The popularity of casino games is on the rise.
Due in part to the proliferation of smartphones and the explosion in the casual gaming scene, more of us have access to the colourful world of casino gaming than ever before.
Virgin Games online casino games can be enjoyed from any personal computer and, increasingly, from a smartphone or tablet using one of the many casino apps that are available.
We’ve assembled a list of some casino classics and how to get started with each of them.
Poker
The ubiquity of poker is hard to avoid.
There are even entire television channels dedicated to the pursuit, but there’s a reason why it’s so widely adored.
There are dozens of variants of the game starting with the simplest straight poker to more complicated community games where some of the cards dealt are shared between all players.
If you’re looking to get started with poker, we recommend learning the basics and then quickly graduating on to Texas hold ‘em which is the arena where most competitive tournaments are played.
It’s a game where the cards dealt make up only a percentage of the outcome of each hand, being able to bluff and read people becomes a far more useful skill.
Blackjack
The house edge at a blackjack table can be as low as 0.5% which is why professional players and card counters gravitate towards it.
It’s a simple game with easy to follow rules but also some subtleties to learn as you become more proficient.
The object is to create a hand with a value as close to 21 as possible without going over – going bust.
The best way to get started is to download a blackjack app and play several hands against a computer, without wagering any money until you start to get a feel for the flow.
And if you feel ready then migrate to a lobby with low stakes.
Roulette
There are few games that embody the casino experience more so than the ornate spinning roulette wheel and its 37 numbered pockets.
A croupier will give players an allotted time to place their wagers on where they think the ball will come to rest.
You can choose to plump for red or black (or zero), groups of numbers, neighbouring numbers or thirds of the table with the odds adjusted for how likely your predictions are to come in.
The advantage of playing online roulette is, in many cases, there’s no time pressure to compete with since the spin is decided randomly by a computer at your behest, so take your time and don’t rush.
Live casino, however, streams a live roulette wheel operator to your device, so the experience is a lot closer to that of a real world casino.
Slots
They occupy the most floor space in any traditional casino due to their popularity and profitability and they come in many shapes, sizes, colours and characters – slots are an approachable and enjoyable choice for the novice and seasoned gamer alike.
Find a theme that resonates with you and take advantage of the free to play option where you needn’t stake any real money.
There are a few components that make up the vast majority of the slots:
- Reels – normally from three to six, each printed with a series of symbols of varying values.
- Winlines – the number of ways the symbols can be arranged that still constitutes a win. Modern games can have dozens of winlines, sometimes fixed and sometimes adjustable which when activated act as a multiplier to your original wager.
- Features – unique minigames, bonuses and respins that make each game distinctive.
Craps
The craps table seems to be a magnet for casino theatrics, especially in the movies.
It’s an exciting game with a simple concept – the ‘shooter’ rolls a ‘point’ (the total of a pair of rolled dice) and then must roll the same number again before a seven is rolled.
Craps is especially fun in person since it gives each shooter a time in the limelight but if that all sounds like too much pressure, an online equivalent might be more your cup of tea.
Baccarat
Another card game mainstay of the casinos is baccarat.
Similar to blackjack, the object of the game is to approach as close to a value with your cards, nine is the magic number in the case of baccarat but uniquely, a player (or banker) doesn’t go bust if they exceed this number, the value simply rolls over.
This means if a player is dealt a 14, in baccarat terms this is a four.
You can back either the banker, the player or a tie and also wager on if either the player or banker will receive a pair for their first two cards, each with varying returns.
The fact that casino games have existed for hundreds of years in some form or another is testament to their enjoyment and appeal.
If you’ve not tried some of the games featured on this list, why not give them a go today.
