Casino Games

Winning big at a casino and the thrill of the adrenaline rush is what attracts us to the casino environment. However, not everyone goes home with huge winnings. Sometimes, you hit the jackpot, while other times, you lose everything that you bet. Still, the thrill and the enjoyment of the casino experience are memorable.

Before you engaging in a game, remember you can’t just walk into a casino in person or even enter one on your smartphone without a strategy. Yes, you may get random wins when playing for fun online, and you may earn a 1000-dollar online casino bonus, but that’s not always the case.

As lucky as you may get with an online casino bonus, you need to know the ins and outs of a casino game because every game differs in terms of winnings, rules, strategies, features and, last but not least, luck. When playing an online casino game, you need to be aware of the terms and conditions and, in fact, the legitimacy of that particular online casino game as well. Since the inception of online casino games, cases of hacking, fraud and insecure payment lines have been on the rise.

Here is a list of ten popular casino games you should know about before playing:

1. Three Card Poker

We all know poker, don’t we? The game with the cards and chips on a fancy casino table. Poker can be any card game in which players bet on the best hand according to the rules of that specific game. Three card poker is just another variant of the infamous poker game.

How to play Three Card Poker

Three card poker begins with an ante wager or a pair plus ante wager. It seems technical, but it’s one of the most straightforward poker or casino games you can learn. A player bets that he/she will have a hand or at least a pair or better. Remember, your only concern has to be the dealer, regardless of what other players are up to.

After the initial bet, 3 cards are dealt face-down in front of every player and the dealer. After the cards have been placed, each player will look at their hand and place a wager. This is important. The bet has to be equivalent to what was set as an ante wager earlier.

When placing the wager, the player has to decide whether to play his hand against the dealer or not. Before placing the bet, you need to know your objective here which is to beat the dealer. As per the rules, your 3 card poker hand should beat the dealer’s 3 card poker hand.

Three Card Poker Strategies

There are several optimum strategies for the player to follow regarding each number or face card. Some strategies suggest that the player should play all hands other than the queen, six and four and fold on all hands that are worse.

The Q-6-4 combination applies to all 3 cards. There are also strategies for you to follow with one or perhaps two cards. For instance, if your hand is a Q-7 or better, regardless of your third card, you can place a wager. In another example, if your single high card is an ace or a king, place a bet despite the value of the other two cards.

Optimum strategies exist for placing the wager. They exist to tell you when to fold. For example, if your high card is a jack or lower, FOLD, no matter how high your other two cards are.

Three card poker is all about decisiveness, and you need to be sure how to assess your hand and which card to choose while playing.

If a player folds, the dealer will collect the player’s ante wager and pair plus wager. Then the hand is over. If a player does not fold and places a play wager, the dealer will ask the player to turn over the cards to determine if the player has a better hand than the dealer.

If the dealer has a hand with a jack, higher cards or worse cards, the play wager is returned to the player. However, if the dealer has a hand with a queen, higher cards or better cards than it gets a bit technical. The play wager and the ante wager will be paid out 1 to 1 if the player’s hand is better.

If the dealer’s hand is superior, both the play wager and ante wager are collected. Now the pair plus wager will be determined entirely independent of what the dealer has.

When you know the dealer’s cards

Three card poker is between you and the dealer, but how should you continue if you’re able to see one of the dealer’s cards? If this is the case, you need to modify your 3 card poker strategy.

If the dealer has:

• A jack or lower, you need to make a play bet. The odds that the dealer’s hand will be lower than your hand increase.
• Queen: if the dealer has a queen, you need to be cautious. Play with Q-9-2 or better. With a Queen, your second card needs to be more reliable.
• King: with a king, the logic of the queen applies here as well. Play with a K-9-2 or better. The rule of thumb is to have the same high card as the dealer and a more reliable second card which is better than the average card value.
• Ace: with an ace, you don’t have a choice. Play with an A-9-2 because there is nothing better than an ace.

Three card poker also gives you some more options. For instance, you can play house way with your hand. This means you don’t have to guess anymore when you should play or fold. The house way suggests you place your wager and ante wager accordingly, and then the hand will be set according to the dealer card strategy.

Bonus Wagers

With bonus wagers, 3 card poker gets exciting. You can even win up to 1000 times on your initial wager or a bonus bet.

There are two types of bonuses:

1. Pair Plus Bonus

The pair plus bonus depends on the 3 cards in your hand. If you can manage with a pair or better in your hands, you have the pair plus bonus wager. The amount of the bonus is variable. It depends on what type of hand you are dealt.

1. Six Card Bonus

Six card bonus is a bit different. This bonus first looks at your hand and then the dealer’s hand. After combining the six cards, you can make a poker hand of 3 of a kind or better. You’ll manage to have the six card bonus in your favour. For this special bonus, you don’t have to rely on luck alone. The dealer should qualify to be more eligible than you to claim a six card bonus. Similar to the pair plus bonus, the amount you will make from a 3 card bonus depends on the type of hand you can make with the six cards at your disposal.

Three Card Poker Hand Rankings

Before we dive further into the topic of payouts, you need to understand the hand rankings and their significance. Each hand leads to a different scenario, payout and classification, such as:

• Straight Flush

A straight flush is a 3 card poker hand that contains five cards in numerical order of the same suit: for example, 9, 10, jack, queen, and king. This can also be called a king-high straight flush.

• Trips/3 of a Kind

Three of a kind is when the hand contains three cards of one rank and two cards of two other ranks. This hand may get confusing, but the hand is first ranked by the triplet and then the highest and lowest ranking kickers. Three of a kind ranks below a straight and above a two pair.

• Straight

A straight is when a hand contains five cards in numerical order but not of the same suit. Consecutive ranks below a flush and above three of a kind.

• Flush

A flush is again when a hand contains five cards of the same suit but not in sequence. Each flush is ranked in order of its high-ranking cards. It ranks below a full house and above a straight.

• Pair

A pair is simply a hand with two cards of the same rank and three cards of other ranks.

• High Card

High card is also known as no pair because it merely falls into no category.

These rankings may differ from one poker variation to another, and you might want to revisit the rules if you are playing a particular poker variation.

Now that we are clear on the rankings, the following are the 3 card poker payouts you need to remember. These payouts are categorized between pair plus payouts and ante bonus payouts.

Pair plus payouts:

• Straight Flush 40 to 1
• 3 of a Kind 30 to 1
• Straight 6 to 1
• Flush 3 to 1
• Pair 1 to 1 

Ante bonus payouts:

• Straight Flush 5 to 1
• 3 of a Kind 4 to 1
• Straight 1 to 1

What to look out for on a 3 Card Poker site

Though this seems like one of those rather simple card games, there are certain factors to consider when playing 3 card poker online.

Casino Site

Be careful about what casino site you choose. You cannot and should not trust any random casino site offering 3 card poker. A lot of money, time and thought processes are at stake here for you to be careless.

Look for an online casino site that is licensed and regulated by a reliable gaming authority.

Customer Service

Customer service is essential for your 3 card poker experience. Look at different online casino sites, player reviews and the corresponding response times.

Banking Options

Banking options are another important factor to consider. You need to select the most convenient banking option featuring minimum deposit, maximum payout and security.

3 Card Poker Money Management

Money management is equally essential when playing 3 card poker. You can’t simply rely on your hand and the dealer’s goodwill to help you win bonuses. You need to place strategic bets with efficient money management.

Your bets should be consistent with your bankroll. For instance, if you are playing with a $300 bankroll, your chances should vary around $10-$20 per hand, but if your bankroll is substantially higher, you can place $30-$40 bets per hand. Nevertheless, you need to be careful. Remember, the objective here is to make your play opportunities last longer. The next part is extremely important: the win and loss limits.

It’s like game theory all over again. If you win, you take your winnings, and, if you lose, do not lose more than you can afford.

Variations of 3 Card Poker

Now that you have figured out money management and what to do when you can see a dealer’s card, you can try other variations of 3 card poker such as:

Macau 3 Card Poker

The Macau version of 3 card poker is a bit different. It is called fortune 3 card poker in Macau. In this version, the dealer does not have the qualifying value, so even if the dealer does not qualify as in a conventional 3 card poker game, you need to beat the dealer. Additionally, you will be charged a 5% commission on each winning, and the house advantage is slightly higher at 2.5%.

Ultimate 3 Card Poker

Ultimate 3 Card Poker is one of the most popular variations of the game. Although the game is pretty similar, there are a few exceptions. You can raise your ante bet (wager) 3 times to your play bet. Now you can’t bet with any hand; you can only bet if you have a pair or better.

Ultimate 3 Card Poker has another bet called a blind bet. The blind bet equals your ante bet and is paid according to the pay table if your hand value is a pair or higher. Conversely, if your hand value is lower than a pair and higher than the dealer’s hand value, the bet pushes. If you lose your hand to the dealer, you lose the bet.

The play bet is slightly different as well. If you lose your play bet, you will have to push your ante bet just as in the traditional 3 card poker.

Like other variations, ultimate 3 card poker has a variety of side bets as well. One of them is called a pair plus bonus.

California 3 Card Poker

California casinos like to play differently. They have their own version of 3 card poker. First, they don’t recognize the pair plus bonus bet and ante additional bonus payouts. Now, if you win a payout or perhaps even a high bonus in the California version, you’ll be paid fairly.

Additionally, what makes California 3 card poker interesting is that one of the dealer’s cards is placed face up, so your decision to play or fold is easy. Still, again to compensate, the dealer does not need a qualifying value. You will win, lose or push by beating the dealer at every hand.

3 Card Prime

3 card prime is almost the same as 3 card poker except for the additional bonus bets. The 3 card prime version offers all available side bonuses, including pair plus, prime, and six card. This particular version considers ties as player wins which inherently reduces the house advantage.

3 Card Brag

The name sounds a bit surprising, but, from a historical standpoint, 3 card poker developed from 3 card brag. The only difference between the two is the order in which hands are ranked. For instance, three of a kind is ranked higher than a straight flush

2. Baccarat

Do you know Baccarat is the number one casino game? Regardless, there is a lot of mystery surrounding the game. Historically, Baccarat can be traced back to the casinos of Italy and France. As of today, the game’s popularity spans from East Asia to the United States. Does the game itself draw casino lovers and gamblers towards it? This is also an interesting fact

To understand Baccarat, we must first understand the objective of the game. What should your underlying objective be other than making money from Baccarat?

In Baccarat, you have to maximize your card value to a total of 9 to win. Thus, card counting is the most crucial aspect of the game. It appears as though Baccarat is a pretty simple game, but is it? The cards are shuffled and put into the dealing shoe. Next, you just have to choose whether to bet on the player’s hand or the banker’s hand. Before we explain more about Baccarat, let’s go over some simple steps to play the game.

