- One of the top casino games that doesn’t involve slots is baccarat which has three betting options.
- Blackjack is a popular casino game that only has a house edge if the casino has a low limit on when they reshuffle.
- Craps offers so many different bets, some have a 1:1 payout while others can be as high as 30:1.
Casino games often start with slot machines.
You might graduate to the table games, but did you know there are lots of casino games that don’t involve slots or slot machine–like table games? Probably not, because most people just work their way up from the bottom.
Whether you are an experienced gambler or someone who hasn’t stepped foot in a casino besides to use the bathroom of a bar, I guarantee there is a perfect gambling game for you that doesn’t involve a slot machine.
If you are already wondering, “what casino games don’t involve slots?” look no further. Here are seven awesome alternatives.
Baccarat
Baccarat has always had a bad reputation as being a James Bond exclusive type of game. Although it is definitely featured in almost every Bond movie, it has become more mainstream over the last few decades.
It’s also one of the best casino games that don’t involve slots because it has three potential bets. Your traditional bet on which hand will win (player, banker, or tie), results in a 1:1 payout.
However, the house will take a 5% commission on any banker bets when that bet wins. This makes the house edge on this bet about 7%.
But the player versus player bet has a tremendously low house edge of less than 1%. You’ll rarely find a casino game with a lower house edge than that. Tie bets range from a 9% to 15% depending on the game and the casino.
One fun fact is that early 20th century Americans actually nicknamed the game chemin-de-fer (a French invention) as “Baccarat” when it was first introduced. They did so because they assumed it was an Italian game called baccarat.
The actual baccarat was created in Italy (by Francesco Grossi in the 15th century), although it’s hardly ever played today. It’s said that chemin-de-fer was confused for baccarat because both games originated in Italy and were played with Tarot cards.
I highly recommend reading our guide to online baccarat if you want to play this great casino game without slots. Or if you simply just want to learn more about it.
Blackjack
What are some other casino games like blackjack? I would say there isn’t a single casino in the world where that question is applicable—even if every taste can’t be pleased.
Blackjack is easily one of the more popular casino games that don’t involve slot machines. Most people have at least some understanding of blackjack, even if they’ve never played it before.
That’s because blackjack has been glorified in movies, TV shows, music videos, and more.
I count my luck stars every time I get a card that puts me closer to 21. But despite the excitement of the game, many players aren’t aware that they could be losing less money by playing blackjack.
For one thing, blackjack only has a very low house edge of less than 0.5% if you play with ideal strategy and the casino doesn’t change decks after every hand. Some players might not consider that much of a deal, but every bit helps—especially when you’re aiming for significant profits.
Additionally, blackjack is one of the few casino games where you—the player—actually have the odds in your favor under the right circumstances.
If you want to make serious cash at the tables, blackjack is one of the better casino games that don’t involve slots. Just be sure to double check how the casino handles things like reshuffling.
MOHEGAN SUN CASINO REVIEW 2023 - BEST SLOT MACHINES & GAMESCraps
There’s no shame in it—most people have no idea how to play craps let alone what it is. I mean, two people stand at a table and throw two dice at another side of the table and cheer ensues? Yep, that pretty much sums it up.
Not all of those cheers come from people winning though. Unfortunately, craps has some of the widest betting ranges among casino games that don’t involve slots.
In other words, it’s incredibly easy to place a bet and lose a ton of money—much faster than you could at a blackjack or poker table. The good news is that it also offers some of the highest payouts.
For example, landing an 11 or a 2 is a natural roll (snake eyes won’t do you any favors here), which gives you an automatic win. If you wager the minimum and hit that natural, you’ll walk away with a 15:1 payout.
Other high-paying bets include the field (any 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11), which has a 6:5 payout when you win, and the large or big bet, which pays out 2:1. The “horn” bet—consisting of 2, 3, 4, and 12 all at once—has a whopping 25:1 payout if you win.
Of course, with such high payouts come high house edges. Snake eyes leave you with a 13.8% chance of winning, giving the house a 7.64% edge.
According to the Casino Profitation Ratio Chart, the horn bet gives the house a 18.83% edge, making it one of the worst gambles you can make. However, the field has a relatively low house edge of 2.83%, while the big bet comes in at 1.41%.
Ultimately, craps can make you rich fast—but so can blowing all your money on ridiculously unlikely bets. Play your cards right (or should I say roll?) and craps can join your list of favorite gambling games that don’t include slots.
