The popularity of casino games has increased profoundly over the recent years. The changing perspective of people and the advancement in technology are the main reasons for the transition. Casinos offer different genres of games including table games and slots. Though slot games are easy to play, many prefer table games over slots.
What are Casino Table Games?
Table Of Contents
- 1 What are Casino Table Games?
- 2 Different Types of Table Games
- 3 Other Popular Casino Table Games
- 4 Best Casino Table Games for Beginners
- 5 Classic Table Games v/s Modern Table Games
- 6 What is the Easiest Table Game to Play at Casinos?
- 7 Online Casino Table Games for Real Money
- 8 How to Choose a Casino Table Game?
- 9 Final Thoughts
- 10 Frequently Asked Questions
Table games are one of the most popular genres of games played at casinos. Generally, a table game refers to the games that are played on a table or similar surface, which includes either cards, dice, or boards.
Different varieties of table games are available in casinos, be it online or offline. Unlike slot games, which are luck predominant, casino table games require both luck and strategies. One has to incorporate strategies in their table games to increase their winning chance in the long run, Popular casino table games include Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, Poker, etc.
Different Types of Table Games
Different types of table games are available at casinos, both in traditional and online variants.
1. Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the most famous games played at casinos. It uses a standard deck of 52 cards for the gameplay and is played among 2 to 7 players. The game involves a dealer, a player aims to get a score of twenty-one or close to twenty-one and greater than that of the dealer to win the game.
Rather than a competition among players, the game involves a competition between a player and the dealer. A hand worth 21 on counting the first two cards is referred to as ‘blackjack’, hence the name. It is a descendant of the banking game ‘twenty-one’.
Game rules:
- Cards are dealt to players and the dealer.
- Players are dealt with face-up cards only.
- The dealer is dealt with one face-up and one face-down card.
- A player aims to score 21 points or near without going over 21 and more than the dealer.
- A hand scoring greater than 21 points gets ‘busted’ and the bet is lost.
- Each card has their own value, King, Queen, Jack, and 10s have a worth of 10, Ace has a worth of 1 or 11, and all remaining cards have their face value.
How to play?
Players are dealt first with two face-up cards. A player can analyze the cards and choose either to ‘stand’ or ‘hit’. A ‘stand’ means a player does not require any additional cards and is ready to go with the existing cards.
A ‘hit’ means a player needs an additional card, a player can tap on the table to indicate a hit. A player can draw as many cards as possible to get closer to 21. A player wins if their hand is greater than the dealer’s or the dealer’s hand busts. Otherwise, the player loses.
Winning odds:
The odds of winning in blackjack are around 49%, making almost an equal winning chance for both players and dealers.
RTP: 99%
House edge: 0.5% to 2%
2. Baccarat
Baccarat is a card game played between a player and a dealer. This table game is played using a 52-pack of cards with two or more players. A player can bet on either the banker side or the player side, by predicting which side will form the best hand.
The aim of the game is to get a score of nine or close to nine and than that of the dealer using the cards dealt.
Game rules:
- Players can bet on either the player side or the banker side.
- Cards are dealt to both players and the dealer.
- Both players and dealer are dealt with 2 cards.
- A player scoring nine or close to nine, and more than the dealer wins the game.
- If the cards dealt make a score greater than nine, the two cards worth are added, and a 10 is subtracted, making the final score.
- The card values are as follows, face cards and 10s are worth 0, and all other cards are worth their face value.
How to play?
Players and dealer is dealt with two cards. A player aims to score a point of nine or close to nine. The cards are analyzed and scores are tallied. If the player bet is won, a payout of double the wager is made. If the banker bet is won it pays 95% of the wager made.
Winning odds:
Baccarat offers a payout of 99.07%. Betting on the banker side offers higher odds, though a 5% commission is taken by the casino. A tie pays out 8:1, and a player bet pays double the wager. The best odds of winning range from 44.62% to 45.85 (on a banker bet).
RTP: 98.94%
House edge:1.06% for the banker bet and 1.24% for the player bet.
3. Craps
Craps is a casino table dice game in which a player makes bets on the outcome of the two dice thrown. The player making the throw is referred to as the ‘shooter’. Throwing a seven, before establishing a point changes the turn to the other player. Rolling a 7 or 11 makes a shooter win, and a roll of 2, 3, or 12, makes a player lose. Rolling any other number makes the player roll again until the same number appears. Different bets are possible in a crap game.
