The first time you visit a casino it can seem like quite an intimidating place. Slot machines blasting out noise and light, croupiers calling out random bets, raised voices at the craps tables… However, whether you plan to play at a land-based casino or online, there are a few games which are perfect for newbies as an introduction to casino gaming.
Here we’re going to take a look at the three best casino games to try for beginners, as they require a minimum of skill and avoid confusing wagers, making them nice and easy to understand.
1. Slots
Slots are the engine powering every casino, impossible to ignore and offering big prizes on the spin of the reels. They are also one of the easiest and most foolproof games you will encounter at the casino, making them the perfect place to start for beginners.
How do you play slot games? Well it’s pretty simple: click on the button that says ‘Play’ and watch how the symbols land. There are variations, but generally you want to get a line of three or more of them to trigger a win. If you want to know how a particular online slot works in more detail, just click on the ‘i’ symbol to get more info about how much symbols are worth, wilds, bonus games and anything else you need to know.
Tip: There’s no strategy to slot gaming that will help you win, no special ‘hot’ games to look out for, the only influence you have is when it comes to choosing the game. Look out for games with big jackpots, plenty of bonus rounds and a high ‘return to player‘ and have some fun!
Rookie Error: Make sure to check how much you are playing for per spin. Some online games default to amounts that may be bigger than you are comfortable with so double check to see you are playing for the right amount!
2. Roulette
There can’t be too many people around who aren’t in some way familiar with the game of roulette, one of the oldest games at the casino. It’s another simple game to play, and the good news is that the house edge is pretty low, giving players a good shot at walking away from the table with a profit.
Tip: Play the percentages and mostly go for the ’50/50′ options like Red/Black or Odds/Evens. And if feel like taking a chance on an individual number for fun then go for it, but know that the odds are against you.
Rookie Error: Don’t believe in those magical ‘systems’ that promise guaranteed wins. If it was that easy then every casino in the world would have gone out of business by now!
3. Baccarat
You were probably expecting to see Blackjack listed here, but instead I have gone for the less well-known game of Baccarat. The reason for this is that while blackjack is more familiar, it also requires players to use optimal strategy if they want to maximize their chances of winning. Baccarat keeps things nice and simple, meaning that beginners can pull up a seat with enough information to get started straight away.
Do you want to know all the rules of baccarat? Well you will have to look elsewhere for that, because unless you feel like playing at home with your buddies you won’t need them. The basic game can be summed up as picking one of these three eventualities: Banker to win, Player to win (not you, this is an imaginary ‘player’ as the dealer will play out both hands) or Tie.
Tip: Banker is the most likely winner, so if you want to play the odds then go for this option. Like the roulette Red/Black pick, this bet also has a generously low house edge.
Rookie Error: Going for the ‘Tie’ option too often – the odds of this happening are not good, and the return doesn’t justify the risk so it’s a fast way to get cleaned out.
