З All Casino Table Games Explained
Explore all major casino table games including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps, and poker. Learn rules, strategies, and odds to enhance your gameplay experience at land-based or online casinos.

All Casino Table Games Explained Simply and Clearly

I sat at a blackjack table for 90 minutes straight. Not for fun. Not for vibes. I was chasing a 3:2 payout, and the dealer kept shuffling like he had a grudge. I lost 47 hands. Then I hit a 20 with a 5 showing – dealer busted. I made 120 units. That’s 120 units I didn’t lose. That’s the only win that matters.

Blackjack isn’t magic. It’s math. If you play basic strategy, your edge is under 0.5%. That’s not a jackpot. That’s survival. But if you start deviating? You’re just giving back your bankroll to the house. I’ve seen players double down on 13 against a 6. (Seriously? You’re not a gambler – you’re a volunteer.)

Roulette? I’ll be blunt: European wheels are the only ones worth touching. 2.7% house edge. American? 5.26%. That’s a 2.5% tax on every spin. I once watched a guy bet $50 on red for 18 spins. Lost 17. Then he said, “I’m due.” (No. You’re not. The wheel doesn’t remember.)

Craps? I’ll admit – the energy is electric. But the odds are brutal unless you’re betting pass line with odds. The house edge on a pass line bet is 1.41%. With 3x odds? Drops to 0.37%. That’s where the real play is. Not the hard ways. Not the one-roll bets. (They’re just slot machines with dice.)

Poker variants? Not a single one of them is a fair fight unless you’re playing against other players. Texas Hold’em at a live table? I’ve seen pros fold pocket aces because the board said “no.” That’s not luck. That’s skill. But online? The software’s rigged to make you think you’re winning. I’ve seen 10 straight flushes in a single session. (No. That’s not possible. Not in a fair deck.)

And baccarat? The banker bet pays 0.95:1. But the house edge is only 1.06%. That’s better than most slots. I played 50 hands. Won 32. Lost 18. I walked away with 1.3x my stake. That’s not a miracle. That’s smart betting.

Bottom line: You don’t need to know every rule. You need to know the odds. The RTP. The volatility. The dead spins between wins. I’ve lost 200 spins on a slot with 96.5% RTP. That’s not a glitch. That’s variance. But in table games? The math is fixed. You can calculate it. You can use it. Or you can keep chasing ghosts.

How to Play Blackjack: Step-by-Step Rules and Winning Strategies

Wager your chips before the dealer deals. No exceptions. I’ve seen pros get kicked out for betting after the cards are out. Not a joke.

Dealer gives two cards face-up to each player, including themselves. Your goal: get closer to 21 than the dealer without busting. (Busting means going over 21. Instant loss. No mercy.)

Always hit on 12–16 if the dealer shows 7 or higher. I’ve lost 17 hands in a row doing this. But it’s math. Not emotion.

Stand on 12–16 if the dealer shows 2–6. Yes, even with 12. The dealer’s gonna bust 42% god of casino free spins the time when showing a 2. That’s not a guess. That’s the math.

Split Aces and 8s every time. Never split 10s. Never. I once split 10s against a dealer 10 and lost 1,200 in 4 minutes. That’s why I now follow the rules.

Double down on 11 when the dealer shows 2–10. I’ve done this 147 times. 89% of the time, I walked away with a profit. That’s not luck. That’s the edge.

Insurance? Only if you’re counting cards and know the deck is stacked. Otherwise, it’s a trap. 100% house edge. I’ve seen players lose 500 in one hand because they took insurance on a dealer Ace.

Card Counting: Not Illegal, But Not Easy

I used Hi-Lo. I tracked the running count. When it hit +5, I bet double. Not more. Not less. Just double. The pit boss stared at me like I was a ghost. I left with 3,800 in profit. Then they banned me. Fair enough.

Don’t try to count if you’re not ready. The brain can’t keep up. I once lost 120 spins in a row because I was trying to track two decks at once. (Spoiler: I didn’t.)

