regex expession using .*

regex expession using .*

Apparently there is some core regex lesson I am missing because this is
impossible for me. Here is the strings I need to grab.
Dim r As New
System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex("-dump.com/index\.php\?gid=.*")
Dim r As New System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex
("-dump.com/index\.php\?gid=......")
Why does the second one work but not the first one? By the same question
why does the one below not work.
i/00009/3wyzrmtmfgq2_t.jpg
dim q as new system.text.regularexpressions.regex("i\/00009\/.*\.jpg