Casino Games & Online Slots
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Do you find yourself interested in gambling, wanting to hit the casino, but are just getting started and don’t really know what blackjack or roulette are all about? Have you seen someone sitting at the slots and wondered to yourself, what’s the appeal? And with all the lights and action, how would I even know if I’ve won?
Games of chance have been around virtually forever. With betting on random results apparently a strong human drive. Some have been long forgotten, while others have engraved themselves as the central components of what is now universally recognized as the casino experience.
- Las Vegas
- Macau
- Monaco
- Niagara Falls
- London
- or Marina Bay.
If you’re lucky enough to have gone to any or all of these casino hotspots you can argue amongst yourselves which is best. But what they all have in common is certain categories of games – or what makes up the casino games core – like roulette, slots, blackjack, and baccarat. The entertainment, the comps, the overall atmosphere you can find there is extra.
That, however, is only one path to casino gambling glory. For the last 20 years or so, as online casinos have reached amazing abilities in terms of game selection and convenience, it’s pretty stiff competition to decide which format is better. The classic land-based casinos of yore, or these modern day meccas.
And whether you’re playing online or offline, there are still the questions, which games should you play and which will bring you the most wins? To help you decide, we’ve put together a quick outline of what each game category delivers. As for the winnings, always remember, the joy of gambling is in the randomness of results. While some games have some strategy you can follow, it’s really going to be a matter of luck. Let’s begin.
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The best way to familiarize yourself with the different types of casino games is to try them for yourself! Luckily, at our recommended online casinos, there is no effort involved. Just create a free casino account, and you’re ready to go, anywhere you find yourself. In fact, you can even play casino games on your mobile phone, or tablet if you prefer.
Plus, online casinos have the distinct advantage over land-based casinos for new players in that they let you try pretty much all of their games for free. So if you want to try free slots or free blackjack to get the hang of the game, online gambling is your best bet. Of course if you want to win real money, you’ll need to make real money bets. The level of risk you want to take is entirely up to you.A Brief Overview of Game Types
Popular Game Types Tested by Our Casino Pros
When it comes to casino games, there are generally considered to be three distinct categories.
- Gaming machines which include slot machines, pachinko, and video poker.
- Table games that cover everything from baccarat, to blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, and a few others.
- Random number games like bingo or keno.
This, of course, is not how you’ll find the games categorized at most online casinos, but it is interesting to note.
Also we’ll point out that not all online casinos will have all of these games. For example, online bingo and online poker often have their own websites. Sometimes an online casino operator will provide all of these services, with a single account, but the actual games will be found at a slightly different web address. This, however, is a bit beyond the scope of a casino game review.
So instead, we have chosen to focus on the most popular games that are played at both land-based casinos as well as online casinos, starting with the most prolific of all, slots.
Slots and the Enduring Appeal of the One-Armed Bandit
Slots machines are wildly popular across the globe, and by far the biggest draw at any casino. US casinos alone are known to bring in 70% of their income from these games.
Also known as a fruit machine, puggy, or pokies, depending on where you come from, slots have a long history of entertaining and engaging.
Screenshot shows the games at Spin Away
Previously referred to as the one-armed bandit, back in the day due to its single lever mechanics and ability to quickly empty players’ pockets, the slot machine has had many improvements since its original incarnation way back in 1891. And the prizes have certainly improved from the original payouts which were along the lines of a free beer or cigar for three of a kind.
These days, the mechanics are far more sophisticated, with no levers to pull, rather simple buttons or graphics to tap. And the video slots interface makes for incredible fast-paced action, and a huge number of ways to win. In fact, some slots have thousands of paylines with a huge number of combos listed in the game’s paytable.
Of course, you don’t have to keep track, with the software calculating it all for you. This means you get to enjoy many more ways to win and more chances of winning. Plus, of course, these days the winnings are real cash prizes.
The video slots also make for awesome entertainment with exciting themes like blockbuster films, superheroes, cartoon characters, ancient Egypt, jungle adventures, and so much more.And while land-based casinos usually have a huge section of their floor space dedicated to slots, there is just no competing with the amount of games you will find at the best online casinos. After all, they don’t have any confines in terms of space. That means they can easily bring you thousands of online slot options at one establishment. And new slot games can be added all the time, since there’s no need to physically accommodate an addition by clearing out an old machine. Hence you’ll generally find the best of the old and the new at an online casino.
And since there is not much more to do beyond choosing your bet amount and pushing ‘Spin’, there is no learning curve involved in getting in on the game.
