A quick rundown of the best and most popular classic casino games. Ever fancied yourself as a tuxedo-clad James Bond whipping up a storm at the roulette wheel? Wondered what it takes to beat the dealer and improve your chances of winning at casino games? First, you need to know exactly which casino games offer the best odds.
Four Casino Games Best Odds
Research suggests the more popular casino games offer the best odds of winning.
Roulette
One of the best casino games, roulette is based on a spinning a wheel of numbers and betting on whether the ball will land on a red or black number. Bets can be placed on specific numbers, groups of numbers or on the colours black or red. If the ball lands on your number the odds are an impressive 35-1 making it one of the biggest paying games in the casino. Players continue to place bets until the dealer calls “No more bets”. Red or black bets and groups of numbers pay back the same amount you put on.
Blackjack
The archetypal rainy day distractor, Blackjack is not only one of the easiest games to learn but also one of the best casino games with a chance of winning. The ultimate goal is to beat the dealer by collecting cards that get you as close as possible to 21 without going over. Number cards are easy as they are worth the number they display while all face cards count as 10. The ace can be your best friend when you need one as it is flexible shifting from a value of either 11 or 1 depending on your needs. Add up the total of the cards in your hand to find your overall value. The name of the game is given to the hand that scores 21 exactly including an ace and one other card with a value of 10 (either a face card or a 10 itself).
Before the dealer begins players place their bets. All players’ cards are placed face up so everyone can see your hand. The dealer deals two cards to each player and two to himself but one of his cards, the “hole card”, remains face down. Now the real fun begins! Starting with the player on the left of the dealer, players can choose another card by asking the dealer to “hit”. If a player thinks he is already close enough to 21 or doesn’t want to risk going “bust” by going over then he can choose to “stand”. Once all players are done, the dealer turns over his “hole” card. He will “hit”, draw extra cards, until he is over 16. Whoever has the highest hand, including the dealer, will win. If the dealer goes over 21 he is bust and all players still in the game share the pot between them.
Baccarat
Baccarat is another for the casino games best odds list. Three hands of two cards are dealt: the banker’s, the player’s and the tie. The aim is to get nearest to 9. This time face cards and tens are worth 0 while the ace is worth 1. If the sum of the cards is a two digit number, drop the first digit to find the value. Players bet on which of the three hands will be closest to 9.
Craps
Roll-up, roll-up! Craps is a dice game. Players bet on the outcome of the roll by placing their chips on “Pass” or “Don’t Pass”. The first roll is called “The Come Out”. If the dice land a total of 7 or 11, the “Pass” bets win: if the total is 2 or 3 the “Don’t Pass” bets win. 12 means no winners. Any other number becomes the “point” and the player rolls again. The game continues until the player rolls either the point or a 7. If the “point” is rolled again the “Pass” bets win; “Don’t Pass” win on the rolling of a 7. “Pass” bets can be increased but can not be removed once set. “Don’t Pass” bets can be removed at any point during the game. All bets pay even money.
To be in with a chance, spend some time observing these games and look for different strategies that might emerge. If you have a chance, chat to a friendly dealer who may be willing to share a few tips that could see you line up as a future Ocean’s Eleven!