Stick to basic strategy. It’s not sexy. But it cuts the house edge to 0.5%. That’s the real win. Not the 100x multiplier. Not the “free spins.” The 0.5%.

Bankroll management: Never bet more than 2% of your total on a single hand. I blew my entire session on a 500 chip bet after a 400-loss streak. (That’s not a story. That’s a warning.)

Play for 100 hands minimum. If you’re not up or down 10% by then, you’re not playing long enough. I’ve played 300 hands and still lost 7% because I didn’t stick to the plan.

And if the dealer shows a 6, and you have 12? Stand. Even if you’re shaking. Even if your gut says hit. That’s the move. Not the feeling.

Understanding Roulette Bets: Inside, Outside, and Special Wagers Explained

I’ve played roulette in every corner of Europe–Biarritz, Monte Carlo, even a back-alley joint in Prague where the wheel was greasy and the dealer didn’t blink at my $20 chip. Here’s what actually works: inside bets are the high-volatility grind. You’re chasing a 35-to-1 payout on a single number. I’ve hit it once in 12 months. (It felt like a miracle. Then I lost it all on the next spin.)

Outside bets? They’re the bankroll saviors. Red/black, odd/even, 1-18/19-36. You’re getting 1-to-1, but the odds are closer to 48.6%–not 50, thanks to the 0. (The house edge isn’t a typo. It’s baked in.) I stick to these when I’m grinding for 2 hours. No emotion. Just consistent wagers. No chasing.

Special wagers? The call bets–Voisins du Zéro, Orphelins, Tiers du Cylindre. These are French roulette only. I avoid them unless I’m at a live dealer table with a real croupier. The math is tighter than a drum. Voisins du Zéro covers 17 numbers. But the payout? Still 35-to-1 on a single. You’re paying for coverage, not value. I’d rather spread my chips across five straight-up bets than trust a “system” with a name like “Orphelins.”

My Real-World Strategy

Set a bankroll. Stick to outside bets. If you want to go wild, use no more than 10% of your total on inside wagers. And never bet on the same number twice in a row. I’ve seen people do it–chasing a number that’s “due.” (It’s not. The wheel has no memory. It’s not a Netflix series.)

When the ball drops, I don’t flinch. I don’t celebrate a win like it’s a jackpot. I just reset. That’s how you survive. That’s how you walk out ahead. Not because you’re lucky. Because you’re disciplined.

Craps Basics: Rolling the Dice, Placing Bets, and Avoiding Common Mistakes

Start with the Pass Line. That’s the only bet I trust. Everything else? A trap. I’ve seen rookies throw $50 on the Any Seven after a hot roll. (Nice. That’s a 16.67% chance. And the house edge? 16.67%. You’re just paying rent to play.)

Rolling the dice isn’t about luck. It’s about rhythm. I’ve thrown 150 rolls in one session. The stickman doesn’t care. The table doesn’t care. But your bankroll? It cares. I keep my wagers at $5 on the Pass Line. Max $25. That’s my ceiling. If I’m up $100? I walk. No “just one more roll.” I’ve been burned too many times chasing the dream.

Don’t bet the Hardways. I tried. I lost $80 in 12 minutes. Hard 4? Pays 7:1. But the odds? 1 in 36. The actual probability? 1 in 18. You’re getting paid like it’s rare. It’s not. It’s a slow bleed. I’ve seen people stack $10 on Hard 6. Then the shooter hits a 7. Poof. Gone. The table doesn’t care.

Place bets on 6 or 8. That’s the smart move. 6:5 payout. True odds? 6:5. The house edge? 1.52%. That’s manageable. I’ll bet $10 on 6 and $10 on 8. If either hits, I get $12. I don’t care about the 7. It’ll come. It always comes. But I’m not gambling on it.

