2023's guide on how casino games work and how to play them

Are you keen to learn how casino games work? Our comprehensive guide teaches you everything there is to know about the rules, odds, strategies, and payouts of popular casino games like roulette, blackjack, slots, baccarat, craps, poker, keno, scratch cards, and wheel of fortune games. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, our guide will help you improve your gaming skills and enhance your overall casino experience. So why wait? Start reading now!

Table Games

Roulette

Roulete is a classic casino game that has captivated players for centuries. The game features a spinning wheel with numbered pockets and a small ball. Players place bets on where they think the ball will land and can wager on a single number or a range of numbers. European and American variations exist, with different wheel setups. While purely a game of chance, betting strategies are still employed by many who play this iconic table game.

How to Play Roulette:

Familiarize yourself with the layout of the roulette table and the possible bets.
Place your chips on the number(s) or section(s) of the board where you want to bet.
The dealer spins the wheel in one direction and then rolls the ball in the opposite direction on the spinning wheel.
Wait for the ball to land in a pocket on the wheel, determining the winning number.
If your bet matches the winning number, you win.
Collect your winnings and place new bets for the next spin.

Popular Bets:

Straight/Single Bet: Betting on a single number
Split Bet: Betting on two adjacent numbers
Street Bet: Betting on three numbers by placing your chip at the edge of a row
Corner Bet: Betting on four numbers at the point where four lines meet
Six Line Bet: Betting on six numbers by placing your chip on the line separating two streets
Red/Black Bet: Betting on the color of the pocket where the ball will land
Odd/Even Bet: Betting on whether the winning pocket will be odd or even
High/Low Bet: Betting on whether the winning pocket will be from 19-36 (low) or 1-18 (high)

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Notable Features and Rules:

European Roulette: Features a wheel with 37 numbered pockets (1-36 plus 0).
American Roulette: Features a wheel with 38 numbered pockets (1-36 plus 0 and 00).
French Roulette: Similar to European Roulette but offers additional rules and bets.
Racetrack Betting: Allows players to bet on groups of numbers at once using a specific layout.
En Prison / La Partage: French Roulette rules that allow certain even-money bets to be either imprisoned (spinned again) or get a partial payout (half) on a loss.

Payouts and House Edge:

All payouts in roulette are based on unit bet sizes, with each number offering 35-1 odds and other bets varying accordingly. The house edge for American Roulette is higher (5.26%) than European Roulette (2.70%).

Tips and Strategies:

Martingale System: Doubling your bet after every loss to recoup losses and earn a small profit.
D’Alembert System: Increasing your bet size by one unit after a loss and decreasing by one after a win.
Fibonacci Sequence: Using the famous sequence to determine rising bet sizes.
Hot & Cold Numbers: Keep an eye out for frequently hitting (hot) or missing (cold) numbers.

Fun Facts:

The invention of roulette is attributed to Blaise Pascal, the famous mathematician and inventor, during his experiments with the perpetual motion machine.
If you bet on each number individually, your chances of winning any given spin are 1 in 37 (European) or 1 in 38 (American).
There has been much speculation about a blind French scientist named François or Frantz Blanc who allegedly created roulette in the 17th century. However, historical records are unclear.

Blackjack

Blackjack, also known as , is a card game that pits you against the dealer. The goal is to get a higher score than the dealer without going over 21. You can hit to draw more cards, stand to keep your current hand, double down to double your initial bet while only receiving one more card, or split identical cards into two hands. Use basic strategy and card counting to gain an edge.

How to Play Blackjack:

Receive two cards from the dealer.
Decide to Hit, Stand, Double Down, or Split depending on your hand and the dealer's showing card.
Compare your hand to the dealer's hand after all plays have ended.
If your hand is closer to 21 without going over, you win.
If the dealer goes over 21, you win.
If you have Blackjack (21 from a card worth 10 points and a picture or an Ace), you receive a higher payout.

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Popular Plays and Moves:

Hit: Ask the dealer for another card.
Stand: Keep your current hand and end your turn.
Double Down: Double your original bet and receive one more card; then, your turn ends.
Split: Separate a pair of identical cards into two hands, requiring separate bets.
Surrender: Some versions allow you to forfeit half of your bet and leave the hand immediately.
Insurance: If the dealer shows an Ace, you can take out “insurance” (betting up to half your original amount) that if they hit Blackjack, you’ll be protected.

