The total number of casino games available to users can reach several thousand. The largest operators offer over 10,000 options. This factor is crucial for many people when choosing an online casino. In addition to the number of games, their diversity should also be considered.
Main types of casino games
Each game has different rules, features, house edge, and payout potential.
Slot machines
The largest category in the catalog, typically comprising at least 90% of the entire selection. Slots attract customers with their simple operating principles. They require no special knowledge or skills. To start playing, simply select one of the slot machines, set the spin value, and start the spins.
Providers that create slots host them on their servers. Casinos and their visitors cannot access them or influence their performance.
Each slot machine has a field consisting of rows and reels. Various symbols appear on them, each with its own rarity and value. A random number generator determines how the symbols are arranged on the field during a spin. Payouts occur when various conditions are met:
- Formation of a line.Identical symbols must form a specific combination—landing in specific positions on the reels. The number of paylines varies from slot to slot classical There are up to 25 of them, in modern ones there are hundreds and thousands, up to 117,649 with active Megaways mechanics.
- Formation of a cluster.Identical symbols must appear next to each other. Clusters pay out for 4, 5, or more symbols, according to the slot’s rules. This mechanic is often combined with a cascade, where previously played symbols disappear and new ones appear in their place.
- Total number of identical images.Their position on the field and relative to each other doesn’t matter. The main thing is to collect the required number of identical symbols in one spin.
Slots have higher payout potential than other casino games, offering payouts up to thousands of times the initial bet. However, as the maximum win increases, so does the volatility.
A slot’s volatility is determined during the concept stage. It’s one of the key parameters that influences the game’s perception and expected player behavior. At this stage, the team decides whether the game will be low-volatility (with frequent but small wins) or high-volatility (with rare but potentially large payouts). The choice depends on the target audience, visual style, and underlying gameplay concept. However, actual volatility is determined during development, when the mathematical model is created and tested. Developers simulate millions of spins to fine-tune the payout balance, bonus frequency, and risk-to-reward ratio. Volatility may sometimes be adjusted based on testing results to ensure the game feels exactly as intended and meets both player expectations and operator requirements. Thus, volatility is the result of both creative design and precise mathematical tuning.
Victoria Malysheva, game designer
Roulette
The essence of this table game is to place bets on numbers, their combinations, and various attributes, such as color or parity. To do this, players place chips in the corresponding sectors. After the bets are placed, the roulette wheel spins, and a ball is dropped into it. The ball determines the winning number after the wheel stops. If the number matches the one selected, the player receives a payout.
| Type | Peculiarities | Playground advantage |
| European | The field includes one zero sector and numbers from 1 to 36. Traditional version of the rules without additional options. | 2,7% |
| French | The same board as European roulette. Two additional rules are optional: La Partage and En Prison. They apply if zero lands on an even-money bet. In the first case, the player receives half their bet back. In the second case, the bet carries over to the next round. | 1,35% |
| American | The wheel has two zero sectors, which almost doubles the casino’s advantage. The remaining rules are the same as European roulette. | 5,26% |
Roulette bets come in outside, inside, and called bets. Outside bets are placed on even odds, dozens, and columns. Inside bets are placed on combinations of 1 to 12 numbers. Call bets cover unique number combinations and are accepted on a separate track.
Compared to slots, roulette payouts are small. Even-money bets offer 1 to 1 odds, while a single number correctly guessed offers 35 to 1.
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Craps and other dice games
Craps is the most common form of dice. The game is played on a table with a grid featuring over 30 betting options and consists of two stages:
- First, the point is determined. The dealer rolls two six-sided dice. If the dice land on a 7 or 11, the player wins; if the dice land on a 2, 3, or 12, the house wins. In either case, the round ends. If the dice land on a different number, it becomes the point, and the second round begins.
- Participants are given the opportunity to make additional bets, after which the throws continue. This continues until the point or seven rolls again.
