Baccarat holds the reputation of being the game of choice for the elite upper class and is one of the oldest games in the casino. However, it is actually one of the most simple and is purely a game of chance.

The objective of baccarat is to bet on the hand with the highest total value, that is, a total nearest to the value of 9. Up to 12 or 14 players can play in a single game, however, regardless of the number of people sitting around the table, only two hands are dealt. These hands are known as the ‘banker hand’ and the ‘player hand’. Before the hands are dealt, however, all the players must place a bet on the hand they think will win. Or they can choose to bet that the hands will tie. Thus there are only three betting options. Once all bets are placed, the hands are dealt according to fixed rules and there are no more opportunities to bet.

There are a few variations of baccarat including baccarat chemin de fer (railway), baccarat banque and punto banco (or North American baccarat). The last one is the most common form of baccarat and what you are likely to find on offer in an online casino.

Craps is a high speed casino game that is played with two dice. It is the game of choice even for seasoned players as it is intricate and involves chance, numerous rules and complex odds.

However, the fundamentals of the game are not so complicated and even a novice player is encouraged to give craps a shot. The essence of the game is that bets are placed on the outcome of the dice which are then thrown across the craps table. A craps table (both virtual and real) is divided into three separate areas: two identical side areas with a centre area dividing these two. Based on the combined number of the first roll of the dice, the shooter will either win or lose the game instantly or neither, in which case the game continues.

There is a range of betting options and this is what makes the game seem complicated and intimidating to new players. The side areas of the table are the ‘pass’ and ‘don’t pass bet’ lines, ‘come’ and ‘don’t come bets’, ‘odds bets’, ‘place bets’ and ‘field bets’. The key to being successful in craps is learning the betting options as a few smart choices will lower the house edge significantly. The best bets by far are those in the side area of the table and you should avoid the bets found in the centre as the house has a huge advantage.

Until today roulette has remained extremely fashionable and one of the most popular online casino games. It is an ideal game for players who are just beginning to play at online casinos as it is easy to understand and simple yet thrilling to play.

The idea is to simply place a bet on any number (or combination of numbers) or color – black or red, spin the win and if the ball drops onto that number, you win. Roulette is truly a game of chance and there is no secret method to beat the odds by tracking a pattern for example. One spin of the wheel has no influence over the next. It is wise, however, to learn about the many types of bets that can be wagered on roulette to maximise your bankroll as each offer different odds and house edge.

There are two variations of roulette which are American roulette and French roulette. It is highly recommended that you play French roulette (which as only a single zero on the wheel) as opposed to American roulette (which has double zeros). Both versions offer the same odds which are 1 to 35, however, the fewer number of pockets on an French roulette wheel means that there is a lower house edge.

There are many types of poker games with different rules, strategies, betting structures and even formats like sit ‘n’ goes versus tournaments. However, the essentials of how to play poker regardless of which variation are reasonably simple.

All games are generally played with a standard deck of 52 cards and involve a final hand of five cards. Texas Hold’em is by far the most popular of all online poker games. In general terms, there are a number of rounds to place bets on the strength of your hand into the ‘pot’ (which is the common fund), followed by cards being drawn. After each round, players can choose to place a bet or fold meaning that they forfeit all the bets that they have made so far. Play proceeds around the table clockwise. In most games, the best five card poker hand at the showdown wins all the bets and there is a poker hand ranking chart to determine who holds the best hand.

These are just the basics for you to begin playing and you can learn the rest as you go along at the table. The best place to start is undoubtedly at the free tables which are offered by most online poker rooms. Play will be fairly wild and unrealistic compared to real money table, however, it will greatly accelerate your learning curve of the fundamental rules and how the game moves.

Blackjack would easily rank as one of the most popular and best casino table games to play because of its enticing mix of skill and chance and is suitable for any level of player. Blackjack is also known as twenty one.

However, there are a few basic rules and strategies that one should master before sitting down to a game of blackjack as this will dramatically lower the house edge against you perhaps to even as low as one and half percent.

The objective of the game is simple enough, that is, to beat the dealer by holding a hand totalling more than the dealer’s without going over 21. Face cards are counted as 10 points each while Aces are worth either 1 or 11 depending upon what is more preferable for you. All other cards are represented by their number.

You ‘bust’ if your hand goes over 21 and automatically lose regardless of whether the dealer also busted or not. Blackjack can be played with one, two, four, six or eight decks of cards and is played around a special semi-circle table which seats about six players.