Breaking In: A Newcomer's Handbook to Casino Table Games

Casino games are prevalent nowadays. Most of this success can be attributed to the development of online casinos. Thanks to this novel way of playing, people worldwide can access their favorite games anytime.

Undoubtedly, online slots are one of the most popular games in casinos, however, it’s worth noting that several table games are in high demand as well, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and craps. The emergence of live dealer games has only facilitated the popularity of these table games.

Newcomers may feel lost at an online casino. At the end of the day, there are too many games to keep track of. However, it is important to at least have a basic understanding of each game, which can help you make a better choice and eventually enjoy your time more.

For this reason, we have decided to compile the most necessary information about each table game in one place. After reading our short handbook, you will gain a basic understanding of the most popular online table games. Read on for more!

Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the most popular games in the world. There are several reasons behind blackjack’s popularity. One of the main ones is the simplicity of its rules.

The key rule of blackjack is to beat the dealer and score the maximum number of points, while not exceeding 21. If a player scores 21 points on the starting two cards they are dealt, this is called blackjack. The player automatically wins.

Blackjack uses a classic 52-card deck. Cards from 2 to 10 are counted according to their face value. Jack, King, and Queen give the player 10 points each. Ace can be 1 or 11 points.

Having received their cards, all players have the right to ask for another card, or to keep their hand. One of the dealer's two cards must be open. After all players make decisions, the dealer will open the second card and determine the winner who scored 21 or the number of points as close as possible. Usually, even newcomers can achieve some success by following the blackjack “book” of rules.

Roulette

Roulette is a classic game that has gained great popularity all over the world. Its name is translated from French as “wheel”. The roulette wheel is divided into sectors. Each sector is numbered from 0 to 36. The player places a bet and waits for the wheel to spin. The bets are paid out depending on where the ball lands.

The main goal of roulette is to guess where the ball will land and place a bet on it. You can choose several numbers at once. You can even bet on all the roulette numbers. You can also bet on additional fields.

Each sector has its own payouts depending on their probability. As a rule, numbers are paid 35 to 1. But bets on “red” or “black” are calculated 1 to 1. Roulette is a cyclical game. When the ball lands on a specific number and all payments have been made on it, it starts again.

Baccarat

Baccarat is one of the most popular gambling games online. The croupier deals cards to themself and the player. Your task is to guess who is going to win. There are only 3 types of bets: Banker, Player, and Draw. The winner is the one who collects a combination of cards with a total of 9 points or as close as possible to this number. An ace is worth 1 point, cards 2 to 9 are counted at face value, tens and higher give 0 points each. If the amount turns out to be 10 or more, 10 is subtracted and the remainder is calculated.

In addition, when playing baccarat online, you should understand that the bet already includes the house edge. This amount is around a tenth of a percent and is almost the same for the player and the dealer. The exact amount depends on the payout ratio and the number of decks played. It is important to understand how casino house edge works in every game you play.

In any case, betting on a draw is not profitable, so even if your instinct tells you otherwise, it is better not to bet on such an outcome.

Craps

Craps is a famous game of chance played with six-sided dice. The goal of the players is to guess the number of points that will appear on the dice after the next throw or series of throws. Quite a few players can play craps at the same time.

The rules of traditional craps are quite simple. The game takes place in two stages - Come Out Roll (the first throw) and Point Roll (the game after setting the point). First of all, the player (shooter) rolls two dice. What they show determines the next steps.

The best option for the player is when the total number of points is 7 or 11. In this case, the shooter immediately wins and can roll the dice again. If 2, 3, or 12 points are rolled, the player loses, and the right to throw the dice passes to the next participant.

After receiving any of these results, the round ends. Winning bets are paid out and everything starts again.

But it’s much more interesting when the dice show 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9. Then the resulting number becomes a point, and the second stage of the game begins. The shooter rolls the dice until they get a point or 7 again. If their number comes up, they win. If 7 comes up, they lose.