How to play Baccarat

A game of Baccarat has three possible outcomes: player win, banker win or a tie. You choose where to place your bet. The dealer deals the cards face up, two each for the player and the banker. From that point, there is only one way to win: to bet on a hand that is closest to a total of nine.

As simple as the game sounds, the winning formula is perhaps the same. If you bet on the player’s hand and that hand is closest to nine, your winnings are double your bet. However, this is not the case with the banker’s hand. If you bet on the banker, and the total is close to 9, you receive 95% of your wager.

Let’s go through some simple steps.

• You can bet on either of the two hands, but, remember, bets must be placed before the cards are dealt.
   
• Know how cards are dealt; this is perhaps the most crucial aspect of how to win at Baccarat consistently. Two cards each will be dealt to a player and the banker. First, the casino operator or the person holding the shoe slides the player’s card into the player’s box, face up. Similarly, the banker’s card is place face up in the banker’s box. The house then repeats the process for both the player and the banker. The first round consists of two cards for both the player and the banker.
   
• Announce the point total for both the player and the banker. Now, remember when announcing the totals, you should know that face cards and tens don’t qualify for a value. Additionally, if the sum of the two cards is greater than 9, you are expected to drop the first or the second digit.

Baccarat card counting requires that if the sum of both cards exceeds 9, a number must be dropped. For example, a 9 and a 6 makes 15, but 1 will be dropped. Thus, the hand is be considered to be 5 points. If the banker’s hand adds up to 13, the player’s hand will win as 5 points.
 

• Understand the natural win. This refers to the cards exclusive to the first round. For instance, if the player’s card total is 9 and the banker’s card total is 8, this qualifies for a natural win. The already placed bets are cashed out.
   
• You need to determine whether the player gets the additional card by watching the points table. You need to pay attention to the points table. If the player’s hand totals up to 8 or 9, the player will not receive any additional cards. If the player’s hand has another total, a third card can be drawn. Similarly, if the banker has a total of an 8 or a 9, the banker wins.
   

The third card option for the player is not as easy as it sounds. Essential rules must be followed, such as:

• If the player draws no new cards, the banker may draw with a hand total of 0-5. The banker stays put with a hand total of 6 or 7. all other hands are dependent on the player’s third card.
   
• If the player’s third card is 9, 10, any face-card or an ace, the banker stays with a 4-7 and can only draw when he has a 0-3.
   
• If the player’s third card is 8, the Banker stays with a 3-7 and draws with 0-2.
   
• If the player’s third card is 6 or 7, the banker draws when he has a 0-6 and stays with a 7.
   
• If the player’s third card is 4 or 5, the Banker draws when he has a 0-5 and stays with a 6-7.
   
• If the player’s third card is 2 or 3, the banker draws when he has a 0-4 and stays with a 5-7.
   
• When you’re done drawing cards, the last and perhaps most crucial step is to calculate the winning hand which should have a total closest to 9.

This game gets interesting when the results are tied. Neither the player nor the banker wins, but sometimes commissions are paid out. This, however, depends on casino policies.

Baccarat Strategies

Once we are clear on the basic rules of Baccarat, we will need strategies. These strategies should ensure a certain win in Baccarat.

Is there an optimum strategy for Baccarat that isn’t based on luck? That is a fair question. How much strategy can one deploy in a mere two cards when roughly half the deck has absolutely zero points.

You must understand that the proper Baccarat strategy increases your odds of winning. If you want to be assured of winning Baccarat, make sure you follow all the essential steps, rather than picking and choosing.

There is a lot of misinformation on Baccarat winning strategies and betting systems, especially in the world of online casinos. If you want to win stick with the basics and be heedful. You need to follow some essential tips and practical advice. Before playing, make sure to experiment and practice online without real money.

Of course, sticking to the basics does not guarantee that you will win every time, but it will increase your sense of the game. The luck factor is rather evident, and, honestly, if you`re not sufficiently lucky, you may lose after the first round.

The Baccarat betting system and card counting are not that complex, so where do we apply a strategy? The game seems entirely based on luck.

Well, the first essential item to deploy in a strategy is information. You must work with whatever information you have. There are no hard and fast strategies to master Baccarat. The game is so simple that all you need to do is focus on the basics. For now, review different Baccarat tips and strategies and then assess whether you can follow them in the game.

Baccarat Attack Strategy

The Baccarat attack strategy is perhaps one of the unique strategies of the game in which Baccarat is divided into smaller segments. It can be summed up as attack, retrench and win. You attack when you’re going through a winning phase, consistently betting with zero risk assumption. However, if you start losing, you will need to return to the retrenchment phase. With this, you need to check your every bet under the TAT Betting system. It’s a unique approach towards placing wagers.

Beginner Tips

If you are a beginner at Baccarat, here are some tips on how to consistently win at Baccarat:

1. Never make the tie bet

Whether to make the tie bet or not is one of the most consistent queries from beginners. Before discussing the tie bet, you should know that Baccarat has a very low house edge on two of its three bets: the banker bet and the player bet. Therefore, your chances of winning are higher; chances of losing are around 1% for every 100 units wagered.

That is, for every 100 units wagered on the banker’s bet, you lose 1.06 units. For every 100 units wagered on the player’s bet, you lose 1.24 units.

However, when it comes to the tie bet, you are at a disadvantage. The tie bet has a house edge of 14.4 percent. That means you will lose 14.4 units for every 100 units wagered. Don’t waste your precious time on a tie bet. Moreover, what are the odds that there will be a tie anyway?

1. The best bet is the banker’s bet

If you are new to this and you come to the Baccarat table, what should your first move be? You can’t risk losing too much, and perhaps you want to play it safe while starting. For your first bet, place it on the banker.

Because the Baccarat odds of the banker taking it away are greater than 50% or 51% to be precise. True, this is not a significantly higher advantage, but, in general, the banker is a safe option.

1. Stick with the banker until the banker loses

Betting on the banker is one thing, but why would you stick with the banker? Where is the fun in that? Consider it a streak. In Baccarat, the odds of a player winning are slightly lower than the odds of the banker losing.

If the banker ends up with a winning streak, your first bet will increase your odds of winning. Now this is what you need to remember: just because the banker is on a streak does not mean that it will continue. The house edge still exists; this is 1.06 units on every 100 units wagered.

1. If a banker loses, wait for a decision

Let’s say the banker is on a streak, and then suddenly, the banker loses. What`s next, what will you do now? Just remember, if the baker loses, don’t be quick with another bet.

1. Mini Baccarat is dangerous

If you’re bored of Baccarat or are perhaps looking to take a break, you can switch to Mini Baccarat. With Baccarat, you have 30 or at most 40 decisions. With Mini Baccarat, you can have at least 150 choices. Mini Baccarat is fast because the dealer deals the game, not the players.

The fast pace of the game makes it dangerous for beginners and even Baccarat pros. Imagine 200 decisions with a house edge of 1.24% and 1.06%; it can be devastating if you don’t quit at the right time. If you want to continue with Mini Baccarat while staying safe, stick only with the banker’s bet. This will minimize the decisions you face. For instance, bet on the banker until the banker loses, then wait till the player loses and go back to betting on the banker.

This strategy theoretically reduces your decisions along with your loss expectations. This is important because while playing Baccarat, or any other casino game for that matter, players can become unrealistic.

1. Don’t count on tie bets

In this game, tie bets don’t count in Baccarat. For instance, if the sequence of wins is player, banker, tie, banker, you should just ignore the tie and move on with the banker.

1. Ride the player bet until the player loses

This is a continuation of tip number 4, which explains betting on the banker if the player loses to the banker. If the banker loses, repeat tip number 4 and wait for a decision.

Baccarat Strategy: Online casino vs. a live casino

If you want to ace Baccarat and learn how to win Baccarat consistently, you need to differentiate between online casinos and live casinos.

Though the Baccarat odds and card counting remains the same, there are a few things to look out for. For instance, in an online casino, the minimum bets are much lower and manageable while in a live casino, the minimum bets are high. Additionally, card counting is irrelevant in online baccarat because cards are dealt automatically, and there are no shoes in online gambling.

Baccarat Money Management

With possible scenarios between the player, banker and tie, you are playing close to a 50% chance. It is similar to a coin flip but not exactly. Money management is of critical importance in Baccarat. If you don’t know when to quit, you will end up losing a lot more than what you acquired in the first rounds.

For instance, if you have X winnings, split them in half and play with the remainder so you can safely take that half home.

3. Texas Hold ‘em

Let’s move on to the most popular casino game, Texas hold ‘em. Texas hold ‘em is the most popular variation of poker card games. For many poker lovers, it is perhaps the only poker game out there, particularly in online casinos where players flock to Texas hold ‘em.

Like three card poker, Texas hold ’em may appear to be another simplified version of poker, but you will need to watch for the vast possibilities and variations of another casino game.

How to play Texas Hold ‘em

Texas hold ‘em is not a challenging game, but you must remain focused throughout the learning process.

It is often said that Texas hold ‘em takes a moment to learn but a lifetime to master. Before learning how to play Texas hold ‘em, make sure you are familiar with the rules and terms for the game.

In Texas hold ‘em you are expected to make the best five-card poker hand according to traditional poker rules. Each player is dealt two cards face down. During subsequent rounds, five more cards are drawn and placed face up in the middle of the table.

These face up cards are known as the community cards because each player can draw from them for their five-card hand. Community cards are a bit technical, and the first three community cards are called the “flop.” The next card dealt is called the “turn,” and finally, the fifth card is the “river.”

Basically, players have to construct the best five-card hand possible out of the two personally held cards dealt earlier, called the hole cards, and the five community cards. In Texas hold ‘em terms, any combination works. For instance, you can get one community card with four hole cards or two hole cards with three community cards.  The Texas hold ‘em cheat sheet lists possible combinations. The cheat sheet also contains ground rules, abbreviations, rankings, bluffing tips, odds, etc.

There are specific scenarios to follow in Texas hold ‘em. For instance, if the betting causes all but one player to fold, the lone surviving player wins the pot and does not have to show his/her cards. This is when bluffing comes into play. Not all the players may be holding a perfect hand; players can simply bluff their way to winning the pot.

If the same scenario repeats itself, and there are two players left in the game, the player with the better five-card hand will obviously win the pot.

To further explain the game, we need to get into the specifics of the game.

Button

The button is an essential function of the game. It determines which player at the Texas hold ‘em table is the acting dealer. It is a round disc in front of the player and is rotated one seat to the left on every hand. The button may have different functions when we play at a casino or at home. In a casino, the player is not the acting dealer. In fact, the casino hires someone to do that; however, in friendly or home games, players can act as a dealer.