Game rules:
- The ‘shooter’ is the one who throws the dice.
- Players must make bets before the dice throw.
- A player aims to establish a point before rolling a seven.
- A 7 or 11 on the roll makes the shooter win the round.
- A 2, 3, or 12 makes the player lose.
- If any other number is rolled, the roll must be continued until the same number appears or a 7 is rolled.
- Players can make different bets depending on the position of the crap table.
How to play?
Players make different bets before the dice are thrown. A single bet or a combination of bets can be made. A shooter can bet on either ‘Pass line’ or ‘Don’t pass line’, or both. Shooter throws the dice until a seven occurs and on a seven the turn goes to the other player. Payouts are made on a win, different bets have different payouts.
Winning odds:
Winning odds of craps are nearly 50%. The pass line bet offers a 1:1 winning chance. Betting on a don’t pass line bet offers one of the best odds of winning. Crap is one of the games that offer generous winning odds, strategic gameplay even increases the odds.
RTP: 98.59%
House edge: 1.4%
4. Roulette
Roulette is a table game that uses a spinning wheel and a ball. A player makes a bet on a single number, group of numbers, set of colors (red or black), odd or even, and high or low. A croupier spins the wheel in one direction and the ball in the opposite direction, and falls into a board with a set of numbers and colors. If the predicted outcome matches the resulting outcome, payouts are made.
Game rule:
- Different colored chips have to be used for making bets.
- A player bets on different number sequences, colors, or any other feature.
- Payouts are made depending on the feature chosen.
How to play?
A ball is thrown in a direction opposite to the spin of the wheel. The ball loses its momentum and falls on any number on the board. If the number predicted is similar to the resulting number payouts are made.
Winning odds:
Roulette winning odds vary based on the type of bet placed, betting on black or red offers a winning chance of 50%, whereas betting on specific numbers reduces the chance but once won offers a high payout. The payout of roulette is nearly 97.3%.
RTP: 97.3%
House edge: 2.7% for European roulette and 5.26% for American roulette.
5. Poker
Poker is a card game in which players make bets on the best hands. A player aims to make the best possible poker hand using the cards dealt. Players make bets before the cards are dealt.
Different variants of poker are available, which vary in the number of decks, number of cards dealt, number of face-up and face-down cards, etc. Players can either ‘call’, ‘raise’, or fold the bets in a poker game.
Game rule:
- Players are required to make the best five-card poker hand.
- The hand rankings in poker (from high to low) are as follows,
- Royal flush, straight flush, four-of-a-kind, full house, flush, straight, three-of-a-kind, two-pair, pair, and high cards.
- Players have to make a mandatory bet before the cards are dealt, called ‘ante’.
- Cards are dealt among players based on the poker variant they are playing.
- Different numbers of cards are dealt in different rounds. The rounds are pre-flop, flop, turn, river, and showdown.
- Players can either ‘call’, ‘raise’, ‘fold’, or ‘check’.
How to play?
Players are dealt with community cards and hole cards, starting from the player left to the dealer. Once the cards are dealt, the betting round begins and continues until a showdown occurs. Players can call, raise, fold, or check before a showdown. Cards are revealed and the winning hand is determined.
Winning odds:
The winning odds of poker depend on the combinations of hands formed. The highest-ranking hand gets the highest payout whereas the lowest-ranking hand gets the lowest payout. The probability of occurring a royal flush is 1 in 649740, whereas the chance of a high card is 1in 2.
RTP: 97% to 99%
House edge: 0.5% to 5%
Other Popular Casino Table Games
- Video Poker: It is a game similar to five-card poker but played on a computerized console. Players insert money into the machine, and cards are dealt. Cards can be discarded, and in exchange, new cards can be taken from the deck. Payouts are made if the hands make a winning combination.
- Pai Gow Poker: It is a table game in which the players are dealt with seven cards, and aim to make the best five-card and two-card hand using the cards. One pair and high cards are the only hand combinations formed in pai gow poker.
- Texas Hold’em: It is the main variant of poker in which two-hole cards and five community cards are dealt altogether at different stages. Players aim to create the best five-card poker hand using the seven cards dealt.
