What’s great about gambling in the UK is that there’s a huge number of online casinos you can join. Internet gambling is completely legal and winnings are tax-free, so if you’re lucky enough to win, you can relax knowing the money is all yours. Slots are the most common type of game you’ll find at casino sites by far. They can be enjoyable and exciting, but for many players, table games have the edge.
This is because table games have more depth to them than slots. Some of them are entirely based on luck, but they have lots of betting options, giving you players a varied gaming experience when playing them. Pretty much every casino site in the UK offers a selection of table games. In this article, we’ll run through the basics of the most common table games. Play them at online casinos such as GGBet Casino for real money and see which of them you prefer.
Blackjack
Also known as 21, blackjack is a card-comparing game where you try to beat the dealer to 21. Both you and the dealer receive two cards and take in turns to act on your hand. This is where you get to make key decisions that can affect the game’s outcome. Your available actions include receiving another card, doubling your bet and receiving one final card, splitting your hand in two and keeping your hand as it is.
The ace is worth 1 or 11, royals are all worth 10 and all number cards are worth their face value. After you’ve acted on your hand, it’s the dealer’s turn. Unlike you, the dealer doesn’t get to make decisions and has to follow set rules depending on their two cards. When the dealer’s finished, whoever has the hand closest to 21 wins (it’s possible for the game to end in a tie). It’s possible for the game to end after the first two cards are dealt. This is because either or both players could get a natural, which is when their first two cards are an ace (worth 11) and any card worth 10, giving them a hand value of 21.
To play blackjack, you have to place a bet on the game. There are usually a number of optional side bets you can place in addition to the main one. These pay out if certain conditions are met and don’t depend on the game’s outcome.
Roulette
Many online casino players in the UK like roulette because of its simple gameplay. It uses a wheel with numbered pockets: European versions have 37 pockets (1-36 and 0), whereas American versions have an additional 00 pocket. In a game of roulette, the wheel is spun and a ball is dropped onto it. The ball eventually comes to a stop in one of the numbered pockets, which is declared the winner.
Roulette is a luck-based game and there’s nothing you can do to influence the outcome in any way. When it comes to betting, there are two main types of bets: inside and outside. Inside bets involve a small selection of numbers (or even just one) and are less likely to win but have larger payouts. As for outside bets, these cover a bigger selection of numbers (12 or more) and have better chances of winning, though lower payouts.
Baccarat
Baccarat is similar to blackjack in that it’s a card-comparing game, but the key difference is that you don’t make any decisions. The entire game follows set rules. When you play, you’re simply betting on which of two hands, the player or banker’s hand), gets the closest to 9.
In baccarat games, the ace is worth 0, cards 2-9 are worth their face value and all royals are worth 0. If a hand’s value goes above 9, you remove the leftmost digit to get its actual value. For example, if the banker’s hand has an 8 and 9, the value would be 7 (8 + 9 = 17, then take away the 1).
Poker
What many players enjoy about poker is that it’s a very strategic game that involves careful thinking and decision-making. There are many different versions of poker, the most common of which is Texas hold’em. In this poker game, your aim is to form the best possible five-card poker hand. You use any combination of your own two cards and the five community cards that are free for all players to use.
If you want to start playing poker, it’s a good idea to practise for free first. By doing this, you can learn the ropes and build up your confidence without having to risk your money. Many UK casino sites have poker games you can play against the computer; some of them have software that allows you to play against other people in real time over the internet.