Endless and Costless Fun

I have been playing Beat the House 2 for a few weeks now, and have had to re-enter my name into the registry several times for simply blowing my money on blackjack. It's so addictive, as is gambling itself, but it is also much easier to deal with, because if you lose, you lose money you do not really have; and if you win, you get to weep with the rest of us virtual winners.

I like the games straight through. You can play video poker, roulette, blackjack, craps, and even mini-baccarat. You start the game with $2,000 that is yours to blow as you see fit. If you get stuck and have no money, visit the registry and erase your name. Once you sign back in, you get a fresh batch of play money.

This game is fun because you can continually go back to the well and remake your fortune. You get the ability to go to the table and put it all on black. And just like real life, you have a very good chance to lose all of your money just as quick as you typed your name to receive it.

The downside of the game is that the sound effects are corny. Listening to a woman's voice say "Shuffling... shuffling... shuffling" gets hold real quick. I find myself listening to the radio, an album, or watching TV while playing this game.

The other downside is that there is no dial-up to connect to play with other people. If you want to play multi-player, you have to go somewhere like mplayer.com. But for a solo flyer, this is the gambling game for you.