This is going to sound crazy, I know, but bear with me. There are actually companies out there that pay real money to play games on your mobile phone or tablet. Download games, play them, get paid – it’s that simple. I’m not talking about online casinos, either. You don’t buy anything. You don’t deposit any money. There’s no risk involved whatsoever.
If you’ve heard this before, and had some bad experiences, you’re not alone. For as many real paying game apps on the market today, there are 10x as many apps that don’t pay, or make it so hard to earn anything that it’s not worth it. I know, because I’ve used many of these apps myself. The good ones really are few and far between.
Where Can I Get Paid to Play Games Online?
Let’s start with the stuff you really want to know – which apps pay out. Here’s a quick list with brief descriptions for each.
Mistplay – Earn a Variety of Gift Cards
Mistplay is my go-to app for earning free gift cards. I’ve been using this app for years, and never had a problem with it. They offer a very wide variety of games, catering to all types of players. They offer war strategy and city building games, tile matching games, cooking/ restaurant service games, card and board games, brainy word games, social casino slots – you name it, they have it.
Each game comes with a different point-earning level. The higher the level, the more points you can earn for playing it, and they rack up faster than you might think. You can cash in once you have as little as 400 points, but I suggest waiting until you have 3,000. That gets you a $10 gift card, where as it takes 1,800 to get $5. thus 3,000 gives you the best value.
As for types of gift cards, there’s a lot. If you want spend-anywhere cash, take the Visa gift card. Other options include Amazon, PayPal, Google Play, Uber Eats, Xbox, GameStop, Playstation, Apple, Starbucks, eBay, H&M, Nintendo, and Spotify.
The only problem with Mistplay – and it’s a big one – is that it’s only available for Android devices.
Rewarded Play – Earn Amazon Gift Cards
Rewarded Play is another great gaming app that gives you free gift cards. This one awards points for the time you spend playing, and for achieving certain goals in those games. For example, a slot machine game might award points for reaching levels 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100.
You’ll need 45,000 points to exchange for a $5 Amazon gift card, but it doesn’t take long to get there, especially if you have multiple games downloaded. Plus, if you earn 5,000 points on consecutive days, you receive progressively larger bonus points (up to 5k) each day. I earned my first card after just two days, and have cashed in for well over $150 so far.
Only thing is, they only pay in Amazon gift cards; nothing else. If you like Amazon as much as I do, that shouldn’t be an issue. And, once again, you won’t find this app on the Apple Store – Google Play (Android) only.
SwagBucks – Earn Cash and Gift Cards
SwagBucks is an app that’s gotten far better over time. I downloaded it years ago, and while they did pay out, I wasn’t impressed. Back then, you had to take surveys to earn money. Anyone with experience taking online surveys knows that they can be tedious, boring, extremely time consuming, and you aren’t always able to complete them. The good news is that swagBucks has evolved into a variety rewards app. Surveys are still available, but you can also do things like play games, watch video ads or movie trailers, use their search engine, and/or earn cashback rewards on all your online purchases.
Everything users do converts to points, known as SBs. You can then exchange SBs for cash or gift cards. 100 SBs = $1, and you’ll need at least 500 SBs to convert to cash/gift card. Visit the Rewards Home and you can often find deals on gift card exchange, such as a 12% discount (2200 SB) on a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
Lucktastic – Earn Real Cash or Gift Cards
Lucktastic has been around for a long time. You may have even seen their ads on television. It’s a scratch-off lottery ticket app that’s absolutely free to play. You scratch tickets to win prizes. Just like real lottery scratchies, you’ll lose more than you win, but at least these are free. Cash prizes range from $2 up to $1,500 per ticket.
All winnings are collected in your Lucktastic Wallet. Once you reach $5, you are eligible to exchange that for real cash in the form of a cheque in the mail. You can also choose a gift card, or tokens, which you can use to play more games and enter cash prize drawings.
You can get this app for Android or iOS devices. Unfortunately, it’s only available to players located in the United States.
21 Blitz – Free Blackjack Tournaments for Real Money
21 Blitz is a unique style of blackjack that combines 21 with solitaire. Card counting skills will really come in handy here! If you’re a blackjack player and want to fine-tune your counting skills, or just want to play for fun, Blitz 21 is a good option. As for making money, you’ll need some real skill.
