NBA owner scores big

Joe Maloof, one of the owners of the Sacramento Kings, showed that even amateurs can win big in tournaments. He participated in an invitational blackjack tournament at the Barona Casino in San Diego and took $1 million for first place. His victory was dramatic because he came from behind on the last hand and won with a blackjack.

The 41 players invited paid an entry fee of $10,000 for a chance at winning $1 million. So the strong overlay ($590,000) made this tourna¬ment one of the best blackjack tournaments in history. But don’t call your travel agent to buy a ticket to California quite yet. That tournament isn’t an open event, but is restricted to invited premium players. To get on that A list you must have at least a $100,000 credit line and be a high roller at the tables.

Practice games before deposit

Many Internet casinos include features that allow you to practice for free, which is great if you’re not familiar with a game before cash.

I recommend that even experienced gamblers start off at the free sites because online gambling has a learning curve, meaning you can easily hit the wrong button and accidentally double down on your hard 20, which has happened to me twice.

And there’s no disgrace to sticking with free games. Many people are perfectly happy competing for points or pride rather than cash. They’re also much safer than cash, given the uncertain legal issues and inherent dangers of online gambling addiction.