Casino table games are a gambling favorite for a good reason. That’s where the real action is. Board games allow players to apply strategy and use that knowledge. It’s all about knowing the odds, which makes it a more active way to play than pulling the lever of a slot (virtual or real) and hoping for the best.
The online game gives you the opportunity to hone your skills and learn these games inside and out with lots of repetition. Yes, you can play to win real money, but many online casinos also have low limit games, welcome bonuses, and even a free bet to attract new players.
Top 5 Board Games
- Baccarat
Baccarat is still a mystery to many casino players. It has a fancy name and is usually considered a high stakes table game, which is why many people gravitate towards their comfort zone in the slots area. It’s all nonsense. Baccarat is relatively easy to learn. The player is dealt two cards (and a third if the total is less than 5). The same for the dealer. Nine is a magical number. Whichever hand is equal to or close to nine wins, with face cards counting as zero and aces counting as one.
If the total on the hand is more than nine, the sum is subtracted by 10. For example, a pair of eights has a value of six: 8 8 16; 16-10 6
Playing online baccarat is the fastest way to learn. The hands move quickly and, unlike in blackjack, the players do not make any decisions after the cards are dealt. The only decision is made before the hand, when the players choose which outcome to bet on. Playing popular table games like online baccarat is a great way to get comfortable with different odds.
- Craps
If you are in a casino and you hear cheers, chances are they are coming from the dice table. Players usually cheer for the same result as they take turns rolling the dice onto a large numbered board. Simply put, this is an addictive game worth watching and even better playing.
The most common bet is the passing line. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the pass bet wins. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3 or 12, the pass bet loses. If the shooter rolls any other number, that number becomes a “point”. The shooter will continue to roll the dice until the same number is rolled again, in which case the pass bet will win, or until a 7 is rolled, in which case the pass bet will lose. These are just the basics, with plenty of side bets and the ability to increase bets throughout the shooter’s turn.
- Three Card Poker
This is a great way to quench your poker thirst without having to wait for a seat in a live poker room against other players while playing online poker or even video poker. The player puts an ante before each hand and receives, you guessed it, three cards. They can then choose whether to play the hand with an extra bet or fold and lose the ante. Standard poker hand values apply.
Again, this is easy to understand when playing online three-card poker. This comes naturally to anyone with poker experience and it doesn’t take long for beginners to grasp the values. It’s all about choosing whether to play the hand or fold. Players who start online will quickly learn which hands to bet for high value and which hands to fold to avoid risky bets.
Three Card Poker also includes bonus payouts for a flush, straight, three of a kind, or straight flush. Playing online will help players get used to the different payouts at their own pace and learn how to manage their bankroll with a fun and relatively simple table game.
- Roulette
Roulette is a basic casino table game with a wheel and a numbered board. The dealer drops the ball and spins the wheel, and players can bet on whether it will land on the red or black slot of the wheel, or, in American roulette, the green dot 00. There is no 00 in European roulette, which increases the odds. You can also bet on odd or even numbers, single numbers or various combinations. Learn more about European Roulette here.
- Black Jack
Playing blackjack in a casino is great, but this exciting game has a few downsides. This is generally the most played game, and different tables have different minimum bets, typically between $10 and $50.
Blackjack differs from roulette in that a player can drastically reduce their chances of winning by playing hands incorrectly. There is no wrong way to bet on red or black, but there is a statistically wrong way to play 13 when the dealer shows a 5.