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A Complete Guide to Casino Gambling
Casinos are glamorous places where glitzy reputations are won and lost at the roll of a dice or flip of a card. However, before you dive into this world of high stakes and high glamour, you need to know what you’re doing. Otherwise, your bankroll may evaporate faster than you think.
Fortunately, this guide to casino gambling will give you a thorough introduction to the world of casinos. Not only will it teach you the rules to some of the most popular games, but it will also offer core strategies and practical tips that will maximize your chances of success.
Let’s start with the fundamentals.
What is a Casino?
The term “casino” can apply to a variety of different places throughout the world. Nonetheless, the basic definition is that a casino is a place specifically created for gambling purposes. Such establishments range from small businesses to massive resorts that are complete destinations in themselves.
Today, casinos are typically offered in one of two different formats:
Land-based Casino: As the name suggests, these are brick-and-mortar casinos that you can physically visit. These are the types of casinos that most people are familiar with, and they can be found throughout the world, notably in popular gambling destinations like Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, and Macau.
Online Casino: With the advent of the internet, many casinos have moved online. These “virtual” casinos provide exactly the same games you’ll find at their brick-and-mortar counterparts, but they’re played on a website or mobile app. Many online casinos also offer unique bonuses and promotions to their players, adding extra value to online play.
A Note on Safety: Whether you’re playing in a land-based or online casino, your safety is paramount. Both types of casinos are legally required to undergo rigorous checks and adhere to stringent regulations to ensure the safety and fairness of their players.
Land-based casinos are overseen by local and national regulatory bodies, whereas online casinos must adhere to strict rules set out by the jurisdiction in which they’re registered. For instance, any casino operating from within the UK must be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.
Rules of the Casino Games
Many different games are offered in casinos, ranging from card games to dice games, and from bingo-like games to sports betting. Nonetheless, some games are more popular than others, and the following offers a quick overview of the core casino games and how to play them.
1. Roulette
Roulette is one of the most popular casino games, both land-based and online. It’s exceedingly simple to play; all you need to do is predict where the ball will land on the roulette wheel and place your bets accordingly.
There are numerous betting options, with some carrying a higher risk than others. For instance, you can bet on a specific number, colour, row, or whether the ball will land on an odd or even number.
2. Slots
There are few people in the world who haven’t played a slot machine at some point. The core idea is simple: you put your money in, spin the reels, and hopefully, they’ll land on a winning combination. Online casinos offer a massive variety of different slot machines, many of which are based on popular themes to make them more engaging.
However, the variety of slots can be dizzying, so it’s worth checking out our guide to understanding slots before you jump in. It will give you a thorough insight into the variety of slots out there, plus offer tips on the telltale signs of a well-designed machine.
3. Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as 21, is one of the most popular card games found in casinos. The idea is to get a hand as close to a value of 21 as possible, without going over.
It’s a game of skill, where the player is up against the dealer. The dealer will hand out two cards to each player, and the player can choose to “stick” with their current cards or “hit” and receive an additional card.
Similarly to roulette, there are a variety of different betting options, with some carrying a higher risk than others. For instance, you may decide to bet on whether you’ll receive a pair in your initial hand.
4. Poker
Poker is a type of card game that focuses on both chance and skill. The gamer plays against other players instead of against the house, unlike other casino games. The most popular poker game is Texas Hold’em, and it’s also the basis for the World Series of Poker.
In Poker, players are dealt a number of cards (depending on the variety being played), with the goal being to make a winning hand according to the game’s official rules.
Players can choose to place bets on the strength of their hands, with bets being placed into a central “pot” that’s won by the player with the best hand. If you’re interested in playing poker, we highly recommend checking out our complete guide to poker, including core strategies and tips.
5. Baccarat
Baccarat is often considered a game reserved for high-rollers, due to its sophistication and the high stakes often associated with it. Nonetheless, it’s a simple game to learn.
It’s a game of chance, involving a banker and a player. Each is dealt two cards, and the hand with the highest value wins. However, it isn’t as straightforward as just trying to get the highest value hand. Instead, the player has three options once their initial cards have been dealt:
Bet on the banker to win.
Bet on the player to win.
Bet on a tie.
6. Bingo
Bingo is a game many of us are familiar with, and it’s popular in both land-based and online casinos.
The basic rules of bingo are simple:
A caller will randomly select numbers from a pool, which are then checked off on the player’s card.
The winner is whoever can mark off all the numbers on their card first.
However, casino bingo often has special prizes for those who win within a certain number of calls, giving an added layer of excitement to the game.
Core Strategies and Practical Tips for Players
With the rules of the most popular casino games out of the way, this section will focus on some core strategies and practical tips that will maximize your chances of success.
These tips are aimed at beginners, so if you consider yourself a more experienced player, you may not find these tips particularly useful.
1. Know the Rules for Your Preferred Game
There’s no substitute for knowing the rules of the games you’re playing. While many casino games are based solely on chance, games like poker and blackjack require a solid understanding of the rules, as well as crisp strategic play.
Our guides on the different casino games covered above will be a good starting point in your learning journey.
2. Manage Your Bankroll
One of the most important things you’ll need to learn when gambling is bankroll management. Your “bankroll” is the amount of money you have reserved for gambling, and it should be an amount that you can afford to lose.
If you lose it all, it’s crucial to have the discipline to stop playing. Similarly, you should also set yourself winning limits, where you stop playing once you’ve reached a certain profit.
A good bankroll management strategy is to only allocate a small percentage of your bankroll for each game you play. For example, if you have £200 to gamble with, you may only play with £10 per game.
3. Shop Around for the Best Odds
While this is less applicable to games like slots and roulette, choosing the right table is crucial for games like poker and blackjack.
You’ll want to find a table with good odds (usually the fewer decks used, the better the odds). You’ll also want to consider the minimum bet requirements, as you’ll need to bet a certain amount to play at the table.
4. Learn Core Strategies for Your Game of Choice
While many casino games are based on chance, others demand solid strategic play for you to have success over time.
For example, our guide to blackjack strategy will give you a thorough overview of the core strategies you need to know.
Similarly, our guide on how to play poker provides a solid introduction to the strategies you’ll want to employ, depending on whether you’re playing online or offline.
5. Take Advantage of Bonuses and Promotions
Many online casinos offer a variety of bonuses and promotions to their players, and they can add serious value to your play.
For instance, many casinos will offer a “match deposit” bonus, wherein the casino will match the amount of your first deposit up to a certain percentage (e.g. 100% up to £100).
It’s important to read the terms and conditions of these offers before you take advantage of them, as they will often have wagering requirements attached to them. For instance, you may need to wager any winnings from a bonus a certain number of times before you can cash out.
6. Don’t Chase Losses
This is perhaps the most important tip on this list, and it’s a tip that will always apply to you, no matter what your level of experience is: learn when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em.
If you’re having an off day, and Lady Luck isn’t on your side, it’s important to know when to call it quits. Setting winning and losing limits for yourself is a part of this, as discussed in point 2.
Chasing losses is the most certain way
