Online slots have gained huge popularity in recent years and therefore now make up the largest portion of games at online casinos. As a type of a game, a slot machine is relatively easy to get the hang of as it is not a casino game of skill, but a game of chance. Most Popular FREE Online Casino Games (in 2020) - Play 6,380 games, including 7,000+ Slots 80+ Blackjack 50+ Roulette 180+ Video Poker plus more!
- What Is The Best Online Casino Game
- What Is The Newest Online Casino Games Pc
- What Is Casino Free Play
Games available in most casinos are commonly called casino games. In a casino game, the players gamble cash or casino chips on various possible random outcomes or combinations of outcomes. Casino games are also available in online casinos, where permitted by law. Casino games can also be played outside casinos for entertainment purposes like in parties or in school competitions, some on machines that simulate gambling.
Categories[edit]
There are three general categories of casino games: gaming machines, table games, and random number games. Gaming machines, such as slot machines and pachinko, are usually played by one player at a time and do not require the involvement of casino employees to play. Tables games, such as blackjack or craps, involve one or more players who are competing against the house (the casino itself) rather than each other. Table games are usually conducted by casino employees known as croupiers or dealers. Random number games are based upon the selection of random numbers, either from a computerized random number generator or from other gaming equipment. Random number games may be played at a table or through the purchase of paper tickets or cards, such as keno or bingo.
Some casino games combine multiple of the above aspects; for example, roulette is a table game conducted by a dealer, which involves random numbers. Casinos may also offer other type of gaming, such as hosting poker games or tournaments, where players compete against each other.
Common casino games[edit]
Notable games that are commonly found at casinos include:
Table games[edit]
| Gaming machines[edit] | Random numbers[edit] |
House advantage[edit]
Casino games typically provide a predictable long-term advantage to the casino, or 'house', while offering the players the possibility of a short-term gain that in some cases can be large. Some casino games have a skill element, where the players' decisions have an impact on the results. Players possessing sufficient skills to eliminate the inherent long-term disadvantage (the house edge or vigorish) in a casino game are referred to as advantage players.
The players' disadvantage is a result of the casino not paying winning wagers according to the game's 'true odds', which are the payouts that would be expected considering the odds of a wager either winning or losing. For example, if a game is played by wagering on the number that would result from the roll of one die, true odds would be 5 times the amount wagered since there is a 1 in 6 chance of any single number appearing, assuming that the player gets the original amount wagered back. However, the casino may only pay 4 times the amount wagered for a winning wager.
The house edge or vigorish is defined as the casino profit expressed as the percentage of the player's original bet. (In games such as blackjack or Spanish 21, the final bet may be several times the original bet, if the player double and splits.)
In American roulette, there are two 'zeroes' (0, 00) and 36 non-zero numbers (18 red and 18 black). This leads to a higher house edge compared to European roulette. The chances of a player, who bets 1 unit on red, winning is 18/38 and his chances of losing 1 unit is 20/38. The player's expected value is EV = (18/38 × 1) + (20/38 × (−1)) = 18/38 − 20/38 = −2/38 = −5.26%. Therefore, the house edge is 5.26%. After 10 spins, betting 1 unit per spin, the average house profit will be 10 × 1 × 5.26% = 0.53 units. European roulette wheels have only one 'zero' and therefore the house advantage (ignoring the en prison rule) is equal to 1/37 = 2.7%.
The house edge of casino games varies greatly with the game, with some games having an edge as low as 0.3%. Keno can have house edges up to 25%, slot machines having up to 15%.
The calculation of the roulette house edge was a trivial exercise; for other games, this is not usually the case. Combinatorial analysis and/or computer simulation is necessary to complete the task.
In games which have a skill element, such as blackjack or Spanish 21, the house edge is defined as the house advantage from optimal play (without the use of advanced techniques such as card counting), on the first hand of the shoe (the container that holds the cards). The set of the optimal plays for all possible hands is known as 'basic strategy' and is highly dependent on the specific rules and even the number of decks used. Good blackjack and Spanish 21 games have house edges below 0.5%.