Best Casino Table Games for Beginners
Though casino games are of chance, a certain level of skill is required in every game. But if you are a beginner trying to get familiar with casino games, you can try your hand at the following games,
- Baccarat
- Video Poker
- Roulette
- Blackjack
- Keno
- Craps
These games also require different levels of strategies, but they follow simpler rules and are easy to understand.
Classic Table Games v/s Modern Table Games
Casino table games have evolved through the years, from playing at casinos located in certain regions to playing casino games at home, all thanks to technology.
Classic table games are games that have a long history of playing, mainly at traditional casinos. Games like Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, and Poker are the main classic table games known.
Modern table games are advanced games with increased graphics and user experience. These games comprise advanced technologies including virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and live games. Games like Live Dealer, VR, and AR games are modern table games.
What is the Easiest Table Game to Play at Casinos?
Blackjack is one of the easiest casino games one can try at casinos. This table game is played among players and dealers, though the competition takes place between a player and the dealer. The game poses simple and easy-to-understand rules and requires less strategy.
In this game, a player tries to get a hand worth 21 without going over 21 and not less than the dealer. The game also offers the best odds of winning with a 1% house edge.
Online Casino Table Games for Real Money
Casino games are of different types, some can be played freely, some social games use virtual tokens, some use bitcoins, and some use real money.
Below we list out some casino table games that can be played at online casinos for real money.
- Blackjack
- Baccarat
- Three Card Poker
- Roulette
- Craps
A player can simply sign up to any casino site by filling in the information and creating an account. One can choose any table game from the list, make minimum wagers, and begin the play.
How to Choose a Casino Table Game?
Choosing a casino table game can be difficult, especially if you are a new player. One can check different criteria of a game before selecting one.
- RTP: The Return To Player is the percentage of money returned to the player based on the funds he deposited in the initial stage of the game. Checking the RTP of a game is important as it determines the winning chances of a game. The higher the RTP value, the higher the chances of winning. The lower the RTP value, the lower the winning chance.
- House edge: House edge is the percentage of the amount a casino benefits from the deposits made by the whole players. A 4% house edge means the casino gets 4% of the total bets, meaning the higher the house edge the lower the winning chance. Thus playing a game with a low house edge improves your winning probability.
- Odds: Odds are the probability of winning and losing in a game. Choose games with higher odds, so that your chances of winning become high. Odds of games can be seen in the description one can analyze them and choose accordingly.
- Payouts: It is a fact that every player entering the casino aims to win money. Payouts vary for different games. Different types of bets offer different payouts. One has to choose the games with the best payouts so that once won they can win a life-changing reward.
- Bonus: The bonus offers to play a vital role in winning a game. A player can use the welcome bonus and win a game, without risking any money. Casino deposit bonuses offer players advanced game features and rewards, adding to the winning probability. Utilizing the bonus effectively one can reduce the money loss and win a good amount.
- Game of your choice: Though all the above factors are proven strategies for choosing a game, a player’s priority also needs to be considered as it makes a definite impact on game outcomes. A player playing his game of choice yields much better profit than a forced player. Choose games that match your skill, graphics priority, and other features.
Final Thoughts
Table games are one of the most played game genres at casinos. These games are mostly preferred by players who like a strategic advantage rather than relying on luck. Table games offer some best odds and house edge, increasing the payout rate. One can choose a table game by analyzing the RTP, odds, house edge, and payouts. Baccarat and Blackjack are the two easy table games that can be played at casinos.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. To be precise, casinos run under strict regulations set by the gambling laws, any actions against the law may result in penalties or taking back the license. Casinos make money through the house edge, and it is clearly described in the terms and conditions. So there is no chance of rigging a casino game.
Yes. All the casino games are under taxation, and a certain amount of the winning money is given to the government. The tax percentage varies according to the country you play. Casinos pay a certain percentage of their income to the government.
Craps offers a winning odds of 50%.
Blackjack offers a winning odds of 49%.
Roulette offers a winning odds of 47.3%.
Keno
Baccarat: 1.06% to 1.24%
Blackjack: 0.5% to 2%
Video Poker: 0.5% to 5%
Craps: 0 to 5.5%
Roulette: 2.7% to 5.26%