When the game begins, the first two players immediately left of the button are required to post a small blind and a big blind. Once the betting starts, the action occurs concerning the pre-flop, flop, turn, and river.

The button also determines the sequence of the game. The player to the immediate left of the dealer button in the small blind receives the first card, and then the dealer deals two cards around the table in a clockwise manner until each player has two cards.

Blinds

The blinds are what make Texas hold ‘em enjoyable and ensure that there is action in every hand. Blinds are forced bets that initiate the wagering on the Texas hold ‘em table. They work differently in the game and depend on the game rules. For instance, in a tournament game, blinds are raised at regular intervals as the number of players decreases, and the stacks of the remaining players keep on increasing. That, however, is a tournament necessity. In a regular cash game, you can just stick with the same blinds.

Pre-flop Round

The first betting round is pre-flop when the cards have been dealt, and the first player to the left of the big blind has to act first. That position is also aptly known as “under the gun.”

Now the first player can:

• Call: match the amount of the big blind.
• Raise: increase the bet as per the specifics of the game which commonly depends on the total amount in the pot.
• Fold: close the hand which is often the safe call to make although, upon folding, the player withdraws from the game and cannot win.

The betting amount is another issue because, in many games, rules differ. For instance, in a no limit table, the initial bet has to be twice the amount of the big blind, and the maximum raise can be when the player goes all-in with all the chips in the player’s stack.

Several Texas hold ’em variations treat the pre-flop round differently. What happens in a fixed limit hold’ em or a limit hold ‘em? A raise is always twice the big blind. However, in pot-limit hold ‘em, players can bet anywhere from the amount in the big blind to the total amount in the pot.

While the first player acts and chooses between the above-mentioned three options, the game moves in a clockwise direction to let others choose to call, raise or fold. Once the last bet is closed, the players can then move to the flop round.

Flop Round

Again, the action starts with the first player left of the dealer button. The player can bet, call, fold or raise. Additionally, the player has another option with “check.”

A check simply means if the player would like to defer the bet to the next player at the Texas hold ‘em table. The betting continues until the last bet or raise has been called. In another scenario, if all the players at the table check, the round can be called off.

Turn Round

This is the third round of the game in which the fourth community card is dealt face up following the action in the flop round. Again, the betting continues; players have the option to check, bet, call, raise or fold.

River Round

The river round is the final betting round in which the fifth community card is dealt face up. The process is repeated, and the players have the option to bet, call, raise or fold. After all the rounds are completed, the remaining players with hole cards in their hand reveal their holdings in what is called the showdown.

Showdown

When the holdings are revealed, the dealer shall determine a winner. The player with the best combination of the five-card hand wins the pot money. The best combination, however, is determined by traditional poker rankings.

One of the most critical aspects of Texas hold ‘em poker hands is the creation of a five-card hand. A player can only construct a five-card Texas hold ‘em hand from the two available hole cards and five community cards; that’s all.

Texas Hold ‘em Strategies

You’re privy to the Texas hold ‘em rules, but the next step is to learn the strategy and perhaps the ultimate Texas hold ‘em strategy. No matter how simple the game and rules sound, there is always an optimum strategy to win the pot money.

While learning strategy, you need to determine what constitutes good starting and selection. The strategy not only pertains to Texas hold ‘em blinds and hands, in fact, but it also covers various aspects of the game. When to fold or when to bet and perhaps exercise other options are covered in the ultimate Texas hold ‘em strategy.

Here are the five best strategies for Texas hold ‘em:

1. Opening hands

As a five-hand poker game, the hands which you chose throughout your game are vital.  When choosing an opening hand, it does not have to be a strong hand. Study hands (mentioned above) that they can make you the most money. The popular perception is that higher hands will lead to higher winnings, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes if you are betting high, you might end up losing more than you expected.

Now when choosing a starting hand, remember that you are looking to make money. Be aware of the options that you have, know how a suited connector will work heads up, or if multiway is better. If you simply don’t know how much you could make with a particular hand, you are playing blind, and that won’t help.

1. Bet sizing with confidence

When you are in a no-limit cash game, you can perhaps bet as you like, but rules differ for a limit game. Therefore, bet sizing is essential in Texas hold ‘em. And remember, bet sizing varies for each round. For instance, when in pre-flop as a beginner, follow the Texas hold ‘em table. If the betting size is twice the big blind amount, go with the flow. This is perhaps the safest option for a pre-flop round.

Similarly, your post-flop betting size depends on your pre-flop game. If you raised in the pre-flop round, you should carry out a continuation bet. The question is, what should the size of your continuation bet be. It should be at least 50 to 70% of the pot. Here is when you can deploy strategy. The size of your continuation bet will determine the strength of your hand.

Even if you don’t have a steady hand, your bet will make other players a bit worried because if you bet too small, you might face a raise from one of your opponents. Your bet sizing depends on your expectations of the other players. Whatever your betting size value is, you need to have a fair estimate of what your opponent will do. Will he/she fold or not?

In essence, the stronger your hand is, the higher your betting value can be but keep a lookout for a loose caller or a tighter opponent.

1. Knowing when to fold

If there is anything to keep track of in Texas hold ‘em terms, you should know when to fold. The popular perception, however, is that you can’t make money if you fold. This is not true. Because folding is the only mechanism that keeps your bankroll intact, you can save money by folding and be more aggressive in the next round. Folding is always better than losing a huge chunk of your bankroll.

1. Use your position

The use of position is of critical importance. You need hands-on information about your opponent so you can plan your strategy accordingly. Positioning leads to overall effective decision making in Texas hold ‘em terms. You can make smarter bluffs, raise more accurately, bet more effectively and make thin river calls. All because of a better position.

If you’re new to a Texas hold ‘em table, make sure to get a Texas hold ‘em cheat sheet so you can remember all the rules and secure your success in Texas hold ‘em.

Texas Hold ‘em Money Management

We have already discussed the importance of maintaining your bankroll throughout rounds of Texas hold ‘em. Detailed insight further involves the critical factor of money management. Consider your bankroll as your ticket to the Texas hold ‘em table.

The first and foremost aspect of money management is to be realistic with what you can lose and to what extent you can lose. Review all casino bonuses and minimum deposits, and limit your bankroll. If you end up losing and still want to enjoy hold ‘em, go onto the free games.

4. Blackjack

This game is another casino lover’s dream game, “Blackjack.” With the exception of a variety of poker games, blackjack is perhaps the most popular card game in any casino environment.

There are several rules for playing Blackjack, and there are many aspects of the game for strategy application. Don’t confuse yourself with simple rules. What if you can ace Blackjack by just observing Blackjack card values?

There are some general rules and variations to the traditional Blackjack and modern-day casino versions. If you are in a casino, the house is the dealer. The dealer remains standing while the players are seated. Remember, the dealer is responsible for running all aspects of the game from shuffling, dealing, handling bets to dealing.

How to play Blackjack

When learning to play Blackjack, become familiar with all the critical aspects of the game, such as:

The Pack

The standard 52-card deck is shuffled. The six-deck game is the most popular variation of blackjack. The dealer uses a blank plastic card which is never dealt but is placed towards the bottom of the deck to mark where the cards have to be reshuffled. If four or more decks are used, they are dealt from a shoe.

A shoe is a box that enables the dealer to remove cards. The cards are removed one at a time, face down without actually holding one or more decks. Remember, you have to beat the dealer by getting a total value as close to 21 as possible without going over 21.

Card Values/Scoring

Before moving further, you need to understand the card values for Blackjack. Blackjack can be played with 1 to 9 decks of 52 cards each. The values of the cards are fairly straightforward as they correspond with the respective numerical or face value on the card.

Betting

Each player places bets in the form of chips in the designated area. The minimum and maximum limits are established while the general betting ranges from $2 to $500.

Shuffle and Cut

Shuffling is another responsibility of the dealer in Blackjack. The dealer thoroughly shuffles the deck until the cards have been mixed and combined. The next step is to designate one player to perform a cut. A plastic card is placed here so that the remaining cards are not used in the game.

The Deal

When all the players are done placing their bets, the dealer gives them one card face up in a clockwise rotation and a card for himself. The entire process is repeated, but this time the second card for the dealer is dealt face down. The rules for Blackjack may differ in terms of card counting and the number of decks involved in the game.

Naturals

A natural scenario is when Blackjack card values are equal to 21. For instance, if the player has an ace and a “ten”’ or a face card, these would add up to 21. In that case, the dealer immediately pays one and a half on the player’s bet. However, if the dealer has a natural, he/she instantly collects all player’s bets without a natural.

If both the player and the dealer have a natural, then we are at a standoff. The player takes back the chips. To determine whether the dealer has a natural, the dealer looks at the face up card. If it’s an ace or a ten, only then does the dealer pick up the face down card to check for a natural.

The Play

The player positioned the left of the dealer has to act first. The player has to decide whether to stand (not take another card) or hit (ask for another card).  Basically, the player can stand on the two cards initially dealt to him/her or ask for a third card in an attempt to get closer to a total of 21. The dealer has to stand on a total if it is 21 or under. If the total is greater than 21, then the dealer has lost. The dealer will collect all the players’ cards and the bet wagered. You shall be aware of when to hit or perhaps when to split in Blackjack.

Some Blackjack combinations qualify for a name, for instance, soft hand. A soft hand is when the player has an ace card and a card other than 10. Now, in that case, the player can count the ace as a 1 or 11, depending on the other card(s). For instance, if it’s an ace and a six, the player can count it as 17 or 6, whichever seems appropriate.

An ace in Blackjack has the particular characteristic of double card values. If you are at a 17 or 18, and you aim for a higher total, it will be difficult. However, you can simply use an ace as 1, and all your problems are solved.

The Dealer’s Play

The dealer’s play is perhaps as important as the players’ plays. When the dealer has served every player, he/she now has a face down card in front of him/her which is turned face up. If the total is 17 or more, the dealer must stand. If it’s 16 or under, the dealer must take a card. The dealer has to draw cards until the total is 21.

When to Hit in Blackjack

Like many other card games, signalling and intentions matter. When a player’s turn comes in Blackjack and he/she wants to draw another card, they can signal by scratching the Blackjack table or wave their hand in a motion towards themselves. However, when the player wants to stand, he/she can simply say “stand” or “no more.”

When to Split in Blackjack

Another important decision is when to split in blackjack. If the player has two cards of the same denomination, the player may choose to treat them as two separate hands, and the dealer deals separately accordingly. The amount of the original bet goes onto the first card, and an equal bet has to be placed on the second card. Remember, both the cards are handled separately as per their merits by the dealer.

