Online Casino Games – What, Why and Where To Play

Online slot machine

Slots

Spin the reels of 1000s of games and get engrossed in adventures that take you to Ancient Egypt, outer space, the Wild West and beyond.

Roulette

Follow the ball and see where it lands: Put it all on red or black, odds or evens, or on one single number. Roulette’s a thrilling game of chance that can be as risky as you want.

Blackjack

Go for 21 or go bust in this casino classic. You can split your pairs and double down your cards to boost your winnings.

Video Poker

Video Poker

What’s better than online poker? Online video poker! This is one of the best online games to enjoy for the authentic experience of pitting your skills against the computer.

Keno

Keno’s a lot like Bingo - it is a game of chance where you want your numbers to come up. It comes with the same amount of fun, excitement - and wins.

Craps

Craps is the game that brings Vegas home. Roll the dice and go for a 7 or 11 to bag a win for everyone at the table.

Sic Bo

This is another dice game, but it comes all the way from China. Place your stake on the outcome of a three dice roll.

Baccarat

This Italian card game has its roots in the 1400s and has been enjoyed across casino floors for centuries. Will the banker’s hand or player’s hand win? You decide.

Poker

Three-Card, Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud - the options with poker are seemingly endless. Strategy and skill combine with luck meaning there’s even more at stake.

Caribbean Stud Poker

This is a casino card game everyone should try out at least once. Its rules are a lot like Five-Card Stud, except you play against the house.

Pai Gow

The game with the dominos. In this cool Chinese game, try to make a nine to get the win.

What We Review

We look at the whole picture when we review online casinos, not just the games on offer. That’s everything our readers need to know. Our reviews include:

The Software

The software that online casinos use is important because it ensures that the games remain fair, secure and of the highest quality. It’s also what defines the level of quality you can expect from the games you choose and maintains their performance.

Customer Service

If anything goes wrong, you need someone to turn to. It could be that you have a query as a new customer, or your withdrawal hasn’t made it to your bank account yet. We assess the quality of the customer support that’s on offer, how they can be contacted, and whether it’s available 24/7.

Bonus Rounds and Jackpots

Big wins and bonuses are what many players care about, and the chance of landing big wins is why many of us choose to play at all. We take a closer look at the bonuses available to new and existing players, and the chances of winning that jackpot prize.

Fair Play

We all know that the odds are stacked against us with casinos, but there are strict rules on just how much they can get away with. We properly examine the house edges as well as the random number generators used to make sure that they are independently tested and that you’re making the right choice of casino.

Advantages Of Playing Online

There are plenty of benefits to playing online compared to going to your local casino. Some of the reasons to power up your PC or mobile include:

Fewer Distractions

Casinos are busy and they’re loud. Sacrificing your peace and quiet to play your favourite games can be off-putting and stops many of us from going altogether. Play at home where you can switch off the distractions.

You Can Play From Home Or On The Move

You no longer have to physically go to a casino to play their table games. You could be on the train home from work, in the bath, or sitting comfortably in front of the television to get some game time in. Looking to play on your mobile? The best casino games for Android and iOS can be found on mobile sites as well, so you never need to miss out on a winning opportunity.

Bonuses

The only freebies you get from brick-and-mortar casinos, usually, are free soft drinks while you’re playing or - a voucher for the buffet if you’re lucky. Online casinos dole out free spins, matched deposits, and loyalty programs where you earn points and rewards just for playing your favourite titles.

Popular Live Casino Games Online

There’s a long list of casino games you can choose from online, but not all of them are available to play live. Playing live allows you to go up against real players while also streaming a live table with a real croupier. These games are:

Best online baccarat casinos in the UK

Baccarat

Roulette

Blackjack

Textas Hold'em

Advantages Of Playing Online

There are plenty of benefits to playing online as opposed to going to your local casino. Many of which include:

Game Game Type Freeplay Choice Real Money Choice Summary
Poker Card Game Texas Hold’Em Omaha You want to put your skills to the test against other players
Slots Casino Game Starburst (NetEnt)m Private Eye (Microgaming) You want something simple but with potentially high returns
Baccarat Card Game EZ Baccarat Punto Bancot You prefer something a little more interesting yet difficult
Roulette Table Game French Roulette European Roulette You like to leave it to chance and not overcomplicate things
Blackjack Card Game Face Up 21 European Blackjack You’re a lover of the classic game
Bingo Casino Game 30 Ball 90 Ball You like the slow pace and multiple winning chances

Popular Slots In The UK – Top 5 Slot Games

Online casino games in the UK are mostly the same as abroad, with a few exceptions. American roulette is different to European for, example. The slot games aren’t all the same, either. Some of the UK’s most popular slot games include:

Starburst

Starburst slots is so popular because it has a higher-than- most RTP, so you stand an increased chance of winning. This has a 96.09% RTP, unlike the usual 75%. There’s no complicated story - just increased odds of winning!

Book Of Dead

This game also has a high RTP, over 96%, but with a bit more of a story to engage its players. Sat over a temple backdrop with some funky Egyptian music, you spin the reels to join Rich Wilde on his latest adventure.

