Step into a casino, or log into one online, and you’ll find a variety of betting opportunities. But, to make the most of your betting experience, and have as much fun as possible – you’ll need to have a good understanding of how casino betting works. This simple casino betting guide is here to help you with that.
To help dispel some of the mystery and confusion that can surround casino betting, here we’ll explain how casino odds work, how the most popular games are played and how to pick a casino. Plus, we give you some useful casino betting tips. Let’s get started.
Types of Casino Bets
Casinos are all about betting. At its very core, whatever game you play in a casino, you’re placing bets on the outcomes of events, whether that’s a draw of a card or the spin of a slot. But casinos offer a huge variety of betting options, with games for all tastes.
The main types of casino games you’ll find in online and brick-and-mortar casinos are:
- Table games: Played at a table, with a banker and usually other players. These include card games like poker and blackjack, plus craps and roulette.
- Slot machines: There are a huge variety of games, all based on spinning reels to land winning combinations of symbols.
- Specialty games: A range of other betting games that may be offered in casinos, including bingo, lottery, and keno betting, plus sports betting.
Understanding Casino Odds and Payouts
Every time you place a bet in a casino, you’re betting on an outcome that has a probability of happening. That probability will be reflected in the odds you’re given for each bet.
In the UK, casino betting odds are usually written as a ratio, like this – 5:1. This means, for every £1 you bet, if you win, you’ll win £5 (plus your £1 bet back, for a total of £6).
For example, if you play roulette, and you bet on:
- The ball landing on a specific number, you’re playing against odds of 35:1. If you bet £1, and you win, you’ll get £36 back (your £1 bet plus £35 winnings).
- The ball landing on either a red or black number, you’re playing against odds of 1:1. If you bet £1, and you win, you’ll get £2 back (your £1 bet plus £1 winnings).
Casino Betting Strategies
Follow these casino betting tips to enhance your casino gaming experience:
Know the Game You’re Playing
The simplest and most important strategy for successful casino betting is to understand the rules of the games you want to play. Try to learn them before you step into a casino. It’s important to try and understand basic betting strategy for those games too.
Stick to Casino Games with the Lowest House Edge
The House Edge is the advantage the casino (house) has over you in each casino game.
Some games offer lower House Edges than others, meaning you could have a better chance of winning, or at least losing less as you play. The games with the lowest House Edge include blackjack, poker, baccarat and craps. The games with the highest House Edge are usually slot machines and keno.
You can reduce the House Edge by making informed bets and by understanding the rules and the odds of a game you’re playing. For example, a good blackjack player who understands blackjack betting strategy can lower the House Edge by knowing the best moves to make when they’re dealt their cards. You can lower the House Edge when playing roulette by placing bets with lower odds, like betting on odds and evens, red or black, or columns of numbers, rather than betting on single numbers.
If you want to know the odds of a game you’re playing, you can ask the dealer. If you’re playing an online game, there will usually be an odds table in the game’s menu.
Play the Versions of Games with the Best Rules
You’ll often find different alternatives of these games at casinos, with slightly different takes on the rules, with some offering better odds and rules than others. Once you’ve picked a low House Edge game to bet on, play a version of it with the best rules and odds on offer.
For instance, if you’re playing blackjack, try to play at blackjack tables where a single deck of cards is used, rather than multiple decks, as it makes blackjack strategy more reliable. Three-card poker allows you to better use basic poker strategy. Play European roulette, with 37 pockets, over American roulette, that has 38.
When you’re learning to play a specific casino game, try to also learn which versions of that game offer the most advantageous rules.
Stake a Small Percentage of Your Bankroll Per Bet
The smaller your bets, the less you’ll lose on lost ones, and the longer you can sustain losses. A good rule of thumb is to never bet more than 3% of your bankroll (the total amount of money you have available to play) on a single bet. If you have a £100 bankroll, this means you shouldn’t stake more than £3 per bet. If you want to place £5 bets, you should have a bankroll of £170.
Tips for Managing Bankrolls
Your bankroll is the total amount of money you have to bet when you visit a casino. Managing your bankroll sensibly and effectively is central to making the most of your casino gaming. You can manage your bankroll by:
- Setting a specific bankroll before you begin playing: Decide beforehand on how much money you’re willing to play with and how much you can afford to potentially lose.
- Setting a bet limit: If you place high bets, your potential winnings could be greater, but so are your potential losses, and a run of a few bad bets could wipe you out. It’s better to place low bets and play for longer. A good rule is to never bet more than 3% of your bankroll.
- Staying on top of your emotions: Bet with your head, not your heart to avoid needless losses. Make sure you understand the game you’re playing and every bet you make, and ensure each bet is calculated and made for the right reason.