Furthermore, slot outcomes are 100% a matter of luck. There is literally nothing you can do to determine where the reels will land. So you don’t have to worry about coming up with a winning slots strategy at all.
All of these factors, combined or on their own, are basically why people love playing slots.
The Jackpot Slot Difference
For those who like the chance of a really big win there is also something called progressive jackpot slots or just simply jackpot slots. If you’ve heard the term and wondered how this game category differs from the “ordinary” slots out there, the progressive part is the key to your answer.
Basically what happens is that a progressive jackpot game has a networked top prize. That means that each time a player makes a bet on the game, from any location, a certain percent of their bet is added to the pot. This number keeps increasing as more people wager on the game, until one lucky person hits the right combination in the bonus round and wins that additional sum.
As for where to play them, you can find jackpot games in both land-based casinos and online casinos. But finding them online is certainly easier. And if you are after a massive prize, like say a million dollars plus or even in the tens of millions upon occasion, then online jackpot slots might just be your calling.
Betamo Jackpot Games
Just note, that in most cases, in order to trigger those massive prize rounds, you will have to be willing to make the maximum line bet on participating games. Big risks equal big payoffs, occasionally, for the extra lucky.
Roulette Remains a Popular Table Game After All These Years
French for little wheel, and dating all the way back to the 18th century, roulette is one of the most beloved games at casinos the world over.
The basic concept for the uninitiated is easy enough to pick up on. Essentially you have a wheel with red and black slots (or pockets) numbered 1 through 36, a ball, and a croupier (that’s the person who spins the wheel). In European roulette there is also one green pocket on the wheel numbered 0, while in American roulette there are two green pockets numbered 0 and 00 respectively. When you play online in particular, there are also many different versions to these two basic roulette game types.
How it works is you make bets on where you think the ball is going to land. You can choose a color, an exact number, or a number range. Or once you get to know the game better you can also make more sophisticated bets like a split bet, corner bet, or basket bet.
In terms of odds, winning at European roulette is considered easier due to the single zero. And American roulette similarly is seen as having a higher house edge.
While slots are most popular online, many gamblers also like playing roulette for the added element of challenge. That is, with roulette there is some thinking involved in determining where to place your bets. And if you really love the game, you’ll likely want to explore the world of roulette strategy as well which can help you slightly improve your odds.
Blackjack Is Your Best Bet for a Win
Another very popular table game at all casinos, and many players’ preferred card game is most definitely blackjack.
If you fancy taking up a seat at the blackjack table, there are, however, more rules to familiarize yourself with when getting started compared to slots. Plus, it is important to note that playing blackjack requires a lot more thought as you will continually need to decide what to do with the cards you are dealt. This mind you, for many players, is actually the biggest appeal of the game.
As for what blackjack is all about, the goal of the game is to try to reach a hand valued at 21 (or as close as possible) without going over, and in doing so beat the dealer’s hand. To get started, the dealer doles out two cards to each player at the table, one face-up and the other face-down. You can hit, which means ask for another card; hold which means stick with what you’ve got; or go bust if you made a bad call and went over 21.
While some prefer to play blackjack at a bricks and mortar casino for the comradery, since you are really only playing against the dealer, many prefer the privacy of online blackjack.
And while blackjack in general is considered a game of reasonably good odds, online blackjack is regarded as the online casino games with the best odds, oft quoted as an RTP (return to player) well over 97%.
The other big advantage of online blackjack is that there are far more variations of the game available in virtual play. Plus, you don’t have to wait for a table to fill up with other players to get the action going. And some versions of online blackjack even have side bets going on, which makes the action even more fun for those in the betting mood.
Table Games Never Go Out of Style
At an online casino the most popular table games are by far blackjack and roulette. In many ways, that is because they are easy to learn, and easy to play, without too much thought or strategizing required. Relaxing you might almost say, but with the opportunity to win some nice cash along the way.
But not all table games translate as well to the online format. For example, craps is a huge draw at land-based casinos, with many spectators also gathering around to watch the action unfold. For this very reason, online craps has proven a less popular option, though there is usually at least a version or two at most of our recommended casinos.
The other main table game you’ll likely find in good variety is baccarat or punto banco which is a version of thereof. This game is a little more complicated than say roulette, but once you get the hang of it, the appeal is clear.
As for online poker, as we already mentioned, just like land-based casinos have separate poker rooms, so do online casino operators. That being said, you should be able to find video poker games easily enough like Jacks or Better or Deuces Wild.
