Complete Guide to Casino Gambling
Casino games have been an international source of fun and excitement for hundreds of years. Betting on games of chance in back rooms and back alleys actually go back even further than that and have continued to grow in popularity evolving into the trillion dollar industry they are today.
Nowadays, you have casinos and gambling halls in almost every corner of the globe. With the merging of casinos and the internet, anyone with a wifi connection and a smart phone, tablet, or computer can play their favorite casino games for real money from anywhere in the world.
Speaking of, you can even play online! That’s right, you can play online casino games from the comfort of your own home. You can read all about the ins and outs of this from our guide to the best online casinos. Or, you can check out this list and start playing and winning today!
| Rank | Gambling Site | Deposit Bonus | Get Started | |
| #1 |
Bovada Casino
|
100% Up To $3,000 | Visit Site | |
| #2 |
Las Atlantis
|
280% Up To $14,000 | Visit Site | |
| #3 |
Wild Casino
|
250% Up To $5,000 | Visit Site | |
| #4 |
El Royale
|
250% Up To $12,500 | Visit Site | |
| #5 |
Ducky Luck
|
500% Up To $2,500 | Visit Site | |
| #6 |
Super Slots
|
250% Up To $6,000 | Visit Site | |
| #7 |
Red Dog Casino
|
225% Up To $12,250 | Visit Site | |
| #8 |
BetUS Casino
|
200% Up To $5,000 | Visit Site | |
Guide to Playing at Casinos
Whether you’re a seasoned gambler or someone new to the party, there is a ton of valuable information available to help you make the most of your casino gambling experience. As things in the industry are always changing, it’s important to stay on the forefront of the industry to make sure you get the most bang for your buck and give yourself the most fun experience possible (and the best opportunity to make some money!)
Below we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know and more about casino gambling. By the time you get done reading this guide, you’ll be an expert on everything related to casino gambling and will be on your road to having the best experience possible.
Beginnner’s Guide to Casinos
We were all beginners at one point; everyone needs to start somewhere. Here are some great guides to get you started if online casinos and gambling is all brand new to you.
Online Casino Basics
For those of you looking to understand the basics and fundamentals, we’ve put together some awesome guides to help you get started with everything. As cheesy as it sounds, we put the “fun” in fundamentals.
In addition to all of the above links and guides, we have put together a fantastic Glossary and Frequently Asked Questions section for your convenience. These are fantastic if you’re here looking for answers to a specific question or are looking up some terms you’ve heard that you don’t quite understand.
Like a classic infomercial, “But wait! There’s more!” We’ve put together all of the following for you as well. When we say comprehensive and all inclusive, we aren’t kidding. If you’re new here, we recommend taking the time and reading through all of this information in order from start to finish. If you don’t have the time or are looking for something specific, we’ve provided some convenient links to jump you to the section you’re specifically looking for.
Also on This Page
There’s a reason that people all over the world love to gamble. Actually, there are several reasons this pastime has become so popular, and we’ve outlined some of the more popular below. If you’re new to casino gambling, this might help you better understand why you would want to give gambling a try and what you can expect to get out of the experience.
It’s Fun and Exciting
Simply put, playing casino games is an absolute blast. The high energy and excitement of the games will keep you constantly wanting to come back for more. Whether you’re looking to relax, looking for a fun night out, or are looking for a rush, casino games deliver.
As long as you are smart and follow some basic rules to keep things under control, casino gambling can be an incredibly fun part of your routine. If it weren’t fun and exciting, casinos wouldn’t be packed out every night of the week, and places like Las Vegas would not exist.
Opportunity to Win Big
It’s no secret that gambling is alluring because of the possibility that you could walk away a big winner. With some games, even wagering a little bit gives you the ability to win a big jackpot and go home with a lot more cash than you came in with.
While it’s tough to win a big jackpot, someone has to win them and that someone could be you. This possibility is enough to get the excitement flowing and keep people coming back for more. If there were no chance to make any money gambling, people most likely wouldn’t be anywhere near as excited to get involved.
