Casino games selection includes dozens of categories with thousands of solutions from different software developers. The article focuses on breaking down the gameplay mechanics with rules of each one of them as well as providing actual winning strategies. In the first section, we will help you to find the type of gambling activity you will enjoy the most based on its provider, profitability, and general features. The second part offers specific details and all the important nuances about every mentioned game, including all the crucial information players require to be able to get into gambling. The text also includes a section with answers to the most common questions on the topic.
Canada players will find it especially useful because we also provide a list of gambling options that we consider to be the best in their categories.
What Online Casino Games Can I Play?
A casino games list you can find on any decent modern gambling platform is quite similar all across the market. It includes:
- Slots. All the features of one-armed bandits or fruit machines on the screen of your device. Traditional ones and more innovative 3D iterations provide casual gameplay and a unique gambling experience. Players tend to stick with this type of entertainment due to low skill barriers and gameplay that does not require deep involvement. Moreover, the selection increases with hundreds of new products from leading providers every month.
- Jackpot feature. A separate category of slot games that includes a “grand prize” feature. New casino games also offer a Progressive type of jackpot bonus, which means that its value does not stay fixed and can increase from players’ wagers. Generally, the availability of this feature makes gameplay spicier and if the website has a paytable you can even see the winners of grand prizes on the main page.
- Card games. Less casual category with such game options as Blackjack and Baccarat up its sleeve. Both variants offer unmatched gameplay with a decent learning curve to it. According to some sources, Blackjack was invented back in the XVII century in France and was famous by the name of “Twenty-One” due to nuances of rules, which we will discuss later. With such a long history and appreciation in legal casino rights since they became a thing in the 1930s, make these activities are worth attention.
- Poker. This card game deserves a separate category due to the number of punters that solemnly stick with it. With roots in ancient China, the game already evolved to its traditional form back in 1834. What makes it so appealing is the control over the situation and the weaker influence of RNG. Using efficient strategies and understanding other punters on a psychological level allows raising the winning percentage.
- Live dealer titles. While it is definitely easier to play casino games online, the experience is hardly on the same level as with land-based establishments. With the live section of the websites, it is possible to have a real person instead of the computer as a dealer as well as compete against other punters. As for the selection, here you can find games from other sections, including card activities, Poker, roulettes and others.
- Roulettes. The first appearance of the game in its current variation dates back to 1796. As many other gambling activities, it was introduced in France. It has a laid-back gameplay where the player has to place a bet on particular numbers, their combinations, colors or segments of the wheel. All that is left is to wait until the ball stops on it after the host spins the wheel.
- Table games. This category of online gambling games includes options like lotteries, craps, Sic Bo, Bingo and many more. One of the defining traits of these games is the weight of a randomness factor in the success of the punter. Even though strategies do not guarantee an increase in win rate, using them definitely helps in a great perspective. Moreover, statistics show the increase in popularity of table games over the last years.
Best Online Casino Games
Knowing about the types of games played in casinos is not enough to choose one right away. Every category/tab of gambling activity includes hundreds if not thousands of options from different providers. To make the right choice you need to consider many criteria, which we will deconstruct in the second half of the article. However, arguably the most important one is the software developer.
The common thing for every best casino games list you can find online is that it includes products of the industry’s leading companies. The main reason for that is the fact that they are usually the first ones to implement innovations as well as improve existing technologies; it is safe to trust their valuable experience. We would like to provide a list of certain games that we consider to be among the top ones in the current market. The best part is that you can easily find them on the majority of gambling platforms online.
Remember that personal preferences also play a crucial role in the decision-making process. We cannot guarantee that the design or theme of each option from the list will be as appealing to every reader as it is to us.
What is the Most Profitable Online Casino Game?
The games casino platforms provide are, first of all, the form of entertainment, which is connected with wagering real money. Unsurprisingly, the main aim of the majority of gamblers is outplaying the house and winning more than betting, which is why they constantly try to find the most profitable options. We have already mentioned that some activities require more skill than others therefore allow making an impact on your chances to win. The concept of game’s profitability is closely connected with definitions of house edge and return to player rate.