When you first start out, you’ll get paid to play games they call ’21 Solitaire’. You get $2 free for playing 25 rounds. It’s not enough to cash out, but you can use it to compete in real money tournaments against other real players. The $1 tournament cost $0.60 to enter, and you play against one other person. But be warned – I only suggest doing this is you’re really good at it.
Due to an ultra high 20% rake, you’ll need to win way more than 50% of your matches to actually make money. If your cash balance runs out, you’ll have to make a deposit to keep playing for cash prizes. Think twice before you do, because you’re odds of winning real online blackjack are far better.
Where to Begin: The most played casino gambling games in Canada
If you’re new to casino gambling, you may be wondering where to begin. Don’t feel bad – every gambler has a “first time” experience. We all had to start somewhere. Most people are far too intimidated to sit at a live dealer table right off the bat, leading us to the slots or video poker machines, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Building up a little confidence first can be a good thing.
For he most part, I believe casino gambling is an experience best enjoyed for entertainment value. To get the most entertainment out of it, you need to try a little bit of everything. Not all at once, mind you, but to get a good grasp of what’s out there, and what you enjoy most, you’ll need to spread your wings.
For beginners, I generally recommend starting out with the most popular types of games. That way, you’re most likely to find something genuinely exciting, without limiting yourself too much.
The Most Played Casino Gambling Games in Canada
You can’t go wrong playing the most popular casino games in the country. They may not all be your cup of tea, but there’s surely something fun for every Canadian on this list. After all, they are the most played games for a reason. So, without further ado, here they are…
#1 Slot Machines
Don’t look so surprised! Yes, these games draw the intimidated newbies like moths to a flame, but it’s not just their solitary nature that makes them so approachable. Slot machines are just plain fun. Manufacturers endow with them with incredibly attractive themes – everything from tropical destinations and unimaginable wealth, to hit TV shows and Hollywood films.
If there’s anything out there you genuinely love, you can bet there’s a slot machine themed around it. With crystalline graphics, enthralling animations, and exciting features, it really is hard to deny the entertainment value in a good old fashioned (or digitally modernized) slot machine.
#2 Poker
It’s true – Texas Hold’em (and other variants) draws a vast crowd of Canadian players to the felt; or the virtual felt, as the case may often be. There’s something about competing against other players like yourself that makes poker so intriguing.
Sure, the games are fun on their own, but when you know you have this much control over your destiny – when you know that your level of skill, the decisions you make, and your ability to convince someone that you have the best hand (whether you really do or not) is far more impact on your odds of winning than pure luck – it’s easy to see the appeal for live and online poker in Canada.
#3 Roulette
None can deny the exponential thrill that takes hold when that wheel starts spinning. Your bets are on the table, and their fate is entirely up to the speed, weight, and trajectory of that little ball, bouncing and bobbling around the wheel’s many numbered columns. The adrenaline pumps ever faster as it finally makes its descent into that fateful pocket. Then, with wide-eyed wonder or the inevitable pangs of disappointment, we place more bets only to see the process repeated.
The thrill of anticipation is by far the main attraction of roulette. However, there are some things you should know before you choose this game. First and foremost, pay attention to the number of zeroes on the table and wheel. If there is a zero (0) and double zero (00), it’s the American version. It has the worst house edge of them all, 5.26%. If there’s just a single zero (0), it’s the European version, featuring a house edge of 2.7%. Better still, if it has a single zero (0) and features the La Partage rule, it is French Roulette, which features the lowest possible 1.35% house edge on all even-money bets, and 2.7% on all others.
#4 Blackjack
Just as roulette is loved for its simplicity, lacking any real strategy (aside from gamer selection) to increase your odds, blackjack is loved for the opposite reasons. In blackjack, players do have some control over their fate. A player’s decisions can make or break their experience. That doesn’t mean the smartest players will gain an edge over the house. The rules make that virtually impossible (without some fancy card counting techniques). But a smart player can easily achieve a house edge of around 0.25%.
It’s this knowledge that makes blackjack such a popular casino game in Canada. Not necessarily the strategic knowledge itself, but the knowledge that such strategy exists. Even knowing it’s available, you’d be surprised how many players don’t employ even basic strategy. The majority play on gut instinct. While professional may scoff at such behavior, there’s something to be said for the increased entertainment value of playing off the cuff, so to speak.
