Online gambling has exploded in a big way — 11% of all the traffic on the internet comes from people playing in online casinos — and the industry is set to be worth $80 billion by the end of 2020. Those are serious stats.
Blackjack, Roulette, Texas Hold’em Poker, online slots…. Enter an online casino and you can find all these and more. As technology has become increasingly advanced — and is likely to grow even more advanced still, online casinos and games like these have become more accessible to players. They don’t have to sit down in front of a desktop computer to do it anymore. Now they can play on the move on devices such as mobile phones and tablets.
This article looks at some of the main games you’ll find in an online casino, including slots and how you can win on them. We start with…
Blackjack
You’ve seen Blackjack and other games played in the movies, but now you can play it in the comfort of your home. You start by placing your bet and then you choose to either hit, stand or double down when you receive your cards. If you hit and go over 21, you go bust. Get a pair and you can split and place two bets. Your aim is to get as close as to 21 as possible and do so higher than the dealer.
Poker
Poker is a classic and comes in different variations, the most popular being the sophisticated Texas Hold’em. Other versions include 5 Card Draw, 5 Card Stud, 7 Card Stud, Omaha (Hi/Lo). Some have no betting limits, are strategic and require serious practice, such as Texas Hold’em. Some split the pot; for instance, Omaha Hi/Lo, in which the pot goes to the player who has the highest and the player who has the best low hand. Which one you’d enjoy the most all depends on your tastes.
Roulette
As far as casino games go, it doesn’t get more straightforward than roulette, whether you’re playing online or offline. You place your bets on a number and if the metal ball lands on it when the croupier spins the roulette wheel, you win. It’s important to know there are different types of bet you can place. These include betting on different sets of numbers e.g. the first dozen, the second dozen, the first column, the second column etc.
The joy of online slots
Not everyone fancies playing table games, which is where online slots can come into the equation. Part of their popularity lies in the fact that there’s so much variety. Casinos, online and offline, boast lots of them, so anyone who walks through the doors is never spoilt for choice.
The bottom line is online slots are enjoyable to play. The designers make them appealing by offering different themes, creating sharp graphics and, generally, making them easy on the eye. They reinforce the enjoyment factor with features such as bonus games, progressive jackpots (in which the jackpot increases when someone plays the game but doesn’t win) and symbols that can produce more wins.
Online slot themes
In the online slot world, there are themes to suit all tastes. There are classic games, including the popular Rainbow Riches, which bases itself on the ‘pot of gold at the end of the rainbow’ theme. Safari themes are another classic type of theme. ‘Mega Moolah’ is one of the popular ones and features a progressive jackpot.
You have themes based on movies — it could be a superhero or a movie classic; King Kong, for instance. If you fancy something different, you could go for a wild, wild West type theme, with Wild Wild West: The Train Heist Game.
Then there are historical themes. Viking ones are particularly popular, partly because of the TV show ‘Vikings’. If music is more to your taste, you might choose to opt for a fantasy theme or for a rock music one.
These are all just a few examples. There’s a whole load more out there.
How you can win at online slots
Online slots are easy to play and there are plenty of opportunities to win. It’s a question of understanding how they and the games work and applying a little strategy. Here are a few tips:
- Understand the different elements of a slot machine: You can’t win on a slot if you don’t understand how it works. Some symbols combine with others to produce wins. Some give you extra spins and create wins even though they’re not on the payline. Some have higher values than others. Some games have more paylines, so there are more chances to win, too, and others have progressive jackpots, which creates scope for you not just to win, but to win big.
- Play different games: Diversification is good. If you only play on one game, you miss out on games that might have more multipliers, scatters, wilds, bonus games or other features — and, by extension, you miss out on the opportunity to win more. It’s also handy for covering different bases. You might lose on one game but recover the losses on another.
- Determine the volatility: Play a game for a while and decide whether it has a low volatility or a high one. A low one means that the slot pays out frequently but pays smaller amounts, whereas the payout on a high volatility one is less frequent but you win bigger. It’s a question of patience. How soon do you want the payout?
- Wager higher amounts: You need to be careful with this one because if you lose, you could cut your game short. The idea of wagering higher amounts is to raise the stakes and, potentially, win bigger payouts. If you’re not feeling comfortable, stick to betting smaller amounts so that you can play for longer. Never bet more than you can afford.
Online casinos are here to stay and are proving to be a popular form of entertainment. Whether visitors want to play Roulette, Poker or other classic games, or just put some money into the slots and hope to win big, the casino accommodates them. It’s safe, comfortable and convenient. Who wouldn’t want that?