Doubling Down

Another option for the player is to double down when the original two cards dealt add up to a total of 9,10 or 11. When the player’s turn comes, the player places a bet equal to the original bet. The dealer gives the player just one card which is placed face down and remains face down until all bets are settled at the end of a hand. For instance, if the player has two fives, they can split the cards and double down or just play the hand as usual. Note that while the players can split and double down, dealers have no such options.

What is insurance in Blackjack?

Though the game asks you to get to a total of 21, there is so much more to Blackjack card values than you can imagine. It’s perhaps the combination of Blackjack card values that makes the game so much more enjoyable.

Blackjack insurance is when the dealer`s first card is an ace, and the players are allowed to make a side bet (up to half the original bet), in which the players bet that the other card is a ten. Once all such cards are placed, the dealer looks at the hole card, and if it’s a ten, those players who made the insurance bet win and are paid double the amount of their half bet. If Blackjack occurs for the dealer, the hand is, of course, over, and the players’ main bets are collected unless a player also has a Blackjack which leads to a standoff. Insurance is not a good proposition for the player. If the player is somehow sure that there is an unusually high number of ten cards still left and undealt, they can make an insurance bet.

How does the settlement work in Blackjack?

In blackjack, one critical advantage for the dealer is that the player has to go first; this gives the dealer an edge. If the player loses, that player has already lost the wager. If the dealer exceeds the Blackjack card value of 21, the dealer pays each player who has stood the amount of the player’s bet. If the dealer is at a total of 21 or less, the dealer pays the bets of any others with a higher total (but not higher than 21) and collects the bet of any player with a lower total. Again, if there is a standoff, no chips are paid out or collected.

Blackjack Strategies

To win at blackjack, the player has to play each hand optimally. Blackjack strategy involves a few things to look out for. For example, the                           Blackjack card values of cards facing up, especially the dealer`s card.

Here is what you can do when the dealer’s face up card is 7, 8, 9 or 10 or an ace for that matter. As a player, you should not stop drawing until your total is 17 or higher. In another case, when the dealer’s card is more inferior such as 4, 5, 6, you can stop drawing when you`re close to 12. The ultimate Blackjack strategy is not to exceed 21 by drawing more cards and to always check your Blackjack card values.

If a dealer`s face up card is a 2 or a 3, you can draw as soon as your total is 13 or higher. Additionally, if you are doubling down, there is another strategy to follow. If you have a total of 11, you should always double down. If you are at a total of 10, you should double down unless the dealer shows a ten or an ace. Lastly, if you are at a total of 9, you should only fold if the dealer’s card shows a poor Blackjack card value of 2, 3 or even 6 for that matter.

Similarly, a strategy exists for splitting; the player should always split a pair of 8s or aces. Remember to not split a pair of identical ten cards to two 5s as your chances of losing are higher. If you have two 5s, choose a double down as that would be much appropriate.

Similarly, you should not split a pair of 4s as a total of 8 would be much better for drawing more cards. You can break a 2, 3 or 7 unless the dealer has an 8, 9 or 10. The same goes for 6. Do not split unless the dealer has one of the more mediocre cards ranging from 2 to 6.

Blackjack Attack Strategy

The Blackjack attack strategy uses a system of game goals and profit ladders. You have a set of accomplishments for each game, and you play accordingly—this a money management strategy or perhaps a way to monitor your profits.

For example, your winnings are $140, and your game goal was $100; therefore, you have exceeded your game goal. Now, if you continue winning, you are on your way to the profit ladder, but if you fall below $100, then you should quit for good. These two concepts provide you with a better method to optimize your Blackjack winnings. You can win all you want. There is no limit to that, but a Blackjack attack strategy lets you know when to quit and save your profits.

With the best possible strategy and combinations, both the dealer and the player can work out some numbers to ensure the final score. If their total expectation is below zero, then the player has to place minimum bets, but if it’s above zero later, the player can place high bets.

Blackjack Rule Variations

Like all the other card games, rules change in different casino environments. The following are some of the Blackjack rules:

• Doubling After Splitting (DAS):  This is a simple rule that allows you to double down after splitting which we have already explained
• Re-Splitting Aces (RSA): This rule allows you to split your ace card even if you already have. If you have already split a pair of aces, you can do it again for up to 4 hands. The RSA rule is essential for both the casino as well as the players because the ace is the most crucial card in the game.
• Early Surrender: Close to Blackjack surrender, the early surrender offers the player the opportunity to surrender even before the dealer checks for insurance or Blackjack. It is perhaps the same as surrender and now obsolete in most of the casinos.
• Single Deck vs. Multi-Deck: Some blackjack games use up to 6 or 8 decks primarily because the number of decks can make a difference in the game. Remember, the house edge on Blackjack gets higher with the addition of a deck. For instance, a single deck game won’t allow DAS or RSA, but an eight-deck game would. Blackjack has many trade-offs when it comes to rules of the game and casino offers.

Make sure you follow these rules with context. For instance, it’s not always necessary to double down after a split. If you are satisfied with your first split, you don’t have to re-split unless you think it through.

5. Craps

Craps is another exciting casino game and a bit different from the regular card games. In a craps game, the essential feature is the crap table and its layout.

For beginners and amateurs, the craps table appears too complicated with too many boundaries, numbers, rules, etc., but if you get into it, it’s not really so complicated. You just need to stick with the basics when it comes to craps.

First things first, understand the objective of the game and what you have to do as a craps player. You are essentially betting on the outcome of the roll of two dice. Remember, craps is a pure chance casino game with a straightforward objective. You can’t possibly change the outcome of the dice, but what you can do is play around with the wager.

How to play Craps

You don’t need to learn all the bets on a craps table. You can just start with the first bets such as:

Pass

Pass is the most popular bet in the game. The majority of the players bet pass, and the fact that players win or lose together is due to a pass betting pattern. If we look at it this way, there seems to be a unity when betting on craps which makes the game interesting.

This is how the pass bets work. When a new shooter gets the dice, the call is, “come out to roll”. If this role is a 7 or an 11, then pass bets win. If this particular roll is a 2, 3 or 12, then pass bets lose. It doesn’t end here. If the roll is from 4 to 10, then the total dice figure thrown at becomes the point. The shooter will roll until there is a point again or a seven.  If the point is rolled first, pass bets win; however, if a seven is rolled first, pass bets lose. This is also known as seven-out.

The ultimate question here is when to make the pass bet. Remember to always make a pass bet when there is a “come out to roll” call. How can you know that? It’s simple. Look at the craps table in front of you. It has two sides marked by laminated markers into black and white. The black side says “off” while the white size says “on.” When the marker says off, that inherently means that the next roll is a come out roll, so it’s safe to make a pass bet.

Otherwise, the white side just indicated the point concerning the position on the craps table. Before you make a pass bet, you need to understand the house edge which is relatively low at 1.41%.  You need to put your wager on a band that goes along the edge of the craps table that reads “pass line.”  

Odds

Odds is a unique bet because craps are perhaps the only casino game with some variations of video poker that offers bets with no house edge. The odds bet is related to the pass bet. After making the pass bet and establishing the point, the player makes an additional side wager. The side wager requires that the point will be rolled before a 7 is rolled. The odds bet pays 3 to 2 on points of 5 and 9, 2 to 1 on points of 4 and 10, and 6 to 2 on points of 6 and 8. These are calculated craps payoffs.

You can play your craps bet behind your pass line bet, although you may face restrictions in terms of multiples of the odds bet to the pass line bet. The limits do vary from casino to casino. If you want to make the craps payoffs even, make an odds bet on points of 5 and 9 as even numbers which are divisible by 6 on points of 6 and 8.

Don’t Pass

With a don’t pass bet, if a come-out roll of 12 is pushed instead of a win, the house edge is 1.36%. This is 0.05% less than the pass line bet. Here is what will happen if you place a don’t pass bet on a losing crap table: you end up winning and vice versa. You can also make an odds bet on the don’t pass bet after a point is established. You will earn on a 7 and lose on a point when laying odds on don’t pass. Again, the odds pay 1 to 2 on a 4, 2 to 3 on a 5 and 9 and 5 to 6 on a 6 and 8. The divisibility rules are the same where the odds bet has to divisible by 2 on points of 4 and 10, 2 on a 5 or 9 and 6 on a 6 or 8.

Come Bets

Come bets are like pass line bets but not on a come-out roll. They can be placed on any roll except that. The roll after the come bet will be taken as a come-out roll for the come bet. Just like the pass line, you can lay odds on a come bet while the house edge is the same as the pass line bet at 1.41%.

Don’t Come Bet

A don’t come bet is perhaps the same as don’t pass, and it can be laid on any roll except the come-out roll. You may lay odds if a point is rolled, and the house edge stands at 1.36%.

Place Bets

Place bets are like odds, but you don’t have to make a come bet or pass line bet to lay out the odds, but place bets pay fewer odds. Again, you can play a place bet anytime other than a come-out roll. Place bets on a 4 and 10 pay 9 to 5 for a house edge of 6.67%. Then we have place bets on 5 and 9 paying 7 to 5 on a house edge of 4%. Lastly, place bets on 6 and 8 pay 7 to 6 for a house edge of 1.52%.

Field Bet

The last of the popular bets is the field bet which is a single roll proposition bet. You win the field bet if the total of the dice is anything other than 5 and 9. Wins even pay money with a few exceptions. A total of 12 on the bet pays either 2 to 1 or 3 to 1, and a total of 2 pays 2 to 1. It depends on how generous that casino of yours is.

The house edge is 2.27% if the 12 pays 3 to 1 or 5.56% if it pays 2 to 1.

There are many craps payouts and bets to begin with, but there are the most critical bets on a crap table. Your focus should be more on how to win at craps and on developing an advanced craps strategy than on the plethora of craps bets lying around.

Craps Strategies

Armed with this information regarding all craps bets and craps payouts, your next step is to learn strategy. And you can always have a plan. It doesn’t matter if it’s a couple of dices and rolls calls. This is perhaps your method for how to win at craps.

Before you bet on a craps table, make sure you’re committed to learning and that you are not doing it for fun. If you want to develop a strategy for craps, ask yourself a few questions such as: what’s your bankroll limit? What will your betting pattern and desired goal be? Is it, for instance, the big payoffs or making a profit in a long session?

Make sure you understand the craps table layout and the craps payout before deploying a strategy.