Popular Casino Games
The most common games played in casinos around the world, and offered online, include:
Slots
Whilst the basic idea is simple – you bet on each spin of a slot machine’s reels – slots come in a vast variety of styles and with different features offered, especially with online slots.
Slots offer simple fun. Just drop in a coin or place your online bet, then hit the spin button or pull the lever. The combination of symbols that land on the reels can decide whether you win or not – you’re typically looking to land three to five matching symbols in a line across the reels, running from left to right. There’s no strategy to use with slot machines, they’re simply a game of chance. Learn how to play online slots.
Roulette
A popular game found in almost every casino, roulette is played by spinning a wheel with 37 pockets (European roulette) or 38 pockets (American roulette). A white ball is dropped onto the wheel, and when it stops spinning, that ball will end up in one of the numbered pockets. You bet on what pocket that will be.
You can place a wide range of bets in roulette. You can put your money on a specific number, on two numbers together, on four numbers, on columns of numbers, on odd or even numbers, on red or black, and more. Read more about roulette odds.
Blackjack
A fast-paced card game played at a table, blackjack is a casino game that requires plenty of betting strategy. You play blackjack versus the dealer, with each person at the table trying to get a hand of cards as close to 21 as possible, without going over. If you get nearer to 21 than the dealer, you win. If the dealer gets closer to 21, or you go bust (get more than 21), the dealer takes your money.
Blackjack is a game of probability and skill. It rewards experienced players who follow blackjack strategies.
Poker
You’ll find a wide range of different variants of poker offered at brick-and-mortar casinos and online. But each is based on creating a hand of five cards that you bet on against the other players around the table. All bets are placed in a pot. Your goal is to win that pot by either having the best hand of cards or by bluffing the other players into thinking that you do.
Poker is a game of strategy and skill that rewards experienced and knowledgeable players. Learn the basics of poker and find out more about poker strategy.
Baccarat
One of the most loved and prestigious casino table games played globally, baccarat is a card game in which you aim to make a hand with a total value of nine, or as close to nine as possible.
It may sound like blackjack. But with baccarat, you can bet on your own hand, the dealer’s hand or even on a draw, giving you a wide range of betting options. Read more about baccarat betting strategy.
Choosing a Casino: Online vs Brick-and-Mortar
Online and offline casinos both have their advantages:
|
The advantages of brick-and-mortar casinos |
The advantages of online casinos |
| The casino atmosphere and spectacle | The convenience of playing from the comfort of home or even on the move |
| The fun of dressing up and having a night out | The convenience of being able to play whenever you want to, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
| The social experience of playing with others | Online play can still be social, with chat features and live online casino games |
| Benefit from advice and rules clarifications from the dealers | Play privately if you want to, without interacting with anyone |
| Collect your winnings there and then as cash | Manage your player account easily online |
| Access other casino amenities, including drinks, food and live sport | Easy access to a huge range of games |
Choosing the Right Online Casino
Online casino gaming offers plenty of advantages, but not all online casinos are created equally. When it comes to finding the right online casino, it pays to do your research. You should pay close attention to:
- What bonuses the casino offers you, including welcome bonuses, no deposit bonuses, regular member bonuses and loyalty programs.
- What methods are available to deposit and withdraw money from your account.
- What games are on offer, and what games you are most interested in. Whether those are online slots, online versions of casino table games, or even live casino games.
- What security, privacy guarantees and technology the online casino uses. These include data encryption technologies, secure payment processing and robust privacy policies.
- What mobile compatibility options are offered. Are there mobile versions of the casino or mobile apps?
Make sure you play within your limits. Our Safer Gambling tools are in place to help you stay in control and still have fun, which includes deposit limits, breaks and more.
Find Out More with Grosvenor Casinos
Once you’ve read our casino betting guide, put our casino betting tips into action with Grosvenor Casinos. We operate 52 casinos across the UK, offering you all the casino games you’re looking to play, including slots and a variety of live table games. Order mouth-watering food and drink as you play, watch live sport on our big screens, and enjoy gaming in a buzzing casino atmosphere.
With a Grosvenor Casinos membership, as well as being able to play in our brick-and-mortar casino venues, you’ll also have access to all our online casino games. Play some of the best slots you’ll find online, take on live casino table games with real dealers, enjoy online sports betting, and more.
As well as all our casino games on offer, we’ll offer you welcome offers, regular member offers, fast-track entry into our casinos and easy access and transfer of your funds. Plus, settings to control your gaming limits. Find out more and create an account with Grosvenor Casinos today.