The Variety of Games
There are literally hundreds of different casino games that you can choose from. Don’t like the one you’re playing? Try one of the other hundreds of options. Each game brings a different style and a different experience. You’re bound to find one if not many games that you love to play. The best part is that each game is equally as easy to learn and usually has several different variations so you can find the version that fits you the best.
We all love choices, and there is no shortage of them when it comes to casino games.
The Adrenaline Rush
Casino games are a strange beast. Somehow they are capable of relaxing you at the same time they are giving you a huge adrenaline rush. Depending on what games you play and how you bet, you can move closer to the relaxing side of things or towards the high-energy adrenaline packed side of things.
For those looking for the rush, it’s definitely there and can always be amped up if you ever need more. Adrenaline junkies LOVE gambling because it’s always capable of delivering the rush they need.
It’s Easy to Learn
Simplicity is the slice of life. Even if you’re a new player in the casino, Gambling games are designed to be easy to learn and not require a ton of thought to play. This allows you to fully relax and unwind or buy into the adrenaline rush when you are playing. Things don’t have to be complicated to be a whole lot of fun.
A Cure for Boredom
Something that is fun, exciting, and carries the opportunity to win big money? This sounds like the perfect cure for boredom. What’s great about online casinos is that you can access them at any point in time that you have cell service or a wifi connection. This means if you’re bored waiting for the doctor, sitting at home, riding on the bus or sitting in an airport (or anywhere else you get bored), you can connect in and eradicate that boredom in seconds.
While casino games and gambling are tons of fun and excitement, there are some disclaimers that we need to address. These are not ever meant to scare you away from the games or make you hesitant to play. No one tells you to wear a seatbelt in the car to scare you away from getting in one. They do it to make sure you are using common sense to protect yourself.
This is the same with gambling and casinos. There are a few things that we want to make you aware of to make sure that you have the best time possible when you get started playing. Again, these are not meant to scare you away; they’re just mentioned to make you aware.
A lot of times people forget the fact that gambling is a game of chance. Whether you win or lose is based on luck. Yes, you can do things to improve your odds, but at the end of the day, the casino is still always going to have an edge. This means that you can definitely win in the short term, but overall the casino is going to be the long term winner.
It’s a cliché phrase, but Vegas wasn’t built on winners. The good news is that in a lot of the popular casino games, the house edge is only a few percentage points or lower.
This is a bit of a continuation of the other point above, but one that needs to be reiterated. Gambling is not beatable long term which means that it is not something you can do professionally or for a living. You may hear rumors that people are professional gamblers, but they are just rumors. It is impossible to beat the casinos long term unless you are cheating.
This does not apply to games of skill like poker or to sports betting where skill can be utilized to profit long term. We are strictly talking about casino games that are games of chance where you are competing against the house (casino).
So you’re excited to get started gambling, and you now know all the basics and the benefits thanks to the above sections. The next step is starting to learn the different games and finding the ones that are the most exciting and the best fit for you.
Below we’ve put together game guides for some of the most popular and exciting casino games available in brick and mortar casinos or online casinos. Select the game or games you’re interested in and get started learning now.
Blackjack
Sometimes referred to as 21, blackjack is one of the most popular and famous casino games in existence. It’s easy to learn the rules and doesn’t take long to get started with. There is some strategy that you can learn that can lower the house edge to well under 1% which is awesome. There are plenty of different variations of the game as well, so you have plenty of options to find the perfect fit for you.
Roulette
If you’re looking for a game that is exciting but requires little to no skill at all, roulette is the game for you. The premise of the game is simple. The dealer rolls a little white ball around a spinning wheel, and you bet on where the ball is going to land on the wheel. There are some different fun bets you can try and also a few variations of the game as well.
Craps
While this is regarded as the casino game that takes the longest to learn, it’s still simple and is loads of fun. Dice are thrown, and you have the ability to bet on different outcomes of the dice. The basic premise of the game is simple and only becomes complicated if you want to get involved with the more complex bets. The great news is the simpler bets are actually the best odds in the game, and the pass line bet (which you will learn about in our guide) is the only fair bet in the casino.