#5 Baccarat
I’m convinced that the popularity of baccarat (pronounced bah-kuh-rah, not back-a-rat) has everything to do with its depiction in Hollywood films. There’s nothing more dramatically suspenseful than watching James Bond play baccarat (aka Chemin de Fer) in so many of Ian Fleming’s iconic 007 films. – Casino Royale (1953), Dr. No (1962), Thunderball (1965), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), For Your Eyes Only (1981), and Golden Eye (1995).
The game itself is somewhat complicated to learn, and yet extremely simple to play. The way the cards are dealt, and the hands are built, is based on a complex system of rules. But you – the player – do not need to understand the rules to partake. All you need to know is how to place a bet. Drop your chips on the Banker, or the Player, or if you’re feeling particularly lucky, the Tie bet. That’s all you have to do. The dealer will take care of the rest.
As for strategy, the best thing you can do is bet on the Banker – always. There’s a 5% commission on all winning Banker bets, but the rules of the game still give the Bank hand a slight advantage, reducing the house edge to 1.6%. The Player hand carries a 1.24% edge. Don’t bother with those Tie bets either. They come in at a dastardly 9.5%.
Following a spectacularly well-received debut at ICE 2020, Evolution Gaming officially launches Live Power Blackjack.
There aren’t too many ‘new’ casino games that are received with fanfare these days. New blackjack variants, in particular, generally lack anything unique enough to perk the brows of avid players. But every once in a while, something comes along that actually generates a double-take from the game’s biggest fans; or, in this case, maybe a triple-take or quadruple-take.
I’m talking, of course, about Power Blackjack, the newest addition to the Evolution Gaming live casino menu. As the name cleverly implies, this exceptional variation of 21 gives players more power. “ More power to what?”, you ask… the power to bet, and win, (or lose) more money! Instead of the usual Double Down, players can take it a step or two farther with options to Triple Down or Quadruple Down.
Evolution Launches Live Power Blackjack
It’s been four months since Power Blackjack Live debuted at the ICE 2020 expo in London. Late last week, it was officially launched under the wing of Evolution’s live dealer ‘Infinite Blackjack’ wing. The Infinitive suite of games delivers an unlimited player experience, wherein a single table can accommodate an infinite number of players.
With this game giving all players the power the win up to 4x their wager, it’s sure to become one of the hottest new blackjack games of the year. At least, that’s what Chief Product Officer, Todd Haushalter, and the rest of the executive crew at Evolution Gaming are hoping for.
“The mission was to give players more of what they love about Blackjack without changing the underlying gameplay,” explained Haushalter in a press release regarding last week’s launch.
“We know that players love classic Blackjack, but we are always looking for new ways to keep it fresh,” he said. “Creating a version where players can triple and quadruple down, instead of just double down, felt like a great way to do this.”
The CPO went on to explicate the series of events that led to their production of live dealer Power Blackjack.
“A few years ago we created Infinite Blackjack, which is simply a Blackjack platform that allows an unlimited number of players at just one table, instead of the standard seven seats. Building on the success of our proven Infinite format, we have created further new Blackjack game types such as Free Bet Blackjack and now Power Blackjack, with more to come in the future.”
How to Play Live Power Blackjack
The rules of the game follow that of traditional blackjack, except for a few minor alterations. Having such a player-friendly advantage, the game’s creators were required to skew the rules back into the casino’s favor. The end result was a set of rules that look like this:
8 Decks
Dealer Stands on All 17s (Hard and Soft)
Double/Triple/Quadruple Down on any two-card hand
Split once, up to 2 hands
Double/Triple/Quadruple after split
No drawing to split Aces
Dealer peeks
6-Card Charlie pays 1:1
Blackjack pays 3:2
By these rules, the house edge gives the casino a 1.2% advantage, equivalent to an RTP of 98.8%. That’s higher than the average online blackjack game, but not a terrible trade-off for players who value the entertainment factor above a strategically rendered return on investment.
Play Games Online: It’s good for your mental and physical health!
I don’t think
I have to explain the “physical” side of that statement right
now. The world is currently in the grips of a global pandemic as the
novel coronavirus – COVID-19 – bears down upon us. Everything
from public schools to non-essential life-sustaining businesses are
closed. Millions of people are going online to file for unemployment,
and at the same time, looking for ways to entertain and amuse
themselves and their families without leaving their home.
