So how bad do you have to lose in order to win big? It all depends on just how dry a run a player puts together, and how much they are willing to push their own "bad luck". Bonuses start after four straight losing spins, in the form of free spins – guaranteed winners that pay anything found on the pay table – from 3 to 600 coins. The more times you lose in a row, the more free winning spins you can accumulate, up to a whopping 11,000 free spins. In addition, there's always the chance to take home the ultimate bonus, a progressive jackpot of more than $100,000!

"With free spins, it's like someone else is feeding money into your machine until you win. It's no longer a question of if you'll hit a winner, it's how big will it be," says Michael McMain, RealTime's Director of Engineering, "And of course there's also that Big Daddy out there, the multi-casino progressive jackpot".

Pushing "Bad" Luck

Putting together a losing streak that generates the greatest bonus opportunities takes more than luck; it also takes a lot of nerve. Free spins come often, but players must either cash in their free spins, or push on to try and lose again. "It takes a certain amount of guts to take 5, 10, or even 1000 free spins – guaranteed winners – and put them on the line. But then again the payoffs can make it all worthwhile," says Staw.

New Approach to Gaming

This innovative twist on an old standard is nothing new for RealTime Gaming, it is a deliberate strategy for growth. As Staw puts it, "To stay ahead of the competition we have to focus on what the players want, and that is variety, entertainment, and a real shot at winning big prizes. That's how games like It's Good To Be Bad are born. We've generated so much excitement that we've even been approached by traditional slot vendors interested in bringing It's Good To Be Bad to brick and mortar casinos!"

Thus far, response to It's Good To Be Bad has been overwhelmingly positive from both casino operators and players. "The whole reason we do business with RealTime is because they always are pushing the envelope; not just with new technology features, but with real original gaming ideas. Look at It's Good To Be Bad; players win by losing? It's new, it's different and it's bringing in new players. We love it!" gushes casino manager Andrew Johnstone from www.casinoextreme.com.

Evidently, other operators agree, and are demanding more new games from the RealTime team. Luckily, new game innovations are on the way. As Staw puts it, "We released 25 new games in 2002, and we've got even bigger plans for this year."

Founded in 1998, RealTime Gaming creates Internet gaming software for some of the most successful casino sites on the Internet, employing some of the most sought after talent in the areas of game programming, web development, and business statistics.