Pai Gow Poker
Pai gow poker is one of the best gambling games that doesn’t involve slots because it follows similar rules as traditional poker. That means you can apply a lot of the same strategies, which might make the transition to table games a little easier.
casino usa no deposit bonus codesWhile the overall goal of pai gow poker is similar to poker (you still need to make strong hands), it differs in a couple key ways.
First, pai gow poker only uses traditional poker hand rankings up to and including two pairs. Anything beyond that—such as a straight or flush—doesn’t apply. Instead, the highest hand you can make is two pairs.
Second, instead of making one five-card hand, you must make two separate poker hands—one with two cards, and one with six cards. The two-card hand must be weaker than the six-card hand. For example, if your six-card hand has a pair, then your two-card hand must use a different pair.
This sounds trickier than it really is. Basically, focus on making the strongest possible six-card hand, and then make the second-best two-card hand out of the remaining cards.
Each player at the pai gow poker table has their own pool of cards. You are only concerned with your own hands. All of the players at the table bet against the house—not each other.
Pai gow poker has a fairly low house edge of around 2%; however, this can vary between casinos. Always keep an eye on the house’s payout rates before you wager too much money.
Caribbean Poker
Speaking of poker, did you know that there are several types of casino games that don’t involve slot machines and are, in fact, types of poker? Caribbean poker is one of these games. So if you enjoy Hold’em among the best gambling games with other people, you might fall in love with Carribbean poker too.
Although this game does put you against other players, you’re not trying to beat their pants off. Instead, everyone at the table is playing against the dealer.
Here’s a quick rundown of how the game works.
• Every player at the table places an initial wager in the center of the table (the “ante”).
• Players may also choose to place a smaller side bet, such as for Caribbean poker.
• The dealer then places two additional wagers on the table. These include the “blind” (equal to half of the ante), as well as an additional wager based on the house’s paytable (commonly 50 cents to $5).
• All players and the dealer receive five cards. Players can only look at their own cards.
• Once you have reviewed your cards, you can fold (lose your ante bet) or make a “raise” bet equal to double your ante.
Red Flag Signs of an Unreliable Online Casino (AvantgardeCasino)• After everyone at the table has decided whether or not to raise, the dealer reveals his or her cards.
• If the dealer cannot make at least a pair, everyone gets their ante bets back. The raises push (are returned to the player).
• If the dealer can make at least a pair, compared their hand to those of the players who raised. Start with the player on their left. The highest-ranking hand wins all of the raises, or the dealer might take down several hands in one fell swoop.
• Surviving players will receive a payout based on the paytable, which might be something like this:
• – 250:1
• – 100:1
• – 40:1
• – 7:1 or 8:1
• – 1:1 or Even Money
As long as you play with optimal strategy, Caribbean poker has a house edge of less than 3%. With the right side bet, that house edge drops below 1%.
Sic Bo
Sic bo is one of the casino games related to poker, but it doesn’t involve any actual poker hands. Instead, you wager on what certain dice rolls might bring.
These dice rolls involve throwing three dice into a machine, so there’s definitely an element of chance that cannot be beaten through strategy.
However, some sic bo bets have a considerably lower house edge than others. Generally, larger payouts come with higher house edges.
For example, you could wager on any triplet (all three dice showing the same number), which has a house edge of around 7% and a 30:1 payout. You could instead wager on a total of 10 or 11, which has a slightly lower house edge of 4.5%, but only offers a 6:1 payout.
Some other popular sic bo bets include specific douple combinations, specific total values, and even bets (which cover all three dice numbers). Even bets have a house edge of 2.8%, making them one of the best ways to play this game.
A unique characteristic of sic bo is the wide range of payouts and house edges. Many other casino games typically have one or two bets with a particularly low house edge, but everything else has a much higher house edge.
So rather than trying to cheat the system at sic bo, you must strategically decide which bets offer the most payout for your risk level. Some players might prefer a wider house edge in exchange for a bigger potential payout, while others will stick with the even bets over and over again.
No matter which way you tilt, sic bo certainly stands apart as one of the more unique casino games that don’t involve slots.
Pai Gow Tiles
I know, I know. Another pai gow game? Hear me out.
Pai gow tiles—also known as three-card fronton or 32 face—is another casino game that doesn’t involve slots. But unlike pai gow poker, this game uses Chinese coins or tiles instead of cards.
Each tile has a symbol on it, such as a rooster or an ancestor. These symbols correspond with numerical values, which determine the rankings for this game.
