In the last couple of centuries, gambling has been most closely linked to casinos. We’ve all heard the stories and seen the movies – glistening bright lights, a murmur of people and slot machines, broken from time to time with excited celebrations. All of this is the perceived image of what goes on in a casino, but what are the actual games you get to play – that’s what we’ll look at here. The games we’ll mention can be found on casino floors, but they can be equally exciting when played in real money online casinos.
Luck or Skill
The most accepted way to divide casino games is in two tiers – luck and skill. That being said, all casino games are based on luck, it’s just that some rely on luck completely, while others let you work around a lack of luck if you’ve got the skills. For example, a game like roulette is completely based on luck – put your chips on a number, or color and see where the little metal ball lands – no skill required. On the other hand, you have a game like poker where skill does play a role.
Skill-based games
Blackjack
Blackjack is probably the most popular casino game in the world. It’s very simple to learn, and statistically, the odds of winning are usually better than other games (although the payout is usually smaller). The goal of the game is collecting cards to reach a combined value of 21, or as close as you can to it, without exceeding it. You can draw as many cards as you want (the first two being mandatory), but once the total goes over 21, the game is over.
It’s important to note that you aren’t playing against other players. Instead, all players are going against the dealer, and everybody that has a total closer to 21 than the dealer wins. The players get cards first, with the dealer drawing last – he must draw until he reaches 17, or more.
While playing, you can double your stake (bet) when you’re on your first two cards or split your cards (if you get two of a kind) for two stacks, but if you just want some fun, focusing on getting to 21 is just fine.
Poker
Of all the games you can play in a casino, poker is probably the one that requires skill the most. Most commonly, you’ll find gamblers playing one of two variants – Texas hold’em, or 5-card draw. In both games, the goal is to assemble a hand with the higher rank, and those are (in ascending order):
- High card
- One pair
- Two pairs
- Three-of-a-kind
- Straight (cards in numerical order)
- Flush (all cards of the same color)
- Four-of-a-kind
- Straight flush (cards in numerical order and of the same color)
- Royal flush (same as Royal flush, but the cards must range from ten to ace)
The differences between the variants are in the way you can get the higher hand. In 5-card draw (2-5 players), you’re dealt five cards and you have the option to exchange them once. You can opt to keep all the cards you were dealt or exchange all of them. All players pay an ante before being dealt the initial hand to participate in the round, with the option of raising bets both before and after the card exchange.
In Texas hold’em (2 to 8 players), you’re dealt two cards, with five cards being placed on the table. All players then combine their two cards with three table cards for the best hand. Bets are placed initially before the cards are dealt by the rule of small/big blind (only two players must ante before dealing) after the two cards are dealt to the players, and at every point when the cards are placed on the table (3-1-1 system).
Poker is relatively easy to learn but difficult to master. You’ll need to adjust your strategy on the fly, read bluffs (and bluff yourself), calculate odds, work around blinds, etc. Players enjoy it for its complexity, and chances to beat someone through skill, even if luck is not on their side.
Luck-based games
Roulette
Roulette is a game of chance where a ball spins on a wheel with numbers and you place bets on a board with 37 or 38 numbers (1-36 with 0 and optionally 00) individually, or in groups – depending on the payout you’re looking for:
- One number pays 35:1
- Two numbers pays 17:1
- Three numbers pays 11:1
- Four numbers pays 6:1
- Six numbers pays 5:1
- Twelve numbers (column) pays 2:1
- Red/black, odd/even, high/low (18 numbers) pays 1:1
The lower the chance of you hitting the right number, the more money you can get, but with greater risk involved. Gamblers flock to Roulette because it’s very visually appealing, and you don’t need to think too much about it – simply place your bets and wait for your number to land.
Slots
Slot machines are bright, cheerful, and pay out money in huge chunks of coins – what could be better? The principle behind slot machines is extremely simple. You must get the same symbol in a straight line: side-to-side, up-down, and/or diagonally.
Old slot machines, referred to as “fruit” machines had only three reels, so all you’d have to aim for is a straight line from side to side – get three cherries and you win! Newer machines have a digital display which lends itself to a whole bunch of possible combinations. Just be sure to check the winning rules before you start playing because there are a bunch of machine variations out there.
Conclusion
Be sure to always remember that playing casino games should first and foremost, be fun. If you just want to spin a few wheels on the slots to see if you’re lucky, let your mind wander and go for it. On the other hand, if you’re feeling like showcasing your skills in a high-stakes poker tournament where “luck isn’t a factor”, do that – there’s no wrong way to have fun.