Online Casino Games

Why Play Casino Games Online?

You may have fallen in love with the buzz of the live casino and thrill of your favorite casino game. So you’re probably wondering if the online casino experience can live up to that. Well the answer is not quite - because live casinos are unique in atmosphere. There’s a certain magic on the casino gaming floor that you can’t replicate online.

What can you replicate online, however? The thrill of watching the reels spin or cards turn over to reveal if you’ve just made a fortune. Playing casino games online also has quite a few advantages.

1. Available 24/7: Online casino games are available any time of day - 365 days a year.
2. Better overall payback % - This is true for many games - particularly slots.
3. Play Instantly: You never have to wait for a seat at a table & all limits are available any time.
4. Bigger selection: Massive amount of game variations that you can’t find at a live casino
5. Way smaller stakes: min bets as low as 0.01 - plus no tips for dealers or parking charges. 
6. Access to FREE play: Most casino games offer free versions to test the waters.
7. Bigger jackpots available: Extended online software networks pump up the jackpot drops.
8. Your own comfortable environment: No loud / obnoxious patrons disrupting your game.

We could go on. But suffice to say, playing casino games online can open up a whole new world of enjoyment to even the most die-hard live casino player. It’s also an unmatched opportunity to dip your feet into uncharted casino game waters without having to risk a dime.

Free Casino Games

If your eyes lit up, you’re not alone - You can play free casino games online - hundreds of them even. However, you can’t win real money (more on that below). What you can do is spend an infinite amount of time trying the demo or “free play” versions. This you can get with many casino games and variations.

You also don’t even have to download any software to do it. Most of the free casino games demo versions are Flash-based so you can play them directly in your browser. So why open an account at an online casino and just play the free games? 

To start off - it’s a good way to test a casino site’s software. See if you like it and if it meets your expectations. It’s also a great way to try new casino games or variations you’ve never tried before. See how many paylines you want to play. Or whether the animated slot of your favorite TV / movie characters has reasonable payouts. You can even practise the Martingale system for craps or roulette without risking any of your own money first. 

The advantages are many while the downsides are close to none. Sure, the real thrill of online casino gaming is pushing your money across the betting line. But for anyone looking to invest their time at an online casino, we recommend taking a test drive with free casino games first. It’s a luxury you won’t get in a live casino and it says lots about overall online casino experience. 

About Online Casino Games for Real Money 

The idea that you can play and win real money playing casino games from your home, office, train, coffee shop? That was crazy just 20 years ago. Could you trust the games were fair? Was everyone playing of legal age? And how could you play a slot machine on your phone? Now the world of online casino gaming has blown up. Geolocation and online identification protocols can guarantee players are who they say they are. 256-bit ssl encryption ensures financial transactions are fast and secure.

Casino software developers have refined video graphics in online casino games. Government licensing and oversight agencies make sure games are fair and proper Random Number Generators are in place. Plus, your smartphone - a high-power super-computer can support all this all day, every day on a wireless network.

Running 500 different casino games would be tough in a live casino without the manpower. Online, you can run all those games simultaneously with a few servers and no overheads or staff to maintain. That’s why minimum bets can be much lower – mere cents. 

Moreover, a live blackjack table may only have room for 7 players whereas online, the capacity is endless. If you can imagine a casino game live you can create it in virtual form. The recent surge of interest in live dealer games online is also a product of the advancement of streaming technology. With crisp, perfect feeds beamed directly into your device and no loss of quality.

Who knows just how far online casinos will go in the future? But if variety, speed, accessibility and personalization of the gaming experience appeals to you, online gaming is where it’s at.

Most Popular Online Casino Games – Slots

If the online casino world has a flagship game - it's undoubtedly the slots. Technologically they’re one of the easiest casino games to transfer from live casino to the online realm. And slots are undeniably the online casino play favorites and the foundation that most online casinos build on.

There are literally hundreds of slots to choose from, with very high payout rates - up to 99%. Including major co-branding with pop culture franchises like DC Comics, Game of Thrones and Wheel of Fortune.  Slots are also the most accessible of all casino games with a spin costing as little as 0.01. So the average player can hit the reels for a very long time on a minimal budget.

High-rollers aren’t left out of the slots game either, because you can find plenty of big-money slots that cater. Those with more capital to risk can also play up to 200+ paylines on just one spin. Pushing payout rates up to a near 99% for some games. The thrill of hitting a big jackpot never gets old. Even if you can’t hear the clinking of coins pouring into the tray at the bottom. The sounds of the slot game are immersive so you wouldn’t miss that anyway.

If you'd like to try some free slots tournaments, check out the options at Miami Club Casino.

Progressive Slots Jackpots

Not only does your standard online slot machine now have unprecedented variety and high-end graphics and experience. But they have massive progressive jackpots thanks to linked casino networks and game providers. Pooling jackpots together to create one giant progressive jackpot that can drop onto any active online player. One of the most popular, Mega Moolah, continuously breaks records. Having awarded record payouts of C$16,496,347 and €14,239,532 ($17.5 million) for the year of 2020. Note this slot is also a Guinness World Record holder for biggest jackpot amounts.

