As long as people have been inventing different games, there has been someone ready to gamble on the outcome. You can see the history of various types of gambling stretching back centuries, and while the games have evolved over the years, one thing remains true: people love to wager on the outcome of a game.
Casino gambling is generally the most popular form of gambling around the world. It is certainly the most international – a blackjack table is the same in Asia as it is in the United States, despite the language and cultural differences. Many of the games you see in a casino were developed a long time ago and modified to make them better for gambling purposes. Once these games came out of the back rooms and into licensed facilities, the popularity of casino games grew exponentially.
The introduction of online casinos completely changed the landscape; no longer did a person have to leave their house and go to a physical casino to play the games they loved. Also, with no limitations on space, online casinos could offer a larger selection of games than their land-based counterparts. What this meant for players is that they could access pretty much any game they wanted from the comfort of their own house.
With these modern methods of accessing casino games, both in land-based and online environments, the need to learn more about the actual games become apparent. More than ever, players want the information to make them more knowledgeable about games they have never played, and strategy on how to beat the games they currently enjoy.
It is with that in mind that we have created our Casino Games Guides. Whether you are a novice gambler or someone who plays these games for a living, our Casino Game Guides are the place to find the information you need. On this page, we will give you an overview of each of the guides as well as some general information about casino games. Don’t worry if you have heard some of it before; like your favorite song, you need to read this information, again and again, to know everything by heart.
You will also find links to our individual Casino Game Guides, where you can start to dig into a strategy for Beginners, Intermediate players, and Experts.
Well, there are two schools of thought on this topic. First off, whether you are gambling money on these games or not, casino games are fun to play!We always recommend to our players that they only play casino games that are giving them enjoyment, and that may mean learning a new game after you have grown tired of playing the same games over and over.When these games were invented, they were (for the most part) designed for entertainment purposes; the gambling component was added later.
There is another reason that people play casino games of course; to win money! Many players love the exhilaration of betting real money on the turn of a card or a spin of a wheel. We have all see the videos of someone hitting a big slots jackpot, or having a great run at a craps table, and wondering “Maybe that could be me?” That desire to be a big winner is what draws many people into land-based casinos and online to play their favorite games from home.
WARNING: We must warn you that casino games can be very addictive, and it is crucial that you know your limits when you sit down at a table and that you adhere to those limits when you are playing.
Your experience can go from enjoyable to terrifying in a short period of time; our Casino Game Guides will at the very least make you as knowledgeable as possible before you start gambling with your hard earned cash.
Whether you are playing online or have walked into a land-based facility, casino games are essentially the same. They can be categorized into 4 different groups, although you may find these groups change depending on where you look.
Table games in a casino refer to any game that is, well…played at a table. Whether the game is played with dice, a ball or cards, you are usually sitting or standing around a table with a group of other players (in a land-based casino) or playing at the virtual felt from your living room. Table games can include:
Real Money Slots
Real Money Roulette
Real Money Online Casino
Real Money Blackjack
Real Money Baccarat
Real Money Craps
Real Money Video Poker
Real Money Bingo
Slot machines are the most popular form of casino gambling and are also the most profitable for the house. This is why you will see most of the real estate in a land-based casino floor covered by slots games. The slot machine has come a long way from a few reels of static pictures; these days it seems like there is a slot machine themed to almost everything, including all your favorite movies and television shows.
The development of digital slot games was a significant enhancement, allowing a game developer to now add new content, including new paylines, more reels, animated symbols, and other added touches. Included in the digital transformation was the second screen bonus game, further enhancing the player experience? When online casinos came along, much of the content that had been built for the land-based slots was easily converted into games that you could access without sitting in the (then) smoky parlors.
Electronic Casino Games refer to games that are not slot machines that are also played on an electronic device. The most popular of these games is video poker, which can be found all over a casino floor, usually close to the bar areas where people can stop in for a drink and play a few hands. There are also electronic versions of blackjack and craps in a casino, which play much faster than their table games relatives. If you want to get a quick fix of a game like blackjack but don’t want to wait for a seat at a table, then electronic games are where you will find it.
Some games in a casino are essentially lottery games, but for live groups of players. In a land-based casino, these games are usually put in their own rooms, or there may be an electronic version of the game.
The most popular lottery-style games in a casino are Keno and Bingo.These games don’t require a lot of knowledge and effort; just pick your numbers or buy a card and let them be called.
To give you the most information in the least cluttered way, we have organized our Casino Game Guides by an individual game for the most popular games you will come across. For some of the less popular or played games, we have grouped them together into their own guides.Here are the guides you will find at our site:
BlackjackThe most well-known game table game in a casino, and the backstory for most gambling movies, Blackjack is an easy game to learn but a difficult one to master. Betting patterns, bet sizes, and advanced play are all things you will learn in our guide to Blackjack.
SlotsIt’s hard to imagine that there is much to learn about one of the most popular and easiest forms of casino games. However, did you know that there are games you should look for, betting styles to adhere to and bonus games to avoid? We did, and that is information we want to pass along to you.
RouletteRoulette is one of the more social games in a casino. While players are waiting for the wheel to stop spinning, there is time to chat, discuss strategy and perhaps even improve your play. Wouldn’t you like to be the person with all the information in those conversations? Check out the Guide to Roulette.
BaccaratIt’s hard to imagine that there is much to learn about one of the most popular and easiest forms of casino games. However, did you know that there are games you should look for, betting styles to adhere to and bonus games to avoid? We did, and that is information we want to pass along to you.
CrapsThe loudest cheers in a casino are usually reserved for the craps table. We all know the iconic picture of a beautiful woman blowing on the dice to make them lucky or the slow-motion view of the dice as they hurtle through the air. However, there is a lot behind this casino game from a betting standpoint that can be the difference between being a winner or a loser when those dice hit the felt.
Video PokerWith so many different variants, there is bound to be a Video Poker game you will make your favorite! There is a lot of strategy for both beginners and experts in the electronic version of 5 Card Draw Poker. Our Guide will give you all the info you need.
KenoIs there more to this game than just picking your favorite numbers? We’ll dig into the history of the game, the different Keno games you can play and the odds of winning each one.
Specialty
GamesEver wondered what some of those games you walked by in a casino actually were? Or how to play some of the scratch games you see in your online casino lobby? Then check out our Guide to Specialty Games.
When you enter a casino, it can be intimidating. There are going to be a lot of games you don’t know how to play, and when you sit down in a land-based casino, you may find yourself at a table with players who aren’t all that welcoming to people who don’t know what they are doing. It’s best to start with games that are the easiest to play and the most accommodating to beginner players.
Slot machines are clearly the easiest game to play in a casino. Put your money in, pick some paylines, and hit the spin button. It’s that easy! Now, there are different bonus games and rules to watch for, but really it doesn’t get much easier than that.
If you are looking for an easy way to ease into table games you should give roulette a try. Again, not much skill involved here; all you have to do is pick some numbers, put your chips on them and wait for the ball to drop.
One thing you may not be aware of when you play casino games is the house edge. The house edge is essentially the percentage of money wagered that a casino will hold if a game is played right to the perfect strategy in any particular game. Not surprisingly, the house wants to win, but it also has to make the games compelling for a player otherwise there is no reason to sit down. Here are the general house edges for the most popular games in a casino.
Now, you have to bear in mind that these figures are based on the outcome of millions of hands or spins. When you are playing, your sample size, regardless of how long you are sitting there, is going to be much smaller so there will be some variance.
Armed with this information, you can see what games the casino wants you to play versus the games you should learn to play correctly to give yourself the best chance of winning.