Learn the rules of the most played casino games and never feel uneasy about going to the casino again. When you’re done reading this, you’ll have a good grasp of the games. Ready to get initiated into the fascinating world of gambling?
Let’s kick-off!
The gambler’s rulebook
Before jumping into the specifics of each game, we must take note of a few rules that all gamblers should live by, irrespective of what their favourite game is.
- Bankroll management is vital: never bet more than you would afford to lose
- Get accustomed to your desired casino game before playing it with real money
- Learn strategies in skill-based games
- Know your odds
- Choose a trustworthy casino that fits your needs
- Never drink and gamble
- Do not chase your losses; see the long road ahead
- Play responsibly and know your limits
4 most popular casino games
Casino games are divided into two primary categories: luck-based and skill-based.
Blackjack belongs to the skill-based type, while slot machines, roulette, and baccarat are more volatile and largely depend on chance.
Let’s begin our exploration of casino game rules with luck-based games and then progressively move to the other type.
Slot Machines
Slots are games that operate entirely in a random manner. Each is built on a Random Number Generator, which does exactly what it says: constantly generate numbers, which determines the outcome of any spin.
Slot machines display a grid of 3 reels for classic titles and up to 7 reels for video slots. The symbols on the reels alternate with each spin and payout when they form a specific pattern known as a pay line.
How to play slots
1. Study the games a bit before jumping into spinning the reels. Here are a few tips that will maximize your chances and improve your experience.
2. Check the game’s pay lines and bonus features, such as extra spins rounds triggered by specific symbol combinations.
3. See the game’s RTP. Simply put, RTP is a statistical metric that shows how much of the stakes returns to players over time. To keep it simple: the higher, the better. We recommend slots with an RTP greater than 96%.
4. Explore the game’s variance. High variance slots payout more significant amounts and have greater multipliers. Still, they will pay you out more seldom, compared to low variance games. The latter is best for players on a budget looking for frequent, albeit smaller, winnings.
5. Try a slot machine before playing it with real money. You may do this is by claiming no deposit free spins that are verified by casino experts such as KingCasinoBonus. Through such a shortcut, you will have the opportunity to receive the latest deals from legit online casinos.
Roulette
Roulette has been attracting gamblers since the 18th century. Folk stories around the game’s origin abound. Some say it was devised by Pascal, while others claim an anonymous monk invented it.
Many have tried to devise prediction methods to crack the mystery of roulette, but just as many have failed. It seems that maths cannot help us with roulette. Even Einstein is said to have made a claim once about roulette, saying the only way to beat it is to steal the chips.
Still, people have been playing it despite its inherent randomness. It seems roulette continues to be one of the most popular casino games.
Roulette rules
The aim is to guess the numbered pocket in which a ball on a spinning wheel will fall. These pockets or slots are coloured in red and black, and a green-pocketed zero guarantees the house’s profits. In American roulette, an extra double-zero pocket is added, doubling the house edge.
Players can make various bets, ranging from single numbers, odd/even or high/low numbers, and red/black. Betting on red/black is called an even-money bet because you wager on half of the wheel’s numbers. The same goes for odd/even and high/low.
To make a bet, you need to place your chips on the appropriate section of the roulette table. Then, the croupier will say, `no more bets and spin the wheel in one direction while sending the ball the opposite way. Once the ball lands on a number, bets are paid out, and the round ends.
French roulette is your best choice. It comes with the lowest house advantage and player-friendly rules. An example is La Partage, according to which you receive half of your stake back when the ball lands on zero, provided you played an even-money bet.
Play Roulette with an edge
Even though roulette is, in essence, a random game, there are a few things you can do to turn the odds in your favour.
Most importantly, choose a game of roulette with a low house edge. Avoid American roulette and triple-zero roulette, as there you get the worst odds.
