The way that casinos are portrayed in the media veers between the glossy, glamorous, and sophisticated world of James Bond and the bright lights, high jinks, and ill-advised Vegas weddings featured in romantic comedies.
The reality, as one might expect, is that there are as many types of casinos as there are cultures in the world.
Some of the games that can be found in most casinos worldwide include:
- Poker
- Slots
- Roulette
- Baccarat
- Blackjack
- Craps
- Bingo
- Keno
Some games are more popular than others with some areas featuring a mixture of modern classics and local traditional games such as:
- Big Six Wheel
- Pai Gow
- Brag
- Red Dog
- Rummy
- Pachinko
- Sic Bo
The universal appeal of gaming means that there are casinos designed to suit everyone, not just in terms of physical venues, but online as well.
Many players hone their understanding of the most popular casino games by playing online at bingo sites such as Jackpot Joy where players can try their hand at a variety of games such as Crazy Time Casino as well as traditional favourites.
Which games are best for new players?
If the idea of eye-balling someone across a poker table and bluffing your way to success is a little too intense, then there are plenty of simpler games that are much easier to pick up, such as:
Blackjack
Blackjack is ideal for new players as everyone plays against the dealer, so the players at the table aren’t competing directly with one another. The object of the game is simple: to get a hand that scores twenty-one, or as close as possible, without going over, or ‘bust’.
Face cards count for ten and aces can be high or low, and one of each is the perfect winning hand. Each player receives two face-up cards, while the dealer has one face-up and one ‘in the hole’, or face-down.
Players can keep the hand they have as it is if they think it can beat the dealer’s, take more cards, or take action based on the cards in their hand, such as:
Split – if a player is dealt a pair of cards of the same value, they can be split and played as two separate hands, with an equal amount to be bet on the second hand and both hands receiving a second card.
Double – a player can double their bet and take a single additional card if they choose to, based on their first two cards. Players can also double on a hand that has already been split if they choose to.
Insurance bet – if the dealer has an ace visible, then players may be offered an insurance bet against the dealer having blackjack. This usually offers players favourable odds to get some of their stake back if the dealer has blackjack, but experts rarely recommend taking the deal.
Although it’s easy to learn how to play blackjack, practising online is a great way to hone your skills and develop your understanding of the probabilities involved in each hand.
There are plenty of detailed rules of play that can help you increase your chances of winning significantly.
Roulette
Films may have you believing that players are always putting it all on black, or risking their future on their lucky number, but the truth behind the appeal of roulette is the number of bets on offer. As well as the instantly recognisable wheel, the ‘layout’ where the bets are placed might be one of the more misunderstood aspects of the game.
There are plenty of simple bets on a single number or colour, but there are plenty of more interesting options, such as:
Dozens: a bet on twelve numbers at a time known as first dozen (1-12) second dozen (13-24) and third dozen (25-36). A win pays out double your bet.
Split: you can place a bet on the line between numbers on the layout and win if the ball lands in either number. A win pays out at 17:1.
Street: a bet on a group of three consecutive numbers such as 1,2, and 3 or 10, 11, and 12. These are also known as steam or trio bets and a win pays out at 11:1.
Five-number bet: this is a wager on the numbers 0,00,1,2, and 3, and only these numbers. A win pays out at 6:1, but with just over a 13% chance of winning, it’s one of the most risky bets to make.
Even the most experienced casino-goer has to start somewhere, and with a plethora of online games available, anyone can learn how to play any casino game they want to master.
There are online tutorials, statistical calculators, and pro tips about any games online – all you need is a little patience and you could be in with a chance of winning big.