Casino table games you can play without betting money

• One fun casino table game you can play without money is craps, also known as “street craps.”
• Another option is baccarat, a comparing-card game commonly found in casinos worldwide.
• Three-card poker is another great option if you want to practice without risking your cash.

Johnny Chan. Phil Ivey. Phil Hellmuth.

These are some of the biggest names in the world of poker. They’ve won endless amounts of tournaments and made even more from high-stakes games against each other. But before they became world champions and multi-millionaires, what did they do?

Practiced, duh.

Becoming a champion at any sport or game requires lots of practice, so get out there and throw a few hundred hours at it! Wait, I forgot. You don’t have a couple of months to spend down at your local casino (or these days, online).

Never fear; I’m here to help. If only there was some way to get that practice time in without spending all those precious dollars… Oh wait, there is! In this post, I’ll break down several casino table games you can play without betting money.

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Craps (Street Craps)

Craps is one of the most exciting table games you can play at the casino. The energy around the table is contagious, but that doesn’t mean you should start throwing your money around. It’s a notorious sharp learner, and things can go south quickly.

The good news is you can learn without losing by playing a version called ‘street craps.’ This is the street fasciation of craps, which means you can play it anywhere – no casino required.

You might be able to find a group of players on a street corner in New York City, but likely, you’ll need to find two people (including yourself) and a flat surface. Once you have that, place your bets using tokens, rocks, or whatever makeshift objects you can find.

Although you’re not technically placing bets, you are getting the feel for . Winner – you.

Like many casino games, the key to winning at craps is minimizing the house edge. To do that, you must know which bets to avoid and which ones to lean on heavy.

Are you ready to put your street smarts to the test? See how well you can do on these wageres without a casino in sight.

• The Pass Line and Don’t Pass – These bets share a 1.41% house edge when placed in the casino, so let’s start with them. Place your bet on the Pass Line (or Don’t Pass) and roll the dice. Your goal is to land on a 7 or 11, which wins on the Pass Line and causes a push on the Don’t Pass. A roll of 2, 3, or 12 loses on the Pass Line but wins at the Don’t Pass. All other numbers (4,5,6,8,9,10) become the point.
• Lay Bet – Next up is the Lay Bet. Unlike the Pass/Don’t Pass wagers, the lay bets have a higher house edge. Specifically, you’ll face a 1.52% disadvantage, but you can still use them to practice. To make this bet, you’re essentially betting against the point numbers (4,5,6,8,9,10). In other words, you’re saying that you (and the house) will roll a 7 before they hit one of those numbers. For instance, you might choose to lay $10 on each of the numbers 4 and 5. This would mean you’re risking $20 per roll. The good thing is that a win returns $20 more than you risked ($22 total). This is because you’re paying 1.5% commission on lay bets. Roll a 7 before hitting either 4 or 5, and you lose the entire bet. Hit 4 or 5 before seven, and you win your choice number(s) minus the commission.
• Field Bet – Move over Lay Bet, here comes the Field Bet. This wager is often confused with the number itself, but they are two different things. First things first, making the field bet requires you to bet on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. You win your bet if the shooter rolls any of these numbers. The downside, however, is that you only receive 1:1 in return (minus any taxes or commission, depending on the city). In other words, you’re not going to get rich hitting field bets on the street. The upside, though, is that you’ll get plenty of reps and increase your chances of rolling a lesser shot number.
• Come Bet / Don’t Come Bet – Two other popular wagers include the come bet and don’t come bet. These work similarly to the pass and don’t pass lines, except you make them after the point has been established. Throw another $10 on the come bet and hope for a 7 or 11. A 2, 3, or 12 sets you back the same $10. When the numbers are in between, you on the come are set to the value rolled. For example, a come bet with points of 5 and 6 respectively sets you up to win 3s and 4s moving forward. Things are pretty much reversed for the don’t come bet.
• Big 6 and Big 8 – It’s time to talk about big 6 and big 8. These are the black eyes of the craps family; they don’t provide any sort of skill component and offer abysmal odds to players. In fact, big 6 and big 8 wagers carry a 9.19% house edge, which is one of the highest in the industry. I don’t recommend playing these on the casino floor, let alone on the street corner. Stick to the others to get in your reps.

There you have it; you now know how to play craps without money or a casino. Get out there and practice like crazy, then hit the floor with confidence.

One last thing: street craps is not illegal, but check your local laws just to be safe.

