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The Three Most Popular Casino Game Formats Based On Chance

We can divide casino games into two main categories regarding playing technique. Those that require skills and those that rely purely on chance. All gambling involves a bit of skill and a lot of luck, but there are games like blackjack you can’t play based on luck alone. You need some skill and strategy to outsmart the dealer and win. Games like slots are based on chance; you can play them without skill or technique. 

Skill and Strategy Games

  • Poker
  • Blackjack
  • Craps
  • Baccarat

Games Based on Chance

Slots

Slot machines have been around since 1894 when the slot machine looked more like a cash register than the modern machines we have now. Some say slots were designed to occupy wives and girlfriends while the men played real games in the card room surrounded by cigar smoke. Nowadays, slots are anybody’s game, and if you are lucky, you can win some big money on slot machines whether you are playing in Vegas or at the best SA online casino. 

The evolved slot machines and online slots can be divided into three categories: classic, video and jackpot slots. Some people stick to a particular category and swear that’s where their luck is.

Classic Slots are based on the original slot machine and usually feature the bells, Lucky 7s and fruit symbols. If you are new to slots, this is where you should start. Their gameplay is straightforward, and the rules are easy to understand. Three matches, and you win.

Video slots have more features like bonus rounds, multipliers and cluster wins, which can give big wins.

Jackpot slots have a jackpot amount you can win, and this can be a fixed amount or a progressive amount where a player’s portion of the wager gets added to the jackpot amount. The progressive jackpot prize can grow well into the millions. 

Factors to consider before playing slots

The outcome of your spin is entirely random, but here are a few things to consider before choosing a slot game.

  • RTP is the percentage of money the slot game will pay back to the player over time. A higher percentage usually means a higher chance of winning. 
  • Volatility – This tells you how much you can expect to win. A high volatility pays out less often but has bigger wins. A low volatility pays out more frequently but with smaller wins.
  • Jackpot size – the bigger the jackpot, the better your chances of winning.

Roulette

In roulette, you bet where the small ball will land once the roulette wheel stops winning. There are several roulette variations, but the most popular are European and American. 

American roulette has two green pockets for the zero (0,00). The extra zero is not a design flaw but a strategic move to increase the house edge. The house edge on American roulette is 5.26% compared to the 2.7% for European roulette.

European roulette, sometimes French roulette, only has one green pocket for the zero. Its numbering is also slightly different to that of the American wheel. Besides these differences, the game is played similarly for both versions.

Keno

Keno is available online and at physical casinos and is very much like the lottery, so you can see it’s a game based purely on chance. The main difference between Keno and the Lottery is that you don’t have to wait for a weekly draw, and results are immediate. 

For some people, there is a strategy or skill to winning at keno. A popular approach is to spread your numbers across the card to balance the numbers. Another method is to play the same numbers multiple times. The idea is that, eventually, you will get the winning numbers.

How Do You Win These Games?

If we knew the answer to that, then there wouldn’t be a need for this article. The short answer is there is no way to guarantee a win with gambling. It doesn’t matter whether you play poker, keno or bet on sports. Far too many factors contribute to a win or loss of a game or bet. With that said, you can still win money on these games. 

  • Compare the odds. Generally, roulette has much better odds than do slot machines, so that would be a better game. 
  • Manage your bankroll carefully, and stick to the limits you set for yourself even if you are on a winning streak. 

Last Word

Remember that games of chance require a little skill and a lot of luck to win, while skills-based games require a lot of skill and some luck. Games like poker can be played long-term, especially if you have the knowledge and mastered the skill. Some people have even made a career out of poker playing, although it is an astronomically small number compared to the number of poker players worldwide.

While slots and roulette are something you can only sustain for a short time, they should be purely for entertainment.