Big Bass Bonanza

Reel in the big wins with this fishing-focused slots game. Big Bass Bonanza is a five-reel game that offers great aesthetic as well as winning opportunities. Just align the bass with the hook symbols to win some money.

Rainbow Riches

The RTP on Rainbow Riches is 95%, but this is still high and indicative of what makes it a popular game. It’s a no-thrills, Irish-themed slots game that gets right down to it, using a 5x3 structure.

Gonzos Quest Megaways

The aim of this game is to accompany Gonzo on his latest quest to find El Dorado. The RTP is 96% and it comes with 20 winning ways, extra features like multipliers, and high variance.

An Overview

Roulette

There are three main different types of roulette available, so you should always make sure you’re playing the version you’re familiar with. While both European and French roulette have 37 numbers on the wheel, American has 38. It’s also the only one with two zeros instead of one. La Partage, a rule that applies to French roulette, means that if they have played an outside bet, half the player’s stake is returned if the ball lands on zero. En Prison is another rule exclusive to French roulette. Players have the chance to win their previous stake back on the following turn if it falls on the zero pocket again.

Blackjack

At least five different forms of blackjack can be found at most online casinos, with the classic version being the most popular. Other types include European, Face Up 21, Perfect Pairs, and Spanish 21. What really sets them apart is the odds in which players receive as well as the payouts for certain hands. Match Play 21, however, is one type of the game that’s entirely different from the others. In this game, you can win by matching numbers and getting card runs, such as 6,7 and 8 in the same suit.

Poker

The world’s favorite for poker is no doubt Texas Hold’em, but there are multiple versions of the game, all varying in complexity. Though it’s an adaption of Texas Hold’Em, Omaha is considered to be the toughest to crack. In casinos, there are at least five: Five-Card Stud, Seven-Card Stud, Omaha, Texas Hold’Em, and Video Poker.

Video Poker has become increasingly popular in recent years as it allows players to get the full, live experience - which means streaming the table, communicating with a real croupier, and more.

Craps Online

We’ve all seen craps in movies - it’s the one with names for rolls like snake eyes - where people ask others to blow on their dice for luck. It’s not the most commonly game played online, though. Players have the chance to be what’s referred to as the shooter - the dice thrower, basically - and other players bet on what they think the shooter will roll. The role of shooter can go to anyone at the table and it gets passed on in a clockwise motion.

Bingo

While it’s typically not found in land-based casinos, bingo is a fun, exciting game of chance. Get one line, two lines, a full house, or a combination of all of them and you’ll get a prize. There are a number of types of bingo, like speed games, for example, and you can buy multiple cards to play with at once.

Keno

Keno works a lot like bingo except you choose your own numbers. You have to pick up to 10 numbers between one and 80, and then you select how many games you’re playing and the amount you want to stake on each game. Then, you simply wait to see if yours are called to be in with a chance of winning. There are multiple prizes to win too, so you won’t

Baccarat

This old Italian guessing game works on three bets: you either bet on your hand, the dealer’s hand, or a tie. Of all the hands that are dealt, you need each one that you’re betting on to be the best that’s dealt. Whoever’s bets come the closest to 9 once all are dealt is the winner.

Sic Bo

Sic Bo is an ancient game that’s enjoyed around the world, both at land-based and online casinos. Players are required to place chips on what’s known as a bet box - after that, three dice are rolled, and you win based on whether the numbers rolled match yours in the bet box. Sic Bo is entirely a game of chance

Casino Tables

888.com

888 is no doubt the most well-known and widely used on this list, offering a wide selection of casino games and sports betting. Founded in 1998, some of its most popular games include blackjack, poker, video poker, and roulette.

Caesars Casino

Dating back to 1993, Caesars Casino has always had a global presence in the industry, with 12 locations in the UK alone. Now, it’s also available online, where you can enjoy its top games like baccarat, video blackjack, slots, and much more.

32Red

32Red has always operated online, which makes it a firm favorite for casino game lovers. All popular table games are available here, like blackjack, poker, and roulette.

Bet Victor bookmaker review logo

BetVictor

What started out in sports betting has grown into a lot more. BetVictor now plays host to a number of great casino games, like poker, as well as more niche yet exciting games like Sic Bo.

Mr Green

Are you a fan of Keno? Mr Green is one of few online gambling companies that actually offer it You’ll also find all the other firm favorites people use casinos for, from poker to roulette.

A Bit About Bonuses

Every online casino has a bonus system in place to keep customers satisfied and to reward the loyalty of regular players. They come in a variety of forms, but the most common ones you can expect to see include:

Online slot machine

Free Spins

With free spins, you’ll get at least one chance to spin the reels on either one particular slot game or the one of your choosing without having to pay for it. Anything you win is then converted into cash that you can either bank to use on other games, withdraw or to keep playing the slot game you just won from.

No Deposit

They’re exactly what they sound like. No-deposit casinos will give you either get a number of spins entirely free on slots, or you’ll get a cash sum. There are usually restrictions on how the money you win can be withdrawn, though, and you certainly can’t just withdraw the money of a no-deposit bonus without first staking it.

