Foreword
The online casino industry was born in the mid-1990s with the rise of the internet. Gambling — taking risks — is a natural human instinct, and many of us enjoy it. The enormous success of online casinos all over the world is a testament to this fact; online gambling is now a multi-billion dollar industry.
People love it for many reasons. Gambling can be fun and exciting, and being able to play online from the comfort of your own home makes it easy for you to access entertainment that you would otherwise have to travel thousands of miles to enjoy.
Besides the sheer joy of playing the game, there is also the mysterious allure of wealth and prestige that is inseparable from online casinos. Playing online is just as authentic and rewarding as playing at a brick-and-mortar casino. Chris Moneymaker, who won the World Series of Poker and has played only online poker, has the world’s highest online jackpot and bingo jackpots, with the current online jackpot record approaching $8 million.
In some cases, playing at an online casino is even better than playing at a real casino. You can place bets and chat with fun new friends, but without cheesy music or cigar smoke blowing in your face. Below are some of the online casino games you can find.
1. Slot machine
Slot machines at online casinos are exactly like what you experience in the real world. You place a bet and pull a virtual lever, and some drums spin.
When they stop, the images above them line up, and different image configurations result in different bonus payouts. The exciting thing about playing slot machines online is that the jackpots are ridiculously high, often running into the millions.
2. Video Poker
The object of the game of video poker is to make the strongest hand possible. You bet and the machine deals you five cards.
If you like the look of any of them, press the button below them to hold them. The computer discards the cards you didn’t keep and gives you new cards – this is your last hand.
If it’s a decent poker hand, the computer pays out odds that get better and better as the hand gets better — low for a pair, high for a straight flush.
3. Blackjack
This is a classic board game that originated somewhere in Europe. The object of the game is to draw playing cards whose face value sums to – or as close to – 21 as possible. All high cards are worth 10, aces are worth 11 or 1, it’s up to you.
You get two cards and you can call more until you’re broke or decide to hang on. The dealer then starts to play and continues to draw cards until he hits 17 or busts. If you win, you will be paid out at odds of 1:1.
4. Roulette
The game is often called the king of casino games and is based entirely on luck. The game has a wheel with numbered slots on the inner ring, colored red or black. You bet on the number you think will come up – or what color if you’re just starting out.
The dealer spins the wheel and places a silver ball in the wheel, which bounces as the wheel slows down until it lands in one of the slots – this is the winning number. If it’s the one you picked, then you win.
5. Roll the dice
In craps, you roll a pair of dice trying to roll a 7 or 11 to win, while you and your friends bet on whether you will succeed. Rolling a 2, 3 or 12 is a dice roll and you lose the round. Rolling anything takes the game to the second round.
Interestingly, the odds of the bet depend on whether you correctly predicted the roll, not whether you succeeded. This is a fast, fun and very social game.
6. Baccarat
The technical goal in a baccarat session is to draw a hand as close to a 9 in face value as possible. You draw two cards and add their values – if the value is 10 or higher, the first number is ignored, and you play the game against the dealer.
As with craps, the winner is not determined by who has the better card. Instead, you bet on whoever you think will win: you or the dealer. If you guess correctly, you win and get the odds – even if you lose the hand.