Ideal Casino Games to Master as a Beginner

Whether you’re new to casinos or just looking to expand your gaming horizons, picking up a new table or machine game can be intimidating. But not all casino games are created equal. Some rely more on luck, while others require complex strategies to better your odds. As a beginner, you’ll want to stick to options that are easy to learn, offer reasonable odds and provide plenty of low-stakes action.

Blackjack

Of all table games, blackjack at Boomerang Casino Online gives novice gamblers some of the best odds once you’ve nailed down a basic strategy. The object is to beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21 through smart hitting, standing, doubling down and splitting card decisions. While seasoned counters can sometimes gain an edge, even first-timers can narrow the house advantage down to less than 1% by learning when to take different actions based on your cards and the dealer’s upcard.

Baccarat

Baccarat tends to get overlooked by casual American gamblers, but it’s wildly popular in Asia due to its simplicity and low house edge. Players have no strategy decisions to make. You just place bets on whether you think the Player hand or Banker hand will end up closer to 9 (or bet them to tie). Because the game relies purely on chance, both sides offer nearly even odds save for a slight commission charged on Banker wins. It’s fast-paced, suspenseful gambling entertainment without much thinking involved.

Video Poker

Unlike slots, video poker gives skilled players the chance to decrease the house edge or even gain a minuscule mathematical advantage with optimal strategy. The object is to form the strongest possible 5-card poker hand from your initial 5 cards, discarding and replacing as needed. Because mathematical calculations dictate the ideal play for each starting hand, newcomers can memorize guidelines to know when to keep or discard certain cards. Going by basic video poker strategy drops the house edge to around 0.5% or less for full-pay Jacks or Better games.

Craps

Craps looks chaotic and intimidating, but at its core it’s just a dice game with betting options galore. Once you grasp how rolls of the dice translate to wins and losses on different wagers, you’ll find craps offers some of the best odds in the casino. The simple Pass/Don’t Pass bet sees the house edge fluctuate between 1.4% and 1.36% depending on specific rules. Backing 6 or 8 to win big pays out at nearly even money too. New shooters can make “wrong” bets and annoy superstitious players, however, so study up on etiquette before approaching the raucous craps table.

Roulette

Roulette requires no skill or strategy, making it an easy game for casino newcomers to learn. Simply place chips on the felt roulette layout guessing where the ball will land after a spin of the wheel. Payouts range from even money for red/black or odd/even bets up to 35 to 1 for nailing down just the right number.

While the house edge varies across different roulette variants, it usually falls between 2.7% and 5.26% on all wagers except the low-risk even money bets. So while roulette entails lots of luck, players willing to take bigger risks have chances to win bigger paydays.

Mini-Baccarat

The mini-baccarat version plays by all the same rules as traditional baccarat but offers lower minimum bets that appeal to casual gamblers and newbies. You can learn the basic gameplay in minutes and start betting $5 or $10 per hand instead of baccarat’s usual $25 minimums. The dealer handles all the cards, so game pace moves rapidly even with a full table. Mini-baccarat’s fast action, simple rules and reasonable buy-ins slot it among the best introductory table games. Just realize the house edge runs slightly higher at mini-baccarat tables.

Let It Ride

Let It Ride belongs to a class of casino games where part of your wager carries over from round to round. You start by placing three equal bets, then cards get revealed allowing you to withdraw one bet or “let it ride” based on what you’re dealt. Made hands pay out according to a standard poker hierarchy. With a house edge that dips as low as around 3.5% using optimal strategy, Let It Ride offers reasonable odds for a game involving skill elements tailored for newbie gamblers.

Three Card Poker

Known as “three card poker,” this hybrid game combines poker-style hand rankings with streamlined blackjack-esque rules. You place an ante bet, receive three cards, then decide to fold or make an additional “Play” wager equal to your ante. Made hands of a pair or better earn payouts while high-value suited triples can pay out huge. Three card poker tables have a designated spot for bonus wagers too with even higher potential payouts for great hands. Altogether the house edge falls between 2% and 3% depending on specific pay tables.

Spanish 21

Spanish 21 resembles blackjack but uses 48 cards by removing certain 10s. Players can also double down on any number of cards and late surrender half their bets after seeing the dealer’s upcard. These liberal rules combined with bonus payouts for five-card 21s and other made hands shrink the house advantage down to around 0.4%. That gives Spanish 21 some of the very best odds of any casino table game, perfect for new gamblers learning basic blackjack strategy.

Just realize that while these beginner-friendly games involve less luck than slots and keno, they’re still weighted to provide mathematical advantages favoring the house. So even with perfect theoretical strategy you’ll likely lose money over thousands and thousands of hands. But by picking games with reasonable odds and low barriers to entry, novice players stand the best chance to gain experience, stretch gambling budgets and maybe get lucky on shorter winning streaks.