There’s not a
parent today that hasn’t heard it’s vital we “limit screen
time” for our children. Some advise no more than 30 minutes a day
looking at a screen. I think we can all agree that everyone, no
matter the age, is using screens far more than 30 minutes a day, and
we have been since long before the term “social distancing”
became a household phrase. Now, screen time may be the best thing
for us – not all of the time, but a generous portion of it.
Play Games Online – It’s Good For Your
Health!
As it turns out,
online gaming can be extremely good for your physical and
psychological well being. Yes, the physical aspect is that you can
play games on a computer, smartphone or tablet while practicing
social distancing. You don’t have to interact physically with
anyone, or even leave your home, to do it. But what are the
psychological benefits?
Let’s take a
look…
Entertainment: The most obvious benefit to your psyche is the entertainment value. No one likes to be bored – especially children! Online games give us something fun and interesting to do while we wait for answers to the coronavirus crisis.
Interaction: Being locked up inside all day – and all night – has left billions of people all over the world craving for human interaction. We can call our friends and loved ones, and video chat with them on Facetime or some other video-conferencing app, but there’s only so much to be said in a basic conversation. Playing online games with each other enhances the interactive experience ten-fold.
Stimulating Brain Function: There are many games out there that are specifically designed to enhance brain function and motor skills. Other games do this naturally. A match-3 jewel game trains our brains to recognize patterns. Crossword puzzles keep our eyes, and our vocabulary, sharp. Online casino games like blackjack, video poker and Texas Hold’em, give us the opportunity to invoke mathematically and probability driven strategies. Even something as seemingly ineffectual as Angry Birds puts our cognitive mentality to work, considering the best trajectory for one-shot success. Many of these games can be played socially against other players, providing the same interactive entertainment mentioned above.
Stress Reduction: These are strange times we live in. There’s no denying an elevated rate of stress and anxiety among the global population. Games have forever been a go-to for stress relief. Recent studies have shown that those who play games online – particularly video games – are able to combat stress. If it can work for a 15 minute break during the work day, it can work at home during these unprecedented times.
Quality Family Time: I think we can all agree that quality time with the family doesn’t happen nearly as often as it should. COVID-19 has certainly changed that. Families are digging out dusty board games, shuffling up decks of cards, and downloading digital PC and console video games more than ever. Fortnite’s 4-man squads aren’t just made up of school mates these days, but families. I can personally attest to that!
Lowest house edge casino games and where to play them.
Different types
of casino goers are attracted to different types of games. Some like
fast paced games, while others like to take their time. Some enjoy
single-player amusements, while others enjoy the communal atmosphere
of multi-player games. Sometimes it’s not about the game play or
atmosphere, but the odds of winning that draws a player to the
action.
I don’t
necessarily recommend choosing your games based solely on the house
edge you face. Doing so implies disregard for the entertainment
factor. If you’re not enjoying the games, you’re violating the
most important rule of responsible gambling – to have fun, since
the odds are never really in your favor. Then again, finding a game
you enjoy that’s among the lowest edge games – that could be
something worth looking into.
Lowest House Edge Casino Games
The following is
a top-10 list of the casino games with the lowest edge. Having a low
house edge means, in contrast, that the game has a high return to
player (RTP). Please understand that the RTP is theoretical. It is
based on mathematical probabilities, and as such, only applies in the
long term.
Note:
The RTP is, quite literally, the opposite of the house edge. If the
house edge is 5%, the RTP is 95%. Together they make 100%.
All Aces
Video Poker – 0.08% All Aces is a video poker variant
found at online casinos powered by Microgaming software. It’s
house edge of 0.08% is so low that, over the years, many Microgaming
casinos have decided to remove it from their menus. In order to
achieve that fantastic 99.92% RTP, you’ll need to make every
decision strategically. Learn more…
Blackjack
– 0.18% to 0.35% Blackjack is known for its low house
edge, but there are dozens of rule sets offered at land-based and
online casinos. The trick is to find the best games, where the edge
does not exceed 0.35%. 1x2Gaming’s Bonus Blackjack and Red Queen
Blackjack offer a super low edge of 0.18%, but isn’t the easiest
to find. Microgaming’s Vegas Single Deck Blackjack comes in at
0.31%, and is available at hundreds of online casinos. Note:
I’m not listing any other blackjack games here, although there are
plenty with ~99% RTPs that could have occupied the list. Those above
are the best – I’ll leave it at that.
