Most casinos offer games that are commonly referred to as casino games. In casino games, players wager cash or casino chips on a variety of possible random outcomes or combinations of outcomes. Online casinos also offer casino games where permitted by law. Casino games may also be played for entertainment purposes outside the casino, such as at parties or school tournaments, some of which are played on simulated gambling machines.
Casino games generally fall into three categories:
Some casino games combine several of these aspects. Roulette, for example, is a table game played by a dealer and involves random numbers. Casinos may also offer other types of games, such as poker games or tournaments, where players can compete against each other.
Table Games
A game of chance played against the casino and operated by one or more live dealers, rather than on mechanical equipment. Table games are popular in casinos and involve some form of legalized gambling, but there are also different house rules for private play. The terminology is significant because some jurisdictions allow casinos to have only slot machines and no table games. In some states, this law has led to the use of electronic table games in casinos. Table games in casinos include
- Baccarat
- Blackjack
- Craps
- Roulette
- Poker(Texas Hold’em)
Gaming Machines
Usually played by one player at a time, without the participation of casino staff. The machines in the casino include
- Pachinko
- Slot machines
- Video Lottery Terminals
- Video poker
Random Number Games
Based on random number selection, either from a computerized random number generator or from other gaming devices. Random number games can be played at the table, or by purchasing paper tickets or cards. Random number games in the casino include.
- Bingo games
- Keno
House Edge
Casino games often offer a predictable long-term advantage for the casino or “house” while offering players the possibility of potentially large short-term gains in certain situations. Some casino games have an element of skill where the player’s decisions can affect the outcome. A player who has sufficient skill to eliminate the long-term disadvantage (casino edge) inherent in a casino game is said to be an advantaged player.
A player’s disadvantage is the result of the casino not paying out winning bets based on the game’s true odds, which is the expected payout given the odds of winning or losing a bet. For example, if the game is played by betting on the outcome of a single die, then the true odds will be 6 times the amount of the bet, since the probability of any single number occurring is 1 in 6, assuming the player receives the original bet. However, the casino may only pay 4 times the amount of the winning bet.
The casino edge is defined as the casino profit, expressed as a percentage of the player’s original wager. (In games such as blackjack, if a player doubles and splits, the final bet may be several times the original bet.)