The second most popular dice game is Sic Bo. It involves guessing the outcome of three dice rolls. Bets are accepted on exact numbers, pairs, triplets, over/unders, and other outcomes.
Wheel of Fortune
The idea is to spin a wheel divided into sectors with various rewards. First, players place their bets, then spin. If the sector that lands matches the player’s choice, the player receives a payout. If not, the money goes to the casino.
Such games are common in the Live section and take place in a show format with the participation of a host.
The disadvantage of the Wheel of Fortune is its high volatility and low return percentage.
Casino betting
Some gaming platforms have a sports betting section. Here you can place bets on football, hockey, tennis, and other sports.
There are no differences from traditional bookmakers. The client selects the odds for the selected match, specifies the amount and type of prediction, and confirms it.
Lotteries
Customers purchase tickets with a specific set of numbers and wait for the results of the drawing. The more winning numbers match those on the coupon, the higher the chance of receiving a payout from the casino.
Bingo
Bingo There are British and American versions. The former uses 90 balls, the latter 75. A purchased ticket contains a predetermined set of numbers. To win money, you need to complete one or more rows or a specific shape.
When playing against a computer, the winning numbers are determined by a random number generator. In the Live section, the lottery machine selects the balls.
The British bingo model is more common in Russia. It uses cards with 15 random numbers ranging from 1 to 90.
Keno
A numerical lottery with 80 balls. You must select up to 20 numbers on your ticket. The more numbers you match, the larger the payout. Matching 15 or more numbers usually results in a jackpot.
The most popular card games
Card games occupy a special place in the board game category. They appeal because of the opportunity to apply strategy. Not everything depends on luck—the player’s decisions can influence the outcome.
Different types of poker
The tables section offers various poker variants. Players play against a computer or live dealer. Players don’t compete against each other. The most common games are:
- Hold’em.The player is dealt two hole cards. Five more are face up on the table—they’re the community cards. The player’s goal is to form the strongest five-card hand possible. If their hand is higher than the dealer’s, the player wins the pot.
- Omaha.There are now four hole cards, not two as in Hold’em. Two of them, plus three on the board, must be involved in a hand.
- Oasis.The player receives 5 cards after placing their bet. For an additional fee, they can exchange any number of them for new ones. The player with the highest hand wins.
There’s also video poker. There’s no opponent. Payouts are based on fixed odds for different hands.
These casino games are available against the computer and in the Live section with live dealers.
Blackjack
The client’s goal is to beat the dealer. To do this, they must either score more points than the dealer or wait for the dealer to bust—more than 21 points. The hands are dealt in the following order:
- Players make mandatory contributions and receive two cards face up. The dealer deals two more cards, but one remains face down.
- Players take their turn. They can take additional cards, split a pair, double down, or stand.
- The dealer has the final turn. He takes cards until he reaches 17 or more points.
Picture cards and tens are worth 10 points each, an ace is worth 1 or 11, and the rest are worth their face value. In addition to the main bet, there are side bets. These allow you to win money for making a pair, three of a kind, flush, or straight. These combinations are formed using two of the player’s hole cards and one of the dealer’s upcards.
Baccarat
Baccarat is a card game in which players place bets on the banker, the player, or a tie. The dealer then deals two or three cards to each player. The player with the closest total to 9 wins.
Payouts for successful bets on the player and banker are paid 1 to 1, for a tie – 8 or 9 to 1.
Mathematical foundations of games
An online casino always comes out on top. Its advantage is built into the rules of any game. In slots, it is achieved through RTP— the theoretical return on investment percentage. In table games, this is due to the presence of additional outcomes and the absence of 50/50 bets.
The eCOGRA and iTech Labs certificate may be posted at the bottom of the gaming platform’s website. This confirms the correct operation of the random number generator.
A player can’t eliminate this advantage or change it. It can only be minimized through various strategies. By making mathematically correct decisions, one can achieve improved results. However, strategies don’t guarantee long-term results, and over time, the casino will prevail. One must be prepared for this.