Spanish
21 / Pontoon – 0.40% Spanish 21 (a.k.a. Pontoon) is a
game characterized by the removal of all 10s from each deck. In
exchange, a host of player-friendly rules are applied. So long as
the dealer is required to Stand on Soft 17, you’ll play against an
edge of just 0.40%. (Note that Dealer Hitting Soft 17 increase edge
to 0.76%).
Jacks or
Better with 9/6 Full Pay – 0.46% Another good video poker
variant that’s widely available is Jacks or Better. Check the pay
table. If it features a 9/6 Full Pay, you can achieve the optimal
99.54% RTP.
Baccarat,
Banker Bet – 1.06% Betting on the Banker hand in baccarat
is as easy as dropping a chip on the table. It begets a decently low
house edge of 1.06%.
Baccarat,
Player Bet – 1.24% Don’t want to bet on the Banker
hand? Place your chip on the Player hand instead for a 1.24% house
edge.
Craps,
Don’t Pass/Come – 1.36% They said it’s wrong to bet
against the shooter, but who are “They” anyway? A bet on Don’t
Pass or Don’t Come offers with a higher RTP of 98.76%.
Craps,
Pass Line/Come – 1.41% If you prefer to bet with the
crowd, for an added 0.5% to the edge you bet the Pass Line or Come
wager in craps.
Pai Gow
Poker – 1.46% This is one of those games you’ll either
love or hate. If you find the 1.46% edge appealing, give it a try.
Pai Gow
Tiles – 1.50% Please know that this is not the same as
Pai Gow Poker. Played with 32 dominoes, it is one of the world’s
oldest casino games, reserved for casinos in the Eastern hemisphere
prior to the online gambling revolution. It’s 1.50% house edge
makes it a unique choice among the industry’s lowest house edge
casino games.
How It’s Played: A detailed
review of Evolution Gaming’s new and lightning-quick Live Dealer
Speed Blackjack games.
Evolution Gaming
is universally recognized as the most innovative pioneer of the live
casino gaming industry. It
is more decorated than any
other live studio supplier, by-far, and has
published a host of the industry’s most beloved live dealer games;
falling into the categories of both class-style
table games (Blackjack,
Roulette, Baccarat, etc), as well as some
more unique, game
show-style varieties (Dream Catcher, Lightning Dice, Monopoly Live,
etc.)
A few weeks ago, the company
announced the launch of a brand new game they call Speed
Blackjack Live. It
is, for all intents and purposes, the fastest live dealer blackjack
game on the world wide web to date. In
order to ensure the quickest game speed, this new title breaks the
most traditional rules of etiquette. It’s not the seating
arrangement, but rather speed that determines who’s hand is played
first.
How It’s
Played: Live
Dealer Speed Blackjack
For the most part, this is your
standard variety blackjack game. The usual rules of classic blackjack
are employed, including the following:
Up to 7 players
8 decks of cards
Dealer stands on all 17s
Double on any first two cards
Split up to two hands
No double after split
No drawing to split aces
Dealer peeks for blackjack
Blackjack pays 3:2
What sets this game apart from
all the others are these more unique rules, designed specifically to
promote faster game play.
Faster Timer:
Once all hands have received their first two cards, a
single timer starts with 7
seconds fewer than Evolution’s standard tables.
First Come, First Serve:
additional cards are dealt to players on a first-to-act basis. For
example, the first player to press the Hit, Double or Split button
will be dealt cards accordingly. The next fastest to act will get the
next card, and so on, until all player hands have been completed
(Stand or Bust).
Auto-Hit:
Any player who fails to act before the timer runs out with
a hand total of 11 or less, will automatically take a Hit.
Auto-Stand:
Any player who fails to act before the timer runs out with
a hand total of 12 or more, will automatically stand on the current
total.
Overall Game Speed:
Evolution attests – and typical game play confirms – the overall
speed of Live Speed Blackjack is approximately 30% faster than a
standard, 7-seat live dealer game.
Experience Review and Recommendations
As a long-time blackjack player
and stead-fast strategist, I found this game quite interesting, but
not necessarily my cup of tea.
The speed of the game is only a
plus if you’re a good strategy player looking to increase your rate
of hands-per-hour; or, if you play for entertainment purposes only
and like the heart-pounding challenge of trying to beat your fellow
players to the punch.
