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Henderson has scored for Canada!
By BRIAN PAULS Do you remember where you were when you heard the legendary Foster Hewitt utter those words, on September 28, 1972? I do. My wife Jeanne and I recall the moment very well. We were there – in person at THE GAME in Moscow, while millions of our fellow Canadians were celebrating as part of what amounted to an undeclared National Holiday back home.
It had been a snap decision back in the spring of that year, never regretted since. After arranging for our infant son to stay with relatives, we purchased a ten-day package to fly from Winnipeg to Moscow on Aeroflot, priced to include hotels, meals, tours, game tickets, what have you.
We packed two dozen siddurim underneath the clothing at the bottom of our suitcases, fearing that we would be searched and arrested upon arrival. We weren’t. The flight to Moscow featured unlimited vodka but limited staff enthusiasm to clean the barf-filled toilets, so we were tired and quite uncomfortable but very happy to arrive. Whereupon uniformed soldiers, police or customs officials (it was impossible to determine which was which) started questioning all passengers with Jewish-sounding surnames. We weren’t hassled, presumably due to a decision in the 1920s to abbreviate our Yiddish surname by my wise paternal grandfather upon emigration to Canada. On departure from Moscow, the unfortunates with the more Semitic-type surnames underwent a similar rigmarole. By then, that represented merely a minor inconvenience, such as all of the toilet paper and soap that accompanied us being stolen by hotel cleaning staff when we were out. Which also happened.
On the first Shabbat after our arrival, which coincided with the first day of Sukkot, we got into a taxi from our hotel and headed to services at the Great Choral Synagogue of Moscow – the ONLY shul allowed by the Communist authorities in 1972 to remain open in a capital city inhabited at the time by hundreds of thousands of Jews. We got part of the way there, but the driver (whose English was quite good) strenuously declined to approach very closely, stating that he feared being hassled or worse, and giving us directions instead as to the remainder of the route for us to walk.
The siddurim and we slowly got there, we successfully evaded the KGB spies (there were quite a few) and we had a marvellous visit with a large but aging group of excited worshipers who crowded around us and spoke to us in various languages, Yiddish more than any other.
It was a memorable time in history, of the Refuseniks – the Jews desperate to leave but forbidden, of organizational activism in North America and of Cold War hostility across the broad spectrum of international relations.
Eight days later, most of the Jews among the 3000 Crazy Canucks, as the media described us, invading the Soviet Union along with the hockey team, had connected with one another and were trading anecdotes. Our own story was unique. So when we reported not only on our specific experience but also that we had been asked by the congregants to invite Jewish visitors to attend the shul on Simchat Torah (the final one of our scheduled ten days in the Soviet Union) my wife and I ascended to informal leadership of what became a group of approximately two dozen or so who proposed to do precisely that. We had returned to our hotel after the services on the first day of Sukkot via subway upon receiving directions from congregants as to how to maneuver the underground system (since we couldn’t understand the Cyrillic lettering on the directional signs). Thus we were assigned that leadership role to return with the others primarily based upon our courageous prior Moscow travel EXPERIENCE (hah).
Well, it worked out magnificently. In all of the times that my wife and I have participated in the Hakafot on Simchat Torah from childhood to present, there has never been a more joyful one.
The Bolshoi Ballet, St. Basil’s, the matryoshka dolls, Red Square, the Kremlin and the Armoury Museum, the Galleries, the Lenin Mausoleum, the GUM store, the four exciting hockey games each decided by a single goal…nothing compared to the pleasure experienced by each of us, alongside the Jews from far away and Jews living close nearby who danced 7 times around the aisles of the Great Synagogue, each individually taking a turn at hoisting aloft a Torah scroll.
It was the trip of a lifetime.
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Volatility, Hit Frequency, and RTP: Why the Number Casinos Advertise Is the Least Useful One
The return to player percentage looks clean as a casino data point. It gives players a neat number, usually around 94% to 97% for many online slots, and that number feels easy to compare. A 96.5% game appears better than a 95.2% game. The problem starts when players treat RTP as a forecast for their next 50 spins or one evening.
You may find the RTP listed on slot pages on a leading online casino in Ontario, but the number only tells part of the story. Two games can share the same RTP and create different sessions: one may return small wins often, while the other may drain a balance before one bonus round changes everything.
The RTP Trap
Return to player (RTP) measures the theoretical share of total wagers a game returns across a very large number of rounds. In plain terms, a 96% RTP slot returns about $96 for every $100 wagered in the long run. That does not mean one player who deposits $100 should expect $96 back.
The trap sits in the word “theoretical.” RTP comes from the game’s math model. It works across huge samples, not personal sessions. A player can finish far above that percentage, far below it, or with nothing left after a short run of poor results.
Is it useless then? No, RTP can still help. It gives a baseline cost of play. Lower-RTP games cost more on average than higher-RTP games. Still, once a game passes a reasonable threshold, the next question matters more: how does it distribute that return?
Hit Frequency: The Number That Shapes Session Feel
Hit frequency tells you how often a game produces a winning outcome. This often misleads players because any win can count. A spin that returns $0.10 on a $1 bet may still count as a hit, even though the player lost $0.90 in real terms.
A game can feel active because symbols connect often, sounds play, and the screen keeps celebrating small returns. The balance may still fall. In many modern slots, “win” does not always mean profit on the spin.