Traditionally, the majority of casinos have refused to reveal the house edge information for their slots games and due to the unknown number of symbols and weightings of the reels, in most cases it is much more difficult to calculate the house edge than that in other casino games. However, due to some online properties revealing this information and some independent research conducted by Michael Shackleford in the offline sector, this pattern is slowly changing.[1]
In games where players are not competing against the house, such as poker, the casino usually earns money via a commission, known as a 'rake'.
Standard deviation[edit]
The luck factor in a casino game is quantified using standard deviations (SD).[2] The standard deviation of a simple game like roulette can be calculated using the binomial distribution. In the binomial distribution, SD = √npq, where n = number of rounds played, p = probability of winning, and q = probability of losing. The binomial distribution assumes a result of 1 unit for a win, and 0 units for a loss, rather than −1 units for a loss, which doubles the range of possible outcomes. Furthermore, if we flat bet at 10 units per round instead of 1 unit, the range of possible outcomes increases 10 fold.[3]
- SD (roulette, even-money bet) = 2b√npq, where b = flat bet per round, n = number of rounds, p = 18/38, and q = 20/38.
For example, after 10 rounds at 1 unit per round, the standard deviation will be 2 × 1 × √10 × 18/38 × 20/38 = 3.16 units. After 10 rounds, the expected loss will be 10 × 1 × 5.26% = 0.53. As you can see, standard deviation is many times the magnitude of the expected loss.[4]
The standard deviation for pai gow poker is the lowest out of all common casino games. Many casino games, particularly slot machines, have extremely high standard deviations. The bigger size of the potential payouts, the more the standard deviation may increase.
As the number of rounds increases, eventually, the expected loss will exceed the standard deviation, many times over. From the formula, we can see the standard deviation is proportional to the square root of the number of rounds played, while the expected loss is proportional to the number of rounds played. As the number of rounds increases, the expected loss increases at a much faster rate. This is why it is impossible for a gambler to win in the long term. It is the high ratio of short-term standard deviation to expected loss that fools gamblers into thinking that they can win.
It is important for a casino to know both the house edge and variance for all of their games. The house edge tells them what kind of profit they will make as percentage of turnover, and the variance tells them how much they need in the way of cash reserves. The mathematicians and computer programmers that do this kind of work are called gaming mathematicians and gaming analysts. Casinos do not have in-house expertise in this field, so outsource their requirements to experts in the gaming analysis field.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'Michael Shackleford is the wizard of odds'. Observer. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^Hagan, general editor, Julian Harris, Harris (2012). Gaming law : jurisdictional comparisons (1st ed.). London: European Lawyer Reference Series/Thomson Reuters. ISBN978-0414024861.
- ^Gao, J.Z.; Fong, D.; Liu, X. (April 2011). 'Mathematical analyses of casino rebate systems for VIP gambling'. International Gambling Studies. 11 (1): 93–106. doi:10.1080/14459795.2011.552575. S2CID144540412.
- ^Andrew, Siegel (2011). Practical Business Statistics. Academic Press. ISBN978-0123877178. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
Table Of Contents
- There are many Casino card games available online
- Some of them are games of based only on chance, other require some strategy too
- You'll find the best Casino card games on this list
How many Casino card games do you know?
If you play online games as much as I do, you know dozens of Casino card games. Some of them depend purely on luck, others leave some room to strategy and smart play.
Most of them are extremely fun to play.
But do you know which Casino card games are the very best ones? You can be sure you'll find them in this article.
The Most Iconic Casino Card Games
Some Casino games are so iconic, you won't imagine a Casino without them. Slots and Roulette always fall to this category.
When it comes to card games, Blackjack, Baccarat, and Video Poker are the most iconic games at a Casino.