Baccarat

Baccarat has gained a lot of popularity over the years due in large part to James Bond. Remember that scene in Casino Royale where he plays baccarat to bankrupt Le Chiffre?

Daniel Craig was pretty smooth walking up to the table like he owned the place, but you wouldn’t look out of place either. Even if you’ve never played baccarat, it’s easy to pick up, and you can absolutely .

We’ll talk more about the basic strategy in a minute, but first, let’s discuss how you can play without real money.

As you might have guessed, many will offer demo versions of their games. These allow you to practice for free while also changing various variables along the way.

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For example, you can lower the bet size to $0.01 and crank the speed slider to the max. This will give you an endless amount of practices without spending a dime in bets.

Another site I really enjoy for free baccarat is . All you have to do is click the “Demo” button right below the images of the available casinos.

This loads a virtual casino balance of 5,000 credits, although you can adjust that too. From there, search for baccarat and filter the results by “Free” in the left-hand column.

You’ll notice three different options—Punto Banco, Baccarat Banque, and Baccarat. Feel free to try them all until you find your favorite.

Now that you know how to play baccarat for free online, let’s switch gears and talk about the basics.

• Player vs. Banker – The whole game revolves around the player versus banker dynamic. Most of the time, you’ll be betting on the banker’s hand to win. Winning wagers like this pay out at 95 percent. The five percent loss comes from fees assessed against winning banker bets.
• Point System – Baccarat uses a unique point system to determine the value of cards. Cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value. Sixes and sevens are worth one point each, while aces are worth one point. A three-card hand with a total of 13 would earn zero points because 10 is subtracted from the 23.
• Card Drawing Rules – The dealer follows strict rules regarding additional card drawing. The player always draws a card for total of 5 or less. The player stands when the total is 6 or 7. Here are the banker’s rules regarding drawing or standing:

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The banker always draws a card for a total of 5 or less. * The banker draws a card for a total of 6 if the player drew a card with a total of 7 or higher. * The banker stands with a total of 6 if the player stood on their total of 6. * The banker draws a card for a total of 7 if the player drew a card with a total of 6 or 7. * The banker stands with a total of 7 if the player stood on their total of 7.

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• Tie Bets – A tie between the banker and player pays out at 8:1, which looks great until you realize the 5 percent fee. Ugh. Betting on a tie specifically occurs 9.51% of the time, so this seems like a tough wager to win.
• Side Bets – Some tables will have side bets that you can ignore. One of the more popular is the “Pair” bet, which pays 11:1 if both the player and banker have pairs.

It takes time to memorize all of these baccarat tips, especially the dealing rules for the banker. That’s why practicing for free online or with pen and paper is a genius idea. Doing so allows you to become comfortable with the process before putting real money on the line.

Oh yeah, one more tip for free online baccarat. You can slow the game down even more by adjusting the graphics quality. Lowering it to the lowest setting will reduce animations and such, allowing for more bets per hour.

Here’s one of the best sites to play baccarat for free online.

Blackjack (Faux Jack)

I’ll be honest; there’s no true way to play blackjack without money. You do have to buy into the game with chips or currency, as this provides the house with revenue.

But did you know that you can change the mental state of the dealers? It’s true! Okay, maybe that’s not possible, but you can at least influence how they play the game.

Strategic influencing can be done with something called a , which I’ll explain later in this section. Before we get to that, though, let’s talk about how you can play blackjack without actual cash.

Head to the casino and take a seat at the blackjack table. Now, ask the dealer to shuffle a few times without dealing out any cards. Sit there and observe the intricate dance she performs with the cards. Watch her hands glide across the felt surface, flipping each one over with ease.

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You could also ask the dealer to walk you through the shuffling process outside of view. Again, no actual cards are being dealt, but you can see how the machine works and whatnot.

Doing so gives you a major advantage, although nothing compared to what’s coming next.

What would you say if I told you that you could influence the deck based on where you place your bets? Sounds crazy, right? Well, hold on to your seats because that’s exactly what the zone system is all about.

Zones is a blackjack technique that utilizes clustering to influence how the dealer plays the game. The basic idea is that you cluster your bets within zones, forcing the dealer to adjust their playstyle accordingly.

Let’s say that you and the dealer are playing at a table with six decks. She starts the shoe with Deck 1, meaning that the zone system would look like this.

• Zone 1 includes Decks 1 and 2. • Zone 2 consists of Decks 3 and 4. • Zone 3 features Decks 5 and 6.