Here are some popular craps strategies:

Pass and Come, with Odds

We already know that the pass line bet is a high starting point for a craps strategy due to its low house edge of 1.41%. Now, if you combine pass bets with odds, you can make a lot out of craps payouts. When you play with a pass plus odds combination, your house edge will fall from 1.41% to 0.8% with single odds. If you come up with double odds, it drops to 0.6% and 0.4% with a triple, quadruple, and perhaps 5x odds.

It may sink to 0.3% for 5x odds at some casinos and 0.2% with 10x odds. The house edges act in the same manner with come plus odds. The question is, how much should you bet on the odds? Remember to always decide with respect to the house edge in place.

The objective here is to put as significant a percentage as possible in the free odds with no house edge. You shall start with the craps table’s minimum bet on the pass and come and make your way to the desired wager by betting on odds.

Don’t Pass and Don’t Come while Laying Odds

Again, with this strategy, you know that the house edge diminishes when you combine, don’t pass and don’t come. So, the best strategy here is to bet craps table minimums on don’t pass and don’t come and reach your desired wager by laying the odds.

Placing 6 and 8

This is one of the most popular strategies because the player can pick their numbers instead of waiting for the craps shooter. You know 8, 7 and 6 are the most frequent craps numbers on the craps table whereas the house edge on placing 6 and 8 is 1.52% which seems manageable. The house edge is much higher on 5 or 9 or 4 and 10. Therefore it is better to place on 6 and 8. However, be alert: if you are adamant about putting a bet on 6 and 8, make sure you do so in multiples of $6. Because the odds are 7-6, that means you will get $7 for a $6 bet but only $5 for a $5 bet.

Pass with Odds Plus 6 Or 8

This strategy is a combination of what we have discussed so far. You start with a pass line bet at the craps table minimum. When a point is established, you back up the pass bet with free odds, and if that point is 6 or 8, then you can add a place bet on the other number. If the point is any different number, then you can place bets on 6 or 8.

Placing on 6 and 8 is cheaper than a full pass come odds system. For instance, if you have a $5 pass bet backed with $10 odds and you have $6 bets on 6 and 8, you are at risk of losing $27 if you compare this to other pass bets backed by double odds.

Craps Money Management

The way you manage your money reveals your plan for the game ahead. In craps, you know that the house advantage can go up to a considerable 16% for any of the craps bets available. In that scenario, you can’t afford poorly made bets, but what you can do is adhere to a money management strategy.

First, set up a bankroll to finance your craps bets and limit yourself to the said bankroll. This should cover your risk per bet, your winning goal, loss limit, etc. With craps, it is advised to start with a bankroll at least 10 times your first bet so that you can survive ten different craps shooters. The idea is to survive enough on the craps table until the trend is in your favour.

Let’s suppose you are a pass line bettor and you are playing with a $10 minimum bet. You bet on the pass line with $10. The craps shooter established a point of 4, and you lay odds for another $10 and place two bets on 6 and 8 because they are the most favourable numbers on a craps table layout. Your overall stake is at $30 so that essentially means a bankroll of $300 to buy in.

6. Jacks or Better

Jacks or Better is not your average card game; it`s one of the most popular video poker games. So basically, Jacks or Better is the original video poker game and not the video poker we find today. The aim of the game is for you to build the best poker hand possible.

You win at Jacks or Better if your hand contains at least a pair of jacks. The game’s name resonates the same. How does it happen? You are dealt five cards at first, and then you choose which of the cards to hold on to before discarding and replacing them with new cards. In Jacks or Better, you get paid according to the strength of your card. Before you start with the game, you need to learn the rules and how to play.

How to play Jacks or Better

To play Jacks or Better, make sure you know about all the possible hands such as:

High

A card that is a jack or higher such as jack, queen, king or an ace.

Pair

Two cards with the same number or value as a face card. For example, two ten cards or two kings.

Two/Three of a Kind

This hand is relatively simple. It contains two or three matching cards. For instance: two 2s or three 4s.

Two Pair

This hand has two pairs, for instance, two 2s or two 4s.

Full House

Full house is a high strength pair coupled with three of a kind. For example, two eights and three queens. The suit doesn’t matter; all that matters is card values.

Flush

In this hand, all five cards are of the same suit—for example, 3, 4, 5, 6 and the jack of clubs.

Straight

In a straight, you will have five cards in a sequence in which the suit does not matter. Additionally, you can use the ace at the beginning or the end of the sequence.

Outside Straight

This is like the straight hand with a bit of an innovation. It is a set of cards which can be made into a straight with a card on extreme ends. For example, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, the card 10 would have been replaced by a jack or a 3 on either end to make it an outside straight.

Inside Straight

An inside straight is again a straight hand with a hole in the middle unlike the outside straight. For example, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and we need a 6 in the middle which makes it an inside straight.

Straight Flush

This is a hand which is both a straight and a flush. For example: 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of spades.

Royal Flush

A royal flush is a mighty hand in the game, comprising of only high cards such as 10, jack, king, queen and an ace. If you have a royal flush, you are in for a considerable Jacks or Better payout.

Let’s review some scenarios for you to understand how to play Jacks or Better or video poker.

Jacks or Better Scenario

The following are several scenarios that you can read through to help you visualize and understand the game better. Let’s take a look at the most crucial ones.

Scenario 1

Let’s say you are dealt the 8 of clubs, 7 of hearts, 6 of spades, jack of clubs and the 2 of diamonds. If you are aiming for double jacks, you need to hold onto the jack of clubs. You can even add two more jacks to form a three of a kind. Keep in mind the hands you can make and keep a lookout for high cards.

Scenario 2

In another scenario, you have the 8 of clubs, 7 of hearts, 6 of spades, queen of clubs and the 2 of diamonds. This time around your high card is the queen of clubs; therefore, hold onto it.

Scenario 3

You are dealt the queen of clubs, jack of spades, 3 of clubs, 2 of diamonds and the 4 of hearts. You have 2 high cards, the queen of clubs and jack of spades, and you need to hold onto both of these high cards. With two high cards, your chances of a pair are high. You can always go for a full house. You need to look at your chances; with two high cards, you can go for a royal flush as well. Therefore, keep in mind the hands you can make or break with the five cards in your hand.

Scenario 4

In scenario 4, if you are dealt the queen of spades, jack of clubs, ace of hearts, 2 of diamonds and the 3 of clubs. You have three high cards now, and you should not necessarily hold onto all three of them. Keep the jack and queen. If you have 2 unsuited high cards, pick the lowest 2. Consider this a rule of thumb.

Scenario 5

In scenario 5, you have the queen of clubs, jack of clubs, ace of hearts, 2 of diamonds and 3 of clubs. Again, you have three high cards. If you follow the rule in scenario 4, you should choose the two lowest unsuited high cards, but here is the thing. Now you have two high suited cards. Therefore, you should choose the queen of clubs and jack of clubs because you want to shoot for a flush or a royal flush.

There are many scenarios for Jacks or Better hands, but you need to keep a lookout for all the possible hands and their relative strength. It’s all about your decision-making process; if you have two or three of a kind, you need to know which cards to hold and which to discard.

Similarly, if you are aiming for a straight hand, prioritize between an inside straight and an outside straight. Prioritizing is an essential trait in Jacks or Better because, as per the rules, each payout is different. If you can risk your way to a flush or perhaps a royal flush, you should discard an inside straight or two of a kind. A convenient way to prioritize is to set your goals before the game.

Look at the hand strength and set boundaries. For instance, you need to decide whether you can settle for a two pair or if you will go all the way for a full house or a flush at the very least.

Jacks or Better Strategy

Now that you are familiar with all rules of the game along with which hand to choose and which hand to prioritize, you need to learn a Jacks or Better strategy to improve in the game. An added benefit is to feel much more confident and more energetic towards the game. The more confident you are, the more you can aim for more reliable hands such as a flush or a royal flush rather than a pair or a high card.

The target here is to make the most of the cards you have been dealt. Your entire Jacks or Better game depends on the cards you have in front of you.

Here are some strategy tips to improve your Jacks or Better experience:

• Never go for another hand if you can make a three of a kind, four of a kind, full house or two pairs.
• Never give up a high pair for a four to a flush or four to a straight.
• Even if you have three cards for a straight or three cards for a flush, hang onto a low pair.
• If you have four cards for a royal flush, you should discard the fifth card.
• Keep in mind the strength of your hand. For instance, a three of a kind, a flush, a high pair, a straight. All are higher hands than three cards to a royal flush. You should only go for three cards for a royal flush if you have a lower-ranked hand such as a low pair or four for a flush.
• If you are holding onto four cards for a straight flush or four cards for a royal flush, then it’s worth the wait. Otherwise, hold onto a high pair you have been dealt.

Jacks or Better Money Management

Money management rules apply to all versions of video poker.  You probably want to know why is there practice money management in Jacks or Better with such a low house edge. This is necessary because the process is entirely random.

Remember, it is essential for you to protect your funds during Jacks or Better. In other words, the casino where you play Jacks or Better or any other variation of video poker has worked protect their profits and funds, why can’t you do the same to defend yours. You need to stay alert and follow simple steps such as:

• Set a separate bankroll and split it into equal parts

Like all other casino games, it is essential not to lose money you can’t afford to lose. If you are a routine player, stick with your game budget. You can perhaps allocate money according to respective house edges in each game.
 

• Set win goals and loss limits

Again, look at Jacks or Better payouts and set win and loss limits. If your total betting disposal amount is $1000 for four games, you have $250 for Jacks or Better. The recommended win percentage is approximately 30% of your session’s bankroll which, in this case, is $75. You can quit when you have won up to $75 in Jacks or Better. In case you want to play more, split your profits in half and play with the other half, but remember the additional $37.50 is your guarantee. You must not use it.

• Adopt an optimal strategy

To play with optimal strategy, you can always find free Jacks or Better charts, payouts and scenarios to help you improve at the game. Play Jacks or Better in practice mode and try your luck with all possible hands. You need to understand what constitutes strategic play in Jacks or Better or any other video poker varieties. You need to evaluate the hand in front of you carefully. The end deal is to decide which card to replace and which cards to hold.
 

• Go for full pay games

You should go to full-pay Jacks or Better because the payouts are better. Full-pay Jacks or Better pays 9 to 1 and 6 to 1 for a flush and a full house. There are variations of Jacks or Better. For instance, any Jacks or Better game offering you small payouts for an entire house or a flush is considered a shorter payback variation of the game and should be avoided unless it is a progressive version of Jacks or Better. A one-unit reduction in these payouts increases the game’s house edge.

7. Online Casino Bonus

Online casino bonuses are perhaps the most popular feature of casinos around the world. First, we need to understand the dynamics of online casino bonuses. Online casino bonuses are offered by various online casinos to attract deposits.

