The buzz, glamour and excitement of casinos are great reasons to visit them but for the majority of players, a trip to the casino is all about the games. These are some of the most famous casino games and the ones you will find all of the best casinos in Atlantic City and around the world.
Blackjack
For such a simple game, blackjack can be an extremely difficult game to master. This of course is part of the charm of the game and even if you have no experience of casinos, you should be able to get up to speed at the blackjack table in no time at all. Many young children learn how to play blackjack in an attempt to assist them with learning how to count but it is only when they become adults that they become introduced to the true magic and wonder of blackjack.
Given that the aim of blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over and to beat the score of the dealer, there is nothing too difficult about the game. The thing is though, there are so many possibilities and even though there are many strategies involving blackjack, there is no such thing as a certain outcome. With the game reliant on the turning of a card, a great position can become a bad one quickly and equally, what may seem like a poor starting hand can very quickly turn into a position of strength.
There are a number of blackjack strategies that give advice to players on what decisions to make depending on their cards and the cards that the dealer holds. Knowing when to stick, knowing when to hit and when to split or double down can make all the difference in this game of skill and confidence. Even with these strategies in place, there is no guarantee of success but following these guidelines will increase the likelihood of winning at the blackjack table.
With video blackjack games sitting alongside the many blackjack tables, you will never struggle to find a good blackjack option when you play casino games in Atlantic City.
American Roulette
When it comes to casino games that are simple to play and open to everyone, it is hard to argue against roulette. Even if you have never played roulette before, it is likely that you will be very familiar with choosing between red or black and odds or evens. At the heart of roulette, this is all you have to do to be able to place a bet on the game. This is why the roulette table is always one of the busiest places in an Atlantic City casino.
You may be aware that there are different types of roulette wheels to choose from and it is no surprise that American roulette is the roulette game of choice in Atlantic City. There is not a massive difference between the European version of roulette and American roulette but it is enough of a difference for some players to choose between the two of them if both are on offer.
In brief, the American roulette wheel adds a “00” slot on the wheel, next to the “0”. It is a simple addition but it provides the house with a larger edge. It is easy to see why casinos would be in favour of such a decision and equally, it would be easy to see why some players would be displeased about the reduction in their chances of winning.
However, with a higher house edges come a slightly higher return so if you win at American roulette, you get a greater return with all other things being equal that you would have received from the European roulette wheel.
There are a great number of American roulette options to choose from in Atlantic City and there are plenty more video American roulette wheels to choose from too. However you like to play, this is one destination that has everything you could want or need.
Craps
Craps is a game that is not universally popular with casinos and this may be for a number of casinos. Even though there is not a lot of equipment needed to play craps, and therefore a game could be set up anywhere, craps is usually played out on a large table in a casino. This means that it can take up a great deal of space and if space is at a premium, a casino would always prefer to use this space for more popular games or games that will bring in more income for the casino.
There is also the fact that craps represent some of the slimmest house odds you will find in a casino which means that many casinos would rather not provide this game for players. Given that the odds are so slim for the house, it would make sense for more players to demand this game but craps is definitely down the pecking order when it comes to popular casino games.
Craps is played with a pair of dice and players will make bets on the outcome of a roll or a number of rolls of the dice. You don’t need to be rolling the dice to be able to make a wager so this means that everyone around the craps table can have some fun at the same time.
Players are able to play against the bank but they can also make money by wagering against each other. However, when it comes to Atlantic City craps, the most common use of the game is with wagers against the bank.
The person rolling the dice is referred to as the shooter and they need to bet on the pass line or the don’t pass line. All other players can join in the game when the dealer signifies that bets are allowed.
Slot Machines
When it comes to the most popular casino game, it would be fair to say that slot machines are the most popular option. This is the case for casino operators and players, which is something to behold because it is not too often that the players and operators will come together!
There is a genuine chance for players to win huge sums of money by playing on slot machines and there is no need to have skill, experience, talent or even an understanding of the game. Slot machines provide the great leveller when it comes to online casino games and players who are new to the game are just as likely to win as players who have been playing all of their life.
The history of slot machines is one that is worth reading up on, with the creation of the first slot machine at the end of the 19th century being a huge success. The layout was such a smash-hit that not a lot has changed in the intervening years. Traditional slot games still adhere to the 3 reels and 1 payline layout and even most of the same characters are in use.
There has been an evolution though and the emergence of computer and video technology has helped to increase the different slot machine styles. Five reel slots became popular and then 7 reel, 9 reel and even more reel slots came along and the amount of paylines that can be played for are huge. There are some slot machines that have over 125 paylines on them but of course, it can cost money to play all of these paylines, which ensures that slot machines are a great source of income for all slots owners.
You only need to look at the amount of Atlantic City casinos that boast of having thousands of slot machines on their premises to understand that this is the premier casino game.
Poker
While poker may trail behind slot machines in the overall popularity stakes, there is no doubt that poker is the number one hot game in casinos all over the world. This means that it is huge in Atlantic City and there are a number of casinos that have specialist poker rooms open all hours of the day and night for players.
The past decade or so has seen a huge surge in the levels of interest for poker and this has come about for a number of reasons. There has been an increase in the exposure for poker on TV but it has to be said that the emergence of online poker has really spiked interest in the game. It used to be that poker was one of the best ways to invite your friends over and have some fun at the weekend but these days, all you need is your laptop and you can play (free) poker against people from all over the world.
Of course, there is a great social element to poker, which is why many people will always prefer to play in person around a poker table. There are a good number of different poker disciplines to choose from but the recent surge in popularity has ensured that Texas Hold ‘Em is the number one game in poker. Omaha games and 7 card stud games are also popular but Texas Hold ‘Em is the one you will consistently find in casinos.
You will find a number of more exotic poker and poker related games offered in Atlantic City too. Games like Pai Gow Poker and Caribbean Poker may not be the type of poker games you learned while growing up but they come under the poker umbrella in Atlantic City and a great number of folk love to play these games.