Types Of Casino Games
Now you know a little more about the different ways you can play casino games, it’s time to take a look at what most casinos actually offer include slots, dice and card games. All of these games feature their own rules and gameplay mechanics, so we suggest you learn more about them here before registering at a casino and diving into the games.
Online Slots
Online slots are some of the best gambling games available to play. There are three main types of slot games you can play which include classic (Old school, three-reel slots), video (Modern-day, five-reel slots) and progressive jackpots (Slots with progressive jackpots).
Each slot game has different visuals and will generally have unique bonus games and features but they all follow the same principle rule; spin the reels to match symbols and make winning combinations. However, you may find some slots which try something different.
NetEnt and Microgaming are two of the top slots developers and they’re responsible for creating games such as Immortal Romance, Piggy Riches, Thunderstruck II, Jumanji, Bridesmaids, Starburst, Game of Thrones, EggOMatic, Gonzo’s Quest, Win Sum Dim Sum, and hugely popular slot Starburst. They’ve also created some huge jackpot slot games including Mega Moolah ISIS, Mega Fortune and Mega Moolah.
Other popular games developers include Playson with its uniquely themed casino games like the Halloween-based Zombirthday slot. We also enjoy games by Thunderkick, Big Time Gaming, Yggdrasil, ELK Studios, Blueprint Gaming, Play’n GO, Rabcat, 1×2, WMS, Genesis, Quickspin, Playtech, Scientific Gaming, as well as Probability, a casino operator and game developer which has since been acquired by IGT.
To play an online slot, all you need to do is log-in, load up the chosen slot and then adjust your wager or hit the ‘Spin’ button. That’s it, you’ll be playing in no time!
Dice Casino Games
Dice casino games have also become increasingly popular online. Compared to table games, dice games aren’t as well known among online gamblers but they’re just as exciting and fun to play. At the time of writing, there are two popular games; Craps and Sic Bo.
These games are often depicted at casinos in films and television shows, if you see a table with a large crowd of people, chances are its either Sic Bo or Craps! So, if you’d like to know more about the games just continue reading!
Craps
Craps is heavily featured on television and film and involves betting on the total number you believe will appear on the dice. You either play as a shooter (The person throwing the dice) or simply bet on the outcome of the throw. Whether you win or not depends entirely on what appeared on the dice and what you wagered on.
For example, you can bet on specific combinations of number, a single number or an even or odd pair and so on. The game’s simplicity has made it increasingly popular as it doesn’t require any skill, it’s just plain simple fun.
Sic Bo
Sic Bo, which roughly translates to “dice pair” in Chinese, is one of the oldest casino games around. It was originally played with wooden blokes like dominoes or mahjong pieces before it became popular in Asia. Today, the game is hugely popular at both online and real-life casinos due to its simplicity.
In Sic Bo, all you need to do is bet on what combination of numbers will appear on the game’s three dies. Similarly to Craps, you can bet on ranges of numbers, exact numbers, special combinations or big and small or even and odd numbers.
Card Casino Games
Card casino games are just as popular as slots and some of these variations are well known due to having appeared in films and television. In addition, many of these games have a long history and date back hundreds of years!
The most popular card casino games are blackjack, poker and baccarat which, in hindsight, are all fairly similar but feature unique rules to make the games feel different from one another, but more information on that later.
Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the most popular card casino games available. Essentially, it’s a card comparing game between players and a dealer. The aim of the game is to beat the dealer by reaching as close to the value of 21 without passing it. There are three ways you can do this, by either getting 21 points with your first two cards, reaching a value closer to 21 than the dealer or by forcing the dealer to draw additional cards until they go over the 21-point limit.
Players make bets on who they think is going to win before the game starts. Then, during the game, users will be given a series of choices that can include surrendering, taking another card, doubling their bet or the ability to stop taking additional cards. At the end of the game, players reveal their cards and compare them with the dealer’s and bets are paid out accordingly.
Poker
Poker is one of the most well-known online card games but its origins remain a mystery to this day. Depending on the variation being played, the aim of the game is to have the highest five-card combination at the end of the game. Before playing, players must learn and follow the hand ranking system, which tells you how strong a specific hand combination is.
The most popular card games include Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Caribbean Stud Poker, Casino Hold’em, Pai Gow Poker and Live Poker. Each game has different rules, but the overall aim of the game remains the same.
Baccarat
Baccarat is a well-known card game regularly played at real casinos. It’s one of the easiest games to learn as it doesn’t involve any particular skills like poker. Similarly to blackjack, the aim of the game is to beat the dealer by getting as close to the number nine as possible. Players start by making bets on who they think will win the round and are given two cards which are added together for a total value.
Most cards are counted at face value except the ace, valued at one, and the king, queen and jack cards which are all valued at either zero or 10. This is because your total value must always be a single digit under 10. So, if your cards total 13, you take the first digit away for a value of three. For more information on baccarat, including the bets that can be made, click here.
Other Games
Roulette
Roulette is somewhat the odd casino games out as it doesn’t fit into any of the above three categories. The game, which is one of the most popular online casino games ever, has been around for decades and can be found at all online casinos and brick-and-mortar casino sites.
Generally speaking, users will wager on which number they believe the ball will fall on. Players can wager on odd or even number, red or black numbers, multiples of numbers and much more, which helps make roulette and exciting game to play.
There are also a wide variety of roulette games to play including European and American Roulette, French Roulette, Mini Roulette, Multi-Wheel Roulette and even Speed Roulette. One very popular game is Playson’s European Roulette with track, a great take on the ordinary European Roulette game. What variation you enjoy is completely down to individual preference!