If you want to know why online casinos are more than willing to offer you bonuses, it’s perhaps because of the online competition. Many online casinos have the same offerings in terms of wagers, game offerings and payment gateways. What differentiates them from other online casinos is the online casino bonuses they offer.

Online casinos want you to deposit with them, and the higher your deposits are, the more they can make money from them.

Before we divulge on different online casino bonuses, we need to understand a few terms, such as:

Wagering Requirements

If you think that any online casino will offer you a bonus without any wagering requirements or game restrictions, you’re mistaken.

With any online casino bonus you find, there will be a wagering requirement with an “X.” This X is perhaps the essential part of the online casino bonus; it represents the number of times you have to bet your deposit, bonus or bonus plus deposit for your bonus to be cashable.

If the wagering requirement for a particular bonus is 40x, then you have to bet your deposit 40 times to withdraw its benefits. The next step is to check the percentage of the match bonus. For instance, the casino offers a 100% match bonus up to $300, that means that your wager is 50 x $300 which is $15000. Additionally, this wager is not be applicable throughout the online casino. For instance, games such as video poker and roulette don’t accommodate online casino bonuses. Now you understand why casinos are so willing to offer you online casino bonuses. They are one step ahead of you.

Even if online casinos allow you to set a wager on Blackjack or roulette, your contribution is only 10%. This primarily means if you wager $200 on Blackjack, you will be eligible for a $20 bonus wager. Online casinos apply such restrictions because games like Blackjack have a house edge that is too low.

Do online casinos lose by offering online bonuses?                

The question is, how do online casinos make money when they offer you online casino bonuses? It’s due to their wagering requirements which are put in place to protect the online casino.

Example:

An online casino offers a 100% match bonus up to $350 with a 30x wagering requirement. Now, if you go for a maximum bonus, you will be taking up to $700 ($350 + $350) x 30, which is $21,000. If you multiply this by 100% and deduct the payout percentage of 2.5%, you end up with $525 which is higher than the $350 bonus offered by the casino.

Therefore, make sure you carefully consider every detail before making your decision regarding an online casino. Don’t just fall for the promotional poster and a few features mentioned for an online casino. Visit their website, look at all the wagering requirements, gaming restrictions, deposit details, terms and conditions attached. Once you have completed reviewing the details, only then make a deposit.

Another important aspect to learn about is bonuses and different bonus categories, such as:

Cashable Bonuses

Cashable bonuses are cashable for players like you. To cash out with your bonus, you need to meet specific wagering requirements as carried out by the online casino only on available games. Both the conditions and game restrictions vary from casino to casino; therefore, they impact the number of cashable bonuses as well.

It is also important to note that many online casinos will void the bonus if you request a withdrawal; therefore, you need to be sure about your decision. If you follow all the required guidelines, remember that your actual bonus funds won’t be voided. Your bonus fund is your money and will always be your money. If you want to withdraw, make sure you have met all the wagering requirements.

Sticky Type 1 Bonus

In a sticky type 1 bonus, you can set a wager, but you are unable to withdraw. You can cash out all winnings from the casino once you make a complete withdrawal. For instance, your bonus is $100, and you win $50, you will now have $150 to play with. But with this bonus type, you can only withdraw $50; if you make that withdrawal, the sticky type 1 bonus will be removed from your account permanently. The only good thing about sticky 1 bonuses is the opportunity to use it to set a wager. Throughout the game, you have to keep a lookout for opportunities to increase your chances of completing the wagering requirements successfully.

Sticky Type 2 Bonus

This is almost the same as a type 1 bonus; the only difference is that the bonus won’t be removed from your account if you withdraw. You can use the bonus for wagering; the more you use the bonus amount, the higher your chances of winning are. Therefore, you should always prefer sticky type 2 bonuses as opposed to sticky type 1.

Now that you are well aware of different bonus categories, the next step is to learn about the different available bonuses offered by online casinos. One of the most popular online bonuses is the online casino no deposit bonus which, again, has variations.

In general, all types of bonuses are suitable for you until and unless you meet wagering requirements. Another critical factor is to review advertised bonuses. Make sure they are clear about percentage math, wagering requirements and terms and conditions. If you’re unsure about the terms and conditions, contact customer support as many online casinos offer 24/7 chat and on-call assistance.

The next step is to check out the different online casino bonuses:

Different Online Casino Bonuses

Before exploring different online casino bonuses, you need to keep in mind that casinos offer the same bonus under a different name. For instance, you can find many variations of a no deposit bonus, online casino gratis bonus, online casino with bonus, online casino no deposit no playthrough, online casino no deposit keep winnings, etc.

Welcome Bonus

The most common bonus offered is the welcome bonus which is provided through the online casinos with a few exceptions. You may come across a welcome bonus as the first deposit bonus, sign up bonus, new player bonus, etc. An example is slots; this occurs at a million casinos with a 100% welcome bonus of up to $100. This essentially means that you will have $100 in a bonus if you deposit $100 and $200 to pay in total. Similarly, the betWay online casino offers a 100% welcome bonus of up to $250, so you will have $500 to play with if you deposit $250.

Additionally, welcome bonuses remain variable because there is percentage variation ranging from 50% to a staggering 500%, but often it’s 100%. Now, if you are looking at a welcome bonus that is higher than 100%, make sure to review the bonus in detail because such a high bonus will certainly have restrictions and limitations to begin with. These restrictions come into play when you make a withdrawal offer, and then you’ll be reminded of the terms and conditions of the online casino. Similarly, it’s not easy to withdraw bonuses; online casinos often require you to use specific coupons, codes, etc.

No Deposit Bonus

A no deposit bonus is perhaps one of the most exciting casino bonuses. No deposit bonuses are designed in such a way that players can receive bonuses at several online casinos without being obliged to make any actual deposits. An increasing number of newer casinos are coming up with different forms of no deposit bonuses. These casinos use different codes and procedures to make players redeem such rewards, such as online casino cashable no deposit bonus code 2020.

With no deposit bonuses, it is important to remember online casinos place several restrictions on no deposit bonuses. Either they will have a very high wagering requirement or other sorts of restrictions to absolve them from paying too many no deposit bonuses. This makes wagering requirements fairly high for no deposit bonuses as compared to additional rewards. An example is 32Red casino where you can win a maximum of $100 from a $10 no deposit bonus. The casino’s objective here is to cap potential losses in terms of payouts.

Monthly Deposit Bonus

A monthly deposit bonus is also known as reload bonuses, deposit bonuses, loyalty bonuses, etc. The purpose here is to get a bonus every month. This compels players to keep playing and revisiting the online casino every other month. Monthly bonuses are not advertised or publicized as online casinos do with no deposit bonuses and welcome bonuses, but many of them do offer this particular feature.

The monthly deposit bonus is usually linked to your previous month’s activity, so the more time you spend time on an online casino, the more you are eligible for a higher bonus. Monthly bonuses are not usually as high as other online casino bonuses.

Payment Method Bonus

This particular bonus depends on the payment mechanisms of online casinos. Online casinos offer you several payment gateways and subsequent banking methods to deposit and withdraw your funds. Without trustable payment methods, you wouldn’t even think of making a deposit. Now online casinos want you to use a specific payment method or feature. Thus, they will offer you a payment method bonus along with a welcome bonus or any other online casino bonus.

Such bonuses are not very common, and you will only find payment method bonuses on specified casino sites using particular payment gateways such as e-wallet solutions, etc.

High Roller Casino Bonus

The aim of a high roller casino bonus is to invite online casino players with ample funds to deposit. They want players to deposit more and thereby play more. With high deposits, you even get a name; these players are known as high rollers and VIPs. High rollers are the most rewarded online casino players. Not only do they get high roller bonuses, but they are also given tickets, 100% welcome bonuses, and even higher incentives depending on the area of activity.

Referral Bonus

Another exciting bonus is based on referrals. These allow you to refer a friend to a particular online casino and win a referral bonus. It’s a cheap way for online casinos to increase their players without spending any significant money on online marketing.

Free Spins

Whenever you see an online casino poster or an advert, there will always be a tab for a free spin. Free spins are the new normal for every online casino. Many online casinos that had never offered free spins are now offering them. Free spins are also called bonus spins, extra spins, welcome spins, cash spins, etc. Regardless, nothing is actually for free in the online casino business. Therefore, online casinos develop many restrictions even for free spins or their offers are coupled with welcome bonuses to attract more players. Some welcome bonuses advertise a 100% match bonus with a $200 deposit and 20 free spins and a 40x wager. Similarly, you can easily get no deposit free spins and keep all the winnings. You are permitted to keep them for free.

What to Watch for in an Online Casino Bonus

Online casino bonuses are a great tool to keep you occupied with an online casino and keep you involved in wagering requirements, game offerings, etc. Not only is it a popular tool, it also works.  It offers you additional money to play your favourite online casino game without giving away anything for real.

But here is what you need to do for an online casino bonus to work:

• Read all the terms and conditions.
• Understand the gaming restrictions
• Check accessibility and whether casino features are available in your location.
• Wagering requirements and time duration to complete these wagering requirements.
• Test an online casino whenever possible before spending your money for real.

8. Roulette

Let’s start with one of the most favoured casino games out there, Roulette, which comes in many forms from American Roulette to Russian Roulette. It’s the best of both worlds with equal popularity online as well as at live casinos.

The essential feature of the game is within its name as it was named after the French word for wheel. Similarly, different versions of the game have different roulette wheels. For example, an American Roulette wheel is different from any other roulette wheel.

Types of Roulette

Before we address the best Roulette strategy, how to play or how to win Roulette, we need to understand the roulette types which include:

European Roulette

In European Roulette, you can place bets on numbers 1 to 36 on the wheel. Additionally, there is only one zero on a European Roulette wheel, which increases your winning chances. They are notably higher than in American Roulette.

You have a roulette in front of you with a playing field, and you must place your bet on one of the roulette wheel numbers. If the ball drops onto the number or the space you have chosen, you win the related profit which starts as an amount equivalent to your initial bet.

American Roulette

In American Roulette, you will find an extra zero along with the zero on the roulette wheel and the playing field. This type of wheel is also known as a double roulette wheel which primarily lowers your chances of winning and increases the casino’s edge and profits. Once online, you’ll see that American Roulette is played with just one wheel.

French Roulette

French Roulette is one of the oldest forms of casino games and is also known as the queen of casino play. Again, in French Roulette, there is only one zero like the European Roulette. However, in French Roulette, you have fewer betting options. French Roulette has a different playing field with no neighbouring game.