Personally, I like a slower paced
game with a higher RTP. The house edge here, according to its
creators, is 0.71% (RTP 99.29%). There are far better paying games,
both online and on land. As for the entertainment factor, I find that
making rushed decisions can easily result in strategic mistakes. So
again, unless you’re an extremely experienced strategist, or a
recreational, gut-instinct type of player who loves an adrenaline
rush, Evolution’s new Live Dealer Speed Blackjack may not be the game
for you.
Three easy ways to watch live blackjack online (and two good
reasons why you might want to).
There is a very famous saying that goes, “Those who can, do;
those who cannot, teach.” I don’t know if there’s any truth
to that statement, but I do know that, since the dawn of Youtube,
there’s a new phrase worth coining. “Those who can, stream;
those who can’t, watch and learn.”
If you’ve ever watched the live broadcast of a Twitch
streamer playing a game – any game, whether it be casinos games
like slot machines or blackjack, or PC and console video games like
League of Legends, or Call of Duty – you know exactly
what that phrase means. It is the new wave of modern gaming, wherein
the best and bravest gamers exhibit their skills in live stream for
all the web-world to see.
If blackjack happens to be your game of choice, sit back and take a
moment to absorb the following information, as I’ll be tutoring a
brief lesson in…
3 Ways to Watch Live Blackjack Online
There are exactly three ways to accomplish this. If you’re
wondering why you would even want to, hold your horses. We’ll cover
that in the next section.
#1 Youtube / Twitch Casino Channels
Twitch casino channels are extremely popular right now. They are
hosted by regular online casino gamers who have large bankrolls and
nothing better to do with their time or money than place big bets and
stream the action live. Most people who like to watch blackjack do so
on Twitch or Youtube, so this is where I’d suggest starting, unless
you want to get in on that action yourself.
#2 Live Dealer Casinos
Live dealer casinos present a unique opportunity. They are
essentially the online version of land-based casino games. They take
place in a live studio, with professional dealers chucking physical
cards. Players are able to watch it all happen and take part in the
games, via any modestly equipped desktop computer, smartphone or
tablet. Thus, live dealer casinos allow the viewer to watch and play
the games at the same time.
#3 Live Tournament Feed
There isn’t a very substantial market for this anymore, but they do
still exist. When a major blackjack tournament is taking place, you
can usually find a live feed of it available – again, either on
Youtube, Twitch, or some other live streaming website. If it is being
hosted by a major live/online casino operator, you may be able to
access the feed directly from the gambling site.
What’s So Great About Watching Blackjack
Online?
I can think of two very distinct reasons why you might want to watch
live blackjack online. The first and most obvious reason is for
entertainment purposes. Think about it. If you love the game, but
have a modest bankroll, wouldn’t it be fun to watch a high roller
with thousands in their pocket place massive bets on a single hand?
Sure, it’s not as exciting as if you were the one in the hot seat,
but who doesn’t enjoy living vicariously through others now and
again?
The second reason is to learn. Blackjack is the most strategically
challenging game in the casino. Basic strategy decides how to handle
each decision-making situation, but the best players have skills that
go far beyond this. They are able to keep counts of all the cards;
not just high and low counts, but deck sequencing, ace tracking, and
other special techniques that – when the stars align – can give
them a genuine advantage over the house.
There are plenty of books to read on the subject of blackjack
strategy, but if you’ve ever used a video to help you do a task
that was previously out of your scope of knowledge – something like
fixing an electronic device or changing your own car parts – you
know that video tutorials have changed the way we look at life. The
impossible becomes possible, if only we can understand it, both
verbally and visually.
If you’re planning your first trip to Vegas, don’t bother reading
this. You’ll want to spend your time on taking in the glorious
sites along The Strip and Downtown’s Freemont
Street. On your first visit, it’s not about the games, but the
experience. If you’ve already had that experience, and are looking
for something a bit more, then by all means, continue reading.
I’m going to tell you about the best blackjack games in the city. You won’t find them on The Strip or in Downtown, despite the rampant finger-pointing towards El Cortez. That casino does have some nice games, clocking a 99.82% RTP with the cheapest table limits of $5 and up. If you’re willing to spend $25 per hand, you can do better.
