Casinos date all the way back to the 1600s, with a huge variety of games available as the concept continued to gain popularity ever since. The casino world is now defined by amazing locations, opulent settings, and the complex regulations that govern them.
The amazing advancements of the 21st century have also taken casino games into the digital world. Every casino game imaginable can now be played from home at online casinos, with a massive variety of slot games available too.
The sheer scale of choice out there nowadays may make casino games seem complicated and intimidating. However, here are three easy casino games for beginners to learn.
1. Baccarat
A relatively simple game to master, Baccarat is a popular card game found across physical and online casinos worldwide. According to the Baccarat sites recommendation provided by Jaehyeong Park, the game has the longest history among existing casino games. Even if you aren’t familiar with it, online casinos that offer it usually provide easy-to-understand guides to help first-time players learn how to enjoy it.
The Objective
A ‘banker’ game, the objective of the game is simple and requires a player to bet on the hands dealt on the basis of which one will come closest to a value of 9. There are only three possible outcomes — a player win, a banker win, or a tie between them. The values of the cards are as follows:
- Aces — 1 Point
- Cards between 2 and 9 — Face Value
- 10s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings — 0 Points
It starts with the bet being placed before the cards are dished. Cards are dealt alternatively, with each player receiving two cards. If the value of the cards exceeds 9, the second digit is taken as the value. For example, a 9 and 4 adds up to 13, so the value of the hand is taken as 3. If the player’s total does not exceed 5, a third card is drawn. If it results in a score of 6 or 7, the player must stand.
If the player stands, the banker must draw if their total does not exceed 5, and also stands on a total of 6 or 7. If the player requires a third card, the banker will either play depending on their initial hand, or the value of the player’s third card value, as required.
2. Roulette
Another relatively simple game to understand, this classic casino game can be played at physical casinos or online. Roulette is played via a wheel divided into slots with numbers between 0 and 36 in them (American roulette tables also have a column for 00). The wheel is also divided by color, with the non-zero numbers either falling under a red or a black column.
The game is played by players placing bets on a variety of options. Once bets are placed, the wheel is spun and a ball is placed in it. As the ball is bounced around, when the wheel stops, it will inevitably fall into one of the slots.
Objective and Bets
The objective is to try and guess where the ball will land. Players can place simple bets like whether the ball will fall on a particular number between 00, or 0 – 36, or whether it will fall on red or black. There are also other variations on bets.
Variations on Bets
Aside from the simple bets that can be placed, players can also take more complex bets. These include betting on ranges, like whether the ball will land on a low range (1 – 18) or a high range (19 – 36), betting on dozens (1 – 12, 13 – 24, 25 – 36) or on any of the three columns.
There are also types of bets like, for example, street bets (three consecutive numbers in a horizontal line), or split bets (two adjacent numbers). While the types of bets can take some practice to understand in a practical sense, all they really affect is the odds of winning and how much the payout will be. The game itself is, therefore, simple, although betting strategies can become more complex.
3. Blackjack
One of the oldest and best-loved casino games around, blackjack is another classic game that can be found at most physical and online casinos. For good reason, it’s also known as 21, since the object of the game is to get as close as possible to this number.
A dealer deals cards out to themselves and every player, and keeps one of their cards face-down (the hole card). Players place bets, and each player plays against the dealer, and not against each other. An ace may be counted as a 1 or an 11. 10s and royal cards are 10, and other cards are face value. Achieving a blackjack means you get a score of 21, for example, receiving an ace and a king.
Players can choose to ‘stand’ or ‘hit’, depending on whether or not they need another card. If the player’s cards go over 21, they are ‘bust’ and automatically lose. If you stand and get a value closer to 21 than the dealer, you win. If the dealer busts, you win, and if it’s a tie, it’s called a ‘push’ and the bet is returned. Dealers must hit on a score below 17, and players can split pairs.