Online casino games are a business and it always has to bring money to its owner, which is why there is always a house edge. Overall, it is a mathematical advantage of the platform over its players in gambling activities, which results in win rate percentages. The more you play, the more prominent it becomes. The good news is that with Internet casinos, it is usually significantly lower than with land-based facilities. As for the return to player (RTP) rate, it simply displays the ratio between the money players wagered on the game and credits they won back. It cannot be 100%, though some games in casinos have gotten quite close to that threshold.
Using the combination of both factors, we could find out which game is technically the most profitable. Blackjack usually comes with a house edge that is lower than 1% and an RTP rate of over 97%. The main reason for that is the importance of skill and knowledge for the gameplay. Unlike with RNG-based games, the casinos cannot set a fixed RTP rate here, which unlocks the opportunity of increasing it by playing more efficiently.
How to Play Casino Games
Even though we are talking about online gambling, which is essentially a form of entertainment, a serious approach to it is a key to higher profitability. Every mentioned type of casino activity requires different knowledge and skills from its players. This section of the article focuses on explaining the nuances of playing online casino games in Canada most efficiently. It includes an explanation of basic rules as well as an in-depth look at some of the most common strategies.
Slots
We have already mentioned the importance of technical characteristics of the slot like the return to player rate in the process of choosing the particular option. Moving to the actual gameplay and figuring out the strategy to follow, you also need to pay attention to Volatility. This factor determines the risk involved with betting on a particular slot.
In general, it can be High, Medium, or Low. To give some perspective, the high volatility means that the player’s chances to win are quite low but the potential payouts in terms of success are substantial. Low volatility slots on the other hand have better odds but lower winnings. We recommend sticking with the second option at first because high-volatility gambling requires more money investments and time/patience for longer sessions.
At the end of the day, both variations are viable, but you certainly need to know about this characteristic of the slot before wagering to adjust your gameplay properly.
Steps for building efficient strategy for desktop and mobile casino slots:
- Exploring the paytable. Before getting into actual gambling, you need to know about the values of the symbols of the particular slot. Here you can also learn about wild and scatter special icons or additional features of the reels;
- Set the limits on budget. Do not start gambling if you do not know how much money you can invest. Put some thought into creating a daily/weekly budget and stick with it strictly;
- Consider the technical characteristics. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of factors like volatility, RTP rate, and odds of the slot but we also recommend taking the value of the jackpot into account. Try to stick with options that feature progressive or relatively low grand prizes, as they tend to pay out more;
Blackjack
The objective of players in this casino game is to outplay the dealer in collecting the total number of points closest to 21 (Twenty-One is the second name of the game). Those who cross the threshold immediately lose. The dealer uses a standard deck with 52 cards, where the number on each card is equal to the number of points it provides. The ones with faces are worth 10 points each and Ace can be either 1 or 11 based on the player’s choice. Initially, everyone receives 2 cards and there could be cases where you get 21 points right after the first deal, which is called “Blackjack”. Excluding that, the game continues and punters use 4 main moves:
- Hitting. The player asks for another card to get closer to 21 points;
- Standing. Skipping a deal without receiving any additional cards and playing with the initial 2 cards to avoid busting;
- Splitting. If the pile consists of 2 cards of the same value, the punter can split them into separate hands. It requires placing an additional bet on the newly created pile, as the first bet goes on one of them. Punter plays hand to his or her left then to his or her right every turn;
- Doubling Down. If the total value of the 2 first cards is 9 to 11 points, the punter has a chance to increase his or her bet by 2. The player only receives 1 card face down afterwards, and it can be revealed only when all the best for the hand are settled.
It is important to note that the punter always plays first. Thus, if they bust, they immediately lose their money regardless of whether the dealer’s hand goes bust too or not. If the dealer is the one to bust first, the house pays out to every punter that stands.
The main strategy for this casino card game is quite straightforward and visual. To be able to make the right decisions on standing, hitting, splitting, and doubling, players need to consider the value and type of dealer’s hand. It can be soft (includes Ace) or hard (without an Ace). The good news is that basic strategy charts use math to suggest the most efficient move to almost any situation. We recommend finding and exploring them before diving into real money Blackjack.