More mega progressive jackpot machines like Ages of the Gods, Mega Fortune or Jackpot Giant frequently hit over 10m GBP. And are easily some of the highest-traffic games on any casino site, keeping those jackpots growing higher and higher.

Online slots are also perfect for mobile gaming with nothing more than a tap or two to make bets and spin the reels. Read more about Online Casino Slots on our dedicated page here: 

• Online Casino Slots

More Popular Online Casino Games – Blackjack Variants

A true casino classic, Blackjack will always have a place in live or online casinos. Thanks to its player-friendly strategy and super fun variations. Maybe the most appealing thing to Blackjack players, of course, is if you follow textbook Blackjack strategy you can reduce the house edge to virtually zero. Meaning you’ve come as close as possible to ensuring a profit.

Card counting and more advanced strategy techniques are also possible with Blackjack. However, as you might expect, they’re not exactly encouraged at casinos - both live or online.

If you want to play a classic “21” you can pick between American or European versions. The only difference is in how the dealers’ cards are exposed. If the same old Blackjack games start to wear thin, there are endless twists you can add in. Drill down a little deeper and you’ll find dozens more Blackjack variations online including:

• Double Exposure Blackjack
• Blackjack Switch
• Perfect Blackjack
• Progressive Blackjack
• Blackjack Peek
• Crazy Blackjack
• Pontoon
• Spanish 21

Each has slightly different variations in its rules. From switching cards between hands to the player and dealer both using two shared cards on the table.

And there's no wait for blackjack!

As mentioned another great aspect of Blackjack online is there’s no waiting around for a seat at the table. If you prefer your Blackjack with a live dealer you can find that at various online casinos too. With crisp, clear sound and video that make you feel like you’re on the actual casino floor. Read more about online casino blackjack and its endless variations on our dedicated page here:

• Online Casino Blackjack

Video Poker and Table Poker - Games of Skill

Video Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Caribbean Stud Poker, 3-Card Poker, and Pai Gow. All casino poker games that offer low house edge with the right strategy and skill. Players love them because they’re not simply based on luck. The primary difference between online poker and casino poker games is you’re playing against the house rather than other players. However, in video poker and table poker, the rules are generally the same:

• You use official Poker Hand Rankings 
• Like 5-Card Draw, all cards are dealt at once, instead of the two or four hole cards in Texas Hold'em and Omaha
• A Royal Flush (the top hand possible) with maximum betting credits risked will give you the highest payout

For all the different rules and variants, including interesting nuances, check out our full casino poker game guide below:

• Casino Poker and Video Poker

Queen of the Table Games – Roulette

Much like Blackjack, Roulette is a casino classic that’s been captured in its essence online. But it also expanded into an array of variations. The three classics – American, French and European – are found everywhere, of course, and often in live dealer form too. But the imagination and diversity in online roulette games is exhilarating. 

Multi-wheel, pinball and Monopoly versions are among the more interesting. However, roulette variations depend on which online casino platform you pick. Odds and bets vary slightly among variations. So be sure you check the label or try out the demo version before putting down any real-money bets. 

Unconventional roulette games like these would never be offered in a live casino:

• Pinball Roulette
• 3D Roulette
• 3 Wheel Roulette
• Mini Roulette
• Monopoly Tycoon Roulette
• Monopoly Hot Properties Roulette
• Deal or No Deal Roulette
• Age of the Gods Roulette

If Live Dealer Roulette is your preference, expect to find just French or American Roulette as your options. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Roulette is classic for a reason, right? Read more about online casino roulette and all its variations on our dedicated Roulette page here:

• Online Roulette

Craps - The Sleekest of Online Table Games

While Blackjack and Roulette might be endless in the variations, Craps is pretty much still Craps. Online Craps is basically identical to live and it’s one of just a few dice games you’ll find online. Obviously because there’s nothing like throwing real dice in a casino surrounded by excited people hedging bets on your throw. Still, playing craps online is a fun jaunt and with payout rates between 96-99% a good value too.

Many online casinos use either Microgaming’s Vegas Craps or Playtech’s Craps. But Dragonfish, Cryptologic, Netent and bwin all have their own versions of Craps as well. Playtech’s Craps has a nice fast forward feature where you can speed up the game, if that’s your preference.

1x2 Craps is another variation on the Craps theme and it does offer nice graphics and high payouts. Optimal craps strategy to maximize your payout rate is also pretty easy to learn and use. Sic Bo is Craps’ only real competition for dice players but it’s much less popular. Read more about Online Craps Games on our dedicated page here:

• Online Casino Craps

Quick List of Niche Casino Games

The five classic casino games above draw in much of the online casino action but there’s more to it. Here’s just a sample list of the many niche games you can play for free or real money:

• Let It Ride
• Bingo
• Keno
• Baccarat
• Sic Bo
• Rummy
• War
• Hot Dice

You can play any game for maximum enjoyment. However what drives that enjoyment is the possibility of big wins. So your goal is to get paid as often as possible and only take small risks on the big scores. Check out any of the casinos we highlight on this page to experience all these games for yourself. Good luck!