Slots
It’s no secret that online slots are the most popular form of gambling, and this is true both in the online world as well as at conventional casinos. Why are those games so popular? There are many reasons but perhaps the top reason is the allure of a life changing jackpot that can be won in a single spin. Some slot machine jackpots approach $1 million or more, and with minimum bet levels of only $0.01 who wouldn’t want a chance to take a stab at such a large amount of money? If you’re new to online slots or would like an update on what games are the hottest at the moment take some time to read this article to educate yourself.
Three Reel
This simple type of slot machine is what most people think of in their mind when they think of online slots. Also known as fruit machines these games consist of three reels and between 1 and 3 paylines. The minimum bet is usually just $0.25 and the payouts are easy to understand. The more similar symbols you land on a single payline the greater your payout will be. Most three reel slots feature fruit like bananas, cherries, watermelon, and oranges. The reason that these games feature fruit is that in the olden days the machines used to actually give out fruit flavored gum instead of cash. The top winning you’ll get from this most basic type of slot is around 1000x which can be a ton of money depending on your base bet.
Video Slots
Video slots offer more paylines and chances to win than three reel. Online video slots are perfect for Canadian online casinos players as they take advantage of advanced computer technology to offer different types of game play within each slot machine. Most of them feature five reels and 25 paylines. The minimum bet is only $.01 so you can cover all paylines for just a quarter. When you play these games you’ll be treated to things like bonus rounds, free spins, and wild symbols to complete a payline that you won’t fin in three-reel online slots.
Progressives
A progressive online slot is any slot machine that offers a jackpot that grows with each spin. In this way a progressive jackpot grows larger and larger as time goes by. Eventually the jackpot on these online slots can reach more than $1 million. Jackpots for progressives at online casinos grow even larger than in regular casinos because multiple progressive machines are linked to each other so the jackpot grows at a faster rate.
The hottest slot machines online today are based on popular TV shows, games, and movies. For example the Monopoly slot machine mixes up bits of the Monopoly board game such as the ‘chance’ and ‘community chest’ cards that contain bonus cash and multipliers. Similarly popular movies like Star Trek and The Godfather have now been made into online slots that mix game play with skill based bonus rounds featuring actual sciences from the movie. Now that you know more about playing online slots – you can try some out for yourself. We recommend playing all three types of machines in order to fully appreciate the gaming options that are available to you.
Roulette
While everyone thinks that they know how to play roulette, you may be surprised to learn that it is a much more interesting game than portrayed in movies like James Bond. While the basic bets of black / red, and straight up bets on single numbers are well known – there are actually several types of online roulette each with their own rules and style of play.
True roulette aficionados have embraced the game as the preferred way to play over the tables found in land-based casinos. In regular casinos you may only find one or two tables and they may not even be the type of game you like. Additionally, online roulette features lower minimum bet requirements with some online casinos letting you play this favorite of the high-roller set for as little as $0.10 a spin.
When you play online you’ll have access to American, European, and French all in one place. Here is a brief rundown of the features for each of these game types.
American Roulette
This type is found in places like Las Vegas and Atlantic City consists of a wheel with numbers from 1-37 as well as a 0 and 00 spot. A bet on a single number that wins will net you a cool 35-1 payout! The addition of the 00 spot in American online roulette slightly raises the house edge, so if you have a choice we recommend sticking to European or French online roulette which will be described in the sections below.
European Roulette
This game is very similar to American roulette only it does not have a 00 space making the odds better for all players.
French Roulette
If you are playing French roulette you’ll notice all kinds of special bets on the board with French names such as Voisins du zero, Le tiers du cylinde and Orphelins. These are special bets that let you play combinations of different numbers all at the same time.
A popular online roulette strategy is to play alternating red and black bets or to choose a single number, then back up that bet by laying chips on other bets that compliment it. For example a player can bet $1 on number 17 but also bet on red and odd in case that number doesn’t come up they’ll still have some winnings to play with.
Before playing online roulette for real money, it is highly suggested to play for imaginary stakes first so you get a feel for the game. By going into the casino’s ‘demo mode’ you will be able to practice all kinds of betting strategies and bet types without any pressure whatsoever.
