The online casino industry was born in the mid 1990’s with the rise of the Internet. Gambling – taking risks – is a natural human instinct, and we love to play games. This fact is proven by the great success of online casinos worldwide.
People love online gambling for many different reasons. Gambling is fun and exciting, and being able to play online from the comfort of your own home gives easy access to that entertainment, where you would otherwise most likely have to travel many miles to enjoy it.
Beyond the sheer pleasure of playing, doing so online is as real and as rewarding as playing in a land-based casino. The payouts in online progressive Slots and Bingo are some of the highest in the world, with the current record online Jackpot being over $7 million.
Playing at an online casino is in some cases even better than the real thing. You get to place your bets and chat with new friends in a safe way, and without smoke being blown in your face. Online casinos are played in the comfort of your own home where you can wear whatever you want and have all the convenience and benefits that land-based casinos do not have.
Surprising to many, online casinos offer a wide array of games to play. Here are some of the more popular types of games that can be found in online casinos:
Blackjack
Like most casino and gambling games blackjack has a number of variations. Different blackjack games often apply to slightly different game rules or just include some additional aspect to the game. The most popular online casino blackjack variations are Multi Hand Blackjack, European Blackjack and Blackjack Switch.
Multi Hand Blackjack – one of the most popular blackjack variations. The game is played with five card decks and players may play up to five hands at once. Players can double in Multi Hand Blackjack, but they cannot double or re-split after they’ve split their cards. The surrender rule does not apply in this blackjack variation whereas the full no peak rule does – the dealer does not check their hole card for blackjack until the end of the hand. The rest of the game rules are the same as of the regular game of blackjack.
European Blackjack – a variation of blackjack which, as the title suggests, is especially popular in Europe. European blackjack is very similar to the regular one, however, it would not be considered a variation of the game if it had no distinctions. First, European blackjack is played with only two decks of cards. No re-splitting or doubling down is allowed after the player splits. A full no peak rule applies, however, players cannot surrender and only one hand can be played at a time.
Blackjack Switch – fun and entertaining game of blackjack. The exclusive feature of this game is that players are allowed to switch their second cards between the two hands that they receive. Although in other blackjack games this would be considered cheating, in Blackjack Switch this is just a part of the game. The rules of the game may slightly differ depending on whether it is played live in Las Vegas or in an online casino.
Live Blackjack Switch is played with 8 card decks, whereas the online version uses only 6. Players receive two hands which they have to play and place two bets of equal value on each of them. If the dealer receives an Ace or a 10 as their open card they peek for blackjack. Should the dealer get a blackjack all the bets are collected and the players loose. Only the player with a two-card blackjack does not loose, however, they don’t win either. The dealer at the online casino does not peek for blackjack. The rest of the rules are the same as of the regular blackjack.
Roulette
Roulette online is played the same way as in a live casino. The object of the roulette game is to guess where the ball will land after the dealer spins it around the roulette wheel. The virtual felt beside the roulette wheel has all the possible roulette numbers on it, 0-36 for a total of 37 numbers. Some roulette wheels have a double-zero (00) as well as the standard 37 numbers for a total of 38.
To bet in online roulette, you simply place your wager on a particular number. You can also bet on whether the ball will land on a red/black number, whether it will land on an odd or even number, or whether it will land in certain sections of the wheel or within certain number groupings, such as numbers 1-12. The payout odds in roulette are determined on your chances of hitting – for example, the highest odds are for a Straight-up bet, which is picking the exact number the roulette ball will land on. Although it is the hardest bet to hit, the straight up single number bet offers the highest payout reward.
No matter where you place your bet on the layout, the house edge in roulette is the same. Your return may be different depending on whether you wager on high-win wagers like Single Numbers or Splits, but the house edge remains the same, no matter the type of bet. This makes roulette an easy game to play and with the lowest house edge of all casino games at just over 5%.