Multi-wheel Roulette

This is a unique form of multi-wheel roulette. In this form of roulette, you can play multiple roulette wheels simultaneously. You can choose how many wheels you want to play. Your single bet is multiplied by the number of wheels that you use to play. For example, if you play on 5 roulette wheels, you put in 5 times your chosen bet, and, at the same time, you have 5 chances that your chosen number comes up.

Multiplayer Roulette

If you want to have the live casino experience while playing roulette online, you should try multiplayer roulette. You will be sitting at the same table with other roulette players. You can see what profits others are making and the opponent strategies, and you can even talk to each other during the game.

How to play Roulette

There are some basic rules concerning Roulette, and a player starts by placing a bet on the dedicated spot on the roulette wheel. You can place roulette bets until the dealer calls off the bets and closes the betting session.  If you win, only the dealer pays you and has access to the other players’ chips; you, on the other hand, cannot touch the marker for the winning number during any point in the game.

After all the participants have placed their bets on the roulette table, the dealer spins the roulette wheel and throws in a small ball. The number-bearing slot in which the ball lands is the winning number. It’s a relatively straightforward rule, and you can’t do much to develop the best roulette strategy until you think it through. The best roulette strategy comes into play when you are in the betting stage.

Additionally, you need to look out for differences. The basic rules might remain the same, but your gameplay is affected by the roulette wheel in question and the roulette table layout. The first and perhaps the most crucial step in the game is to place a bet. You can either choose a number or group of numbers to bet on. Remember to select a bet amount that corresponds with your bankroll and is sufficient for you to survive your desired number of rounds.

Once you have placed your bet, stand back and relax until the dealer spins the wheel. If it’s your lucky day, you will be on the winning spot soon.

Types of Bets

Because you can bet on either a single number or a group of numbers, this gives rise to different roulette winning strategies and roulette wheel numbers. There is no perfect roulette bet or the best roulette strategy; it primarily depends on how you make decisions at the roulette table.

Each betting combination has different odds for winning and different payouts as well. If you want to learn about how to beat roulette, remember that all the bets on the roulette table are further divided into three different bets, which are:

Inside bets

To know an inside bet, you must first study the roulette table; we have a number from 0 to 36, and the rest are sectors for betting on a group of numbers, these sectors can be odd/even, red/black, columns, dozens, etc. The bets that you place on these numbers are called inside bets whereas the bets that you place on other sectors are called outside bets. The inside bets are further categorized into:

Straight

A straight bet only covers a number, and you have to place a chip inside the square of the number.

Split

A split bet is when you bet on two numbers adjacent to the roulette table. They are made by placing the chip on the outer corner of the row.

Street

You can place a street bet on three consecutive numbers located in the same line. You can make a bet by placing the chip on the outer corner of the two lines.

Six Line

A six line is when you bet on two adjacent lines where you have to place the chip on the familiar outer corner of the two lines.

Corner

A corner bet is a four-number bet placed by putting the chip on the shared corner of the four numbers. A corner bet is also known as a square bet.

Trio

The trio is a three-number bet that includes the zero or zeros. You have to place the chip on the line shared by both the zero box and two other numbers.

Basket

A basket is when you bet on 0, 1, 2 and 3 with a chip on the corner shared by the first line and the zero box. In American Roulette, a basket includes the double zero.

It seems as though inside betting combinations are relatively simple and easy to execute with different chances for a win and a different payout. Again, if you are playing Roulette online, your inside betting combinations may be affected by various algorithms and software in place.

Outside Bets

Outside bets are bets placed outside the number field. These bets are usually placed on the sectors that cover big groups of numbers such as:

Red or black

When you place a red or black outside bet, you are betting on the colour of the winning number.

Odd or even

With an odd or even outside bet, your winning number has to be either of them, and it’s a reasonably popular bet in Roulette.

1 to 18, 19 to 36

This is a classic roulette group bet, where you divide the roulette wheel exactly in half to bet on either group of numbers.

Dozens

We know that there are 0 to 36 numbers on the roulette wheel, and there may be a double zero in American Roulette. The numbers are divided into three dozen; therefore, with a dozen outside bet, you can bet on one of the three dozen.

Columns

Similar to a dozen bet, a column bet determines which column will have the winning number as there are three columns in roulette.

Additionally, there are some unorthodox outside bets offered by a few select casinos, for instance, the snake bet. A snake bet only covers red numbers.

The red numbers are 1, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 23, 27, 30, 32 and 34, which create the shape of a snake. In a snake bet, all of these numbers are covered by just one chip.

Similarly, some casinos may offer a black snake bet which again resembles a snake but covers only odd numbers.

Announced Bets

The announced roulette bets are particular betting combinations commonly used in French Roulette. They may be present in European Roulette as well and are an essential part of the roulette rules. As a common practice in French Roulette, these announced bets have their French names as well such as:

Voisins du Zéro (Neighbours of Zero)

This particular bet covers the zero, and as the name suggests, 7 numbers on each side of a zero. The length is from 22-25 on a roulette wheel. This is primarily a 15-number bet made up of only 9 chips.

• You can have a trio bet covering only 0, 2, 3 with 2 chips.
• Five splits for 4/7, 12/15, 18/21/ 19/22, 32/35 with one chip each.
• One corner for 25/26/28/29 for 2 chips.

Le Tiers Du Cylindre

The name translates into one-third of the roulette wheel, quite the opposite of the neighbours of zero bet. The bet covers 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23,10, 5, 24, 16 and 33 on the roulette wheel. This is a 6-piece bet, where one chip is placed for each of the following splits, 5/8, 10/11, 13/16, 23/24, 27/30 and 33/36.

Jeu Zéro (Zero Game)

A zero game bet covers three neighbours of a zero slot on each side of the wheel. It is a 4-piece bet with one straight on the number 26 and three splits on 0/3, 12/15 and 32/35.

Roulette Strategy

With so many betting combinations, splits, zeros and pieces, a roulette wheel seems to be a complicated world, but there is a simple Roulette strategy in placing the right bets. If you think that live Roulette is hard, you will be surprised to know how online Roulette works. You have innumerable combinations to make. Roulette can be innovative, especially online Roulette. For instance, you can create your own betting patterns and save them for later.

If you want the most successful Roulette strategy, it is simply to choose which bet to make. When you know which bet to make, you will see the betting amount as well. A simple Roulette strategy would be to start with a low number and then gradually up the stakes. Before betting and upping the stakes, you should know that each Roulette game has betting limits with different bet offerings. Therefore, you need to understand different types of bets and the betting limits.

Consider how much you are willing to spend. Do you prefer to bet on a single number? Or would you rather choose a sector on the Roulette wheel? These decisions are critical in determining an action plan when the dealer is about to spin the roulette wheel.

When playing online roulette, your options are simply multiplied. You have many more options which were previously not available. Online roulette seems to cater to all types of players. If you prefer to make low bets and are reluctant to bet in high stake games, you can just log onto an online roulette with low betting stakes. This is an excellent opportunity to become familiar with the game if you are still unsure about how to play Roulette, how many numbers are on a Roulette wheel, the number of zeros, etc. You can always consult guides as well and read up on Roulette.

9. Slot Machine

Slot machine players are often considered a separate entity to other casino game players. This perhaps lies in the small jackpots, low percentage payouts and few or no bonuses. The incorporation of online slots changed the slot machine industry. This has revived the popularity of slot machines all over the gaming world.

Slot machines can be a bit more technical than a poker card game or spinning a roulette wheel. The types of slot machines available and slot machine payouts exist in large varieties. Each online slot machine casino has different offers under different names to attract more and more slot players. There are so many varieties of every slot machine that each has its own distinct way to win and hit jackpots.

How to play Slot Machines

Before you learn how to play a slot machine, you need to be aware of the variety of slot machines out there. Though they may look similar, they have specific distinguishing features. The only golden rule here is to know the rules. You cannot and should not play a slot machine you are unfamiliar with. Let’s look at some of the popular slots. There are penny and nickel video games, quarter and dollar reel-spinning games and a plethora of other video games. Each reel spinner has a different intake of coins or credits at a time with different features.

You need to understand the credit system. The currency acceptor takes dollar bills. The amount of bills you slip into the currency acceptor is reflected on the screen in the amount of playing credits you have to play a slot machine. For a reel-spinning slot, you have to push a button marked as “play one credit.” This button allows you to play with your selected number of coins.

However, if you want to play with the maximum coins allowed on that particular slot machine, hit the “spin reels” button or pull the rare handle which is on many slot machines these days.

Similarly, video slots are a bit different. In a video slot, you need to push one button to activate the number of paylines. The second button is for the number of credits wagered per line. A standard video slot configuration is 9 paylines where you can bet from 1 to 5 credits. You can even find video slots with 5 to perhaps 50 paylines with each payline accepting up to 25 coins.

In contrast to a video slot, many reel-spinning machines have a single payout line across the centre of the glass right in front of the reels. Other reel-spinning machines can have three to five payout lines. How do you know when slot machines hit? What symbols on a slot machine will payout? To answer these questions and more, you need to understand how slot machine payouts work.

The symbols that stop on a slot machine payout line determine whether you have won or not. There are some symbols, such as cherries, chocolate bars, diamonds and the well-known sevens are popular. You need to know how much a slot machine pays. For instance, a single cherry payout line pays back two coins. Bars might pay 10 coins or perhaps more. With double bars, it`s even possible to get 60 coins. If you hit three sevens, you have won the highest payout by a slot machine which is known as hitting the jackpot.

When you play video slots, you won’t necessarily be lucky enough to get cherries and bars on your screen. Most of the time, you will just get blanks. Even if you get a seven with a bar and a blank, it won’t pay anything. Slot machine games offer different bonus rounds in which a symbol designated by the slot machine can trigger jackpots. For example, if you get three party noisemakers on the video reels, the reels are replaced by wrapped up gifts. You have to opt for a gift by touching the screen. With this feature, you may get a bonus payout. It may be the popularity of these prevalent rounds that attract slot machine players all around the world.

The next step is to manage your winnings on a slot machine, so that when you hit a winning combination, the winnings are added to your credit and displayed on the screen. If at any time during the game you wish to collect your winnings and leave, you can just hit the “cash out button.” By pressing the button, the slot machine will generate a ticket that can be redeemed for cash.

However, if you are playing on an older slot machine, the coins will just drop out of the machine. Unlike other casino games, you are pretty much on your own when playing slots. Therefore, you must follow certain codes of etiquette. You should ideally play on a single slot, but only if you can manage one. If you are operating more than four or five slots, you won’t be able to cash out anything.

Slot Machine Payouts

It`s hard to find the best payout slot machine from the many available slot machines. This is true of both live casinos and online slots. Generally, there has been a trend witnessing higher percentages because of the online competition. Thus, slot machines programmers have been developing more chances to win to attract more and more slots players.

