Top 10 Casino Games

Everyone loves to have a gamble from time to time (myself included). Unfortunately, we don’t always win, but the real fun is in the playing, not the winning. Here is a list of the top 10 casino games.

10 Pai Gow

Pai Gow is a Chinese gambling game, played with a set of 32 Chinese dominoes. It is played in major casinos in China, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The name “pai gow” is sometimes used to refer to a card game called pai gow poker (or “double-hand poker”), which is loosely based on pai gow. In the game, each player and dealer will be given four tiles which are then separated into a high hand and a low hand. Each player then compares his high hand to the dealer’s high hand, and then the process repeats with the low hands. If the player beats both of the dealer’s hands, he wins. If they split the wins, it is a push. If the dealer beats both of the player’s hands, the house wins.

9 Baccarat

In Baccarat, each player has three options: Player, Tie, and Banker. When all players have placed their bets, the dealer deals out two 2-card hands; one is the banker’s hand while the other is the player’s hand. The hands are added up. If a hand totals over ten, the ten is dropped (i.e., 9+5=14=4). A hand equaled to 10 becomes a 0 or baccarat. The winning hand would be the higher of the 2, and anyone who placed a corresponding bet wins.

8 Wheel of Fortune (The Big Six)

This game is played by placing your bet on one of the six symbols on the game table—usually $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, and joker. Then the wheel is spun. The wheel is divided into 52 equal sections that are separated by pins around the edge. Each section contains one of the symbols ($1, $2, etc.) on the game table. When the wheel comes to a stop, the pointer will be between two pins. All bets placed on the symbol the wheel stops on wins.

7 Keno

Keno is a lottery game. The player gets a card numbered 1 to 80. The player then picks up to 20 numbers and a wager. The card is then registered, and the game begins. The caller announces 20 randomly drawn numbers. The player tries to match as many called numbers to their selected numbers. The more numbers matched, the higher the winnings paid against their wager.

6 Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is played against the house instead of the other players. The dealer deals out 7 cards to each player and himself in rotation. Everyone then looks at their cards and tries to make the best 5-card and 2-card poker hands. The 5-card hand must rank higher than the 2-card hand. The hands are then compared against the dealer’s hand. If both hands beat the dealer, the player wins. If both lose, the player loses. If both the dealer and the player win one hand, it is a push.

5 Roulette

In roulette, the player places his chips on the table where they would like to wager. The table consists of spaces with the numbers 0-36 and 00 laid out. There are additional betting spaces for even-odd, red-black, low 18-high 18, low/middle/high 12, and for the first/second/third columns. A player may also place their bet between 2, 3, 4, or 5 numbers and may cross-bet between the additional betting area. The dealer will signal no more bets. The dealer spins the wheel in a clockwise direction then rolls a ball in a counter-clockwise direction. The ball lands in a numbered slot on the wheel. All bets that correspond with the number win.

4 Slots

Slots are machines that offer many different games. They are generally the most popular games in the casino (and the most profitable for the casino). In general, the player inserts coins (or a card loaded with a monetary balance) into the machine and either pulls a handle or presses a button. This causes the wheels to spin. On older-style slot machines, there were 3 wheels. On the newer machines, they tend to have 3 to 5 simulated wheels. When the wheels stop, the player is paid based on the pattern of symbols. Slots also offer the player to choose the number of “paylines” that can produce a win—from 1 to 10 or more). Progressive slots also allow for multiple players to win a larger jackpot.

3 Craps

Craps is a high-energy dice game based on the number 7. The player places bets around the table. There are different types of bets and many places to bet. When all bets are placed, the “shooter” throws the dice down the length of the table. The Pass line is the main focus of the game. The number 7 or 11 wins on this line while numbers 2, 3, and 12 lose. All other numbers rolled make an established point. If that number is rolled again before a 7 is rolled, the bet wins. The Don’t Pass line is just the opposite; 2 and 3 wins where 7 and 11 lose. The Field line wins on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Numbers 2 and 12 pay double. The Come line is playable after a point is established. It plays the same as the Pass line. The Don’t Come plays like Don’t Pass after the point is established. Then you can also make bets on the horn. These bets are for rolling a 2, 3, 11, or 12 on the next roll. Other bets include Big 6/8, C&E, Any Seven, and Craps.

2 Blackjack (21)

Blackjack is a card game played between the house and the player. The dealer deals out two cards to each player and themselves. The dealer has one card face up and one face down. The players then take turns trying to get as close to 21 without going over. Aces are equal to 1 or 11. Face cards are 10, and number cards are face value.

The player calls hit to get another card (as many as they want until they stand or bust) and stands to end their turn. A player may also “double down” to double their bet—the player only gets one additional card—and then the turn ends. If a player has two identically numbered cards, they may split the one hand into two hands. This requires them to double their bet to get two more cards. Then they play the two hands the same as they would a single hand. After all the players have completed their turns, the dealer reveals their face-down card. The dealer has two options: hits if the total is 16 or less and stands on 17 and higher—everyone who has a hand that beats the dealer without going over 21 wins. Blackjack is an Ace plus a 10 or face card and is an automatic win—for the player or the house.

1 Poker

Poker is a card game base on a 3-, 5-, or 7-card hand. The ranking of hands from lowest to highest are high card, pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush, and royal flush. The player with the best hand wins. There are many versions and variations of poker, the main types being stud, draw, and community card games.

In “stud” games, players are dealt a number of cards (typically 5 or 7) and must use those original cards to make their best hand. In “draw” games, the players may decide to trade in some of their cards (generally up to 3) to improve their hands. In “community card” games, the players are dealt “hole cards” face down (cards that are uniquely theirs) then play off the community cards to make their best hand. What makes them “community cards?” The other players at the table also may play off them. Some of the most popular poker variations include 5-card draw, 5-card stud, Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hold’em, Razz, Pineapple, and 7-card stud.

Contributor: Ravyn

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