Instead of using traditional poker rankings—such as a royal flush or straight—pai gow tiles ranks hands according to this scale (from highest to lowest):
• Yao: Yaochen (Two character sets that, when combined, equal the highest possible hand.)
• Yao: Yaoci (same)
• Heng: Henghou (Nine of one character and eight of another)
• Wu: Wuyun (Eight of one character and seven of another)
• Jiu: Juiwei (Seven of one character and six of another)
• Qi: Qiyan (Six of one character and five of another)
• Ba: Bahou (Five of one character and four of another)
Lucky Royal Panda Slots You Need to Play Right Now – With Demos• Liu: Liaowo (Four of one character and three of another)
• Qi: Qiyuan (Four of one character and three of another)
• Erzhong: Erzhongwu (Three of one character and two of another)
• Erzhong: Erzhongchen (Same)
• San: Sanhou (Three of one character and four of a free-scoring character)
• Liulong: Liulongwu (Two of one character and five of a free-scoring character)
• Liulong: Liulongchen (Same)
• Lianzo: Lianzowu (Two of one character, one of another identical character, and two free-scoring characters)
• Lianzo: Lianzochen (Two of one character, one of another identical character, and two free-scoring characters)
• Zhishi: Zhishichen (Two identical characters and three free-scoring characters)
• Zhishi: Zhishiwu (Two identical characters and four free-scoring characters)
• Gong: Gongchen (The highest-value free-scoring character and two identical medium-value characters)
• Gong: Gongwu (The highest-value free-scoring character and three medium-value characters)
• Gong: Gongyuan (The highest-value free-scoring character and four medium-value characters)
• Xiao: Xiaoyi (Two lowest-value free-scoring characters and one medium-value character)
• Xiao: Xiaoyan (Two lowest-value free-scoring characters and one highest-value character)
• Xiao: Xiayi (Two lowest-value free-scoring characters and three medium-value characters)
• Xiao: Xiayuan (Two lowest-value free-scoring characters and four medium-value characters)
• Mei: Meiwen (All four characters are free-scoring, and there are no pairs)
• Mei: Meiyi (All four characters are free-scoring, and there are two pairs)
• Mei: Meiyuan (All four characters are free-scoring, and there are three pairs)
• Mei: Meichén (All four characters are free-scoring, and there are four pairs)
Casinos Near Fort Lauderdale You Can Visit TodayPai gow tile houses edge varies between casinos, but can usually be found online. However, this game has a generally low house edge of around 1.5%-3% depending on the casino and the player’s strategy.
More Awesome Gambling Games Without Slots
- Keno – If you’re looking for a casino game with no slots that resembles the Lottery, keno is probably your best bet. Typically played with numbered balls or symbols, players select their lucky digits and wait to see if they match the ones drawn. Keno can have quite a high house edge, usually ranging anywhere from 25-35%.
- Video Poker – Similar to slot machines in appearance, video poker allows players to control when they draw new cards and interact more directly with the game. Titles like Jacks or Better or Deuces Wild usually require some strategic decision-making and a knowledge of standard poker hand rankings. Aces and Faces has a house edge of 2.59%, while Jacks or Better usually sits around 5%.
- Roulette – While commonly lumped in with slot-based casino games, roulette stands out thanks to its spinning wheel and nearly endless wagering opportunities. Betting on a single number carries a hefty 35-1 payout, but also a 2.7% house edge on European and 5.26% on American wheels.
There you have it. Next time someone asks you, “what are some other casino games like blackjack?”, you can rattle off a handful of suggestions. You could also send them this page, of course!
No Deposit Bonuses at Brand New Online Casinos (2023)Unfortunately, you can’t play these casino games without money. At least not for very long. Read our guide to free casino games online to continue enjoying these games without breaking the bank.
However, if you are interested in dipping your toes (or your entire body) into the casino pool, consider signing up for a casino loyalty program. Not only are they free to join, but some even offer incentives just for singing up.
You could also take a peek at our guide to the best real money casino apps to make sure you are taking full advantage of all the benefits of .
Footnotes:
- History of playing cards provided by .
- provided details of Baccarat evolving from trying to get closer to 9.
J.W. Paine is one of the most experienced writers at GamblingSites.com. He's written for television and the printed media, and he writes for various outlets using several pseudonyms.
Paine is a huge fan of jerky, polka rings, and the afternoon nap.