Blackjack
| Editor's rating | 10/10 |
| Best for | Players who like to think |
| Basic rules | Get a hand that's higher in points than the dealer's hand without exceeding 21 points. To do so, you can hit (ask for more cards) or stand (play with the current hand till the end). |
| Min/max bet | 0.50/500 |
| Difficulty level | Simple rules but a difficult strategy |
| Games online | Classic Blackjack, European Blackjack, Double Xposure Blackjack, Single Deck Blackjack, Vegas Strip Blackjack Gold Series |
Blackjack is the ultimate card game you can play at a Casino.
Not only it's the most popular Casino table game, but it also has the best return to player (RTP) percentage of all table games is played with optimal play.
Many different variants of Blackjack games will keep you entertained while it's easy to learn the rules of this game even for the beginners.
If you want to get the highest chances to win at Blackjack, using the basic strategy is the way to go. You can find a Blackjack strategy table right here.
Baccarat
| Editor's rating | 8/10 |
| Best for | Players who like games of chance |
| Basic rules | Predict the hand that will be closer to 9 or that there's going to be a tie. To do so, you can bet on Punto (the player), Banco (the banker), or the Tie. |
| Min/max bet | 1/100 |
| Difficulty level | Simple rules and no strategy needed |
| Games online | Baccarat Pro, Punto Banco Pro, Punto Banco Pro Low Limit |
If you found your way to Casino card games from the Roulette wheel or Slot machine, Baccarat (a.k.a. Punto Banco) should be the first card game you play.
Why?
It's also a game of chance. Whether you win or lose depends on luck, there's very little place for strategies.
Unless you're talented in edge-sorting. But we all know what happened to Phil Ivey when he tried that, right?
The only strategy tip you need when playing Baccarat or Punto Banco is this: never bet on the Tie.
The Punto (Player) bet has a house edge of 1.24 percent, the Banco (Banker) - 1.06 percent. Meanwhile, you'd lose $14.44 of every $100 you bet on the Tie.
New to Baccarat?Find all the rules explained here.
Video Poker
| Editor's rating | 10/10 |
| Best for | Slot fans and newbie Poker players |
| Basic rules | Make the best Poker hand by keeping and discarding particular cards in your 5-card hand. |
| Min/max bet | 0.25/25 |
| Difficulty level | Simple rules and a semi-difficult strategy |
| Games online | Deuces Wild, Double Double Bonus Poker, Jacks or Better, Joker Wild, Bonus Deuces Wild Poker |
Video Poker is the only Casino card game that's not a table game. Instead, it's played on a machine just like Slots.
It may seem like a lonely or boring game from the first sight but it's anything but. If you choose the right Video Poker games, these machines have a payout that is better than Blackjack or Poker.
Set the coin value, draw cards to make a qualifying hand, and pick the right games to reach up to a 99.5 percent and higher RTP.
Best Casino Card Games for Poker Players
Let's be honest, some players swear by Poker games. So, naturally, at a Casino they play card games that resemble the card Poker.
It makes Oasis Poker, TXS Hold'em, and Casino Hold'em the best choice for Poker players.
Oasis Poker
| Editor's rating | 8.5/10 |
| Best for | Poker players |
| Basic rules | Beat the dealer's hand with a better ranking hand. You get to see one card of the dealer's hand. Depending on your hand, you can switch some of your cards with new cards from the deck (it's paid). Then you raise (bet more and see the showdown) or fold (quit your hand). |
| Min/max bet | 1/40 |
| Difficulty level | Simple rules but a semi-difficult strategy |
| Games online | Oasis Poker Pro, Oasis Poker Pro Low Limit |
Many Casino Poker games are pretty straightforward and Oasis Poker is no exception.
Both you and the dealer get five cards each. So, from the get-go, you know what hand you have. Until the showdown, you only know one card of the dealer's hand.
You can improve your hand by switching one or more of the cards with new cards from the deck. But it's paid and rarely advised.
Then, depending on your hand strength, you raise or fold.
Want a tip? Switch cards only if you're one card short to Flush, Straight, Straight Flush or Royal Flush. Fold when you have less than an Ace-King high.