Lottery
This is one of those online casino games of numbers that rely mostly on randomness. No particular strategy will not guarantee a visible increase in winnings, let alone a 100% win rate at this type of game. The regulations of some countries restrict selling lottery tickets in land-based facilities, which is why the appearance of licensed online bookmakers opened up so many opportunities for modern gamblers. With the majority of these websites, you purchase lotto entries and wait for the date of draws, where all the winning number combinations will be revealed (usually 2-3 times a week). The whole procedure is almost identical to the experience you get while playing land-based lotteries, except you do not have to leave the house and the entry/ticket you acquire is not tangible.
While there is no certain strategy for winning lottery casino games, we want to share some valuable tips on how to play correctly. At the end of the day, combined with good luck, these tips may boost your chances by a mile:
- Bet on the “right” numbers. It may sound like we suggest finding out your lucky numbers or magic combinations, while in fact, it is more about logic. The good news is that the casinos usually provide some statistics on the numbers with the highest rate of winning ones. You need to be able to identify “hot” and “cold” ones. The first category includes the numbers that were drawn the most overall, while the second consists of those that were drawn less. However, it sets the data according to all-time performance of the lottery, which is why choosing how numbers will not work 100% of the time;
- Diversify your betting slip. Instead of choosing more numbers for one ticket, you should buy as many of them as possible. Usually, the casino pays out if 2 or more numbers on it are from a winning combination, so by increasing the number of entries you directly increase your chances to win;
- Take advantage of second-chance drawings. Sometimes, in case of the absence of the jackpot winner of the game, online lotto sites might offer a second chance feature. It provides all the punters with the additional possibility to win the lottery, so you definitely want to use it if it is possible;
- Check for general technical information about the particular lottery game. Again, as we have already mentioned, the winning odds are different for the products from various software developers as well as on different online portals. It is true for internet lottos as well, so be sure to read the description of the game before wagering any money. Dedicated forums on the topic and reviews from real clients will also come in handy while evaluating any website.
Roulettes
Most modern gambling portals offer 2 popular roulette casino games: European and American variations. The main difference is in the wheels that are used by the hosts. With the first option, there are 36 numbers and 1 zero on the wheel and the general house edge is around 3%. With the American iteration of the game, there is an additional double-zero segment on the wheel and the casino’s edge is slightly over 5%. With European roulette, you should read the numbers from inside outwards, while with American one it is done vice versa. The overall gameplay is similar regardless of the variation.
Take a look at the pool of betting options for roulette:
- Straight-up bet. The player uses all of his or her chips to place a bet on a single number on the wheel. To do so, the pile of chips has to be in the middle of the box with a certain number without touching corners of other boxes;
- Splitting. To place a bet on two neighboring numbers, the player has to put his chips on the borderline between two boxes with corresponding numbers in them;
- Row bet. Place the chip on the line to the right of boxes with 3 consecutive numbers you want to choose for the bet;
- Corner bet. It is allowed to place a bet on four numbers by placing a chip on the corner where all 4 boxes with corresponding numbers meet;
- Six number bet. Allows betting on 2 rows of 3 numbers;
- Column bet. Cover as many as 12 numbers by placing your chips in the box below the column. This box is usually marked 2-1, which means that in case of the win, the house will payout at a rate of 2 to 1;
- Red or Black. As it comes from the name, the player chooses one of 2 colors to present on the wheel with a zero sector excluded. It is the most popular out of even bets;
- Odd or Even. Similar to the previous type of bet, you choose a certain type of number to bet on. Just as with the Red/Black option, the casino pays at a 1-1 rate in terms of the win.
Now, with types of bets out of the way, we want to introduce the most efficient strategies that help to win more often. Most of them can also be applied to other gambling activities:
- Martingale system. According to this strategy, the player has to increase the value of his or her bet by two after every loss. Theoretically, by following it you can beat the game even after a long losing streak, just because when you eventually win, the amount of money you obtain covers up all your previous losses and provides additional profit;
- The Paroli system. Somewhat opposing the previous strategy, here you increase the value of the bet after you win the game. Right from the start, the player has to set an initial amount of money they will return to betting after a loss. This system takes the advantage of having hot win streaks in casino games;
- Identifying the “signature of the dealer”. This strategy only works in land-based facilities or with any live roulette casino game. There is a common belief that due to spinning the wheel constantly, the dealer’s hand works out a certain mechanical skill that makes it follow the same pattern. Essentially, in some cases it is safe to assume that with the same dealer, the ball will land on the same sectors after every spin of the wheel;
- D’Alembert strategy. This system allows making assumptions on the success potential of 2 separate bets. According to it, in case the first bet wins significantly more often than the second one, it is safe to suggest that the second bet will win soon. Players that use this strategy also tend to increase the value of the bet after every loss as well as decrease it after every win.