All you have to do is cluster your bets within these zones. For example, you could bet $20 on each of the first four hands. The total exposure in the first zone would be $80, while the following zone exposes you to $60.

Zip code 3 contains just one hand, exposing you to $20. When the dealer reaches the end of the shoe, she flips the order of the deck and starts with Deck 7. The cycle continues over and over again.

So, how does the zone system affect how the dealer plays the game? Does she suddenly become a superfan of whichever players are clustered in each zone?

Not quite, but she does have to keep track of who has been hurting the table more. Let’s look at a hypothetical situation to better understand .

• Player A has been mostly winning when playing in Zone 1. • Player B has taken some serious losses in Zone 2. • Everyone else at the table is scattered throughout the zones.

When deciding how to play a hand in Zone 3, the dealer will remember that Player A has beaten her more often in that zone. She may decide to stand with a soft 17 (e.g., A-6) instead of hitting to avoid feeding another winner in Zone 3.

Obviously, this is all speculation, but many believe that the zone system can provide an edge in blackjack. The only way to perfect the art is to practice, practice, practice. And voila, that brings us back to the main topic of this post.

You cannot play blackjack without betting money, but you can practice the zone system without spending hundreds of dollars.

Find a cheap table and start taking notes. See what works and what doesn’t. Then, when you’re confident in your skills, blow some cash while trying out the zone system for real.

Here’s a list of the best blackjack sites if you want to dive deeper into the game.

Pai Gow Poker

We’ve covered craps, baccarat, and blackjack, so what’s left in the table game department? Pai Gow is a popular one that is often overlooked by newbies.

At first glance, Pai Gow might seem confusing. There are so many tiles in front of the dealer and all the dominoes laying around. What gives?

Relax; it’s just Pai Gow. This game combines a domestic card game with the Chinese game of pai gow. The result is a fun game that can be played without money in online form.

Most will offer free versions of Pai Gow, but the setup can be a little deceiving. Upon loading the game, you’ll probably see a “Play Now!” button with images of chips everywhere. Don’t worry; I’ll show you how to change everything to free mode.

Head to the game selection page and locate Pai Gow.

Click the image to bring up the game details. Take note of the “Try It” option under the image carousel.

Click “Try It” to launch the free version of the game.

Of course, you could always just search for free Pai Gow poker. Ignition Casino, for example, has a free version of their Pai Gow Poker Underground.

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Getting back on topic, the goal of Pai Gow is to make two poker hands—one with two cards and the other with three. The three-card hand must rank higher than the two-card hand.

That’s easier said than done, especially considering the banker gets certain benefits. Regardless, the player and banker compare their hands to determine a winner in each half. The banker can win both hands, just the three-card, or neither. Got it?

If so, practice makes perfect. I recommend changing the speed and/or sound settings to maximize practice time. Also, resist the urge to place side bets like the “Royal Windfall” and “Wind.”

Side bets pay out huge sums of cash if you hit hands like royals with no suits matching. They’re lots of fun when you’re willing to bet real money, but stick to the standard bets when practicing.

Ready to play Pai Gow without money? Give this site a look.

Three-Card Poker (Instant Three Card Poker)

Three-card poker is another great option if you’re looking for casino table games you can play without betting money.

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Unlike its name, three-card poker is not a casino table game designed to help you learn holds ’em. Instead, players attempt to beat the dealer by making stronger three-card hands.

Ante up.

You can only make one decision in three-card poker: ante up or not. Assuming that you do decide to ante, you and the dealer receive three cards.

The rest of the game comes down to comparing hands. A straight beats a flush, which beats a pair, and so forth. There are a few exceptions to this, however, due to ranks within the ranks.

• Straights and straights flushes compare oddly because there are fewer straights flushes in a deck. For example, there is only one straight flush (A, 2, 3) while there are four straights (A, 2, 3 ) and nine (T, J, Q ). Because of this, astraight flush will always beat any straight, regardless of the suits.
• Flush and folders also have an odd comparison. Four aces of the same suit would beat a folder (3, 4, 5 of any suit), even though a folder is typically considered stronger.
• All other comparisons are made normally with nothing to worry about.

The basic strategy for three-card poker involves knowing when to ante and how much to bet during each round. All players who ante are entitled to play their hands out by sticking or twisting.

The goal is to make a stronger three-card hand than the dealer, but there are a few things to consider. First, you must think about whether you like your hand or not. Sticking usually costs more than twisting gains.