Best Blackjack Odds in Vegas
Head south along Las Vegas Boulevard approximately 10 miles
from the central Strip area (Bellagio /
Caesars Palace); past McCarran International Airport;
beyond South Point and The Grandview. Just as you cross
the St Rose Parkway, you’ll come to the luxurious M
Resort Spa & Casino, sticking up from the vast stretch of
desert floor like a hitchhiker’s thumb.
Its opulence may seem a bit out of place this far south of The Strip.
Technically, you’re not even in Las Vegas anymore. You’re in the
city of Henderson, but once you enter the property, you’ll
never know the difference.
I suggest taking advantage of valet parking, unless you don’t mind
long walks. Once you get to the doors, head inside and take the
nearest elevator to the upper level. Follow the signs to the casino,
and once you’re there, stop the first employee you see and ask them
to point you to the blackjack tables. The pit boss should be easy to
find, standing at his/her central kiosk with a birds-eye view of the
dealers.
Tell this person that you heard the M Resort blackjack odds are the
best in the city, and ask for directions to one of those tables.
There should be three of them It wouldn’t hurt to do this with a
tip sticking up between your fingers, ensuring you get preferential
seating if there’s a line. Once you’re seated…
M Resort Blackjack Odds and Rules
At the right tables, you’ll find rules that dish up a delicious 99.86% RTP. That’s a mere 0.14% house edge. It isn’t some odd-ball game with wacky rules and side bets. It’s a standard game of classic blackjack, with just enough player-friendly rules to deliver the best blackjack game in Vegas.
These games are played with a double-deck shoe, requiring the dealer
to stand on all 17s. Players can double after a split and are allowed
to re-split Aces. By these rules, a basic strategy will deliver that
beautiful 99.86% return. Making these tables even more appealing, the
games have a 0.8 cut card with 60% deck penetration. Deeper would be
great, but in a 2-deck shoe, that’s a nice mark for precision card
counters.
To recap…
Shoe: Double-Deck
Soft 17: Stand
Double: Any 2
Double After Split: Yes
Re-Split Aces: Yes
Blackjack Pays: 3 to 2
Cut Card: 0.8
Deck Penetration: 60%
Min / Max: $25 / $5,000
House Edge: 0.14%
RTP: 99.86%
If you’re interested in testing your skills against the best
blackjack odds in Vegas, set your destination for the M Resort Spa
Casino, located at 12300 S Las Vegas Blvd South, Henderson, NV 89044.
Evaluation and ranking of the most entertaining casino game Twitch
streamers broadcast live.
Over the last few years, Twitch TV has become an internet
game-streaming sensation. YouTube may be the go-to video app
for all other things, but when it comes to live-streaming game
content, there’s no better feed source. Video games, PC games, mass
multi-player online games, internet casino games – if it happens on
a monitor, and there’s a game involved, Twitch is the place to see
it happen in all its action-packed, real-time glory.
Most types of gaming harvest a niche audience. You have your MMO
fans, Nintendo fans, sports fans, etc. Casino gambling also draws a
niche market, but not every casino game is worth your time to view.
With that in mind, today’s plan is to evaluate the most
entertaining Twitch casino games, ranking them in order of viewing
pleasure.
Most Entertaining Casino Game Twitch Streamers
Play
Some players love slot machines above all else. Some are drawn to
more strategy-based games like blackjack and video poker. But when it
comes to watching other people play these games, popular demand is
based more on entertainment value than anything else.
After playing just about every casino game under the sun, and having
seen most of them in live-streaming format, I came up with the
following list of Top 5 Twitch Casino Games to Watch.
#5 Virtual Horse Racing / Sports
This one may surprise you, but I actually found virtual sports games
to be rather entertaining. They transpire quickly, anywhere from
20-60 seconds max, and many times, they come to a climactic
conclusion. Virtual horse racing was my favorite, but you may prefer
whatever sports you enjoy in real life more, like virtual football,
virtual hockey, virtual bowling, etc.
#4 Monopoly Live (Evolution)
This game is exclusive to the Evolution Gaming live casino
platform. Maybe it’s because I loved the board game growing up, or
maybe it’s the creator’s eye-catching 3D graphics, but there’s
something about this game I found truly entertaining. I’d rather
play it myself, but watching it on Twitch was fun too. It’s games
like this one that have Twitch
casino streamers flocking to live casinos.