Free Play

Free play bonuses can’t be withdrawn until a particular number of stakes has been met. This can be spinning the slot wheels 20 or even 100 times. The chances of withdrawing are unlikely, but you can use them on various games to increase your chances.

Summary

A trip to the casino nowadays doesn’t require leaving home like it used to. All of the same thrills and fun that can be found at physical casino are all available from our laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Play baccarat, go up against other players around the world in live poker, or simply enjoy one of the thousands of slot games there are to choose from.

Whether from home or on the move, online casino games are increasingly popular and have become a worthy substitute for the real thing. Sign up for the online casino of your choosing to get started!

FAQ

Whatever takes your fancy – all the types of casino games are there. You might be big into blackjack or baccarat; maybe you like bringing the Vegas slots experience to the home. Or, perhaps playing poker against people from all over the world is your thing.

The best online casino games are the ones you like the most. You just need to choose which website you play them on!

All games are different, they all have different rules. But the way they work is pretty similar. Each relies on payout odds, from roulette to blackjack, and what’s known as a ‘house edge’. The house edge is the advantage that the house has over you the longer you continue to play. Blackjack’s house edge is between 0.5% to 2%.

Online casinos are just as fair as the real thing. Sure, there are some you’ll definitely want to stay away from – but there are certain measures you can take to avoid signing up for scam sites. Choose reputable online casinos, read up on their licensing, and look into the hardware that they use for their games.

All casinos use what’s known as a random number generator, even with slot games. These algorithms ensure that all outcomes in games are entirely, well, random, and that payouts aren’t influenced unfairly in the casino’s favor.

Blackjack is one of the easiest games at a casino to play, and it’s also the one with the best odds of paying out. The last game you want to play, and it likely comes as no surprise, is roulette. American roulette has a house edge of 5.26%, and the odds of winning are anywhere between 2:1 and 35:1.

The biggest jackpots can be found across a number of games, but the odds of winning them differ. For example, you could be playing slots with a rollover jackpot of a few million dollars, but it’s highly unlikely that you’ll win it. In a poker tournament, winning might get you a jackpot huge jackpot prize, but this comes down to not only the cards you receive but also how you play them. How much you stake plays a significant role too. The game you stand the most chance of winning at, however, is blackjack.

The classic casino table games are a good place for beginners to get started. Playing roulette is simply a case of placing your chips over numbers, collections of numbers, and a few side bet possibilities and waiting to see where the ball lands on the wheel.

If you’re not keen to get into the action on the casino floor, slots are the easiest without a doubt. Playing is just a case of pressing buttons and inserting coins – the winning combinations may be confusing at first, however.

Pick your game and learn it. That’s the best advice you can get. Take blackjack for example. Know when to split and double your cards, learn and apply the differences between soft and hard hands, and use what’s referred to as a strategy card – these are all ways to improve your game and in turn, your chances of winning.

A hard and fast rule everyone should apply, though, is to hold onto your winnings and don’t go putting it back into the game when you’re up. Be able to walk away.

Pick your game and learn it. That’s the best advice you can get. Take blackjack for example. Know when to split and double your cards, learn and apply the differences between soft and hard hands, and use what’s referred to as a strategy card – these are all ways to improve your game and in turn, your chances of winning.

A hard and fast rule everyone should apply, though, is to hold onto your winnings and don’t go putting it back into the game when you’re up. Be able to walk away.

Pick your game and learn it. That’s the best advice you can get. Take blackjack for example. Know when to split and double your cards, learn and apply the differences between soft and hard hands, and use what’s referred to as a strategy card – these are all ways to improve your game and in turn, your chances of winning.

A hard and fast rule everyone should apply, though, is to hold onto your winnings and don’t go putting it back into the game when you’re up. Be able to walk away.

The best free online casino games are the ones you love to play the most. Between video poker and craps, you can play just about any of them through most online casinos as they all typically provide a demo mode. They’re a great way to have fun without putting down any money, but what makes them even better is that they give you the opportunity to improve your playing abilities for various games without actually having to spend money in the process.

Keno, without a doubt, has one of the worst house edges available to gamblers, sitting uncomfortably at up to 30%. That being said, slots have a winning probability of almost 50,000 to 1. Sic Bo’s house edge is just under 20%. There are plenty of games you may want to avoid if you plan on finishing your casino session having won some money.

When you join an online casino, you’ll likely receive a welcome bonus to start you off. It might be a free $5 on a particular slot game or a deposit match bonus up to a certain amount. But these will be available the more you use your account and play the casino’s games. Often you can earn rewards the more money you stake, too – these can be free entry into poker tournaments or free bonuses to use how you like, for example.

The simple answer is all of them. The amount you can win differs based on which game you can play, but you can play for real money on any game you choose to play.

Definitely. You shouldn’t choose an online casino that you’ve never heard of before, but or haven’t done your research on, but if you’re using a reputable website, you can count on the games being safe too. Plus, all the best online casinos have decent customer support, so you can run any concerns via the teams before you begin depositing money.