If you never been to a live casino or played casino games online before, your first time can be a little overwhelming. This is especially true if you don’t know much about the games that are offered. Before you start spending that no deposit casino bonus that many online casinos will give you just for signing up, it pays to think about which gambling games suit your personality and offer you the best chance to win some money and have a lot of fun.
Choosing the right game can depend on several factors. Are you playing to win some serious cash or is your primary motive having a good time? Do you prefer simple games that don’t have a big learning curve, or do you crave the intellectual challenge of the more complex ones? Questions like these are ones you should answer before you wager your first dollar on casino games. To help you sort it out, here are five games you might want to start with and a few reasons why they might be a good fit for you.
Slot Machines
Make no mistake; slot machines are the bread and butter of any casino. The jingling bells and flashing lights are meant to distract you from the fact that slot machines account for the biggest house edge the casino can muster. Yet, despite the fact that most slot machines offer a player poor odds, these games can produce some huge wins. As in life-changing money huge. It is not uncommon for progressive slot machine jackpots to reach six figures.
Slots are also easy to play. They require no thought at all. Simply make a bet and spin the reels. The machine does the rest. Because they offer the chance at a large jackpot and are easy to play, slots should probably be one of your first game choices. Here’s another reason: you don’t need a lot of money to play them. There are plenty of penny slots that you can play for ten cents a spin or less! These games are a great way to get your feet wet in the casino and have some fun without risking the family farm. Who knows? You might just benefit from some Beginner’s Luck and walk away with a big win.
One last thing. Slots are also a great way to use bonus money from the casino. The best casino bonuses typically require you to play through the bonus amount before you can cash out the winnings. In other words, if you receive $100 in bonus cash you must wager that $100 on a game of your choice. The winnings, if any, are yours to keep. On a slot machine you can complete the play through requirement quickly and sometimes even walk away with a small profit.
Roulette
Nothing could be simpler than making a simple choice between red and black right? True enough, Roulette can be one of the easiest games to play in the casino. It can also become more complex for the experienced player who likes to bet a lot of number combinations in the hopes of making a big score. Unfortunately, the tradeoff is that the odds in roulette aren’t great for the player.
But wait! “Don’t I have a fifty percent chance of winning when I bet on red or black?” you ask. No, not so much, thanks to the presence of those two little green spots on the roulette wheel–0 and 00. Those two numbers change the whole game and give the casino a significant edge. Even so, if you stick to betting on red or black and odd or even numbers, you can have a great time and manage your money wisely. Many online roulette games will let you play for as little as $1 per spin. You won’t get rich quick playing roulette, but it kind of makes you feel like James Bond, so there’s that.
Video Poker
Now, we’re getting somewhere. Finally, a game that offers decent odds for the player and is simple to master. Have you ever played draw poker with your friends? Video poker is just like that. It’s basically the slot machine version of draw poker but the odds are much better than those offered by regular slots.
The concept is simple. No matter which video poker game you are playing, always go for the royal flush. Hitting a royal is when the game really pays off, and it happens more often than you might think. But, you can’t hit a royal flush unless you draw at it. A royal flush is A-K-Q-J-10 of one suit: diamonds, spades, hearts, or clubs. You will be dealt five cards to start and then allowed to draw up to five more if you choose. Video poker games offer payouts for all standard poker hands such as two pair, a flush, or a full house. The thing is, many times the promise of one of these smaller payouts can deter you from drawing at the royal flush. The casino is counting on that.
Let’s say you receive these five cards to start: Ace of Spades, King of Spades, Ace of Diamonds, Six of Hearts, and Four of Clubs. The machine will be quick to recommend that you keep the two aces and draw three new cards. Don’t do that. Hold the two spades and draw for the royal. That’s pretty much the only strategy you need to know when playing video poker. Keep it simple. Because these machines pay back about $0.98 of every dollar wagered, they are a great way to spend your no deposit casino bonus.
Keno
Do you enjoy playing lotto? If you do, you’ll love playing keno. The game is as simple as picking a set of numbers and waiting for the next drawing. Players can choose to play a ticket with a varying number of selections. The more numbers you use on your ticket, the harder it becomes to hit them all. Of course, if you do hit them all the payout can be gigantic. Some people have won $1 million dollars playing keno. You will also win money for matching as few as three or four numbers.
While this game is perfect for beginners because it is so simple, the odds are what you would expect. It is just as hard to win a huge keno jackpot as it is to win the lottery, but playing the game is cheap and there is a certain adrenaline rush as you wait to see which numbers will be drawn.
Blackjack
Without question, blackjack should be on your list of must-play games. It is relatively simple and, when you know some very basic strategy, the game offers the best odds of any table game in the casino for the player.
Playing blackjack is straightforward. You are dealt two cards and are trying to make a total of 21 or as close to it as you can get without going over. Aces count as one or eleven, tens and face cards count as ten, and every other card is assigned its face value. The dealer is your opponent. If the dealer gets closer to 21 than you do, you lose. If the dealer goes over, you win every time as long as you do not also go over or “bust.” An ace and a ten-value card are called a blackjack and is an immediate winner provided the dealer does not also have a blackjack.
Without going into a full discussion of how to play blackjack, here’s the deal. Pick up a book on basic blackjack strategy. There are literally hundreds to choose from. Study it. You can even purchase strategy cards that can be placed in your pocket for reference. Stick to basic strategy, bet the minimum, and take your time to learn. Once you do, you’ll realize that blackjack offers you a great chance to make a profit.
Remember, whatever game you choose to play at the casino doesn’t matter nearly as much as having fun. Search for the best casino bonuses, use them to play one of the games mentioned here, and have a great time.