Second, you have to think about what the dealer might turn over. This is hard to do because one, you don’t know what cards they received, and two, you must compare to their worst three cards.

The good news is that Instant Three Card Poker can help you master the basics without any real money. Available at BetOnline’s casino, this single-player game lets you play as fast as humanly possible.

Turn up the speed, mute the music, and avoid the bet multipliers to get in maximum practice time. When you’re ready to take your show on the road, head to the .

Before I let you go, let’s touch on a few quick three-card poker strategies.

• Always Antent – Contrary to , I recommend antenting every hand. The ante bet carries a 32.27% probability for victory while paying 1 to 1, resulting in a modest house edge of 3.30%.

• No Action After Loss Limit – The best strategy for three-card poker play also tells players to maintain the same bet following a loss. The limit for no action is the next bet following a win.

• P-1 Strategy – This is a simplified method for playing three-card poker. Here are the steps to follow for each hand.

• Ante – If your hand is M1 (minimum) or higher, play it. Otherwise, fold. M1 = (333), (A, 2, 3), (A, 4, 5), (A, A, 2), (A, A, 3), (A, A, 4), (A, A, 5), (A, A, 6), (A, A, 7), (A, A, 8), (A, A, 9). M2 = (A, A, T), (K, K, 2), (K, K, 3), (K, K, 4), (K, K, 5), (K, K, 6), (K, K, 7), (K, K, 8), (K, K, 9), (Q, Q, Q), (Q, Q, J), (Q, Q, 10), (J, J, J), (J, J, 10), (J, J, K), (T, T, T), (T, T, J), (T, T, Q), (9, 9, 9). M3 = (9, 9, 8), (9, 9, 7), (8, 8, 8), (7, 7, 7), (T, T, 9), (T, T, 8), (T, T, 7). M4 = (T, T, 6), (T, T, 5), (T, T, 4), (T, T, 3), (9, 9, 6), (8, 8, 7), (7, 7, 6), (7, 7, 5). M5 = (6, 6, 6), (5, 5, 5), (4, 4, 4), (4, 4, 3), (3, 3, 3), (3, 3, 2), (2, 2, 2).

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M = (T, A, X), (J, A, X), (Q, A, X), (K, A, X), (K, K, X), (Q, Q, X), (J, J, X), (T, T, X), (9, 9, X), (8, 8, X), (7, 7, X), (6, 6, X), (5, 5, X), (4, 4, X), (3, 3, X), (2, 2, X), (A, A, A), (K, K, K), (Q, Q, Q), (J, J, J), (T, T, T). A = (9, 8, 7), (9, 8, 6), (8, 8, 5), (7, 7, 6), (6, 6, 5), (5, 5, 4), (4, 4, 3), (3, 3, 2), (2, 2, 1), (A, 9, 7), (A, 8, 6), (A, 7, 5), (A, 6, 4), (A, 5, 3), (A, 4, 2). X = all other combinations.

• Play All M4 Hands – Players should bet money on all hands ranking between M4 and M5.
• Play Some M3 Hands – Fold all hands ranked below M3a but play everything from M3b to M5.

Again, the best way to grasp these three-card poker strategies is through practice. Luckily, you can put them to the test without spending a dollar at BetOnline’s website. Check out their site if you want to play Three Card Poker without money first.

Open Pentathlon

How about an open pentathlon to finish things off? That’s five different events for those of you unfamiliar with the Olympic term.

First, let’s talk about regular table game play. You cannot do this without money, but you can negotiate with friends to use fake cash. Run a contest to see who can win 100 rounds without betting any real money.

You get the idea. Find a way to make it interesting without putting dollars on the line.

The next best thing to playing for free is reducing the stakes as low as possible. This allows you to practice without breaking the bank.

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I recommend finding the least expensive table games and shooting for the minimum bet. Let’s look at some of the top options.

Cheap Blackjack

Blackjack is almost always the most plentiful casino game. You can find several tables offering $1 minimums, but some casinos take it even lower.

As of this writing, the holds the record for the lowest minimum bet in blackjack history. BETamaga hosted this feat by paying out $223,360 to a man who bet $0.50 at the table.

While you probably won’t find a $0.50 minimum blackjack table anytime soon, there’s a good chance you can find $2 or $3.

The house edge in blackjack can vary greatly depending on the decisions you make and rules at the table. Not all aces are dealt as Holde’ms, for instance.

