Casino Bonuses, Offers and Promotions

Types of Casino Games

As well as there being plenty of variety when it comes to the bonuses and promotions offered by online casinos, the same goes for the games you can play at them.

Here we outline the main types of games you are likely to encounter when you visit an online casino.

Slots and Progressive Jackpot Slots

Online slots have become very popular with casino players in recent years due to the advances in technology. Many of the slots you will find at online and mobile casinos these days are more like high end video games than the very basic early three reel slots that used to be all the rage.

Many online slots are themed around movie characters, TV game shows, historical events/periods or even soap operas. While many more are simply given their own standalone theme. The general gist of all slots is the same and tends to be a number (usually three or five) of reels that have various symbols or pictures on them. They spin when you click ‘spin’, and you win if there are a certain number of symbols that match or if you hit any of the special features or ‘wilds’.

Progressive jackpot slots are a variant of online slots that could make you very rich if you get very, very lucky on them! These work by putting a proportion of each wager into a pot which builds up progressively (hence the name!) into what can sometimes be a humongous jackpot. One lucky blighter will eventually win the jackpot and there have been plenty that have run into the millions of pounds!

Advantages:

• Lots of fun to play, especially the more elaborate themed slots
• The chance to win some truly life-changing jackpots
• Massive variety of styles and themes to choose from

Disdvantages:

• House edge can be high, especially on the fancier options and jackpot slots
• Can be easy to get through your bankroll very quickly if the reels don’t go your way

Card Games

Card games are more traditionally associated with casinos in general, and with online casinos these will tend to include blackjack, baccarat, pontoon and casino hold ‘em (and other variants). General head to head and tournament poker tends to be offered by gaming companies in standalone poker products rather than through their online casinos.

You are likely to find a number of different variants of the abovementioned (and sometimes other) card games at the best online casinos. Some will offer bonuses for hitting certain hands, others will have various features to make the games more interesting. It is worth noting that the house edge will vary between game variants and it is always better to play the game option with the lowest house edge (assuming you are trying to win some money of course!).

Advantages:

• Casino card games tend to have a lower house edge than most other games, hence you have a better chance of making a profit
• The games are familiar to many players from the off so they don’t have to spend time figuring out how to play

Disdvantages:

• Some people find card games just a little bit, well, boring when compared to the glitzy, flashing online slots
• Picking a game variant without knowing the house edge can leave you short-changed – always check with the customer services team if the house edge is not obvious

Table Games

Table games will often include card games, but we would say that table games in the truest sense would be roulette (a spinning wheel) and craps (dice), that is game in which no playing cards are used.

These games of chance can be lots of fun and – like with the card games mentioned – you will find different variants of these games. For instance you will often be given a choice between European and American roulette, and you should ALWAYS choose European; this is because European roulette has a significantly lower house edge as it has only one zero to the US-version’s two.

Advantages:

• Fun, simple games that are easy to understand and require no skill
• Low house edge compared to most online slots

Disdvantages:

• As with card games, watch out for variants that sting you with a higher house edge
• You might find the repetitive nature of these games a little dull after a while

Live Casino Games

Live casino games usually incorporate some of the games mentioned already including roulette, blackjack and baccarat. The difference is, you will play using a live video feed that includes a real life dealer either spinning the roulette wheel or dealing your cards.

Many of the features are the same as with the electronic versions of the games, but the idea is that you feel more like you are in a real life casino. You are often able to interact with the dealers and other players at the table through a live chat facility, which gives a nice social aspect to it as well.

Advantages:

• Can make you feel more like you’re in a bricks and more casino
• Same decent house edge as with the electronic versions of the games
• Social interaction when playing

Disdvantages:

• Some people find the live casino set up a little ‘fake’ compared to real casinos
• Occasionally you can get agro from other players if you don’t play in the way they want you to

Video Poker

Video poker has been around since the 1970s in electronic format but it is still a popular option with players. It works by dealing you five cards then you choose which of the cards to keep and which to throw away. The ones you throw will be replaced by more to make up the hand to five again. You will then be paid out based on the poker hand you make (if any), the better the hand, the higher the value of your win.

One of the reasons video poker has retained popularity is that it has one of the lowest house edges of all the games at online casinos, meaning you have a decent chance of returning a profit. This is especially the case if you are able to use casino bonuses or promotions to reduce the house edge even further.

Advantages:

• Low house edge means you have a decent chance of winnings
• Has an element of skill to it that is absent with many casino games

Disdvantages:

• Video poker can appear a little dated compared to the latest slots or even certain versions of table and card games
• The maximum wins are not as big as with slots