Blackjack
Blackjack continues to be one of the most popular games online due to its unique mix of skill and luck. A good player can certainly scare the ‘house’ and come home winning a ton of cash if they play their hands correctly. Even though online blackjack continues to be a popular game at conventional land-based casinos, many fans have moved to this casino game for a variety of reasons.
A top reason for the move to online blackjack is the player-unfriendly policies that have been enacted by land based casinos surrounding this game. As people learned how to reduce the house edge by playing according to an optimal strategy casinos started changing the rules to make the game impossible to beat. In traditional blackjack if a player is dealt 21 they should win at odds of 3-2, yet many conventional casinos have lowered this payout to 6-5 harming the player’s chance to win in the long term. While brick and mortar casinos regularly impose high minimum stakes for all games that average $10 – $15 a hand, online casinos will let you play this great game for as little as $0.10 a hand.
The low limits allowed by online casinos let you enjoy sessions for much longer if you are on a limited budget. At $10 a hand you may only get to play blackjack online for 10 minutes before going though a $100 bankroll, but if your playing for only a fraction of that your playing time only goes up. When playing online blackjack fans also like the fact that they can control the pace of the game. When you are in control you can think about bet sizing and weather to hit or stand without the pressure of other players at the table or the dealer who is paid based on how many hands he can deal per hour.
Blackjack Variations
Because online casinos can do more with technology than regular casinos can do with a physical felt table – all kinds of online blackjack variations have sprouted up with new ones being developed each month. These variations have all kinds of names like Spanish 21, Pontoon, Double Switch, Vegas Strip, and Atlantic City. While all of them are basically the same they each have rule variations and twists on classic blackjack that keep things interesting for fans of this game.
If you’re new to playing online blackjack every online casino offers a free play option in addition to playing for real money. Simply use the ‘demo mode’ to play with a mythical bankroll and without any financial risk whatsoever. The free play mode is also available on the many variations mentioned above. This way you can learn the ins and outs of each online blackjack style game before risking your hard earned cash. You’ll also be a better player when its time to make a real wager netting you more winnings in the long run.
Baccarat
Baccarat is perhaps one of the oldest games of chance known to man. The word originates from Italy and in English means zero. It has since become one of the most popular table games in casinos throughout the world. It’s especially liked by high rollers who wager millions at a time. The game has been made famous in movies such as “Goldfinger” and countless others.
Its origins are somewhat of a controversy as some will tell you it derives from France while others will say Italy. One thing is certain; Baccarat has become a mainstay in casinos and will continue to remain one of the most played games for centuries.
Why Play Baccarat?
Many people play the game because they see it in the movies and want to experience the glamour that is portrayed in films. But, the main reason players choose Baccarat over other games is due to its utter simplicity.
Unlike games such as Craps or Blackjack, it has very little to do with the player. The only decision one needs to make is which of the 3 bets they want to make. You can bet with the player, the banker or tie. Once the best are made, nothing is left but to deal the cards. Each specific bet will have. The general concept of Baccarat is to bet on what the outcome of the dealt cads will be. Two hands will be dealt regardless of how many people are playing. One hand for the banker and one hand for the players. The goal is to get closest to nine without going over and each card will either add or subtract from the total value. So, you’re basically guessing which hand will win each time.
Get the most out of it with great odds
Even though Baccarat is the easiest game to play in a casino they are other reasons why people choose this game. All casino games will have some type of house advantage. In the end the casino will win money, this is why they are so profitable. Some games will have terrible odds that are so high it’s almost theft without calling it so. Others such as Blackjack and Craps will have significantly lower odds. The best game to play with the lowest house edge is in fact, Baccarat.
Also, even though only 3 choices are available as bets, each one will have different payouts. Betting with the player will get even money, the banker will also get even money minus a casino fee and a tie will pay either 8-1 or 9-1, depending on house rules. The house edge while betting on the banker is the lowest of any game at 1.06%. This makes always betting on the banker the best bet in the house.
Playing Baccarat online
If you are new to the game or casino games in general, you can now test out the game online. Almost every online casino will offer Baccarat to play. Most sites will also allow you to play for free letting you learn the rules and the basics of how it works. Taking advantage of this will be beneficial to most newcomers.
