The table games of any casino are where the perfect combination of strategy meets luck. They’re a classic type of game that will never go out of style thanks to their huge popularity on both online casino sites and in land based ones – people absolutely love them!
Online Slots just don’t compare when it comes to being able to both show off your skill for these table games and have fun at the same time. These table games don’t just draw in countless gamblers, they are part of the DNA of the best online casino sites in the world.
Whilst there are plenty of casino table games out there to choose from – such as the fun and tense Casino War, Pai Gow or Mississippi Stud – we’ve only gone for the absolute classics and most popular table games here on our list of the 5 casino table games that you have to play on today.
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Baccarat (aka. Punto Banco)
The game of choice for legendary spy James Bond, Baccarat has a long and varied history. Originating during the 15th century in Italy, it’s gone through various adjustments and the most recent version of the game was developed by savvy gamblers in Havana, Cuba, during the 1940s. The version that was invented in Cuba was called Punto Banco and allowed bets on the dealer’s hand as well as the players. This was a huge adaptation for the game and still remains to this day, 80 years later.
The game of Baccarat is one of those casino games that has exceedingly simple rules. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s a simple game. There’s tonnes of nuance and strategy. When you play baccarat, you have the choice to bet on either a player’s hand, the dealer’s hand, a tie, or you can place a bet on all three – it’s an action-packed game utilizing bets on the strength of the hands of other players! After bets are placed, cards are dealt to both the player and the dealer, and if you backed the correct result, you win.
The best hand is whichever one is closest to nine. Aces are valued at one and face cards are worth absolutely nothing. If the total of the hand goes higher than nine, then whatever it adds up to has 10 taken away and that’s the number. So a hand of 8 and 8 would actually have the value of 6 (16-10).
It’s one of the most popular casino games and is usually played in a room separate from the rest of the casino floor, due to the fact there can be some very high stakes. When it comes to playing Baccarat on online casinos, you have plenty of choice from our recommended casino sites.
Roulette
Hailing all the way back from 18th Century France, this table game grew in popularity across Europe and worked it’s way over to America, where it was quickly snapped up by the dishonest dens of gambling that were rife at that time. This spawned an American version of roulette.
Of all of the top table games on this list, Roulette is probably the most unique. Players all huddle around a roulette wheel and place bets on where they think a spinning ball will land on said wheel. Based on nothing but pure luck, it’s incredibly easy to play – you simply pick where you think the ball will land and get paid out according to the bet.
Like other table games, you’ll find different variations of roulette played at different casinos – European roulette and American roulette. The European version has every number from 0 to 36 on the wheel, with 18 of these numbers being red and 18 being black, the zero being green. The American variation of roulette has slightly worse odds, having 2 seperate zero numbers – 0 and 00. This small change in the American version increases the odds of the house, meaning players usually opt to go for the European roulette table over the American.
When it comes to online casinos, nothing compares to playing live casino roulette to give you the same buzz and excitement as playing the game in an actual casino! When you’re playing online, you can have a live croupier chatting to you and spinning the wheel real-time – exactly the same as in a real casino.
Three Card Poker
Being one of the most played casino table games, three card poker gives players a great chance at influencing the final outcome of the game – something very few Games and table games do. The game also has some of the best odds out there and options for several side bets that can boost your winnings significantly.
Whilst there are other popular casino card games out there, such as Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Mississippi Stud, Pai Gow Poker, Five Card Stud and Caribbean Stud Poker, nothing quite matches Three Card.
Being invented quite recently – the 90s – you play against the dealer. You place an ante bet and then get dealt three cards. You then take a glance at your hand and decide whether it’s strong enough to play, or if you’re going to play it safe and fold. If you fold, you’ll lose your ante bet – but if you fancy your odds and choose to play, you match your ante bet.
The rankings for hands are incredibly similar to Ultimate Texas Hold’em but Three Card has fewer cards and so has a simpler ranking table. If you have a Queen high hand or better, then the dealer can’t play and your play bet will be what’s known as a push, which means a tie, and the bet for your ante will pay out even money.
Three Card Poker is available in many casinos, and online you’ll find it at plenty of online casinos. Whilst other variants such as Pai Gow Poker and Mississippi Stud may get a lot of press, Three Card Poker will have a place close to many a casino table games lover’s heart.
Blackjack
Another casino table game to be invented in France all the way back in the 18th Century, Blackjack was originally called twenty-one. The simplicity of Blackjack was a big draw for the American market when it was brought to the gambling houses of the US. The intriguing game drew people in thanks to its fast pace and ease of play.
Blackjack is one of those casino games where you play against not just the dealer but other players, adding a real competitive element to the game – especially when it’s played in land based casinos and you can see who you’re playing against face-to-face. The general premise of the game is to form a hand of cards that total 21 or as near to it. Hitting 21 is called Blackjack. All players of the game are dealt two cards. After looking at your cards, you have the choice to either hit (be dealt another card) or stand (end your turn as is). If the total of your hand reaches over 21, you’re bust.
When it comes to winning, there are numerous ways to win. You can choose to double, which will double your stake and you’ll be dealt another card to face off against the dealer’s hand. Or you can split certain pairs to give you two different hands against the dealer. It’s a game filled with choices and strategy.
Being one of the most popular table games around, you’ll find it at almost every online casino as well as on the casino floor at almost all land based casinos. It may be worth reading up about Blackjack strategy and getting accustomed to things with a few hands of free blackjack first, as it’s quite fast-paced and can take some getting used to!
Craps
The only dice game on the list, Craps is one of those casino games with a funny name but is truly incredible once you get down to it.
The first iteration of Craps managed to make its way to New Orleans all the way from London in the early 1800s, and it still gets absolutely tonnes of players taking a stand at the craps table all over the world. The craps table will usually have a large crowd around it, due to the fact you have both players and spectators who watch each round.
This table game is played at a furious pace and is full of its own lingo and dialogue – it may take a while to get used to but after watching a few games you’ll get the grasp of it. In essence, players will each take turns to roll some dice, whilst the rest of the players will place bets on what the result of that roll will be. It’s one of the few casino games where you’re betting on the results of another player’s bet, and there’s an absolute bucketload of bets you can place against the ‘shooters’ or person rolling the dice.
Whilst it may appear to be extremely complicated on the surface, it actually has some of the best odds you can find in casino table games. This makes it well worth learning – on top of the fact Craps has an incredibly vibrant and interesting history. Just make sure that if you’re going to play in a land based casino, you learn the etiquette as some players and even dealers can get annoyed when you don’t show the right formalities.
If you’re playing craps at an online casino, you’re going to be pretty much covered for these expectations of having the right etiquette at the table, so it’s a good idea to mainly focus on learning the rules and practising your craps strategy in an online casino.
