5 minute read

The internet has made various forms of entertainment more accessible than ever. The only downside to this is potential choice paralysis. People naturally want to get the most out of the money they spend, and this article serves to help with that.  

Gaming

The fact that games are now distributed digitally allows sellers to significantly reduce their costs, often for a limited time. 

Humble

On Humble, players can buy bundles of games, which are selections of games grouped together. Some bundles contain only a few games, while others include over 10 titles, and they are always sold for a very low, minimal price, making them a perfect choice for players who are interested in all the included games. Humble has a “pay what you want” system, allowing players to pay anything equal to or above a minimal price.

Steam

Steam was created in 2003 by Valve and is the pioneer of digital game distribution platforms. It is the biggest of said platforms, offering over 100,000 titles. There are numerous sales on Steam throughout the year when gamers can buy titles at discounts of anywhere between 10% and 90%. Many of the sales are genre-related, but the biggest discounts are found during the four major seasonal sales.

Epic Games

Epic Games is probably Steam’s greatest competitor. Its library of games is vast but not quite as big as Steam’s. Much like Steam, Epic Games has seasonal sales during which games can be found with deep discounts, but what sets it apart is that it regularly gives games away completely free of charge. Although usually smaller titles, every week, two games can be claimed on Epic Games without payment. 

iGaming

According to an expert analysis of the best payout online casinos, getting your money’s worth primarily comes down to two factors, which are a high return to player (RTP) and large bonuses. Additionally, these sites offer efficient and secure payment options like crypto, debit cards, credit cards, and e-wallets.

BetWhale

This site boasts an incredibly high RTP varying between 95% and 98%, calculated monthly, with the highest RTP game being Single Deck Blackjack. It also offers new players a solid 250% welcome bonus, capped at $2,500. The site’s game library is also impressive, with more than 1,600 games available, made by prominent developers.

Raging Bull

With its RTP falling within the 95-97% range, it is only slightly lower than that of BetWhale. The greatest strength of this online casino is its large bonuses, with a 350% welcome bonus limited to $3,500. After claiming the welcome bonus, players receive a reload bonus every time they deposit money. 

Lucky Red

Lucky Red’s return to player varies between 94% and 97%. Its most prominent feature, however, is its 400% welcome bonus with no limit. The casino allows players to withdraw up to $50,000 at once, in addition to facilitating the use of 13 different methods for depositing and withdrawing money.

Video streaming

People’s preferred choice of video streaming service will mostly come down to which originals they favor. That said, some of the services offer a higher amount of content.

Tubi

If we judge by the sheer amount of content, Tubi is at the very top, having a library of over 40,000 movies and shows. In addition to that, the service is completely free, being supported by ads. The catch is that it does not have the latest releases, instead offering older titles, which does make it great, however, for finding classics and nostalgic content.

Disney+ Hulu bundle

In 2019, Disney bought 21st Century Fox, acquiring a majority stake in Hulu, and started providing Hulu in a bundle with Disney+. The two services can still be subscribed to separately, but a significant amount of money can be saved by subscribing to the bundle. A basic and premium plan are offered, with the premium one being ad-free and allowing the downloading of content.

Prime Video

Prime Video has the largest library of the Big Three streaming services, offering over 23,000 movies and series. Access to the service is gained through an Amazon Prime membership, but can also be subscribed to individually. The default version has ads, but they are relatively short compared to those on other streaming services, and can be removed with a small additional fee. 

Music streaming

Listening to music is more affordable than ever thanks to the rise of music streaming services. Over 120 million songs can be accessed with any digital device for a monthly subscription.

Deezer

Deezer’s free tier service is considered the best among music streaming services. It offers personalized recommendations based on listening habits and unlimited skips on some playlists. The free tier even includes a feature called SongCatcher that functions like Shazam and can name songs by listening to them. The premium tier gets rid of ads and gives complete control over playing songs. Deezer has the largest library among music streaming services, offering over 120 million tracks.

Spotify

The pioneer of music streaming, Spotify, is considered the best all-around online service for listening to music. It recently introduced lossless audio for premium subscribers, a long-awaited feature by users. It is easy to use, has a visually appealing interface, and allows users to download music for offline streaming. Spotify also has a solid free-tier service.

Tidal

Tidal is the go-to service for audiophiles who appreciate high-fidelity sound. While its 24-bit/192kHz quality is no longer exclusive to this streaming service, its sound is still considered to be of higher quality than that of competitors. HiFi Plus tier subscribers also have access to the Dolby Atmos feature, which creates greater immersion through precise spatial sound placement.

Wrapping up

The amount of digital entertainment services is vast, and sometimes the choice comes down to personal preference, but some of the services, including some hidden gems, do offer a better value for money spent.