Which Casino Games are Right for Me?

Tweet

How to pick the best casino games to play for your personality.

Well over 100 million people visit casinos every year in North America (with the exception of 2020, of course). It’s an extremely popular past time for adult vacationers; especially those who don’t have young children in tow. From the Hard Rock Vancouver, to MGM Las Vegas, Borgata Atlantic City to Casino de Montreal – billions of dollars are spent gambling in the US and Canada every year. And that’s just at land-based casinos.

For every casino goer, there’s always a ‘first time’. When planning that very first trip, some players want to dive right in, playing a little bit of everything. Others might be a little more cautious, picking and choosing the games they feel would best suit their personality. If you’re one of those – if you’re wondering, “Which casino games are right for me?” – please continue reading.

How to Pick the Best Casino Games For You

As you probably know, there are many different types of games in the casino. Slot machines dominate the gaming floor, and with good reason. They are by far the most popular games of all. But they might not be your cup of tea. Then there’s blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps, video poker, and a slew of other games to consider.

In the following text, we’ll describe these games very briefly; just enough that you can get an idea of whether each one suits your style. Based on this information, you should be able to decide which games are worth trying, and which ones are not.

Slot Machines – They’re a “No-Brainer”

Anywhere from 70-90% of the casino floor will be made up of slot machines. Players just seem to love them! The reason is simple. They require absolutely no knowledge or forethought to play. Insert money. Push button. Cross fingers. It really is that simple. Win or lose, it’s all up to luck.

If you’re looking for a ‘no-brainer’ game that you can enjoy playing, without having to think about what you’re doing, slots are for you. Don’t feel bad though – that’s not an insult in anyway. Remember, the vast majority of casino goers prefer slot machines. They are designed for sheer entertainment, and in that regard, they do deliver.

Baccarat – Win, Lose or Draw

Pronounced “bah-kuh-rah”, this is the easiest table game you’ll ever play. As easy as a slot machine, except that you do have to make one decision – which hand to bet on. You won’t play the game. You don’t receive any cards. The dealer does all the work, based on a set of house rules. You only have to pick which hand you think will win.

That being said…

The game involves the dealing of two hands – the Player hand (but it’s not really yours), and the Banker hand. You choose to bet on the Player, the Banker, or a Tie between the two. The Tie is a sucker bet, so just don’t. The Banker has a higher chance of winning than the Player, so you should always bet on it.

So, strategically speaking, if you play baccarat, you should always bet on the banker, making this game just as simple as any slot machine. Drop your banker bet, cross your fingers. If you want to appear more sophisticated, without actually putting any thought into your game, choose baccarat.

Roulette – Easy as 1, 2, 3…34, 35, 36

Roulette is another game that takes virtually no skill to win (or lose). The only thing that makes this game more complex than slot machines or baccarat is that there are so many different ways to bet. You can drop your chips on a single number, two numbers, three, four, or six numbers, or you can make bigger group bets involving one-third or one-half of the numbers; except for that pesky 0 (and 00 in American Roulette), which is where the house gains its edge.

If you are looking for a more exciting game, with a communal (multi-player) atmosphere, but again, no mental strain, roulette is a good option. Please don’t play American roulette though. That double-zero also nearly doubles the house edge from 2.7% to 5.26%.

Keno – If You Like Playing the Lottery…

If you’re going to the casino for the first time, keno games are an absolute waste of time and money. You might as well stay home and buy a few scratch off lottery tickets. Your odds of winning will be about as good, and you’ll save a lot of cash in travel expenses.

The game consists of 80 numbers on a 10×8 grid, labeled 1 thru 80. Your job is to pick 1 or more numbers that you believe will be randomly chosen by the game. The house edge can vary from one game to the next, depending on the pay table. However, a survey of keno games in Vegas once returned a variable house edge of anywhere from 20% to 35%, depending on the amount of numbers selected.

Those are horrible odds – the worst of all casino games. However, if you really enjoy scratching lottery tickets, or watching lotto numbers get drawn on live TV, maybe you’ll have enough fun playing to get your entertainment’s worth. Just because I don’t recommend it doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it.

Craps – Not as Hard as it Looks

The most intimidating of all land-based casino games is craps. It’s actually not a hard game to play. There’s just a whole lot of bets, with a whole lot of rules as to how and when they win or lose. Add in a crowd of very excitable people, and it can dissuade any newcomer from getting in on the action.

The truth is, it’s a very easy and fun game to play, once you figure out what’s going on. My advice would be to learn more about craps. Play online first, or download a craps trainer app. By the time you learn the betting system, you’ll either love it or hate it.

Blackjack – Play it Right, or Don’t Play It

This game requires more mental capacity than any other. Not only should you know how to play with proper, basic strategy, you need to be able to do it in a timely manner. If you’re not playing with basic strategy, you’re only lowering your chances of wining the game. Basic strategy isn’t difficult, but it is situational. Every variation in the rules, the pay table, even the number of decks in use, can impact the correct decision for every opportunity to either stand, hit, split, or double down.

If you aren’t willing to learn blackjack strategy, don’t bother playing blackjack – at least, not in a live, multi-player setting. You’re just going to piss a bunch of other people off. Again, it’s not that hard to learn, but it does take constant mental fortitude on your part. We’ll talk more about card game strategy in a moment. First, there’s one more game you need to consider.

Video Poker – Take Your Time, but Play it Right

To me, video poker blends the best qualities of blackjack and slot machines. You get the low-edge benefits of playing with perfect strategy, combined with the solitude and relaxation of the slots. By making the correct decisions on every hand, you’re maximizing your chance to win. Yet, there’s no rush to make any decision.

You can look down at a strategy card between every play. Or, you can use a video poker strategy app, inputting your hand with each new deal and following its advice, play by play. No one cares. You’re not wasting anyone’s time. And some of these games carry a super low house edge – as low as, if not lower than blackjack.

Important Note about Casino Card Game Strategies

This last bit of advice applies to any and all card-based casino games that allow you to make a decision after seeing the initial hand. Whether it’s blackjack, video poker, pai gow poker, Caribbean stud poker, 3-card or 4-card poker, casino hold’em – whatever the game, if you can make any decision after placing your initial bet, listen up.

For each and every hand dealt, there is only one strategically correct decision to be made. That decision is the one that proffers the maximum probability of a positive outcome. It doesn’t mean you’re going to win, or that your odds of winning will be better than 50/50. Actual odds are circumstantial, determined on a case by case basis. But regardless of true odds, using basic strategy to achieve maximum probability is strongly recommended. Otherwise, you’re leaving your chances to fate, and fate is known to be less than kind, especially when it comes to casinos.

If you’re not physically or mentally prepared to put forth that kind of effort, these are not the best casino games to play. For someone else, maybe, but not for you.

Lastly, if you’ve read over each of these game descriptions and are still on the fence about what to play, there’s a simple way to find out for sure, without risking any money in the process. Simply visit an online casino, sign up a free-play account, and practice any game you wish. They are the same games, with the same odds (except slots – online slots pay out better; even the real money ones).