All in all, every strategy can be both efficient and useless in different situations, which is why it is so important to broaden your knowledge and learn about new ways to gamble. In case you see that a certain strategy does not do any good in a current session, switch it up, experiment, and try something new. The ideal scenario is when players create their own systems of gambling by using well-known patterns and tactics.
Taking Advantage of the Bonus Systems
Promotions and special offers have become an essential part of gambling via the internet. While land-based facilities offer some features like VIP cards, the amount of bonuses you can claim with online portals is incomparably higher. Using them helps to boost the profitability of the gambling experience as well as make it even more interesting.
Some of the most common ones:
- Welcome packages. You can claim them while creating an account for the first time. Usually, this type of bonus consists of Matching 100% promotion as well as some free spins for particular games in the casino. It works for the first deposit of the user or can be separated into several parts for consecutive deposits. For instance, accruing 50 USD to the account with a matching bonus activated allows getting 50 USD as a bonus. It is a great way to get into the platform with a benefit;
- Leaderboard challenges. To make the experience more competitive, some casinos feature leaderboards and encourage players to earn special points by rewarding the leaders. The main way to accumulate those points is to deposit real money and wager them on games regularly;
- Programs for loyal customers. Some portals allow gaining a VIP status for the account of the user. Moreover, there are usually several levels of it, which you can obtain by being active with gambling on the website. The main motivation to partake in the loyalty program is special rewards and propositions available to VIP members. It includes better depositing and withdrawing limits as well as the ability to get additional free spins every month;
- Promotions for applications users. Play mobile casino games via a dedicated app to get access to special bonuses and offers. The availability of this particular feature depends on the casino though;
- No deposit propositions. While the main requirement for obtaining all the bonuses mentioned above is having a valid account and making a minimum deposit, this promotion can be triggered without any money investments. To activate it, you need to enter a special code or just use the interface of the corresponding tab. Even though it becomes rarer nowadays, some portals still please their users with such a unique bonus.
- Free spins. They usually can be claimed as a part of other promotions but their high value for the user is undisputable. Using them for gambling with slots eliminates the factor of taking any risk, allows enjoying the experience to its fullest potential and learning something new. Moreover, the gambler does not lose the possibility to win real money while playing with free spins. After meeting the wagering requirements, it is even possible to withdraw the bonus credits from the account.
Free Casino Games
The main requirement for getting access to gambling activities on any Internet platform is creating an account using valid personal information as well as accruing a certain amount of money that is equal to or higher than a minimum deposit limit. Free casino games, on the other hand, give the player an opportunity to avoid those conditions and enjoy gambling without any risk. There are several methods to access them; you can either use special social gaming websites or try out demo versions of ordinary games on the official pages of the developers or casinos. It is also worth mentioning that there are no limitations in terms of the type of activities you can find as a free version.
Benefits of free games:
- No risk is involved in gameplay. While you certainly can lose, the fact that you did not spend any real money on placing a bet makes the loss insignificant;
- Easier learning. These games are perfect for improving your own skills in different gambling activities without actually losing anything. In addition, you can explore the mechanics and features of new products before placing a bet on them;
- You do not spend time on creating an account and logging into it;
- The selection of available options is not limited to the platform of your choice;
Drawbacks:
- No real money deposits mean no winnings. While you do not lose anything except for the time investment, you cannot win anything too;
- There are no bonuses, promotions, or special rewards for free games. To get the full online gambling experience, you will not choose them.
Free casino games should certainly get more attention from Internet gamblers. They can serve as a priceless tool for understanding how different activities work and identifying the distinctive features of software providers.