from cartridges to CD games, and that happened with the appearance of Sony Playstation. Not only did the games look more impressive, but the console was also significantly cheaper than its rival Sega Saturn. Things did not look well for Sega, and they really started to think outside the box when it comes to marketing. Probably the best thing that came out of this console skirmish were Segata Sanshiro commercials, so you are highly encouraged to check them out.

However, as it’s already clear Sony won that war and it’s one of the most popular consoles up to this day. 

Sony brought us 3D games, which really revolutionized the game design for all future generations. If you think about it, the joypads are really similar to the first ones, with some tweaks and additions here and there, but it proves that the core design was spot on. 

You probably know the rest consoles started getting better, graphics started to get more amazing with each passing year, and PC was the number one platform for FPS games and MMO RPGs. 

Sports have always been popular, from the dawn of time. Today, sports are still popular, from football, basketball, cricket and even esports. Wait, what?! What are esports. Esports stands for electronic sports. Electronic sports stands for people competing in video games, to put it bluntly. How is that a sport, some people ask? 

Well, simply put, because there are professional athletes who dedicate up to 15 hours every day to become better, no, the best at a specific video game. These athletes also compete professionally, earn salaires, get bonuses and even get injured. Even people who love sports betting have embraced esports, because now they can bet on something very interesting, flashy and which they have lots of data about. People considering Royal Ascot betting offers are now considering various esports betting offers.

As everything else, esports also has its origins.

The Beginnings – Offline Gaming

Given that the internet wasn’t really, really, widely available until the mid 2000s, people used to play video games locally. One of the most popular competitions was Quakecon. The video game which was played was the eponymous Quake, a first-person shooter. Quake and Counter-Strike were among the most played video games during the 1990s. Street Fighter tournaments were also popular, and they attracted a different kind of audience. Some people prefer fighter, others shooters, also leaving room for strategy games. Warcraft was one of the most played strategy games in the 1990s, not to mention the Command & Conquer series. 

The Mid 2000s – Global Tournaments

Esports started changing dramatically with the widespread availability of the internet. People knew more about video games and played them even more. With games like Counter-Strike and Starcraft being immensely popular, various global tournaments attracted professionals and even started attracting fans. The World Cyber Games and Intel Extreme Masters were the first two large tournaments which attracted lots of attention. Intel Extreme Masters is an ongoing tournament which features plenty of games, from Warcraft III during the 2000s, to now Dota2, Counter-Strike and even Starcraft II and Fortnite.

2010s – Game Specific Professional Tournaments

Ever since the release of League of Legends, Starcraft II and Dota2, esports became popular in a span of two years. Each of these games have their own tournaments, the two MOBAs having more fans, larger prize pools and coverage. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive also has plenty of tournaments which attract lots of attention. Fortnite: Battle Royale is another game which attracts lots of players, fans and earns a lot of people a lot of money due to coverage and sponsorships.

Overwatch, Blizzard’s first-person shooter, is another game with slipped into the genre and has made it through. Street Fighter is still here, more popular than ever. Online card games like Hearthstone and Gwent are also immensely popular and also have their own tournaments.

The Future of Esports – It’s Shiny

Esports has been considered by the Olympic Committee as a potential candidate for the Olympic Games. The only problem is that some video games are directly conflicted with the Olympic Games’ anti-violence code.

Regarding its status as a sport, 2016 saw a player called Danny Shiphtur Le get a P1 or sports visa for the United States. That marked a serious change regarding esports and its status. Plenty of huge sports organizations now have their own esports teams, an example would be FC Schalke 04.

Epsports had a slow, gradual rise to popularity. It can only get better from here on.

People often dream of winning a lottery and setting themselves up for life. Some people have been playing lotteries for well over 30 years and have yet to win a jackpot prize. How come, then, lotteries are so addictive? Addiction might not be the right word, but a promise of a prize with such low effort, that is a very different beast. Choosing a couple of numbers and winning a lot of money is something which is really tempting for most people, like Darrel C., who won 30,000 dollars on the Pennsylvania lottery scratch card game. That is a lot of money for just scratching on a card.

Here are some interesting facts about the lottery which you should know.

The Taxes – Do You Lose Money?

Yes, you do, is the short answer. Not all lotteries will tax the winners, but if a lottery does not take your money, you will almost surely be unable to transfer the money to your own account unless you want to have problems with your own country. Not all countries are as strict about taxing lottery winners, but have in mind that huge financial gains attract attention. The government likes its tax, and tax frauds are among the most frequent court cases, everywhere.

Lotteries are Not Legal Everywhere

When you think of a lottery, you think of a bunch of balls being thrown around in a bigger ball and random ones getting picked. This seems pretty harmless and it is for most of the time. Some countries are very strict about gambling, meaning that lotteries, which are by definition, gambling, are as illegal as poker or sports betting would be. Islamic countries come to mind, but Alabama and Alaska, as well as Utah, also have no lotteries of their own. Check whether gambling and lotteries are legal in your country, or the one you are visiting.

Online Gambling – Gray Areas of Gambling

With gambling legal in most countries, online gambling was by definition also legal. The problem with that is that most countries took a very long time to take a stance on online gambling, leaving people to do what they want without prosecuting them. That allowed for multiple online businesses to thrive in many countries, before stricter regulations were placed, making online gambling a much safer environment for everyone. That includes lotteries, which almost always require licenses. Whether the license is obtained from Malta or from the country in which the online lottery will operate in, a license is necessary for online lotteries.

Not All Lotteries are the Same

Have in mind that lotteries differ from one another. Some have odds which are far worse than others, which you could calculate, but the lottery officials often provide you with that information. If you plan on playing a lottery, make sure to check the odds, so you don’t end up playing one which has worse odds.

These are some of the many interesting facts about lotteries. Lotteries are gambling by definition and if you are tempted to play, play responsibly.

Poker Tips 1

Decide if you want to play for money or for fun. Poker is one of the serious gambling game which involves skill and hard work in order to win in the long run. If you want to play for money you must become familiar with the rules of the game and strategies. Math and probabilities are a plus and many would agree they are a must if you want to make a living by playing online poker.

Poker is a game of strategy and making the right decisions. If you dedicate yourself to it, you may be able to make a decent living and why not, a have a nice income source. If you just want to play for fun that’s just fine. You may not need to know all the strategies behind winning and just take it easy and have a nice time gambling.

Poker Tips 2

Start by playing at a single table. While you take your time and focus on playing at one table, sometimes this can lose its power of entertainment and the temptation to jump to multi-tabling can arise. Make sure you learn how to consistently win at one table first and then you can add one more table at a time. Playing online poker at many tables at once can be very confusing for beginners. Join more tables when you feel confident enough and comfortable to do so.

Poker Tips 3

In poker, it’s important to not be disturbed when you play, that way your thinking and focus work optimally. In this regard, poker can’t be compared to any other gambling games like slots. The environment should be quiet without any distractions.

Poker Tips 4

Make sure that when you play online poker, your needs are fulfilled. Take breaks to fulfil your hunger, thirst or bladder needs. You can focus a lot better on the game if your stomach is not growling or when your brain has enough glucose to consume while thinking. Comfort also plays an important role in your ability to have more success at poker tables.

Poker Tips 5

Learn from your poker sessions and invest in good PC or efficiency software. There are a couple of software options which enables the poker players to track and record their hands. These