TXS Hold'em
| Editor's rating | 9.5/10 |
| Best for | Fans of (Texas Hold'em) Poker |
| Basic rules | Beat the dealer by having a better ranking card. Your hand combines two of your initial cards and three of the community cards. |
| Min/max bet | 1/40 |
| Difficulty level | Semi-difficult rules, a difficult strategy |
| Games online | TXS Hold'em, TXS Hold'em Low Limit |
If you ever played Texas Hold'em Poker with your friends, TXS Hold'em Casino card game will be easy to grasp.
The only differences from the classic Texas Hold'em game are these:
- you play only against the dealer (not the other players)
- there's no point in bluffing - the dealer plays until the end
- your call (to see Flop) bet is always double your ante while the Turn and River bets are always equal to your ante
It's important to keep in mind that you'll need to make an ante bet and call bet if you want to play. That's at least $3 per hand.
After seeing the Flop, you can either bet more before seeing the Turn and River or check without making additional wagers.
Casino Hold'em
| Editor's rating | 9/10 |
| Best for | Newbie Poker players |
| Basic rules | Similar to TXS Hold'em Poker. You need to beat the dealer's hand. There's also a side bet available and the dealer needs to qualify for you to get better payouts. |
| Min/max bet | 1/100 |
| Difficulty level | Semi-difficult rules and a semi-difficult strategy |
| Games online | Casino Hold'em |
Casino Hold'em is the easier version of TXS Hold'em game. Mostly because there are fewer bets involved - only ante and call bets.
The game is also faster - after you decide whether to call or not, you won't see the Turn and River cards one by one. You'll see them together right away.
But you can win both of your bets only after the dealer qualifies - has a Pair of 4s or better. If the dealer doesn't, the call bet is a push and only ante payout counts for the winnings.
AA Bonus is an extra side bet you can make. You'll win the bet every time your hand with the Flop (and only the Flop) shows a Pair of Aces or better.
Interested in Casino Hold'em?Read more about the game here.
Other Casino Card Games Worth Your Time
There are plenty of other Casino card games that every player should try. But today I'd like to share only two more games with you - Pontoon and Red Dog.
These games guarantee an exciting and different gambling session. You'll see.
Pontoon
| Editor's rating | 9/10 |
| Best for | Blackjack players |
| Basic rules | Similar to Blackjack. You also win by making a 5-card hand without busting. The dealer wins on all ties. |
| Min/max bet | 1/40 |
| Difficulty level | Semi-difficult rules and a semi-difficult strategy |
| Games online | Pontoon Pro, Pontoon Pro Low Limit |
Pontoon is one of the most fascinating Casino card games you can play online.
What Is The Best Online Casino Game
Essentially, it's a variant of Blackjack. But it features different terms and slight modifications in the rules.
For example, you get the best payout not only when you have a pontoon (a natural 21-point hand) but also when you have a 5-card hand.
After all, it's not that easy to draw until you have five cards without going bust.
Red Dog
What Is The Newest Online Casino Games Pc
| Editor's rating | 8.5/10 |
| Best for | Fans of simple Casino card games |
| Basic rules | The dealer deals three cards: first and third face-up, the middle one face-down. You win if the middle card has a higher value than the first card but a lower than the third one. |
| Min/max bet | 1/100 |
| Difficulty level | Simple rules and a very simple strategy |
| Games online | Red Dog Progressive |
Red Dog is the perfect game for Casino newbies. Both the rules and the strategy of the game are as easy as it gets.
You make your ante bet if you want to play and you get three cards. The middle one is facing down.
If you believe the middle card will have a value that's in between the first and third cards - you make a raise bet. If you're doubting it, simply call and play with your current wager.
The payouts depend on the spread - the number of possible cards that would make you win by ending up in the middle.
It's important to understand the spread because you should always take it into consideration before you raise.
As far as the Red Dog strategy goes, raise only if your spread is seven cards or more. Pretty easy to remember, isn't it?