Types of Roulette Games
As most of the casino games, roulette can be played in a number of different ways. The two main variations are the European roulette and the American roulette. The major distinction between the two is that European roulette has one zero on its wheel whereas the American has two – zero and double zero.
European Roulette – The game is also known as Single Zero or French Roulette. European Roulette uses a wheel with 37 numbered slots from 0 to 36. Each number is either red or black with only zero being green. All of the odd numbers from 1 to 10 and 19 to 28 are red whereas even numbers in this range are black. Red numbers from 11 to 18 and 29 to 36 are all even and black ones are odd. The number sequence in European roulette is more random than in the American variant. European roulette also offers better single number bet odds, as it has one zero instead of two which results in the house edge being 1/37 – 2.7%.
American Roulette – Unlike its European equivalent, American roulette has two zero slots instead of one – zero and double zero. This also increases the total number of slots in the roulette wheel – from 37 to 38. Although this might not seem as a big difference, it has a huge impact on the odds. The house edge in American roulette is 2/38 or 5.26% which is much higher than 2.7% of the European roulette. Another difference is that in American roulette, the numbers on the wheel are put in pairs opposite to one another. However, despite the small differences, American roulette is one of the most popular casino games in both live and online casinos.
Keno
Keno is a casino game where players have to choose 1 to 10 numbers from the given table of numbers ranging from 1 to 80 – much like bingo. Different online casinos use various graphics and animations for drawing the random numbers.
Traditionally, keno is played with balls imprinted with numbers all put in a circular transparent container where they spin around until 20 of them are drawn. However, the draw procedure and unique features often vary at different online casinos.
After the players pick their numbers, the casino software “calls” 20 random numbers which determine the winners. Keno payouts vary throughout different casinos, so players should get familiar with the particular casino’s keno pay tables before they start playing. The payouts in keno depend on how many numbers marked on the player’s card match the one’s that have been drawn by the casino. The more numbers match, the bigger is the payout.
At the beginning of the keno game each player receives a card which displays all 80 numbers from 1 to 80. Players bet by marking the numbers they believe will come up during the draw with an X mark.
Although the common keno practice is that the players are allowed to mark 1 to 10 numbers on their cards, some online casinos allow up to 15 or even 20 numbers to be marked. Different casinos have different betting and payout structures, so take the time to determine the rules and odds at each online casino before you start wagering.
So if you’re a lottery fan who likes to mark their lucky numbers on the board and hope for them to come up and if you feel lucky then keno is the game for you.
Bingo
Bingo is a highly popular lottery-type of game, similar to the casino game of Keno. In bingo, players have to mark numbers on their cards in the hopes of matching the numbers to those on communal bingo balls. In order to win, players must be the first to announce “bingo!” when they complete patterns on their bingo card. Bingo balls are imprinted with numbers and randomly drawn by the dealer or a casino machine.
A bingo card consists of 15 numbers, with 90 sequenced bingo balls that can be drawn during the game. The goal is to match all of the numbers on the player’s card with those drawn by the dealer as early as possible.
The game of online bingo starts with player purchasing bingo cards. Different casinos may offer a different number of cards – usually from 1 to 9. While players are not able to choose the numbers, they have the option of changing the whole card if they don’t like the particular combination. Players also have to choose how much money they want to bet on every card. The more the wager, the bigger the payout.
After the cards have been purchased and bets have been placed, the casino software starts drawing bingo balls in random order. The more numbers on the player’s cards that match the ones that have been drawn, the better the chance of winning. The game usually ends when all 90 bingo balls are drawn.
As with most of the casino games, the rules and payout structures in bingo may vary between different online casino providers. For example, one of the most popular online casinos – Casino770, offers a mixed game of bingo and keno where players may purchase up to 9 bingo cards and play for the progressive jackpot.
In this game only 20 bingo balls are drawn during one round and each card is paid according to how many numbers in the card were drawn. It is not necessary to fill the whole card in order to win money, but if you do score 15 numbers after drawing 20 bingo balls you will be paid big money.