Brush up on the to prepare for your next trip to the casino.

Inexpensive Baccarat

Baccarat also has low minimum bets at many casinos. You can sometimes find $5 or $10 tables, which are not too bad when you compare the to other games.

Betting $10 on the banker to win $19.36 from a $19 commission is not ideal, though. Baccarat becomes less profitable the less you bet.

I recommend switching to the player side when looking for cheaper bets. This side offers worse odds at (+1.24%) but reduces commission to 50%. Therefore, repeatedly betting $5 on the player to win $10 is a decent practice tactic.

Low Limit Craps

Craps is another good option if you’re looking for affordable table games. Most craps tables have $5 minimum bets, which is twice as much as baccarat’s average.

Even so, passing a couple of hundred dollars on useless craps advice seems fair when learning the ropes, right?

The beauty of craps is that it has so many bets to choose from. Pass line and don’t pass line are both solid choices for minimal stakes gamblers because they carry a 1.41% house edge.

Field bets on 2 and 12 also have a 2.78% edge while paying 1:1 on 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11. Of course, avoiding propositions bets and other high-risk wagers will prevent you from losing tons of cash.

Check out these general craps strategies to improve your luck.

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Slow Pace Spanish 21

Spanish 21, or Blackjack Plus, is another Pokertsch-inspired alternative found in many casinos. This fast-paced game encourages players to hit a five-card hand worth 21 points or more.

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Unfortunately, Spanish 21 also has one of the highest house edges among table games. Expect to see a rough +6.88% when playing by all rules and without any bonuses.

Every table game has its pros and cons, but Spanish 21’s downfalls seem more prominent. At +6.88%, you could turn a $100 into $93.20 in less than an hour of steady play.

Going by , the key to surviving Spanish 21 is to pay attention. Thoroughly read the rules and pay special attention to the bonus elements.

Once you have a firm grasp on the table’s specifics, slowly decrease your bet to the minimum. Sitting at $3 or $5 Spanish 21 tables allows you to practice without blowing your bankroll.

Least Volatile French Roulette

Roulette is often viewed as a table game for elderly women wearing pearls. This stereotype is unfair for many reasons, especially considering that French roulette is one of the best versions.

Also known as Roulette Parisien, this classic game features the same layout as American and European roulettes. The difference is in the betting options and, therefore, strategy.

In French roulette, players can utilize the La Partage rule to lessen the impact of a loss. This rule states that you receive half back if zero hits while betting on even money spaces.

The house edge in French roulette is mathematically the same as Russian and European roulettes at 2.70%. The major difference is that French tables frame the rules in favor of the La Partague rule rather than the wheel.

Euro roulette has the exact same setup, but Russian roulette gets its name from only containing 10 pockets instead of 38. I don’t recommend seeking this one out unless you have access to a private wheel.

Anyways, finding French roulette is easy because it’s one of the most popular variants. The tough part is … well, roulette is infamous for defying momentum.

One spin cannot be used to predict the next because roulette lacks any memory. Prepare to budget properly for this volatile game, but the la parteague rule does make it slightly less explosive than others.

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Playing casino table games without money is difficult, if not impossible, in most cases. But there are ways to extend your playtime while limiting financial damage.

Find the least expensive games, such as ...

• Cheap blackjack

• Low limit craps

• Inexpensive baccarat

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• Slow pace Spanish 21

• Least volatile French roulette

Reducing your bets allows you to practice for longer periods without suffering massive losses. If you’re willing to drop down a few rungs, you can even try free online table games like E Zhu Xi and Luxor Heads-Up Poker.

When all else fails, turn to the internet. Online casinos offer demo or free play versions of many table games. This is the closest thing you can get to playing casino table games for free.

Find a good welcome bonus to aid your practice sessions at the .

It’s also important to know that there are plenty of free casino games online besides table games. Slots are the obvious answer, but bingo, scratch offs, and keno all fit the bill, too.

Hopefully, this post has opened your eyes to alternative ways of preparing for the casino. Nobody wants to waste money, especially on table games that they aren’t familiar with.

By practicing for free or at low limits, you can enter the casino with more confidence.

Adam is a sports enthusiast with a passion for writing. He loves watching professional soccer leagues and collegiate basketball tournaments in his free time. Writing for GamblingSites.com allows him to at the same time.

In addition to writing, Adam enjoys teaching guitar, playing audio games with his young daughter, and spending time with his wife and rescue dog, Bubba.