Hit frequency answers one practical question: how much silence can you tolerate? Some players dislike long dry spells. Others accept quieter sessions because they chase bonus rounds or larger payouts.
The educational site Get Gambling Facts gives a useful distinction: RTP concerns the percentage of money returned over time, while hit frequency concerns how often a machine stops on a winning combination.
Volatility: The Risk Label Players Need More Often
Volatility, also called variance, describes how unevenly a game pays. Low-volatility games tend to return smaller amounts more often. High-volatility games hold more value in rare events: bonus rounds, premium symbols, multipliers, or jackpots.
Here is where RTP becomes less useful on its own:
- A 96% low-volatility slot may give modest returns and longer play from the same balance.
- A 96% high-volatility slot may burn through funds quickly unless the player hits a strong feature.
- A progressive jackpot game may look exciting, but it often places more value on rare top prizes.
The same RTP can hide very different risk profiles. Players who ignore volatility often blame the casino or the game when the session follows its math design.
Why the Same RTP Can Feel So Different
Picture two slots with 96% RTP. Slot A pays small wins on many spins, has a modest top prize, and rarely creates dramatic balance swings. Slot B pays less often but offers a large max win and volatile bonus rounds. The advertised return matches, but the experience does not.
Slot A may suit a player who wants a slower bankroll drop and more regular feedback. Slot B suits someone who accepts sharper losses in exchange for a shot at a heavier payout.
A Better Way to Read a Slot Page
Most slot pages give players more clues than they notice. The trick is to read the details together rather than chase the highest percentage.
Start with RTP. If two games look similar, the higher number has better long-term value. Then check volatility. If the game uses terms such as high, very high, or extreme variance, lower your bet size or expect shorter sessions. Next, look at the paytable. A huge max win usually means the game saves a lot of its value for rare outcomes.
A sensible pre-play check looks like this:
- RTP: What is the average long-term return?
- Volatility: How rough can the session become?
- Hit frequency: How often will the game show any wins?
- Paytable: Where does most value sit?
To Conclude
Casinos advertise RTP because it looks objective, tidy, and easy to rank. Players should read it, but they should not give it more authority than it deserves. For long sessions, volatility may matter more than a small RTP difference. For comfort, hit frequency may explain the feel better than the payback rate.
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They Deserve the Very Best”: The Doctors Bringing Specialist Care to Holocaust Survivors at Home
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The Popularity of Simpler Slot Games in 2026: Review From Casino Online CrazyTower Experts
Online casinos now fill their libraries with numerous video slots that have dozens of functions, long bonus rounds, complex mechanics, and so on. Interestingly, despite this huge range of modern options, many Canadian visitors at sites like Casino Online CrazyTower here https://crazytower.com/ca/ no longer want complicated gameplay that requires constant attention and long explanations.
Simpler slots now attract a wider audience because they save time and create faster sessions. So, let’s figure out why this change happened and reasons for the popularity of simpler machines.
Why Many Players Are Returning to Basic Gameplay
Modern websites like Casino Online CrazyTower pushed complex video slots for years, but many people now prefer classic formats again. Simple gameplay has fewer interruptions and is simpler in terms of budgeting, which is important when you gamble for fun.
These are a few potential reasons explain why simpler slots became popular again in 2026:
- Faster rounds. Symbols appear quickly, and rounds continue without long animations or extended bonus sequences.
- Easier controls. Most classic slots have simple menus and familiar layouts that don’t confuse new visitors.
- Smaller feature lists. Simple slots usually have standard wilds, scatters, and multipliers instead of dozens of random mechanics.
- Better session flow. People spend more time on gameplay instead of reading explanations about symbols and special functions.
- Lower visual pressure. Simpler slots use calmer designs and shorter effects that don’t overload attention.
Classic gameplay also suits mobile devices better because shorter rounds work well on smaller screens. Plus, many visitors now prefer games that start instantly and explain their mechanics within seconds.
Features That Make Simpler Slots Appealing
Simple machines at Casino Online CrazyTower and similar websites continue to attract attention because they have a high gameplay speed. Many classic titles also replicate older casino machines that people already know from physical casinos.
However, these aren’t the only factors that attract gamblers. So, check out this list:
- Short bonus rounds. Free spins and multipliers finish quickly instead of interrupting gameplay for several minutes.
- Common and standard paylines. Traditional layouts help people understand payouts without long explanations.
- Faster loading times. Simpler graphics reduce waiting time on phones, tablets, and older computers.
- Stable gameplay pace. Long cutscenes and constant pop-up notifications don’t interrupt the session.
- Traditional themes. Fruit symbols, bars, sevens, and classic casino designs still attract large audiences.
- Smaller menus. Important information appears immediately without complicated tabs or hidden sections.
Modern video slots often contain too many mechanics in a single game. Developers now combine expanding reels, random modifiers, mission systems, tournaments, and multiple bonus levels in one title. Many visitors lose interest because gameplay turns repetitive and overloaded with constant interruptions.
Compare this to a session when you get results immediately and aren’t interrupted. These still have free spins and even mini risk games, but not as loaded as innovative titles.
Conclusion
Simple slots usually create better replay value because people understand the mechanics immediately. Common and standard gameplay doesn’t cause frustration and allows faster decisions during casino sessions.
Many classic slots also function better during short breaks because rounds finish quickly without long bonus interruptions. That’s why simpler slots became popular again at many casinos, including Casino Online CrazyTower and such.
