Complete Guide to Casinos

Many people enjoy wagering on the outcome of games of chance. It’s a pastime that has existed pretty much throughout history, with records of the practice going back hundreds of years. Today, casinos all over the world are visited by millions of people who want to try their luck at the tables or the slot machines. It’s even possible to play casino games over the internet.

Risking money on the turn of a card, the spin of a wheel, or the roll of a dice can provide a level of excitement you can’t truly understand until you’ve tried it. This is one of the reasons why playing casino games is the most popular form of gambling worldwide. The (relatively) recent introduction of online casinos has made it even more popular, with people from all walks of life enjoying the thrill it has to offer from their own home.

In this guide we’ve got a ton of information and advice relating to casino gambling. We’ll teach you everything you need to know if you’re a complete beginner, and there’s plenty you’ll be interested in if you’re already familiar with the basics. We’ll help you get started if you want to try playing online, and we’ll even help you find the best places to play.

We’ve provided details of everything our guide has to offer below. If you’re looking for something specific, you may want to jump straight to the relevant section.

Understanding the Risks of Casino Gambling

It is vitally important that you are fully aware of the risks involved in casino gambling. In our opinion, you really shouldn’t start playing casino games without first understanding the following two key points.

You may have heard the expression “the house always wins” in relation to casino gambling, and it’s true. The house, which is simply another term for a casino, does always win. The games all have a built in advantage for the house, which means the house is mathematically guaranteed to make a profit in the long run. This advantage is known as the house edge, and there is nothing you can do to overcome it.

Please note that this doesn’t mean that you can never win in the casino. You may have noticed that we stated the house is guaranteed to make a profit in the long run. They don’t win every single bet placed though. Their advantage will always prevail over a large number of bets, but you still have a chance of winning each bet you place.

Casino games all have random outcomes. This is the very nature of games of chance, and it is essentially what makes it possible to win even though the odds are against you. There is absolutely no reason why the outcome of any particular spin of the wheel, turn of the card, or roll of the dice can’t be a favorable one that results in you winning. In fact, you’d have to be pretty unlucky not to win at least a few of the bets you place.

Luck evens itself out over time in the casinos, which is why the mathematical advantage for the house always has its effect, but there will almost certainly be some occasions when it’s on your side. You need to appreciate that luck is entirely out of your control though. There are a few things you can do to that will give you a better shot of winning, but you can’t do anything to guarantee a win.

This is why, in our opinion at least, it’s really important to focus on enjoying yourself in the casino. The information and advice in our casino guide can help to improve your chances of winning, but it’s primarily about helping you have a good time. Ultimately we just want you to have plenty of fun in the casino, and get the best possible value for money.

Casino Gambling For Beginners

The first section of our casino guide covers all the basics you should know about casino gambling. This is where you should start if you have never played a casino game before. There’s some information and advice that you may still find useful if you’re already an experienced player, but it’s primarily aimed at beginners.

In this section we explain a few things you should really know before you begin, and we look at the pros and cons of playing casino games. We provide a helpful list of dos and don’ts too, and there are articles covering the following topics in detail.

Casino Game Guides

People usually associate casinos with blackjack, roulette, and slot machines. These are certainly among the most popular games, but there is actually an incredible variety of different games you can play in casinos. Each one is great fun in its own way, and most of them are simple and easy to learn.

We’ve written useful and informative guides on a wide selection of these games, as it’s a good idea to know as much as you can about a game before playing it. Each guide contains the relevant rules and any related information we think you should know. This can include details of any different variations of a game, the house edge, the various betting options, and even some strategy advice where applicable.

You might have noticed that we haven’t included slot games above. That’s because this is such a popular type of game that we felt it deserved its own dedicated section. Our comprehensive slots guide is full of useful information and advice, and it’s a must read for any avid slots player or anyone looking to start playing slots. Below are just some of the topics covered.

Introduction to Online Casinos

Our casino guide covers online casinos too. We have a section that contains everything you need to know about how to play online, how it all works, and what’s involved. It includes a step by step guide to joining your first online casino, and some useful tips for getting the best possible experience when playing online. There’s a helpful FAQ too.

Not only that, but you can find a page dedicated to progressive jackpots. You will see exactly how they work and just how large they can really get.

Our introduction to online casinos also features several informative articles covering topics such as the following.

Our Recommended Online Casinos

The extreme popularity of playing casino games on the web has resulted in a vast number of online casinos opening up. This is mostly a good thing, as it means you have plenty of options for where to play, but it also makes choosing the right one somewhat challenging. With so much choice, it’s difficult to know which ones to play at and which ones to avoid. If you want a full list of the online casinos that we specifically suggest avoiding, please check out our online casino blacklist.

Luckily, most online casinos are of at least a reasonable standard. There are a few that really stand out as being top quality though, and these are the ones you want to play at. We regularly test a wide range of online casinos to compare what they have to offer, and the following are currently our top recommended places to play.

In addition to our top recommendations, we also rank the top casinos in a variety of different categories. This will help you to find a quality casino that is right for any particular preferences or requirements you may have.

Online Casino Software Providers

Very few online casinos develop their own software, with most of them choosing to use software provided by third party developers. Some places use a single provider, while others several different ones. The final section of this guide features information on the biggest and best software providers used by online casinos, including details of all the games they have to offer.