Notable Features and Rules Variations:

Soft Hand: A hand with an Ace, which can count as 11 or 1 point. Ex: Ace-5 is a “soft” 16 or 7.
Hard Hand: A hand without an Ace that cannot be counted differently. Ex: 5-6 is a “hard” 11.
Dealer Must Draw to 16: The dealer is rule-bound to hit until their hand is 17 or higher.
Multiple Deck Games: Use several decks shuffled together for each round.
Double Exposure: Both of the dealer’s cards are face-up.
No Holde’m: Players cannot hold onto their cards between hands.
Squeeze: The deck is squeezed to reveal the bottom card before the player makes a decision.
Free Dew: Automatically stands with 17 and hits on 16 or lower.
Double Attack Blackjack: Players can make a second bet and attacks after seeing the dealer’s second card.

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Payouts and House Edge:

Regular wins pay 1:1, while Blackjack (21 from an Ace and a 10-point card) typically pays 3:2. However, some tables may offer 6:5 or 7:5 Blackjack payouts. The house edge for basic strategy in a single-deck game is roughly 0.4%.

Tips and Strategies:

Basic Strategy: Follow a chart that dictates the optimal move for every dealer showing and player hand.
Card Counting: Keep track of the cards dealt to make informed bet sizing decisions based on remaining cards in the deck.
Holducci Strategy: Always stand with soft 19 or higher, even if the dealer shows a 6.
Take Insurance: When the dealer shows an Ace, it’s wise to take insurance as it guarantees you half your money back.

Fun Facts:

Blackjack has the lowest house edge of all casino games when played with optimal strategy.
Counting cards was made famous by the movie Rain Man.
Blackjack is the most popular table game in casinos, attracting the majority of table game revenue.
Blackjack switching – allowing players to exchange one card between their two hands – was made infamous by .

Baccarat

Baccarat is a card game where players or the banker (dealer) compete to get as close to a score of 9. Two or more players can participate, each starting with two or three-card hands. Additional cards may be drawn depending on predetermined rules. The winner is the one whose hand is closest to nine, or exactly nine if both player and dealer achieve that value. Predict which hand will win or wager on a tie. Its use as a high roller game in James Bond and Casino Royale adds glamour.

How to Play Baccarat:

Place your bet on the banker, player, or tie space before the dealers deal out the cards.
According to established rules, each hand receives cards.
Add up the value of the cards in each hand. Tens and face cards have zero values, aces are worth one, and other cards are face value.
If the total value is in the teens, subtract ten to get the final score (e.g., a seven and five becomes two).
The winning wager is the hand that is closest to nine, or exact nine if either hand scores nine.
Lose your bet if you wagered on the losing hand.
Win a 95% return if you bet on the banker or an 85% return if you backed the player. A winning tie bet pays 8 to 1.

Popular Bets:

Banker Bet: Wagering that the banker’s hand will win.
Player Bet: Betting that the player’s hand will win.
Tie Bet: Betting that both hands will end up with the same total.
Pair Bet: Betting that the second card dealt to the banker or player will be a pair.

Notable Features and Rules:

Traditional 9-Pin Baccarat: Nine decks of cards are used, and players place bets on where the winning pin will land after being weighed.
Chemin de Fer: A French variation of baccarat where players act as the banker in rounds.
Super 6: An optional side bet that pays out if the banker wins by a score of six.
Eye of EDEN Baccarat: A high-stakes version inspired by the biblical story, featured in James Bond novels and filmed in Casino Royale.
Mini Baccarat: A smaller table with seated players placing bets on nine-card sprigs, handled by a dealer.

House Edge and Odds:

The banker bet has a 1.06% house edge, while the player bet carries a 1.24% edge. Tie bets have a much higher 14.36% house edge on the initial bet but a huge payoff if correct.

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Tips and Strategies:

The most strategic aspect of baccarat revolves around the commission charged on banker bets when they win (typically 5%).
Due to the commission, the statistical advantage shifts between the player and banker bets with each round.
No skill is involved, making it a favored game for timid players or celebrities who don’t want to feel pressured to make decisions.
Popular misconceptions include that you need to burn money or bring luck to the table. It’s just a simple card comparison game.