Playing bingo at an online casino is much more simple than doing it live. First of all players can buy a number of tickets and not worry about having to mark all of them simultaneously, because the online casino software marks the cards automatically. Another advantage is that a single online bingo game takes much less time than a live one, giving players more chances play more games and potentially win more money.
Video Poker
Video poker is one of the most popular forms of gambling. The low house edge and possibility of huge jackpot wins make it an attractive choice in the Casino.
When you open a video poker game in an online casino you will see your available credits displayed in the virtual poker machine. You can choose to bet between one and five coins, and the denomination of each coin is displayed and can be adjusted to suit your desired level of play. It is always a good idea to play the full five coins in video poker as all machines offer an extra jackpot bonus for the highest hand (Royal Flush) when the maximum coins are played. So try and play video poker with the maximum number of coins to earn the most value, even if that means you have to reduce the denomination of the coins to a smaller level where you are comfortable.
The objective of video poker is to receive the highest ranked five card poker hand possible. Once you have placed your bet, click on the DEAL button and you will receive your first five cards. You have the option to HOLD any or all of your cards that you want to keep. You will then discard the cards that you do not want and they will be replaced with new cards to try and improve your video poker hand. Once you’ve selected which cards you want to hold, click on the DEAL/DRAW button in order to receive the new cards to replace the ones you do not want. When the new cards are dealt you will have your final poker hand, and if your hand qualifies then you will be paid out according to the payout table for that machine.
Video poker has some similarities to slot machines which make them very popular, however video poker does involve some decision making and some degree of skill which can give the player an advantage over the house compared to slot machines.
There are many variations of video poker (e.g. Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker, All American, etc.) and the number is constantly increasing. Wild cards have been introduced, some games feature multiple decks, bonuses for certain four of a kinds are common, and payoff tables can vary from one machine to another.
Video poker is a great middle ground for poker players and slot machine players to have some fun with the opportunity for a big jackpot payout. Remember there are no “bad beats” in video poker!
Slots
Slot Machines are a hugely popular gambling option found online and in brick & mortar casinos. There are many different types and hundreds of variations of slots so it’s a good idea to try a few out to find one that you like.
Getting started with slots at an online casino is straight forward. Most slots simply require you to deposit credits from your account into the virtual machine, select your desired denomination and number of coins, optionally choose the number of pay lines you will play, and then hit the SPIN button. The online slot machine will do the rest! Payouts vary depending on the number of coins chosen, but often there is a jackpot bonus as the top payout if you play the maximum number of coins. So if this is the case then it’s a good idea to play the maximum coins and reduce the denomination to a level you are comfortable with.
A classic slot machine has three spinning reels with 22 different symbols on each reel. Each time a spin is made, the three reels come to rest randomly with a selection of symbols showing in the game window. Certain combinations of symbols in the game window result in payoffs according to the payout table displayed at the top of each slot machine.
Video slot machines represent the more modern form of slots and typically have 5 reels as opposed to the 3 reels in classic slots. Video slots also offer the opportunity to bet on multiple pay lines, giving you multiple ways to win! Options and themes vary between each slot machine, but typically you can bet between 1 and 25 pay lines.
Video Slots will often have a unique Bonus Feature that is specific to the variation of Video Slot Machine you are playing. There are many different features but typically they will give you an opportunity to win Free Spins when a certain combination of symbols appear on the reels. Free Spins allow the game to be played automatically for a fixed number of spins without costing you any money. Features are a great opportunity to win some bonus money without any risk! Check the payout table on the slot machine you are playing for full details of its Bonus Feature.
Upon visiting an online casino you will also see some Progressive Slot Machines. Rather than having a fixed payout, these slots will pay the top payout as a Jackpot bonus. The Jackpot values start at a specific level and grow each time somebody on the network makes a bet on one of the Progressive Slot Machines. The more you play the bigger the jackpot gets until someone wins it all!