Video Poker
For the poker playing fiends who don’t want to deal with the other players at the table, video poker is a great fit. The game operates a lot like five card draw where you are given five cards and get to decide what to throw away and what to keep. Make hands and get paid! With tons of different variations, you’re bound to find a version that suits you perfectly.
Baccarat
A popular game in Asian casinos and for high rollers, Baccarat is a simple game that lots of players LOVE to play. The good news is that even though it is favored by high rollers, you can play it at all stakes especially online. Take a look at our guide and see if this awesome casino game is a good fit for you.
Slots
The one armed bandits are a favorite of gamblers all over the globe. Whether you enjoy going to the casino and playing them or enjoying the high tech versions the online casinos offer, you’re bound to have a good time with these games. There are thousands and thousands of different options, and you can play games for as little as a penny. If you’ve never tried a slot before and want to learn more and give it a go, we highly recommend checking out our guide now.
If you’d like to see our full list of game guides, click the link below.
In the old days (and by old days we mean like 15 to 20 years ago), you’re only real option to play casino games was to go to the closest casino and play. Now, thanks to the internet and developments in technology, you can play your favorite online casino games from anywhere in the world without leaving the comfort of your own home or office.
There are pros and cons of each that we wanted to dive into for you. Spoiler alert, we think the advancements in technologies make online a much better option, but we’re going to give you the pros of both sides below for completeness.
It’s no secret that getting all dolled up and going out to the casino is a lot of fun and something that people enjoy. The issue, though, is that it does end up being a lot of work. First, you have to live close to a casino or be prepared to travel/drive to get there. Next, you have to deal with the traffic, the parking, and the elements to get there. Don’t forget, though, if you have kids or pets you have to make arrangements to get them taken care of while you are gone.
Then once you’re at the casino, you usually have to work through the crowds of drunk people to try and get in line to wait for a spot at a crowded table. For some of you, this may sound like a good time. We can understand how this can be fun at times (see our next point below), but for the most part, we prefer the ease and convenience that comes with playing at online casinos.
You don’t have to drive or travel to the casino. You don’t have to deal with traffic and parking. You don’t have to worry about drunk people running into you and spilling their drinks on you. And most importantly, you don’t have to worry about waiting to get a seat at your favorite game. There is ALWAYS a seat open online no matter what time of the day or what day of the week you want to play.
There is just something awesome about being able to gamble and play your favorite games from home in your underwear (if you so choose).
One thing that brick and mortar casinos have over online casinos is the social factor. If you’re looking to get a big group together to go out to the casino, that only works with brick and mortar spots. Yes, this does require more logistical planning but can be fun with the right group.
Online casinos are doing their best to catch up on this front and are starting to have live dealer tables where you can play the games with a living and breathing dealer and other players you can converse with. It’s definitely not the same, but definitely more social than things used to be.
Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not you are going to the casino to gamble or going for a social outing. If you are just going to gamble, you’re not going to be too concerned with this and will most likely want to opt for the convenience of online play.
If you’re looking for a social outing and the gambling second place, brick and mortar might be right for you as long as you are close to a casino and ok with the added costs we’re going to talk about next.
Brick and mortar casinos have a lot of costs people tend to forget about that will cut into your gambling funds and potential profits. As we talked about, you have to travel to the casino which if you’re close enough for car means gas, wear and tear, tolls, and more. It also means parking and any other fees you have to pay to get your car to the casino. For those that use public transportation, that obviously costs money as well.
If you have to get a babysitter or a dog sitter, that costs money as well. Drinks and food at home are also a lot cheaper than at the casino. All of this might seem small and minute, but it all adds up. Online, all you need is to turn on your computer, and you’re set. You can keep watching the kids and the dog and never have to fire up the car to play or to get paid.
If you’re ready to get started playing your favorite casino games now, online is the quickest and most convenient. As you can tell from the reasons we gave above, we are partial to online casinos because they go above and beyond and deliver convenience that is just not possible with a brick and mortar casino.