Fun Facts:

Despite its reputation as an exclusive game for wealthy individuals, baccarat’s origin is tied to Italian gamblers in France who called it ‘baccara,’ meaning zero since tens and face cards hold no value.
In the United States, baccarat gained prominence among casino executives looking for a high-profit game in the mid-1980s.

Poker

Poker is a family of comparing cards where players wager on the strength of their hand and attempt to win the pot (the aggregate of all bets placed during a hand). Usings chips to represent bets lets action at a table be easily followed. There are various types of poker, but they share common features such as blind bets, drawing, pairs, flushes, straights, full houses, and bluffing. Hold 'em is the most popular variant in casinos today.

How to Play Poker:

Place an optional ante bet (varies by game).
Each player (including the dealer) is dealt one card face-down, then a second card face-up (Hold'em).
There is usually a round of betting after the deal.
If you stay in the hand, a community card is dealt face-up on the board for all to use.
Another round of betting ensues.
A second community card is added to the board, followed by another betting round.
The final community card is added, and a final burst of betting occurs.
Remaining players enter the showdown, revealing their hand.
The best poker hand wins the pot.
Collect your winnings and place new bets for the next hand.

Popular Types of Poker:

Texas Hold 'em: Players attempt to make the best hand using any combination of their own cards and the community cards on the board.
Seven-Card Stud: Each player is dealt several cards, combining them into the best 5-card hand.
Omaha Hold 'em: Players receive four cards and must use exactly two to make their best hand.
Five-Card Draw: Players are dealt five cards, discard unused cards, and rely on the other players to bluff convincingly.
Razz: Lowball poker variant where the lowest hand wins, judged by the value of the worst card used in the hand.
Strize: Players try to make any portion of a qualified hand, like a flush or straight, instead of a complete poker hand.

Poker Hands:

The strongest poker hands win the pot. Here’s a list of common hand rankings, from highest to lowest:

Royal Flush: Ace-King-Queen-Jack-10, all of the same suit.
Straight Flush: Any straight (1-5, 2-6, etc.) all in the same suit.
Four of a Kind: Four cards sharing the same rank.
Full House: Three of a kind combined with a pair.
Flush: Any combination of five cards, all belonging to the same suit.
Straight: A sequential series of five cards (counting skips).
Three of a Kind: Three cards sharing the same rank.
Two Pairs: Two cards of one rank, another two of a different rank.
Pair: Any two cards of the same rank.
High Card: When none of the above combinations apply, the highest unused card determines the hand strength.

Common Poker Terms:

Ante: A mandatory, equal bet placed by each player before the start of a hand.
Blinds: Mandatory opening bets placed by the players to the left of the dealer, often hidden from view.
Bet: To wager money that you have the best hand.
Call: Equal the latest bet made by another player.
Check: To neither bet nor fold, only valid if there has been no betting (yet) in the current hand.
Fold: To forfeit your cards and your claim to the pot, exiting the hand.
Pot: The aggregate of all bets placed during a hand. The goal is to win the pot.
River: The final community card revealed during the hand.
Turn: The fourth community card.

Tips and Strategies:

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Good poker players study their opponents' body language and betting patterns to gauge their hand strength.
Learn the odds of improving your hand. For example, the likelihood of making a flush after drawing two cards.
Never bet more than you can afford to lose. Establish a budget before playing and stick to it.

Fun Facts:

President Richard Nixon was a compulsive poker player, while President Ronald Reagan worked as a poker dealer to make ends meet.
Online poker exploded in popularity after the introduction of Molly Bloom's "Underground Poker Empire" was exposed in the Hollywood film Molly's Game.
Texas Hold 'em was made famous by the .com boom and broadcast televised tournaments, most notably the World Series of Poker.

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Craps

Craps is a fast-paced dice game where players bet against the banker (the craps dealer) using a variety of options. After placing their chips on the pass line or other areas, two dice are rolled. Pass line bettors hope for a seven or eleven, while everyone else needs a two, three, or twelve for a win. Once a point is established with a different dice combination, the shooter keeps rolling the dice. They must reach the pointed number before rolling a seven to pass. Multiple bets and complex payout systems elevate the excitement.

How to Play Craps:

Place your bets by putting chips on specific areas within the craps table according to the rules you wish to wager.
The shooter rolls the dice.
If it’s the first roll, you need a two, three, or twelve to win; seven or eleven means you win if betting on the Pass Line.
Roll any other number, and that becomes the “point.” Mark the number on the board with a special marker.
Continue rolling the dice. If the dice land on the point number, you win and continue to roll until you do.
If you land a seven, you lose your Pass Line bet and the roll.
Other bets have different outcomes and payouts.
Clear winning chips from your number areas.
Collect your winnings and place new chips for the next roll.