No matter how much you win on reel-spinning or video slots, the programmed winning percentages remain the same in the long term. Slot machines have experienced some substantial advancement with computer chips, microprocessors and different algorithms which have given rise to progressive jackpots.

Such slot machines are equipped with random number generators that govern and monitor winning combinations. Due to these random number generators, there is no simplified criterion to win with slot machines. If you want to know how to win or how to manipulate a slot machine, you must first observe.

It may happen that once you leave a slot machine, some other player will win a jackpot a few seconds later because the slot machine combinations are so random that you can win at every pull. Sometimes a slot machine is programmed to hit the jackpot every 10,000 pulls, and, after that one jackpot, the slot machine resets to every 10,000 pulls. The question, however, is whether there is a strategy for slot machines as with other casino games.

Slot Machine Strategy

To learn about slot machine strategy, you must first abandon all the prevalent slot machine myths. You need to understand how a slot machine works to deploy a strategy.

Remember, you can’t make any decisions or deploy a strategy once the reels start to spin. The following are strategies you can use when playing on slot machines:

Bet the Maximum Number of Coins

Before you begin on a slot machine, look at the slot machine carefully and observe. If we look at a wheel of fortune slot machine game, we can spot the difference in payouts for first coin winners and second coin winners. A simple wheel of fortune slot machine will pay you up to $10,000 if you can land three wheel of fortune symbols.

Again, the payout should be compared with the spin bet and machine domination of the slot machine. You can get up to $10,000 on a wheel of fortune slot machine on a $5 spin bet. But if you win the second coin winners score, you can certainly trigger a wheel of fortune progressive jackpot.

Similarly, if you want to collect on a seven-figure payday, you have to bet a maximum. Before betting, always calculate the per spin cost. That is, if you are playing on a $10 machine, you have to multiply it by the number of playing credits. A maximum bet can go up to $20 depending on the number of credits. Keep the number of coin denominations in mind.

It’s always a good idea to bet the maximum on top-rated online slots; through maximum betting, you can unlock bonus features, side screen games, free spin rounds and prize multipliers. If you are worried about the budget, there is no need because every slot machine has a $10 denomination where a maximum bet would cost $30 in one instance.

You can always find slot machines with a $5 or perhaps lower slot denomination. You can even bet pennies, nickels, quarters or a single dollar, and you are all set for the game. Remember that your ultimate target is to unlock the biggest jackpots and bonus features.

Track Progressive Jackpots for Maximum Value

If you are playing the slot machines for a jackpot, make sure it’s a progressive jackpot. You can do that by using a progressive jackpot tracker. A jackpot tracker tracks the time since the last jackpot. The aim is to find out how much time has passed and how much money has been added to the slot machine since the recent jackpot hit.

Even if you don’t have a jackpot tracker, look at jackpot amounts for respective stakes such as a quarter stake or a dollar stake, and then you can analyse jackpot winnings on that particular slot machine. While you are tracking jackpots, make sure you are always playing for maximum value. This strategy works because, with a slot machine, a high jackpot reward can increase the payback percentage of the machine.

If you want to target machines based on their jackpot history, look for machines that haven’t hit the jackpot in a while. Perhaps you will be the lucky player.

Highest Possible Payout Percentage

A good slot machine strategy is research. Unlike in poker games and standard house edges, not all slots have the same payback percentage. You have to shop around for slots with the highest payback percentage. Go online, look for different slot machines and slot machine tips. A triple diamond slot machine payout will differ from that of a buffalo slot machine. You might want to check the RTP (Return to Player) figure for each kind of slot machine you come across.

All Paylines Rule

Playing on all paylines is quite similar to the maximum betting rule. You have to make money and enjoy yourself while doing that.  If it’s a ten payline slot machine with a $0.10 denomination and you put a $0.10 on a single payline, your chances of winning are much lower than putting a dime on each of the ten paylines.

For a slot player, your best bet is to spin the rules to your advantage, and a good slot player will always know the respective slot machine to play on.

Slots can be very tempting, especially if you’re playing to hit the jackpot. You may play with all paylines, and, sooner or later, you will max out on your budget. Therefore, you need to approach a slot machine with a limited budget. Ideally, half of your bankroll should be the safety margin. Initially, slot machines only ask you to enter quarters or dollar bills; it seems like a negligible amount until you end up paying hundreds or perhaps thousands of dollars with no real wins.

For instance, if you hit a $1000 jackpot, immediately put aside $500 as a reserve. You should not touch those $500 until you’re in the casino. The ratio may differ; it depends if you want to save more or less of your winnings. If you hit the jackpot, understand that your winnings are taxable. If you end up spending all of that jackpot immediately, you will only lose by paying taxes on money spent.

It is essential to set your goals and loss limits. Again, while playing slots, separate your money in terms of your winnings. If you are going for a jackpot, you need to limit yourself; you can’t afford to spend hundreds of dollars for a small slot machine jackpot.

10. Video Poker

Video poker is one of the modern casino games available. Since we have already discussed that Jacks or Better is a version of video poker, here are some of the critical insights relating to video poker. The fact that you are playing poker on your video screens somehow corresponds with playing slots online.

Like several slot machines, you should know about video poker machines, their configuration, settings, etc. There are broad categories for a video poker machine. Most are based on a five-card draw which is the original form of poker. Some machines offer different variations such as Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Jokers Wild, Bonus Poker, Double Bonus Poker and others.

The second point of differentiation for video poker machines is their payout schedules. Some video poker games offer higher payouts. A machine with higher payouts is also called a “full pay” game. As with slot machines, you should check payout percentages for video poker machines. Like slots, most video poker machines offer the maximum payout only if you bet the maximum number of credits. If you theoretically want to receive a higher payout, you have to play the game perfectly. If you slack off throughout the game, you won’t be eligible for a high percentage payout.

Here are some of the types of video poker games available:

Deuces Wild

In this variation of video poker, all 2s are wild. They offer a theoretical return of 100%. But these games are very hard to find. Most deuces wild games offer a lower theoretical return.

Double Bonus

Double Bonus video poker is similar to the Jacks or Better version with a bonus payout for four aces. It offers a theoretical return of up to 100%.

Double Double Bonus

This variation of Jacks or Better offers bonus payoffs for a different four of a kind.

How to play Video Poker

Before we begin to explain video poker to you, we need to look at the video poker machine so you can understand the rules and strategies properly.

The Video Poker Machine

Most of the video poker machines you find today are based on the five-card draw; in that case, you need to know the poker basics. Another factor is that in video poker, you don’t have a dealer’s hand to beat. The game strictly follows a video poker paytable. Another important factor to look out for before playing on a video poker machine is the paytable. Some machines have the paytable right on the screen; others will have it posted somewhere adjacent to the screen.

As with slots, a player begins by sliding in currency, and subsequent credits appear on the video poker screen. The player pushes a button to bet and deal since most of the machines accept up to five coins at a time, the player can bet a maximum.

Once the player makes a bet, the five cards are dealt on the screen; now, the player has the option of holding or discarding based on hand preferences. Once the player has made a decision to hold, the next step is to deal/draw again, and the previous unwanted cards will be discarded. At some point, the five cards in your hand will be the final hand, and then the machine will compare your hand to the payout table. If your hand coincides with any of the hand rankings, you will receive the credits seen on your video poker screen.

Video Poker Strategy

Like all versions of poker, the best strategy is to know your hand. Only then can you reach the best video poker odds and perhaps formulate a video poker strategy. You need to be sure about your hand and whether it’s superior or not. For this, you must know the rules of the video poker variation you’re playing. For instance, you should know what each of the following terms means and how they rank in terms of poker:

• Royal flush
• Straight flush
• Four of a kind
• Full house
• Pair of jacks or better

The next step is to learn different types of payout hands because different video poker machines offer different payouts. Therefore, it is essential to choose the right poker machine; you should know that all video poker machines are not the same. For instance, if you are playing with a full paytable and the game selection is bad, you can lose up to 10 times what you could’ve lost in a good game.

Another video poker strategy is to bet the maximum when the game is in your favour. This is advisable when you are playing on progressive video poker machines. The more progressive a video poker machine is, the higher your chances for a favourable payout with maximum betting are. You may receive extra payouts for a royal flush.

If you want to become a skilled video poker player, you should learn how to play with maximum profits and make optimal choices for every hand you are dealt. For starters, winning at video poker only comes with practicing, and you can practice video poker online for free. You can learn about video poker strategy cards and which hands to prioritize.

Key Takeaways

Now that we have reviewed ten popular casino games, we can summarize some key takeaways that may be applicable to all of the games mentioned above. The first essential step is to learn the rules of each casino game you wish to play. Whether it’s a card game, a video game or the old-fashioned slot machine, the underlying principle remains the same.

When it comes to strategy, you need to be consistent and formulate one for each casino game. It’s important to study the room if you choose one of the group games such as Blackjack, Texas Hold ‘em, Baccarat, Poker or any other game for that matter. Before joining a casino game, become familiar with the rules, house edges, payout percentages and minimum deposits to make your money’s worth.

The more you practice and observe, the better you can learn strategy as there are no defined formulae to ace any casino game. Online casinos allow you to practice for unlimited hours, set your budget and play along.

Once you are confident in your expertise with a particular game, you can then move onto the next level and bet with real money, which brings us to money management. The principle of money management is constant throughout the ten casino games. It’s important to set your limits, divide your bankroll, set your loss limits and, once you have won your desired amount, walk away for good.

You need to move away from a know-it-all attitude. No matter how great of a casino player you may be, you don’t know every possible strategy, tip or hack for a casino game. But you can be smart about it.

It may be hard to pick a favourite game from various slots, poker variations, roulette, etc. Still, if you are skilled enough, you can identify yourself with a particular casino game or an important group of games. You can start with broad categorizations such as card games, table games, a wheel game or perhaps an online slot machine.

Next up, you can look for what attracts you. Perhaps it is the online casino bonuses or the potential of hitting the jackpot. Make a list of pros and cons for every possible casino game available and then ask yourself which game would you like to play.

Another factor is your budget because, with a minimum budget, you can’t bet on high stakes games or sit in on a $1000 Texas hold ‘em table. You have to immediately set your priorities with the amount of money you’ll be betting with.

After strategy and money management, the next crucial factor is your goal at the end of the day. Why are you playing a particular casino game? Is it to make money or to gain huge profits? Or are you just having fun and killing time? These questions may sound dubious but are very important. Unless you’re clear about your approach towards a particular casino game, no strategy or tip can help you win big.