If you are a seasoned pro, playing online can have major benefits. For one, you can play more hands per hour, which in turn means more money to be won. Second, you don’t have to tip waitresses, dealers, etc while playing online. This also means more money in your pocket.
Craps
Craps can be one of the most exciting games online casinos have to offer. It’s been glamorized in the movies and is a popular choice among high rollers. The attraction of a gorgeous young woman blowing on your dice for luck is always a good thing. The game itself can be quite complex with numerous bets that can be placed. However, the basics are very simple. It is basically a game where you roll a pair of dice and bets are placed by not only the roller of the dice but by anyone who wishes to do so.
Once the roller throws his first roll, the number rolled will determine all subsequent action. The idea is to bet whether or not the shooter will roll craps before rolling his first number. Craps is when the shooter rolls a seven before hitting his first number. It can also be made on the first roll by throwing a 2, 3 or 12. There are numerous other bets to be placed such as betting on specific number being thrown.
Why play craps?
Some of the bets allowed in Craps will have the lowest house edge of any table games. This means that the casinos will win less in the long run. This also means the players will have a greater chance at winning. This makes this games one of the better options at an online casino as well.
Craps is a very fast paced game with lots of action. It gets the juices flowing and can be very exciting. Chips will be changing hands constantly and players will be winning and losing. There’s so much going on that it will always be entertaining.
Get more for your money with great odds
As stated before, Craps has one of the lowest house edges of any game. Not all of the best will have the same the edge though. The pass line bet will be your best bet by giving the player the lowest house edge at 1.4%.
When placing a bet on the pass line you always want to take odds on this bet. When the shooters first roll is made and the point is made you can take odds on your bet. Taking these odds will lower the house edge even further. Taking odds is a great bet because there is no house edge on this bet. So if you make a point at 4 and take the odds the payout will be 1:2 the actual odds of rolling the number 4 with zero house edge.
Playing craps online
Craps online is one the greatest inventions known to man. Now you never have to leave your house to play the game. All bets are easily visible and everything is done for you making it simple to play.
You can also take advantage of the numerous bonuses given by online casinos. These bonuses will further increase the value of playing online craps. Perhaps more important is the fact that online casinos will let you take odds up to 5x in some cases. This is more than land based casinos will offer making this game one of the best bets around.
Video Poker
When the poker craze hit the mainstream in the 1990’s, a little known cousin of table poker called ‘video poker’ also got some extra attention. While this game was first developed in Vegas in the 1970’s it truly became popular decades later. The reasons for this game’s popularity are two-fold. First, it is based on five card draw poker – one of the most commonly known card games to man. Even people who don’t regularly gamble know how draw poker works, you get five cards, make a bet, then discard up to four cards you don’t want and hope for a winning hand. Video poker taks this game and turns it into one of the most enjoyable games of chance currently available.
Although there are dozens of variants all called video poker the classic version, and most popular is called “Jacks or Better”. When you play this game you make a bet and then receive four cards face up. If you have at least a pair of jacks you win at even money. If you have three of a kind or better such as a full house, straight, four of a kind, flush, or royal flush the payouts get higher depending on the hand. Of course, you may have figured out by now that video poker – just like regular poker is based on skill and not luck. By examining the cards you are dealt and then keeping the correct ones you increase your chances of winning. Some video poker games have an expected long term return of over 100%.
This means that if you play with the optimal strategy you’ll come out ahead in the long term. Something that is unmatched in other casino games.
Important Strategy Tip
Here’s a quick tip for your first video poker session – a great piece of advice that will keep you in the black. If you are dealt a hand that contains a low pair such as a pair of 2’s or 3’s and a single high card like an Ace the correct strategy is to only keep the pair and to discard the Ace. Most beginners assume to keep all three but this lowers your chances of getting 3 of a kind which carries a payout of 3-1. You also may get lucky to hit another pair getting you 2-1 or even a full house which pays a generous 9-1.
When you sit down at a video poker machine you also may notice that you can play between 1 and 5 betting units. When you play the maximum number of bets per hand you’ll get a huge bonus if you manage to hit a royal flush that pays out 250-1 for a single bet but 5000-1 for five bets.
Before playing video poker for real cash it is recommended to try out the free version via any online casino’s demo mode. You can practice all kinds of strategies and see what your potential winnings will be before risking any real money.