Are you gearing up for a weekend with your mates at the casino? Maybe you’re ready to gamble some of your money and win big, but not everyone is confident when they step through the doors of the casino.
If you want to feel like that guy at the blackjack table in a tuxedo winning the big bucks, then you need to get your casino information straight before you walk in and clumsily bet all your money and lose in one fell swoop.
We’re going to go over some of the most popular, and the most fun, casino games that you’ll find at any casino you go to. We’ll go over what these games are, some of the rules, what the game includes so you’ll be a casino game expert.
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1. Slots
Slot machines are probably the most “user-friendly” casino game since all you have to do is stick a coin in, pull a lever, and hope for the best. However simple that sounds, they’re infuriatingly addicting.
One of the most famous casino meccas in the world, Las Vegas, it’s estimated that there are over 200,000 slot machines. That just shows how it’s one of the most popular casino games out there, even when they were just the classic 3 pictures that revolved as you waited for the red sevens to line up and win the jackpot.
Nowadays, slots are much fancier. While they do still have the classic set-up with the lever and the revolving pictures, there are many versions that are digital, have bonus games, interactive features, competitions, and more.
2. Poker
Next to slots, poker is another one of the most widely popular casino games. So much so that many poker games have left the rooms of the casino and migrated online where 15 million people play for real money and millions more play just for fun.
This one is a bit misleading since “poker” can actually refer to many different variations with names like “Pineapple poker” and “Omaha poker.” Let’s go over two of the most fun and most popular that you’ll often see at casinos.
Texas Hold’Em
One of the most widely known poker variations, Texas Hold’Em deals two cards to each player. These are called your “hole” or “pocket” cards.
After the cards are dealt, you have your first round of betting. Once that’s done, three community cards are laid out face up. These cards are called “the flop.” A round of betting occurs, and then a fourth community card (“the turn”) is placed.
Another round of betting occurs before the fifth and final community card (“the river”) is placed. There is then a final round of betting before the winner is revealed.
Your job is to create the best hand of 5 possible from your two cards and the five community cards.
5-Card Draw
5-card draw is arguably the most traditional type of poker, and is a version you’ll see at every casino without fail. In this version, you’re also responsible for creating the best five card hand possible just like you are in Texas Hold’em.
In 5-card draw, however, you’re immediately dealt five cards. After a round of better, you’ll get to pick and choose which cards to give back to the dealer in exchange for new cards.
3. Video Poker
Even though the word “poker” is in the name of this casino game, it’s wildly different from classic poker you’re used to. It’s almost like a slots and poker hybrid that has some of the best odds you can find in the whole casino.
Here’s how you play: you’re dealt 5 virtual cards. Similar to traditional 5-card draw, you then choose which cards you’re going to keep by tapping them or selecting them on the screen.
You then hit “draw” to draw new cards to replace the ones you get rid of. So how do you win? You have to get a classic poker hand like a straight, a flush, pairs, etc. How much you win depends on the machine you’re using. As with most things, the more you bet, the more you can win (or, the more you can lose).
4. Blackjack
Blackjack, also referred to as 21, is a popular game that’s equally simple to learn and difficult to play. While it looks like a luck based game, you have to have strategy and skill in order to win big at the blackjack table.
This game is played between you (the player) and the dealer (representing “the house”). Each player will be dealt two cards. The dealer will deal themself two cards: one facing up and one facing down.
You then can be dealt more and more cards trying to get as close to 21 as possible. Each card is worth what their number is with face cards worth 10 and aces worth either 11 or 1. If you get over 21, you lose.
Once each player has had their turn, the dealer will flip over their card that was face down. If the dealer has 16 or less, they must get another card. If they have 17 or over, they don’t.
Whichever players beat the dealer, or if the dealer goes over 21, gets the money. It’s pretty simple once you get into it, but strategy and knowledge go a long way in beating the house.
5. Craps
If you’ve ever seen a film or a TV show that features people yelling and screaming around a long table in excitement as dice are thrown, you were probably watching a craps game in action.
Craps is super energetic and fun, which is why so many people love to watch, even if they aren’t playing. The rules on this game are a bit complicated; you can read more about the specifics here.
You place your bets on specific lines of the table that will indicate the bet on the numbers those lines represent. That sounds confusing in words, so be sure to check out the video we linked earlier to make more sense of it.
The basic premise is that you place bets on which numbers you’re going to roll. If you roll the numbers you were supposed to, then you win! If you don’t, you lose.
It sounds somewhat simple and boring, but trust us when we say it’s one of the most exciting and fun games in the casino. When someone gets on a roll (literally and figuratively), a screaming happy group will gather around and bring the energy levels to a peak.
6. Roulette
A few of the games we’ve gone over so far do require a level of skill and strategy. Roulette, on the other hand, is purely a game of chance and superstition. A fun one, but a game of chance nonetheless.
All you do is bet however much you want on which number and color (black or red) a little ball will go into a certain slot on a spinning wheel. The popularity comes from its simplicity and from the excitement when you win.
When the odds really aren’t in your favor, it’s that much more exciting when you do pull off a win. There are different ways you can bet too: on color alone, on evens only, on odds only, and on a specific number and color combination.
The roulette itself has the numbers 0 to 36 along with a double 0. The wheel is spun in a clockwise direction, the ball is tossed in the opposite direction, and then all you have to do is wait!
7. Keno
Keno is a type of lottery game. It’s a lot like bingo, but with a bit of a twist.
You’ll get a card with an assortment of random numbers 1-80. You’ll choose up to 20 numbers on your card. You’ll also place a bet at this time.
Once that’s set up, a caller will call out random numbers. Your goal is to match as many numbers he calls to the ones you chose on your card as possible. The more you get, the more money you win.
If you get none, then you lose your wager.
Ready to Try Out These Casino Games?
After reading all of these descriptions of the best and most popular casino games, you’re probably itching to get to the casino and get going. If you’re not heading out to the casino right away, you can play online to scratch that gambling itch.
But if you are ready to hit the casino, be sure to check out our reviews of the best casinos in Austrailia. That way you’ll know if you’re in for a good time before you arrive.
