Games are the key reason players join online casinos. If a site’s online casino games aren’t entertaining, players stop playing at the site. If a casino’s games are considered unfair, word gets out and players avoid the casino. Thus, US online casinos must feature games that are fun and fair.
Read our guide to online casino games for a full introduction to what you’ll find. We provide a glossary of game terms to help players familiarize themselves with online casinos. We discuss the major games US players play for real money. Keep reading and you’ll have a full overview of casino games online.
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The Most Popular Online Casino Games
One of the reasons players flock to online casinos is the huge variety of games. It’s hard to list all of the casino games you might encounter, but here is a rundown of the main games in an online casino.
- Slots: Just like in land-based casinos, slots are the most popular online casino games. Slots online have a wide range of themes, jackpots, and bonus features. Players can find 3-reel, 5-reel, 6-reel, and 7-reel slot games. Progressive slots and licensed slots are among the most popular options.
- Blackjack: Also called 21, blackjack is a game for strategic players. Learning blackjack basic strategy helps players unlock the game’s low house edge. Casinos online have many variants of blackjack.
- Roulette: The world’s most popular spinning wheel game. Most sites feature 3 main versions of roulette: European Roulette, American Roulette, and French Roulette. The best online casinos also feature Live Roulette.
- Craps: Craps is the most popular dice game in casinos. Craps has a lower house edge for a game with no strategy, plus a wide range of bets. Many are sucker bets, so dice shooters should learn the game before playing.
- Baccarat: Baccarat is popular in Asian land-based casinos and with high rollers in America. The reason is simple: baccarat has the lowest house edge of any casino game with no strategy requirement.
- Table Poker: A catch-all term for a wide range of table games based on poker. Examples include Let It Ride, Red Dog, Caribbean Stud, Caribbean Draw, Caribbean Holdem, Casino Holdem, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, and Three Card Poker.
- Video Poker: In land-based casinos, video poker is a form of draw poker played on a gaming machine. Video poker is played against a pay table instead of other players. It’s also got a small house edge if you learn the basic strategy.
- Keno: A Chinese lottery game. Keno is an 80-ball lotto played. Online Keno is played in rapid-fire succession. Potential payouts range from $100,000 to $1 million in some US online casinos.
- Sic Bo: A Chinese dice game played with 3 dice. Like craps, Sic Bo has a wide range of betting options. The house edge on the best bets is somewhat higher than craps bets, while it also has a large array of sucker bets.
- Bingo: Like the games played in bingo halls across America. Online bingo gaming involves a wide range of themes and quick results, so throttle bets to account for the rapid nature of the game.
- Scratch Cards: Sometimes called scratch-offs, scratchers, or scratchies, online scratch cards are the counterpart of the lottery games you’ll find in US convenience stores. They have a wide range of themes and payouts.
Free Casino Games Online
Players have many options if they want to play free casino games online. What they might not know is the best free games option is at real money online casinos. For promotional purposes, US online casinos allow players to enjoy the same casino games for free. They hope you’ll enjoy the game, want the thrill of real money gambling, and make a deposit.
Other sites have free online casino games. Social gaming sites are popular, while some social media sites have casino game apps. Casino review websites also feature free casino games that players use as tutorials.
How to Play Casino Games Online for Real Money
Real-money casino games are no different than free casino games. Online casinos are the best place to enjoy real money casino games. It’s the only place. Figuring out how to sign up, make a deposit, and play for real money can be confusing, so we offer this guide.
- Sign Up at a Casino: Read casino reviews and choose a casino site. Visit the homepage and register for an online casino player account.
- Make a Deposit: Log in to your account and make a deposit. Visit the cashier page, choose a payment method, and input how much money you wish to deposit.
- Accept the Bonus: Most players accept the welcome bonus when they make a deposit. This is promotional cash that players receive as an incentive to fund their accounts.
- Read Bonus Terms: Read through the bonus terms to avoid any confusion. Pay attention to wagering requirements and game contribution rates. Follow the terms of use.
- Play for Real Money: Look through our list of online casino games and pick one that sounds best for you. Remember to pick a game that clears the wagering requirement.
- Clear the Requirement: Keep playing approved games until you clear the rollover requirement. The best US online casinos keep track of this for you.
- Withdraw Winnings: Once you clear the rollover, make a withdrawal. Now you can play any casino game you choose for real money.
Online Casino Games Glossary
| GAMES TERM | DEFINITION |
| Free Casino Games | Games played in the practice mode on the online casino site. Click “Practice” and the free game demo opens on your screen. |
| Hot Drop Jackpots | A newer game option at some US online casinos. This refers to online slots tied to random jackpots. Some casinos have $25,000 Hot Drop Jackpots every hour. |
| Jackpot Games | A category used in some casinos online to denote the progressive jackpot games. Includes the progressive slots, but also progressive table poker games like Let It Ride and Caribbean Stud. |
| Live Dealer Games | Also called live casino games, these are games played with live dealers. The dealers deal cards, spin wheels, and role dice in a live studio. The games are live-streamed to your computer in real time. Live Blackjack, Live Roulette, and Live Baccarat are most common. |
| Slots | Games with 3 to 7 reels with a theme based on world culture or pop culture. Slots have big jackpots and lots of bonus features. |
| Slots Bonus | A deposit bonus designed for those who play online slots. This is the most common bonus promotion you’ll find. |
| Specialty Games | A catch-all term for online casino games that aren’t always found in land-based casinos. Many are based on lottery or raffle rules. Examples are keno, bingo, and scratch cards. |
| Table Games | Casino games played at a table with a dealer. Examples include blackjack, baccarat, craps, and roulette. |
| Table Games Bonus | A deposit bonus designed for players of blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. Video poker is included in these bonuses, too. |
| Tournaments | Online casinos have tournaments for slots, blackjack, and baccarat. A field of players starts and the one with the most winnings within the time limit wins the tournament. |
| Video Poker | This category includes games like Jacks or Better, Joker Poker, Deuces Wild, and All American. Includes single-hand, multi-hand, and Pyramid Poker versions. |
Online Casino Games FAQ
Do real-money online casinos offer free casino games?
Yes. Click on the game icon the same way you would for real-money gaming. When prompted with “Real Money” or “Practice Mode”, choose the practice option. These are the free casino games, often with $1000 in make-believe coins for your gaming session.
What are no download casino games?
Traditional online casinos featured downloadable software. These let desktop computers access their casino site, once the download process is complete. These days, most US online casinos also have no download casino games.
No download casino games, also called instant-play games or browser-based games, open in the web browser instead of the casino download. This allows you to play without a download. Players with many casino accounts save space on their desktops.
What are the best online casino games?
That depends on your preference. If you like strategy and have a good memory, then blackjack and video poker are good games. If you want a chance at huge jackpots, then slots, scratch cards, and keno are good options. If you want a game with no strategy but good odds, try baccarat or craps.
If spinning wheels make you relaxed or you like the wide range of bets, try roulette. If you want social interaction, try live dealer games.