How to Be Smart About Choosing Casino Games

Casino games aren’t everyone’s tastes, nor should they be seen as a guaranteed way to make money. However, millions of people around the world play casino games online, and they do so responsibly and safely. If you are one of those choosing to play online casino games, there are certain factors you should consider first. These can help improve the overall experience and even increase your chances of winning.

For a start, not all casino games have the same rate of return. For example, most experienced players will be able to tell you that you should choose European roulette over the American version. The latter has an extra zero pocket added to the wheel, which will add a couple of percentage points to the house edge for the majority of bets. This usually remains the case when it comes to virtual roulette games.

Similar Games Have Different Return Rates

You should also be aware that the same theory works with slots. For example, if you play the Immortal Romance slot from Microgaming here, you will notice that the bonus features are almost identical to those found in Thunderstruck II, one of the most popular slots ever created by Microgaming. Immortal Romance, however, has a higher RTP (return to player) than Thunderstruck II. The difference (96.86% vs 96.65%) is not huge, but why would you choose a game that gives a bigger advantage to the casino?

RTP isn’t everything, though. A high RTP means the game will pay out more over time, but it is not defined when those payouts will come about. Because of that, you should also be aware that games have different levels of variance, sometimes referred to as volatility. A game with high variance, like the Great Blue slot by Playtech, tends to have less frequent winning spins but can pay out large amounts on occasion. A low variance game, like starburst, pays smaller wins more frequently. You can appreciate how the risk vs reward can fit into your strategy.

Bonuses Should Be Used Wisely

Of course, with online casino games, you should also be thinking about bonuses. You will often receive a cash bonus when you sign up to an online casino, as well as other promotions as an existing customer. Just like when you are playing with your own cash, you should think about which games you play with a bonus. This is due to the fact that a bonus usually must be wagered a specific number of times before it becomes real cash. However, not all games will count the same towards that wagering. Table and card games, for example, usually have low weighting. The best advice if you want to turn a bonus into real cash is to play high RTP, low volatility slots.

One final piece of advice when choosing a casino game is to be wary about progressive jackpots. These headline prizes could be worth anything from £20K up to £20 million. But you should be aware that the jackpot prize, even though it is awarded randomly, is often weighted in favour of high rollers. Some games, like Mega Moolah, will have tiered jackpots, which can give you more of a chance. But, on balance, these big jackpot games will require a higher stake to give you a fair shot at the big prize.

So, there you have it: Some sound advice before you play online casino games. Nothing is guaranteed, but following the guidelines above can help you have a better experience and, perhaps, increase your winning potential.