Then, minimize risk. Stick to the table minimum for a while and focus on even-money bets. These are offered at 1:1 odds, meaning you double your stake. Even though you won’t get spectacular payouts, you have a higher chance of growing your bankroll in this manner.
Some will advise you to use staking systems like Martingale and double your stake after each loss in the hope of recouping it with another even-money bet. However, this isn’t a proven way to profit in the long run.
As improbable as it may seem, there is a chance the ball will land on black 10 times in a row. That would lead to enormous losses.
So, play roulette just for fun and be very attentive to your bankroll.
Baccarat
Baccarat is a card game where you must guess who will have a better hand: the Player or the Banker. It is a king among luck-based casino games, and many believe there cannot be a baccarat strategy. We can’t help but agree with this point.
However, baccarat is also the game with the lowest house edge of all, ranging from 1.01% to 1.24%, which means casinos don’t make a fortune off it.
How to play baccarat
A round goes like this:
- First, you place your bet on either the Player, Banker, or tie
- Then, the dealer deals the cards for each of them, face-up
- Whoever gets a pair closer to 9 points wins the round
- An 8 or 9-valued hand is called a ‘natural’ and wins the round
- If you get a total of less than 5, you get to hit, meaning you are dealt one more card
- Conversely, if you have 6 or more, you ought to stand
- The dealer’s options for drawing and standing depend on your hand and other factors
How are points calculated in baccarat, you ask? You add up the numbers on the two cards, and if you obtain something greater than 9, you must drop the first digit. So, only the units digit counts. Remember that if cards from 2 to 9 are worth their number, face cards are worth 0 and aces 1 point.
Player bets are paid 1:1, while Banker bets pay you back 95% of your stake, while the casino keeps the remaining 5% as commission. That’s because banker bets win more often on average.
To be exact, the Player wins 44.62% of wagers, 9.52% of stakes will be a tie, and the Banker wins the remaining 45.86% of bets.
BLACKJACK
Also known as the game of 21 or pontoon, blackjack is a casino card game that requires skill and quick decision-making.
Don’t worry, though. Blackjack skills are accessible if they understand the basic strategy and memorize the correct way to act in various scenarios.
Getting the hang of blackjack
The aim in blackjack is quite simple: get closer to 21 than the dealer and at the same time you must make sure you don’t exceed 21 points with your cards.
Remember that cards from 2-9 keep their numerical value, while face cards are worth 10 points. The Ace is the most helpful card in the game since it lets you choose its value: either 1 or 11.
To enter a blackjack round, you must place a bet. The dealer then deals everybody at the table 2 cards and deals himself a face-up card, keeping his other card face-down. This is known as the ‘hole card’.
You then have multiple choices to make:
- If you’re content with your cards, you can ‘stand’
- If not, you may ask the dealer to deal you one more, and that’s called ‘hitting’
- Make sure you don’t overdo hitting because you may exceed 21 points and go ‘bust’
- If you feel your hand is perfect and has a solid chance to win, you may ‘double down with an additional wager of the same value
- Players can also choose to ‘split’ their hand into two if they have a pair
Can you beat blackjack?
Blackjack can be beaten. While significant success is reserved for expert card counters, you could yield some profits by simply applying a basic strategy. Keep the following points in mind. We’ve learned them from John Marchel’s Guide to gambling:
- Don’t forget to check the dealer’s face-up card attentively
- Never play insurance bets as they lose you money in the long run
- When your hand is valued between 12-16 and the dealer has 2-6, always stand
- Always split pairs of Aces and 8s
There’s more to blackjack strategy than these 4 tips, but if you apply them, you’ll certainly up your game. The casino’s edge is halved with basic design, from 1-2% to 0.5-1%. Now that’s an incentive to start taking some blackjack courses.
Now that you know to choose the best slot machines and have a basic understanding of table ‘games’, you have what it takes to beat the dealers at their craft.
Don’t forget about the general gambler’s rulebook and try to integrate it with your gambling habits for long-term enjoyment.