Picking out an online casino to play at can be a challenge though.
With thousands of options out there, it’s hard to know which sites you can trust and which are garbage that you should avoid like the plague.
Thankfully, our team of experts has done the hard work and the heavy lifting. We’ve put together a list of our favorite and most trusted online casinos. These sites have been heavily vetted based on trustworthiness, reliability, game quality, game selection, and a whole host of other factors.
The one important thing that you must know is that we do not allow sites to ever buy their way onto our recommended list. They could offer us a free yacht and their first born children, and we still wouldn’t allow them to get onto our recommended lists unless they’re actually offering a superior product. The only way a site makes it onto this list is by offering the best casino product and service available.
One of our most important services that we take the most seriously here is our rankings and reviews of online casinos. Too many other sites in the industry offer sub par reviews and allow online casinos to buy better reviews and purchase placement on their recommended lists. This makes it where you have no idea if you can trust anything they’re saying.
While they may have a price, we do not. We take our reviews seriously and pride ourselves in offering you the cold, hard truth. Sometimes that’s pretty, and sometimes that gets ugly. Frankly, it doesn’t matter to us as long as we are giving you an accurate picture of what you’re getting into.
You work too hard for your money, and you should be using it at a site that has your best interests at heart.
In addition to brutal honesty, we also have our reviews conducted by experienced staff members that have a lot of expertise in the industry. Even if a review is honest, it is worthless if it is being done by someone who is clueless and doesn’t know what they’re supposed to be looking for. For this reason, we only allow experienced members of our team handle the reviews.
And finally, to toot our horns just a bit more, we regularly update our reviews, unlike most other sites. A review is only good if it is current and has the most up to date information available. Sites change and sometimes go from great to garbage over night. We make sure to constantly revisit our reviews to make sure they are reflecting the current picture at each site we review.
Even though casino games are games of chance, there are still tips, tricks, and tactics you can use to stretch your dollar further, increase the quality of your experience, and improve your chances of walking away a big winner.
We’ve collected these tips and tricks and compiled them together into our dedicated casino strategy guides. You’ll find some tips that might seem like no-brainers and some that really open your eyes to better ways of doing things. Either way, we think you’ll get quite a bit out of this guide.
Depending on where you live in the world, there are a lot of different legislations that govern online gambling in your area. In almost all areas of the globe (including the US) online gambling is legal, though, some areas have some specific rules that the casinos are required to follow in regards to how they operate.
Most of these laws deal with the actual casinos and how they operate and therefore have a very limited effect on you the player. That being said, it is always smart to be an informed consumer. For that reason, we have put together a collection of gambling laws for you to look at and be aware of.
While we’ve covered almost everything you could ever want or need to know about casinos and casino games, there is always more that can be learned. Below we’ve added some additional information that might be of importance to you. We’ve compiled this additional information into separate guides for your convenience.
Casino Destinations
As we mentioned, brick and mortar casinos do have their place. The cities around the world that are dedicated to casinos are also an absolute blast to visit and can be a real treat for those that love gambling of any kind. In our guide below, we talk about some of the most visited gambling locations in the world like Las Vegas, Macau, Monte Carlo, and Atlantic City.
Progressive Jackpots
Progressive Jackpots are casino games in which there is an ever increasing jackpot that continues to climb as non-winning plays count toward it. All the huge grand prize winnings you’ve heard about are from none other than this type of game. Have we peaked your interest yet? If so Click the link below to go to our complete guide to progressive jackpots.
Software Providers
Different online casino sites use different software providers to build their games and services. While most people rarely notice this, you may have reasons that you want to know who the different providers are. Typically, these casino software providers will have varying levels of security, quality, and options. Below you will find a guide of the most popular software providers in the industry.
VIP Programs
A VIP program is a reward system based on points you earn by playing games. Though not all online casinos have this feature it is a good thing to look for if you plan on playing a lot. Win or lose as you play those reward points stack up earning you a higher rank in the casino’s eyes. Perks of being a vip could include gifts, better rewards, and less withdrawal limitations.
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