Easy Casino Games

When it comes to casino games that are simple to learn and easy to play, the top contenders are slots, keno, roulette, baccarat, and Caribbean stud.

To play even these simple games successfully at a casino, understand from the beginning that the odds are stacked against players. Statistically the house is more likely to win in all games, so look for game strategies based on a mathematical formula. The best way to win at gambling is to know when to leave the game based on statistical data.

Remember that each play of a game is a separate event statistically. Practicing this fact will help players avoid what’s known as “Gambler’s Fallacy,” a myth that says a win is likely to occur because it hasn’t happened recently. Don’t keep playing when you’re losing.

Finally, practice your preferred game before going up to a table or a slot machine in a casino, either at home with friends, in video games or in free games online. Knowing each game’s basic rules and its odds of losing can help all gamblers play more effectively.

In all cases, follow the number-one rule of gambling: Set a budget for yourself and quit when you’ve reached your limit.

Slots

Slot machines are definitely one of the easiest casino games to play. However, in order to play – and win at slots, it’s essential to understand how they work.

In the past, slots operated by pulling a lever that turned a set of reels inside the machine. The symbols painted on the reels determined the winnings; when the same symbol lined up across three reels in the “slot,” the player won.

Nowadays, slot machines have gone computerized like everything else in life. The computer that determines how today’s “reels” line up is known as the Random Number Generator, or RNG. This software constantly generates sets of numbers that change the potential outcome of the slots game several thousand times in a second. When a player pushes the button on today’s slot machines, it starts the little RNG microchip buzzing with numbers that determine how the electronic symbols will line up.

To play today’s slot machines effectively, start by examining what’s known as the “pay table” that’s either posted on the machine or accessible via the screen. The pay table lists the winning combinations along with how many coins or points each combo pays. Especially note how many coins it takes to win the jackpot, because playing with fewer coins than required to win the pot earns a player nothing.

While everything with slot machines is randomized, there are some strategies for playing slots. For example, compare the pay tables of several machines and play the one that gives the best payout per bet.

In addition, players often use a strategy called “hit and run” to increase their winnings. This tactic is simple: Once you hit a jackpot on any machine, move on to a new machine. Because of how the RNG mixes up the numbers, there’s no way to tell whether that machine will pay off again soon. Don’t bet back your winnings.

Finally, pay close attention to jackpot bonuses. Suppose a machine pays $500 for a jackpot on one coin, $1,000 for two coins and $2,000 for three coins, it’s worth betting three coins per turn. Without a bonus, it’s better to play the minimum on each turn.

These days, you can even play real money slot machines online. The cool part is that you can practice all the slots you want for free before you ever make a deposit.

Keno

Keno is a lottery game popular in many casinos, even though the odds of losing are stacked against the player. The game came to the United States with Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century, and has become immensely popular for its flexibility in allowing players to chose numbers from 1 to 80.

Playing Keno is a lot like playing a state lottery. Select a maximum of 10 numbers or buy a “quick-pick” ticket from a casino attendant. Numbers are valid only for the next game, so new numbers must be chosen and wagered upon in each game. There are different ways to place Keno bets, so it’s wise to study online or get a book to bone up before you play.

Then keep an eye on the Keno monitor to see if any of your numbers are among the 20 selected randomly by computer. Note which of the numbers your bet matches and check the payout chart to see if you win, and how much. More matches means more money. Take your winning ticket to a Keno attendant to claim your money.

Keno payouts vary widely depending on the state and the casino in which you’re playing. Players should match their strategies to these variables to increase their chances of winning.

Keno also can be played on video games in bars and restaurants as well as on the Internet. Free Internet games can help a player develop a feel for how the game works.

Caribbean Stud

Caribbean stud poker is based on five-card stud poker, but it has a progressive jackpot. It’s also played on a table with seven spots that resembles a blackjack table. Like blackjack, Caribbean stud is a “beat the dealer” kind of game; players don’t play one another. The rules of the game are simple: Whoever has the best poker hand wins.

Once you’ve bought your chips and sat down at a table, check out three betting spots in front of you. There will be a box marked “Bet,” one marked “Ante” and a drop slot for the progressive jackpot. Each player is required to Ante before the cards are dealt. If you wish to play for the progressive jackpot, drop a bet in the slot.

The dealer will distribute five cards face down in turn to each player. Players may not show their hands to one another or team up. The dealer also gets five cards with one turned face up.

Players check out their hands and decide whether to fold. Those who fold forfeit their Antes, which the dealer collects. Those who want to continue playing put an amount twice the value of the Ante in the Bet box. This is known as the Call.

Once all the players have called or folded, the dealer looks at his or her hand. The dealer must have an Ace-King combo in order to qualify for play. If the dealer doesn’t have an Ace-King or better, players win even money on their Antes, and there’s no action on the Call wager. If the dealer qualifies, then he/she will decide which player has the better hand. If the dealer wins, players lose both the Ante and the Call, but may still qualify for the progressive jackpot. The player with a winning hand gets even money for the Ante, and a payout for the Call bet according to the ranking of the winning hand.

Players collect on the progressive jackpot if they have a flush or higher. If a player has a royal flush, he or she wins the entire jackpot. Hands of lesser ranking may be shared with other players or win a flat bonus.

Caribbean stud poker is another game to practice on the Internet before joining in a casino. Remember that the type “house edge” in Caribbean poker is more than 5 percent. As with most other games, when you win, quit if you want to preserve your winnings.

Roulette

The object of Roulette is to predict where a little ball will land on a spinning wheel. It is totally a game of chance; there are no strategies to help players win.

Six players at a time may play roulette table in a casino, and each has a set of different colored chips to help tell their bets apart. The table layout includes every possible betting outcome, letting players bet on every aspect of the game at various odds. In American roulette, a wheel is divided into 38 slots colored red or black. The 0 and 00 are always green.

Roulette features nine different kinds of bets. Six are known as inside bets, and three are known as outside bets. Betting limits for outside and inside bets typically differ and are set separately by the casino. Betting limits usually are listed on a card displayed near the wheel, or players may ask the croupier about them.

Roulette wheels never stop spinning. The wheel will speed up as the game is about to begin. Players have until the wheel slows down and the ball drops onto the wheel to place bets. The resulting number is the winner.

Baccarat

Baccarat is casino card game with several variations. Its object is to get nine points based on card values in which 2-9 are worth face value, 10-J-Q-K are worth zero and Ace is worth 1 point. Oddly, the game is named for the worst possible hand, or zero.

The baccarat version played in most North American casinos is also known as punto banco. In this version, the casino always serves as the banker, and usually eight decks of cards are used. The cards are dealt from a box known as a “shoe,” and players bet on which hand will win: the player, the banker or a tie.

This version of baccarat has become extremely popular because it has the lowest house advantage. A player bet has a house advantage of 1.24 percent, while the banker bet has a 1.06 percent advantage. However, ties have a house advantage ranging from 14.36 to 14.44 percent, depending on how many decks are used.

The game is always played between a player and a banker. Each of them is dealt two cards in rotation face down. Then the cards are turned over and the croupier announces the total of the values of each hand. If the player has a total between zero and five, he or she gets another card. If the player stands pat, then the banker can take another card if his or her total is zero to five. When the player takes a third card, the rules for the banker become much more complex, depending on the total of his or her hand.

There are three ways to play baccarat: big, mini and midi. These terms refer to the size of the playing table. Play typically goes much faster at mini and midi baccarat tables, which are about the size of blackjack tables. In casinos, baccarat is played in special roped-off areas or in separate rooms. Often the stakes are very high, and players don’t simply walk into a game; they must be invited.