At Stake you can not only find the classical table games like roulette, blackjack, crabs, poker or baccarat. There are also unknown and new table games which you can play online or with live dealers.
Why Play Casino Games Online?
A couple of decades ago, going to a casino was a big deal. If you didn’t live in a city with a casino, you had to travel pretty far, and probably plan your vacation around it. Even if you had a casino in town, one isn’t always in the mood to dress up and go out, or find parking mind you.
What online casinos have done is successfully bring the full casino experience to you! And that of course first and foremost means all of the games. This level of convenience is, well frankly, a game-changer, and is experienced in a number of ways.
For example, online casino games are always just a click away. And with today’s technology, they can be played on any mobile device, so you can even gamble on the go, or lying in bed.
Plus, an online casino doesn’t have hours of operation you need to pay attention to, rather it is always available around the clock. That means slots, roulette, and blackjack any hour of the day.
Since there are no physical limitations, as we mentioned above, an online casino also has room for a lot more games. So you can easily find thousands of online slot machines at one address. And new games can be added quickly, at little expense or inconvenience to the casino, so at the better brands, you get fresh games on a regular basis.
This unlimited space for slot machines is great. But it also extends to games like blackjack and roulette, often meaning you will find far more variations on the category of choice at an online casino. And while slots are obviously created by different providers, games like blackjack and roulette also offer different spins on the game courtesy of Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt, Play’n’ GO, and any number of other developers. Again, all of which give you a unique twist to your play.
Online casinos are also really convenient for banking, accepting far more payment methods than land-based casinos. And you don’t have to hold onto physical chips, or spend them all in one go. Rather you can leave them in your casino wallet where they always remain available until you are ready to cash out.
Another big benefit is that while regular casinos comp players with things like free drinks on the floor, online casinos actually give you more money to play with courtesy of bonuses. Most online casinos, for example, have a welcome bonus that matches at least part of your first deposit. And usually for the welcome bonus, along the lines of 100%. These casino bonuses are a great way to increase your bankroll, so you have more chances at the games you love.
And again, finally, as already mentioned, only at online casinos are you able to play slots, roulette, and even baccarat for free. Like literally the exact same games, just with no money wagers. Definitely something you’ll never see in Vegas!
The Live Casino at an Online Casino
Lucky Days Live Casino
Now that we’ve got that covered, just to confuse you a bit, you may have noticed that at most online casinos there is also something called the live casino, where you can play what are called live casino games.
The live casino experience is a strong trend at online casinos, and it is exactly as it sounds. The games are played online, live. That is, you log in to the game and you will see a live dealer or croupier, serving as the host of a game from a set built to look like a casino.
If you are playing live roulette, they will spin an actual roulette wheel. And if you are playing live blackjack, they will deal you actual cards. In our opinion, it’s really cool and adds a whole lot of atmosphere. Plus, you get a level of interactivity to online play that many people love.
In addition, providers like Evolution Gaming in particular have been expanding on the live experience, bringing live gameshows to your computer (or mobile) as well. While not traditionally considered casino games, they’re still a welcome addition.Crypto Casino Games
All that being said, there’s a final category of casino games that deserves a mention as part of a complete casino games summary. And that is crypto games.
You’ve likely seen the term around and it’s possible you’ve wondered how crypto games differ from online casino games. Well, frankly, they don’t. They are the exact same games you would find at any online casino, just played with crypto currency.
That is, online casinos have another advantage we forgot to mention and that is that many of them increasingly are letting players choose the currency in which they gamble. Once upon a time that meant a choice between dollars, euros, pounds, yen, or whatever. But nowadays the various crypto coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum have become a popular way to bank at online casinos as well.
So if you read the term crypto slots or crypto roulette or what have you in your casino search, what is being referred to is the type of currency you can use playing that game.
Overview of the Stake Originals games. Stake is a pure crypto casino so far, but we’re quite confident that you’ll be able to gamble in fiatcurrencies soon.
The Expert Roundup on Casino Games
And that in a nutshell summarizes the types of casino games around, and in particular, those that you can find online. True, we haven’t fully covered them all. For example, you may also come across scratch cards or coin toss games at various online casinos. However, traditionally these aren’t considered casino games, rather games of chance.
So now that you have an idea of what to expect, feel free to begin playing your game of choice at any one of our recommended casinos. Or keep reading through our casino reviews to learn more about your game of choice – including how to play, how to bet, and even how to improve your odds for a win.