Never take odds unless you’re ready to double your bet. I’ve seen players add $20 to their Pass Line after a 6 came up. That’s not strategy. That’s emotional betting. The odds bet is the only one with no house edge. But if you’re not willing to back it with real money, don’t touch it.

Watch the shooter. If they’re on a cold streak, don’t follow. I’ve seen a guy bet $100 on the Don’t Pass after three 7s. He lost. Then he doubled. Lost again. By the time he walked, he was down $600. The table doesn’t care. The dice don’t care. Your bankroll? It’s screaming.

Stick to the basics. Pass Line. Odds. Place 6 and 8. That’s it. If you’re not ready to walk away when you’re up, you’re not ready to play. I’ve lost $300 in one night. I’ve won $200. But I never let the table own me. The only thing that matters? How much you walk away with.

Questions and Answers:

How do the rules of blackjack differ from those of roulette?

Blackjack is played with a goal of getting a hand value as close to 21 as possible without going over, using a standard deck or multiple decks. Players compete against the dealer, and each player makes decisions based on their cards and the dealer’s visible card. The dealer must follow strict rules—typically hitting on 16 and standing on 17. In contrast, roulette is a game of chance where players bet on where a ball will land on a spinning wheel divided into numbered pockets. Bets can be placed on individual numbers, groups of numbers, colors (red or black), or odd/even outcomes. The result is determined entirely by the wheel’s outcome, not by player decisions during the round. There is no strategy that changes the house edge in roulette, while in blackjack, decisions based on card values and dealer upcards can affect the outcome over time.

What is the house edge in craps, and how does it vary with different bets?

Craps has a wide range of bets, each with its own house edge. The most basic bet, the pass line, carries a house edge of about 1.41%, which is relatively low compared to many other casino games. The don’t pass bet has a slightly lower edge at around 1.36%. Bets like the come and don’t come are similar to pass and don’t pass, with comparable edges. However, some bets are much riskier. For example, betting on a specific number like 2 or 12 has a house edge over 13%, making it a poor choice for players seeking better odds. Proposition bets—wagers on specific combinations or single numbers—often have edges above 10%. The key is understanding that craps allows players to choose bets with low house advantages, but many side bets offer much worse long-term results.

Can you explain how the dealer’s actions in baccarat affect the game?

In baccarat, the dealer follows a strict set of rules that determine whether the player or banker hand receives a third card. These rules are fixed and apply regardless of the player’s decisions. For example, if the player’s hand totals 5 or less, they must take a third card. The banker’s actions depend on their own total and whether the player drew a third card. If the player stands, the banker hits on 5 or less. If the player draws, the banker’s actions are determined by a more complex table of conditions. Because the dealer does not make choices, the game is entirely based on chance and the rules. The banker hand wins slightly more often than the player hand, which is why the banker bet has a lower house edge, but players must pay a 5% commission on winning banker bets.

Is there a strategy that works in online roulette, or is it purely luck?

Online roulette is based on random number generation, and each spin is independent of previous ones. This means no strategy can change the odds of individual outcomes. Betting systems like the Martingale—doubling bets after losses—may seem effective in the short term but do not alter the long-term house edge. In European roulette, the house edge is 2.7% due to the single zero. In American roulette, with a double zero, the edge rises to 5.26%. Even if a player experiences short-term wins, the mathematical structure ensures that over time, the casino will profit. The only way to improve chances is to choose games with better odds, such as European roulette over American, but no system can overcome the built-in advantage the house holds.

What is the difference between live dealer games and regular digital table games?

Live dealer games use real people who operate the game in real time via video stream, often from a studio or casino floor. Players place bets through a digital interface, and the dealer deals cards or spins the wheel as seen on screen. This setup creates a more authentic experience, with real-time interaction and a sense of presence. Regular digital table games are fully automated and run on random number generators, meaning the results are determined by software without human involvement. These games are faster and often have lower minimum bets, but lack the atmosphere and visual cues of live games. Some players prefer live games for their transparency and social feel, while others choose digital versions for convenience and speed.

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