The Lost Casino Gambler’s Guide to Walking Out With More Money Than You Came With

Casinos can be a lot of fun, but they can also be intimidating. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a nervous newbie, the casino floor is a hub of activity, with games galore and plenty of ways to lose your shirt.

Thankfully, you’re not here to lose your shirt. You’re here to boost your bankroll, and our handy guide is just what you need to navigate the floor with confidence and grace.

We’ll share some basic rules for the most popular games, offer valuable tips, and set you up with strategies for optimal play. We’ll even whisk you back in time to learn the vintage origins of a few of today’s most iconic casino mainstays.

Ready to hit the tables and try your luck? Here’s everything you need to know to come out on top.

The Basic Casino Rules You Need to Know
As long as you don’t forget your wallet and ID, everything you need to play casino games is right at your fingertips. Most games are easier to play than to learn about, so we’ll start with the most popular casino games and their rules.

Slots
The quintessential casino game, slots come in a myriad of shapes and sizes, but they all share one thing in common: no skill is required to play.

Instead, today’s slots are powered by random number generators, which determine the outcome of each spin.

Slots can feature multiple reels, an array of paylines, and special bonus features such as scatter symbols, free spins, and interactive bonus rounds.

The variety of themes is endless, from ancient civilizations and fantasy worlds to sports and the animal kingdom, not to mention branded slots based on popular TV shows, movies, and musicians.

To play, you’ll first need to choose your bet amount (usually by selecting the number of coins and the value of each coin) and then hit the spin button.

Wins are distributed based on the paytable, and some slots also feature progressive jackpots, which soar well into the millions and grow with every missed spin.

Roulette
Another casino staple, roulette’s mechanics are deceptively simple.

The game features a spinning wheel with numbered pockets and a small ball that decides the outcome of your bet.

There are several variations of roulette, with the most common being European, American, and French roulette.

Each variation features a unique set of numbers on the wheel and consequently offers different odds.

For example, American roulette features both a 0 and 00 slot on the wheel, which raises the house edge and lowers the odds for players.

In contrast, European and French roulette only feature a 0 slot, which gives players better odds.

To play, you’ll need to place at least one of the following bets:

– Inside bets: These are bets placed on specific numbers or groups of numbers on the inside of the roulette table. Examples include straight-up bets on a single number, split bets on two adjacent numbers, corner bets on four numbers, and line bets on six numbers.

– Outside bets: These are bets placed on the outside of the roulette table, typically on odds or evens, red or black, or groups of numbers. Examples include 1-18 or 19-36, dozens bets, and column bets.

Once you’ve placed your bet, the dealer will spin the wheel and drop the ball.

When the ball comes to rest in a numbered pocket, the dealer will mark the outcome on the table and pay out any winning bets.