Modern online casinos have hundreds of different games. Yet, if you look closer at what’s available, most players stick to three categories: slots, tables, and live dealers. If you’re just starting your online casino adventure, here’s a short beginner’s guide to online casino games.
Slots
Slots are the most popular among all casino games online at Stake.com. The situation is similar at most other casinos. It’s for good, simple reasons. Slots are simple, easy to learn, visually exciting, and, best of all, have the potential to win big. When choosing a slot machine, find what suits you best. Classic slots come with simple gameplay. Video slots offer a wide range of features, including bonus rounds and free spins. If you choose progressive slots, you’ll have access to ever-growing jackpots. Ultimately, it’s about picking a game that matches your visual, gaming, and budget preferences.
To know which one suits you, start by checking the paytable. There, you’ll find explanations of bonus features, winning combos, paylines, and symbol values. To better understand the rules, you first need to know the paytable. When you learn the basics, it all comes down to placing a bet and spinning the reels. When you start a new game, bet small before you learn the ins and outs. While you’re at it, always stop when you’re winning, and that’s a simple formula to follow.
As far as slot variations go, here are the main types of slot machines:
- Classic slots: A classic slot has standard, traditional symbols such as A, K, J, Q, 10, and golden bars, with the simplest reels.
- Video slots: These elevate the game with free spins, bonus rounds, and vastly improved graphics and themes (check out Gates of Olympus, Wanted Dead or a Wild, or Le Bandit).
- Progressive slots: Here, you’ll find slots of all kinds with one shared trait: a jackpot that grows as more players bet, increasing the prize pool.
- Multi Payline slots: Games with multiple paylines and more winning combinations than the standard ones.
Depending on what you’re looking for, choose classic slots to keep things simple, video slots for something more exotic, progressive slots for the chance to win big, and multi-payline slots for the most diverse gameplay. Whichever option you pick, remember all outcomes are random, generated by a Random Number Generator, and every win or loss is a matter of chance, with no win guaranteed.
What are Casino Table Games?
Beyond slots, table games are a cornerstone of every casino, both online and traditional brick-and-mortar. These are games played at a table, using cards, dice, or a spinning wheel. The most popular options include, but are not limited to:
- Blackjack: A classic card game, also called 21. The goal is to reach 21 and not go overboard. You play against the dealer, and each player starts with two cards. Face cards count as 10 points, while numbered cards count for their face value. An Ace can be 1 or 11 depending on the draw. An Ace and any face card make a blackjack, which gives you 21 immediately. A simple game, worth learning beyond what we just said.
- Roulette: A game where your win depends on where the ball lands on a wheel. The dealer spins the wheel and releases a ball at the start of each round. You can bet on 36 numbers, 0 or 00 (depending on the roulette version), red or black, odd or even, and many other bets, split into two groups: inside and outside bets.
- Baccarat: For beginners, baccarat is an ideal game. Two cards are dealt, and the player closer to 9 wins. You can bet on yourself, the dealer, or on a tie. The dealer does most of the work; you just place a bet.
- Poker: Here we have a rare casino gem where, in addition to luck, you need a bit of skill. We cannot go into detail with poker, as the game is quite complex. It’s fun to play and worth learning, but it doesn’t offer satisfaction without fully understanding the rules.
Live Dealer Games
Online casinos use different software technologies for each game. Until recently, you played against a ‘computer’ that ran on RNG, and these games were under heavy scrutiny when players failed to win despite a system designed to guarantee all outcomes. As soon as technology enabled it, most online casinos expanded their portfolios with live dealer games.
In essence, the games remain the same as what we explained earlier in the article. The difference is that you can now play poker, blackjack, baccarat, and roulette with a live dealer. Online casinos use professional studios with dealers and tables, where multiple HD cameras record everything and stream it live to the player. When you sit at a table with a live dealer, you can communicate with him and other players via designated chats and enjoy the game of your choice as if you were in a real casino.
The idea was to mimic the atmosphere and feel of real-deal casinos, and online casinos have largely done so. Nowadays you can play games as if you were sitting in a real casino from the comfort of your living room. Online casinos have come a long way in the last decade, and all the changes have been positive. With online casinos so accessible and popular, don’t forget that you cannot win every time. So, gamble responsibly, and always within your means.