Playing Casino Games
There are two general ways of playing casino games, either with real money or free. There are advantages and disadvantages to playing both and you’ll also find that certain games may have additional limitations. But what exactly is the difference between them? Let’s find out.
Free Casino Games
Free games allow players, existing and new, to try out a game before making a financial commitment. It’s a great way to get a feeling for the game, e.g., an online slot and deciding whether you like it or not. However, one thing you need to understand about free casino games is that you cannot win any money.
This is because it’s free and essentially a demo. Other than this, the free casino games play out just like their real money counterparts, including bonus rounds and spins. In fact, many gamblers play free casino games to understand new gameplay and to figure out how certain games work.
One common misconception is that free online casino games are easier to play or make it easier for you to win money because game developers want to trick you into signing up and spending money. This is completely wrong. There is absolutely no difference between playing free and real money casino games, except that you don’t use actual money.
Important Note: While casino website guests were not previously required to register and verify their accounts, they are as of May 2019 due to new rules from the UK Gambling Commission. This means that if you’re looking to demo or play free casino games, you’ll need to register and verify your age and identity before doing so. Once you’ve done that, you can play for free.
How Do Free Casino Games Work?
Unlike real money casino games, free online casino games do not require a download to play. They’re generally played in-browser on either your smartphone device or on your laptop or PC and it’s as simple as loading up the website, finding the game you want to play and launching the game.
When you start, you’ll notice you’ll have between one thousand to one million free credits to play with which act as “real money”. Depending on the software provider and casino, the credits will last for an entire session and once used up, you can refresh the game and start playing again.
Restrictions
Sadly, there are some restrictions on free casino games. For example, you may find that you’re unable to play because of the country you’re in. Some games, such as slots or casino card games, are only available to players located in certain countries. Another restriction you’ll face when playing without money is that you can’t claim or use any promotions or bonuses. For example, you cannot play for real and take advantage of bonus spins, even if you’re a registered casino player.
Also, as a free player, you will not be able to play jackpot slot games, which allow you to win large sums of money. This is because a percentage of each bet made by players on jackpot games are added to the prize pool, effectively making it bigger with each added bet. Since you’re playing free and can’t make real money bets, you are not allowed to enter the progressive jackpot.
Real Money Games
Real money casino games are basically ordinary casino games. To play them, you’ll have to deposit money into your casino account and set a wager for each spin. These casino games can be played at all online casinos and includes various types of games such as slots, table and live casino games, as well as scratchcards and even online lotto too!
To play with real money, you have to be registered with a casino which means you’ll have to set up an account and provide the operator with your name, address, phone number, date of birth and email address. One thing to note is that real money casino games play exactly like their free version counterparts. The rules do not magically change because you’re registered at a casino, nor does the game become harder to win because you’re using your own money.
How Do Real Money Casino Games Work?
You can play real games in two main ways, either by playing them in-browser or by downloading special casino software to your laptop, smartphone or tablet. There are several differences between the two as downloading software or an app consumes space on your device’s storage while playing in-browser does not. Downloading an app or software may also not be as regularly updated with the latest releases as in-browser sites, however, it could offer better performance.
Meanwhile, in-browser casino games are regularly updated though you may experience lag or glitches when playing through a browser depending on your device. However, this is very rare. At Casinostoplay.com, we prefer in-browser play over downloads.
Benefits
The main benefit of playing with real money is that most of the restrictions imposed on free games are lifted, meaning you can claim bonuses or spins and use them when playing. Another benefit is that casinos will offer you special promotions and bonuses. The most common bonus you’ll come across is a welcome bonus, sometimes referred to as a welcome offer, in which the operator matches your first deposit and sometimes even triples it.
Other promotions can include no-deposit bonuses, in which bonus funds or spins are given to you without you needing to deposit any money. While these bonuses were common several years ago, they’re less so now and can actually be hard to find due to the UK Gambling Commission’s latest regulations, which is why we compiled a list of all no deposit casinos.
Some casinos also run a loyalty programme where users can earn points for every wager made. These points can then be redeemed for cash prizes, bonus spins or something else entirely. Last but not least, playing for real money enables you to participate in progressive jackpot games where all players’ losses across several online casinos are bundled in one massive prize pool. If you’re the lucky one, you can make some serious cash here but the chances of hitting the jackpot are slim.
One major downside about playing with real money is that after registering, you’ll be required to verify your account. To do this, many casinos will ask for personal information and documents such as driver’s licenses, passports, utility bills and possibly even paychecks. While this is annoying, all operators are required to do this before you can make your first deposit as of May 2019.
Win Probability At Casino Games
Each online casino game you can play has a probability that you’ll either win or lose. This is known as the RTP (Return to Player), a term used to describe the percentage of all the wagered money a game will pay back to the player, or the House Edge, a term used to describe the advantage the casino has over the player. Most casinos openly publish the RTP rate for their games, but others hide them. If this happens, you can find out the RTP rate by clicking onto the game and reading through their help section or instructions.
Each casino game has a different RTP rate depending on what it is, its gameplay and the rules involved. Looking around, you’ll find that video and fruit slot games have a decent RTP of anything between 95-98%. Progressive jackpots, however, have a much lower RTP because they’re much harder to win.
You’ll also find that table games such as Blackjack and Baccarat have a higher RTP than slots, this is because it’s not entirely built on chance. Meanwhile, you’ll find that European and French Roulette games have a higher RTP than American Roulette games, this is because American Roulette has an additional double-zero pocket on the wheel, making it harder for players to win. While an RTP does show you the expected return you’ll get from a casino game, it’s important you don’t take it too seriously as it’s calculated over a series of games. However, learning the RTP and House Edge of each game could help you make more wins in the long run.