Most modern-day casino games can be traced back to 17th century Europe. These days the likes of Poker, Blackjack, Baccarat and Roulette are played in casinos across the world and have become really popular online casino games too. Throw in Slot games and you’ve got the whole shebang to choose from.
But how do you play casino games, and how do you bet on them? In our ultimate casino guide, we’ll run through everything you need to know, including the ins and outs of online casino betting and some online casino tips.
How to Get Started
The first thing you need to do is decide which game you’re going to play and where. Both Baccarat and Blackjack are great places to start for beginners, but that doesn’t mean you should discount Roulette and Poker either. We’ll explain each game further down in this guide.
Once you’ve decided which casino game you want to play, you’ll need to choose where you want to do your betting. At Grosvenor Casinos, you can head to one of our many casinos across the UK to play in person. Or you can play online with our online casino – our Live Casino games bring the action right to you in the comfort of your own home.
When you get into your chosen game, you’ll need to know how to bet, how much to bet and how you win. We’ll look at all of that in further detail below.
How Odds Work in Casino Games
When it comes to online casino betting, the odds are determined by the game you’re playing and the bet you make. For example, in Blackjack the odds of playing a winning hand are 42.22% with the chance of the dealer winning being 49.1%. This never changes.
Similarly, with Roulette the odds of winning on your bet will depend on your chosen bet. A simple bet of red or black has a 48.65% chance of winning in European roulette, whereas a straight up bet on a particular number has a 2.7% chance of winning.
How to Bet on Casino Games
The type of casino game you’re playing will dictate the type of bet you make. For example, if you’re playing Baccarat, you’ll place your bet before the dealer turns over the cards. With Roulette you bet before the wheel spins and can choose from a range of different bets, including inside and outside bets. With Slots, you select your bet before you spin the wheel.
With online casino betting, you’ll have to select your stake and make your bet before the game begins. This will be explained fully in the game menu of your chosen game.
Different Types of Casino Games
Whether you’re playing in person at a casino, enjoying online casino games or testing yourself against the dealer in our Live Casino, there are a number of traditional casino games you can choose from.
How to Play Slots
Almost all Slot games have the same basic instructions. You place your bet, click the spin button and the game does the rest. All wins are down to chance.
The basic rules of Slots are that you need to match three or more symbols along a payline. How much you win is calculated on the paytable of the game and the value of the symbols. The higher the value of the symbols and the more you get in a row, the more you win.
That’s just the start. Today, online Slots come in so many different formats and have bonus features galore which can increase the thrill and the prizes on offer. At Grosvenor Casinos, you can choose from a range of online Slots including classic slots, Megaways slots, Jackpot King slots and Slingo (a fantastic mashup of slots and online bingo).
How to Play Poker
The basics of poker are simple, but it can be a difficult casino game to master. At the start of the round, an ante bet is placed with each player then everyone is dealt five cards (this can vary depending on the type of poker game being played).
Each player then takes turns to action. They can surrender (fold), call (add an equal number of chips that matches the pot value) or raise (increase the pot by putting more chips in). The player will choose what to do depending on their hand. If you think you have a good hand, you can go for a raise or call to try and win more. Folding is the best way to go if your hand is weak and you don’t want to lose any more money.
Where poker gets a little complicated is understanding the value of a hand. Each hand holds a particular ranking against each other. For example, a Royal Flush is the highest and Pairs is the lowest.
So, what is a Royal Flush? Also called an Ace-High Straight Flush, a Royal Flush consists of an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 all in the same suit. You can discover more about the different hands in poker with our detailed poker guide.
How to Play Blackjack
Blackjack is a super simple card game to play. You are dealt two cards and so is the dealer. You can see both your cards but only one of the dealer’s cards.
The combined value of your cards needs to be as close to 21 as possible. Once you have your initial two cards you can decide to stick or twist, which means you either stay with what you have or get another card.
If you twist and your new card takes your value over 21, you lose. Once you stick, the dealer reveals their second card, and whoever is closest to 21 will win. You can also run side bets too as a great way to increase your winnings. You can learn more about these in our guide to Blackjack.
So, what are the value of the cards in blackjack? Numbered cards regardless of the suit are assigned their value whilst the higher value cards – Jack, King or Queen – all carry the value of 10. Aces can either by one or 11, depending on your hand.
How to Play Baccarat
Baccarat is another simple card game to play. Again, you’re playing against the dealer. This time, the dealer deals two separate hands of two cards, the Player Hand and the Bank Hand. The aim of the game is to bet which hand will get closest to nine. You can bet on three different outcomes: the player winning, the dealer winning or a tie. You also place your bet before the dealer turns over the cards to reveal the value, so it really is a game of chance.
The value of the cards in Baccarat vary to those in Blackjack. All tens and court cards such as the Queen, King or Jack, have a value of zero. Aces are always valued as one, whilst number cards carry their usual value.
When it comes to playing Baccarat, you’ll need to know what happens if the value of the two cards is over nine. Say you draw a 6 and a 7, which adds up to 13. If the value is over nine, you simply subtract 10 and that’s your score. So, in our example, your total would be 3.
Baccarat does get a little more complicated when it comes to drawing a third card, and you can read more about that in our guide to playing Baccarat.
How to Play Roulette
Roulette is a relatively easy-to-understand game, which is why it’s one of the most popular games to start your casino betting adventure. You pick a number or colour, place your bet on the Roulette table and watch the Roulette wheel spin. Once the wheel has spun and comes to a stop, the winnings will be paid based on which pocket the ball lands in.
And whilst this sounds super simple, there is a little more to it than that.
The trick with Roulette comes down to the bets you make. You can choose between Inside Bets, Outside Bets and Called Out Bets. Outside bets are the simplest kind of bet you can make and involve betting outside the area where the numbers are on the roulette table. An example of an outside bet is a simple bet on red or black or on odd or even. This kind of bet has a 50:50 chance of winning and pays out 1:1.
Inside bets can be a little more complicated, and involve betting on the numbers on the inside of the Roulette table. An example of an inside bet is a straight up bet on whether the ball will land on a particular number or a bet on two adjacent numbers on the table. Inside bets are harder to win but have a bigger payout, whereas the opposite is true with outside bets.
There are also different types of Roulette games with slightly varying rules. Classic versions include American Roulette, French Roulette and European Roulette.
Live Casino Games
At Grosvenor Casinos, not only can you play all your favourite casino games online, but you can also play Live Casino games on your laptop, desktop, smartphone or tablet.
Our Live Casino games are streamed from a casino or studio, with advanced recording systems and cameras in place to capture every nook and corner of the table with a 360 view of the action. We have live dealers in place that host each game and make sure you know what you need to do. You can even chat to the dealer or other players through our live chat, just like you would at the table in a real-life casino.
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