#3 VIP Blackjack Live
Live blackjack games might sound boring, and to many of you they may
be, but the best Twitch streamers know how to beef up the
anticipation. First and foremost, the broadcaster must have charisma.
Without it, the live stream will royally suck eggs. Secondly, it has
to be a VIP high-roller table. The more money on the hand, the more
interesting it gets. For casual gamers like myself, living
vicariously through the deep-pocketed gambling adventures of others
is the next best thing.
#2 Feature-Rich Slot Machines
Generally I don’t like watching other people play slot machines,
but if you pick the right games, it can be a lot of fun. The theme
has to be fun, of course, with a good number of features in the mix –
something like Microgaming’s Immortal Romance, or Yggdrasil’s
Nitro Circus, should do the trick. These are the games most of us
wish we had the bankroll to auto-spin until the features go wild.
Well, a lot of Twitch streamers have that kind of cash, so why not
enjoy watching them use it? It can be more fun than you might think.
#1 Deal or No Deal Live (Evolution)
Another Evolution Gaming exclusive, this pick was a no-brainer. If
you enjoy the television game show, odds are you’ll love watching
the live casino version just as much. The only difference is that the
TV show players have nothing invested. Twitch streamers are paying
money to play the game. Their genuine excitement over a good pick, or
devastation after a bad one, is just as gripping.
Hands down, this is my top pick for most entertaining casino game
Twitch streamers broadcast. My only disappointment is that not enough
of them do.
KamaGames’ new video poker app for Android and iOS extends the brand’s wildly successful social casino games portfolio.
KamaGames is among the worlds leading
mobile poker operators; responsible for the social gaming phenomenon
that is Pokerist. After launching what would become the
wildly successful Pokerist Texas Poker app for iOS and Android
in 2011, KamaGames has since grown into the largest social poker
operator in all of Europe, averaging well over half a million active
players daily. In 2018, it was the top grossing app in more than 100
countries on the Google Play Store.
As the company’s social poker success
skyrocketed, KamaGames decided it was time to expand into the realm
of social casino gaming. Basing their future of brand recognition,
they built off the original theme with a series “-ist” games –
Rouletteist, Blackjackist and Baccaratist, launched in 2013, 2016 and
2017 respectively.
KamaGames has been scaling upward and outward
ever since. But it wasn’t until this week that the company finally
spread its wings into what seems a natural expansion of their
existing market dominance – video poker.
KamaGames Launches New Video Poker App
On Wednesday, KamaGames issued a press release
announcing the official launch of the digital gaming lab’s first
foray into social video poker games. Again keeping with the
simplicity of their celebrated “-ist” branding, they call it
Video Poker by Pokerist.
As of now, the app includes just three classic
video poker titles; Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better, and Bonus Poker.
The creator guarantees fair play via their certified random number
generator (RNG). Video Poker by Pokerist is free to download and
play, with free daily chip allowances and daily achievements to top
off a player’s stack. Anyone who wants to purchase additional chips
can do so, spending anywhere from $0.99 to $99. However, being a 100%
social casino gaming app, chips can never be exchanged for real
money.
As Real As It Gets (Minus the Money)
The stand-alone app was built with the
intention of mimicking the exact same experience as the most popular
video poker machines in Vegas. According to the reviews by some of
the app’s earliest adopters, KamaGames succeeded in that goal
entirely.
One review on the Apple Store calls Video Poker
by Pokerist a “classic experience”, thanking KamaGames for
creating “exactly the same video poker machines which I usually
play in traditional casinos.”
It’s only been out for a few days, but it’s
worth noting that Video Poker by Pokerist currently has a perfect 5.0
rating from both Android and iOS users.
Aim to Draw New and Existing Customers Alike
KamaGames CEO Andrey Kuznetsov is extremely
proud of the versatility they’ve achieved in their ever-growing
social casino apps. “We are placing a strong focus on
differentiating our portfolio of social casino games in many
directions this year,” he said. “As an iconic element of the Las
Vegas casino, video poker is very familiar to our audience and
in-line with the products they want from KamaGames.”
Kuznetsov sees this latest addition to the
company’s portfolio as the perfect means to attract new players to
the brand, as well as draw existing users from the Pokerist app.
“With this exciting new addition, we hope to both satisfy both our
existing players whilst also attracting a fresh, new audience.”
He goes on to assure users that KamaGames will
be working to install additional games on the new video poker app
throughout the remainder of 2019.
