VIP Casino (www.vipcasino.com)
Software: Cryptologic
Platform: Windows Download

Signing up with VIP was easy, then I registered my credit card and on the first attempt it was rejected. Five minutes later I tried again on a whim and this time it was successful. I deposited $75 and was ready to roll, literally, since Craps was the first table I hit.

One great thing was that the 100% match deposit was instantly credited to my account upon the deposit - there was no need for me to email or call in to request the bonus, and there was no unnecessary delay in getting it.

It's important to note the terms of the bonus requirement, though. At VIP Casino, they offer a 100% deposit bonus up to $80, on your first deposit of the month regardless of whether it's your first deposit with them. That's a nice touch to encourage repeat customers. The bonus needed to be wagered a minimum of 70 times before cashing out, though they recently lowered this to 30 times the bonus. Baccarat, Craps and Roulette do not count towards the minimum wagering requirements.

I hit the Craps table and hit a wall of bad luck. The minimum bet is $5 at VIP, and after making a Pass Line bet of $5, the point was 8. I took the maximum free odds, $10, and as luck would (or wouldn't) have it, I crapped out on the next roll. I got right back up there and placed another Pass bet, and the point was made on 5. Again taking the maximum Odds bet, I started rolling. I managed to hit that 8 I wanted, but it was a case of too little, too late. After a few rolls of the dice, 7 came up and I wad down $30 in about 2 minutes time. I can take a hint, and Lady Luck was telling me this wasn't my game right now.

I moved over to Blackjack and my luck improved somewhat, but not much. After about 20 hands betting the minimum $2, I was down another $20. It's sessions like these that you need to run away from, take a few deep breaths, have a drink, and get right back at it with a fresh mind and attitude. When online casinos discover a way to upload free drinks to paying customers, I think they'll finally have the full package. Memo to VIP Casino: I'll take a bottle of Grey Goose.

I played the 25-cent Video Poker Jackpot and broke even over a few dozen hands, then tried their 9-line video slots for a similar return. But my excitement happens in the pits, and I ventured to the Pai Gow table. I find Pai Gow to be a good way to build up your wagering levels to meet the bonus requirements, as you frequently tie the dealer, which counts towards your wagering requirements but doesn't affect your bankroll. This time I was up and down and all over the place, finally leaving the table down another $15 overall. I would have liked to see a sort button in Pai Gow to sort my cards in numerical order. It helps me quickly identify my poker hands and speeds up my play.

I thought Let it Ride might change my luck, and played the minimum $3 bet. In fact, it really works out to a $1 minimum if you pull your bets, so I thought this would be a good way for me to play through my string of bad luck. After a few dozen hands, I had pulled myself out of my hole and was up about $30, wishing that I was betting a lot more than the minimum. I doubled my bets and was a having a great time, at one point having made up all my losses, but couldn't get up from the table before giving back another $40. I had played about 300 rounds in an hour, but I actually wished the game played a little faster by giving me the option to speed up or skip the animations. I decided to take a break before venturing to the slots.

VIP has a good selection of slot machines. From the normal 3-reel slots to Progressive Jackpots, video slots, and 9-reel slots, they have something for everyone. After trying most of their slots, I liked the newer video-style slots, but ended up doing better on the traditional slots like Flower Power and Triple Olives.

I decided to head on back to Let It Ride, and rode a few hands to a modest gain. That brought me enough courage to head back to the Craps table, which ended up being a bad idea, as I quickly gave back $30 when it seemed to be raining sevens. I decided to finish off my bankroll going for their giant Rags to Riches Progressive Jackpot, which was over $258,000. My luck didn't improve that much. Let's just say that the Jackpot is still at that level, if you're interested in it.

All in all, VIP is a great place to put your gaming dollars. The deposit bonus was automatically put into my account without a hitch, and the fact that their match bonus applies to your first deposit of every month means you can take advantage of it repeatedly. They have a good selection of Table Games, big Progressive Jackpots, and the full range of Slot Machines and Video Pokers. And their playthrough requirements are fairly reasonable for a 100% match bonus.