Popular Bets and Their Odds:

Pass / Don't Pass Line: One of the most popular wagers in craps.

Pass Line Bet: Wager the dice will land on seven or eleven on the come-out roll, or hit the point number before landing on two, three, or twelve. Payout is even money, minus a 1.41% house edge.
Don't Pass Bet: Anticipate a come-out roll of two, three, or twelve, or the dice hit a seven before reaching the point number. Victory gets a payout of 1 to 1 minus a 1.36% house edge.
Come Bet: Made after a point has been established. If the dice land on seven or eleven, it pays like a win on the Pass Line. A two, three, or twelve results in a losing come bet. On all other numbers, the dice roll continues, and if the number rolled matches the point, it’s a win. Those who don’t want to lay odds against the sevens cannot make this bet. Payout is even money, less a 1.41% house edge.
Don't Come Bet: This works similarly to the Don't Pass Bet, except if a point is established, the bettor wishes to bet against that number instead of against a seven.
Field Bet: Win if the dice display 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11. Payout varies between 1:1 and 2:1, depending on what is rolled. House edge ranges from 2.78% to 8%.
Any 7 Bet: Wins immediately if the very next roll of the dice produces a seven. Pays 4:1, less a 16.67% house advantage.
Any Eleven Bet: Winner when the next roll is an eleven. Returns 30:1, minus a 14.11% house margin.
Snake Eyes Bet: Successful when the next roll shows a two, which looks like a snake's eyes. Payoff is 30 to 1, but the house takes 18.2%, leaving a meager return for the winner.

Other Common Craps Wagers:

Place: Put chips behind a number on the table and win if that number is rolled before a seven. Various numbers have different odds and payouts, ranging from -4% to -6% house edge.

Big Six/ Eight: Bet the shooter will land a six or eight before a seven. Payout is even money, but the house takes 9.1%

Hardways: Predict a 4, 6, 8, or 10 will be rolled again before a seven, but only if the dice currently show that number paired (2-2, 3-3, 5-5, 6-6). Payout is 7:6, minus a 9.1% house edge.

Lay Bet: Wagering against a number requires approvals and additional bets called “buying” the Lay Bet known as buying odds. A Lay Bet with no odds is similar to the Don't Pass Bet. Buying the Lay Bet allows players to reduce the house edge.

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Tips and Strategies:

Pass Line and Don't Pass Line bets are the strongest foundations for a craps strategy due to their minimal house edges.
Avoid one-roll bets, including Any 7, Any Eleven, and Snake Eyes, as the house holds a significant advantage.
Set a limit on how much you're willing to lose and stick to it. Likewise, decide on how much you'll cash out and follow through.
The numerous betting options make craps seem complicated, but the main gambles—Pass/Don't Pass, Don't Come/Come, and Place—include the lowest house edge.

Fun Facts:

Gamblers have developed dozens of weird rituals, chants, and hand movements known as “creepers,” “pretties,” and “hops” in an effort to influence the dice.
Crapless craps, allowing players to bet on any number and win if it lands before a seven, was banned in Nevada in 1992 because of its low house edge.

Lottery

Lotteries are government-run gambling games where participants purchase numbered tickets, choosing their own or having them quick-pick automatically. During a cut-off time, sales are finalized, and winning numbers, usually balls with numbers, are randomly selected. If your numbers match those on the official draw sheet, you win a predetermined prize based on the number of matching digits, such as three, four, five, or six. Typically run by states to raise funds, they provide big jackpots and are accessible. Scratch-offs combine instant knowledge of whether you've won and a wider range of prizes.

How to Play the Lottery:

Choose a lottery game, such as Powerball or Mega Millions.
Purchase a ticket at a retail location or online through an approved vendor.
Select five white numbers, plus one gold Mega Number on a Mega Millions ticket, or five white numbers and one green Powerball number on a Powerball ticket.
Decide to let the computer pick your numbers via a quick-pick option.
Wait for the next scheduled drawing cut-off time.
Watch the broadcast or check online to see if your numbers match those on the official sheet.
Claim your prize at a lottery office or retail store if your ticket is a winner.