What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word “casino”? Depending on where you live, the options are a grandiose scene from the Las Vegas Strip with lights and people everywhere or roulette, the best-known casino game ever invented. The word might also remind you of all the money one can win (or lose) by playing casino games. Whichever the case, the image that pops into your mind is likely associated with fun. Casino games are fun to play, that’s a well-known fact. Most players, especially those playing online, don’t seek to win a fortune while playing them but to have fun on their own terms, in their own preferred form. Unlike the other widespread forms of gambling – lotteries, sports betting, bingo, and their likes – casino games are not about winning but about having fun. But not all casino games are created equal.

Slot machines

Slot machines are the most diverse kind of casino games available. Although all of them are built on the same tried-and-tested schematic, they have different looks that attract different players. Basically, NZ pokies are the same as the ones you’ll find in Vegas casinos, fun to play and attractive but not particularly challenging to the mind.

Slot machines are entertaining games and all but they are not exactly what you would call a “challenging” game. Casinos, in turn, have many other games that are equally entertaining but also put their players’ minds to the test – games that you should definitely try on your next trip to a casino.

Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the classic games you’ll most likely encounter in any casino, online or otherwise. The game has a pretty simple set of rules, which makes it easy to learn. At first sight, blackjack looks and feels like just another game of chance. If you take a better look at it, though, and you do your homework, you’ll see that it has quite a few tricks you can master to incline the odds in your favor.

Spending time at the blackjack table and playing a few hands, even with no real money involved, is a relaxing and refreshing experience.

Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker will appeal not only to casino goers but also to poker players. It’s the “Americanized” version of a classic Chinese table game called Pai Gow, but with numerous elements taken from poker added to the mix.

All players at the table are dealt seven cards that they have to divide into two hands, one five-card hand and one two-card hand, according to standard poker rules, with one exception: Jokers can complete a straight or a flush in the five-card hand, and if it’s not possible, it acts as an ace. In the two-card hand, Jokers always act as aces. When all players have split their cards, the hands are revealed and compared. To win the highest payout, both of the players’ hands must beat the dealer’s hands. If only one of the hands is a winner, the hand is a tie.

Pai Gow Poker is a game that’s far more complex than most others at casinos but certainly highly entertaining and challenging to play.

All of our life, we look for any type of amusement to pass the time. Mentioning games elicits excitement from anyone. It is the one activity that everyone can relate to.

If you sit down three generations together, you will discover the same word means something different to each and every one of them. However, casino games are a universal language which is spoken by all generations, races and genders. That is a true fact, because gambling is probably as old as time.

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There are plenty of casino terms and meanings that you probably already know, from the hit and stand in blackjack, to the various poker hands in poker. Once you’ve played in a casino a few times over, there’s plenty of terms that you’ll pick up along the way. However, if you’re looking to really improve your casino terminology knowledge, then we’re here to help. Whether you want to jump into your first poker tournament in the big league or to start playing a little more seriously, there are a few terms that you can pick up that will really give you an advantage.

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Maybe I’m old school, but I still love visiting a casino with friends now and then, or even hosting a poker night in my apartment. There’s just something refreshing about good drinks, good friends, and good games. But too many times I’ve had buddies join in who had no idea what to do when they actually approached a popular game like poker, blackjack, or even roulette. It’s as if they think, “Oh, I’ve seen Rounders and Ocean’s 11, it’ll just kick in when I take my seat.”

Not exactly!

It doesn’t bother me that a lot of people don’t know how the most basic casino games work. At this point, most of us are playing these games online and in apps anyway, and everything is streamlined and simplified to be idiot-proof. But if you’re like me and have an appreciation for the actual games and the thrill of gambling, read on for a basic explanation of some of the most popular games.

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The attraction of casino games is universal. Taking one’s place at the table provides a jolt of excitement; the games are fun to play, and the prospect of a big win is appealing to players of all levels.

For centuries, casinos have been popular destinations for celebrities and “regular” people alike. In the late 1800s it was not uncommon for tourists to go to the casino in the hope of spotting the “stars” of the time, which included authors like Dostoyevsky, musicians like Johann Strauss, and even the future King of England, who played under an assumed name and sometime in disguise. Business tycoons and European nobility often tested their luck at the various popular games of the time.

Today, casinos are still a favorite haunt of celebrities, but thanks to mass media and the internet, it is far easier for us to spot them.

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