7 Casino Games You May Want to Avoid

Looking at the house edge on a particular game might seem like a no-brainer when eliminating possible choices for an upcoming casino trip. However, other factors need to be accounted for before issuing a blanket ban on a game as a possibility.

Some of the games that seem horrible may be a much safer play under certain circumstances, and it can often go the opposite way. Let’s examine 7 casino games you may want to avoid.

1 – Say “NO” to Double Zero Roulette

Roulette is generally a pretty decent choice when hitting the casino floor. The game’s relatively low house edge on many bets combined with the slower pace the game moves makes it a favorite for many savvy casino gamblers.

I’ve had some absolutely miserable nights at the roulette table, but mostly before I took the time to understand the best and worst bets available. Look, it doesn’t matter whether you play on an American wheel or a European wheel if you’re going to make silly bets.

Those of you who want to get the most bang for your bankroll stay away from double zero or American Roulette. The house edge more than doubles on an American Roulette wheel.

You’ll actually be better off playing slot machines in some casinos than playing roulette on a double zero wheel.

By doubling the house edge, you are essentially doubling your losses per hour over the long term. If you’re putting $1000 into action on a single zero wheel, your expected losses will be $26 an hour.

On a double zero roulette wheel, your expected losses will be $52.60. Clearly, you can see how much more beneficial it is to stick to the single zero roulette game.

Casino gambling is a numbers game, and the most important number for many of us is how long we’ll be able to play on the casino floor. Obviously, losing money at a rate of double will cut your casino time dramatically.

If you can’t find a single zero roulette wheel at the casino you’re in, it’s best to find a different game or move to another casino. It really makes that significant of a difference.

2 – Skip the Slot Machines

Slot machines are the biggest racket in the casino. Before you start the barrage of strongly worded e-mails, let’s look at the facts.

First and foremost, if slot machines are your favorite game in the world and you know the odds, by all means, go for it.

Unfortunately, I see seas of casino gamblers taking a seat and mindlessly flushing money down the drain because they’re too afraid to take the leap to table games. After all, there are no rules to learn, decisions to make, or embarrassing possibly costly mistakes on the slot machines.

Combine this edge with the fact that a player will be making hundreds of spins per hour, and it makes slot machines among the worst games on the casino floor.

Not only are you going to be getting a much lower payout than table games, but you’re also going to be putting much more money into play per hour. You’re essentially hemorrhaging money from the moment you sit down at a slot machine.

Avoiding slot games altogether will allow you to stretch your gambling dollar to its fullest potential.

3 – Casino War, What Is It Good For?

Absolutely nothing is the answer to the question above.

Casino War seems like a fun game on principle. I remember sitting on the living room floor and playing War with my mom for hours on snow days growing up.

However, as I got older, I learned better games, and War faded away into the memories of being a young boy. The past is exactly where this game belongs. I remember watching Vegas Vacation and thinking how silly that they had War in the casino. Even as a teenager, I got the joke that you certainly can’t play War in a casino.

Well, you couldn’t until some brilliant casino employee figured out how to monetize the game. Today, Casino War is a fairly common game. You shouldn’t avoid Casino War because it’s a kids’ game. You should avoid it because it doesn’t provide much bang for the buck. Hands are over quickly, and while the standard edge heads up aren’t terrible, the ties can be costly.

What kills the game for me is the sheer lack of decisions available to the player. I’ve found that I quickly become bored laying games where there’s no real skill or strategy involved.

Personally, I’d rather lose my entire bankroll playing poker against skilled opponents than slowly hand it to the casino on a game I don’t enjoy.

4 – Keno, No!

I have had more fun standing in line at the DMV than playing real money Keno.

Keno is a lottery-style game you can find in almost any casino. It has 2 draws that suck players in and seem to take hold.

The first being the jackpots. It’s not uncommon to see top Keno prizes reach into the high 5-figures.

Gamblers see it as their best shot of curing their money woes once and for all. Don’t get me wrong; players do win; in the same sense, people win the lottery.

Sure, someone’s going to win a pile of cash. Surely it’ll be somebody other than you.

The second saving grace of Keno is the low cost of playing. Keno tickets will average you about $2, and with only a few drawings per hour, you can gamble all day for a $20 bill.

There aren’t many casino games where $20 is going to last you more than an hour if you’re lucky. So, if you’re hitting the casino with a tight budget, Keno is a viable option.

For those interested in being entertained for the dollars spent in the casino, steer clear of the Keno room.

5 – Poker Can Ruin Your Day

Texas Hold’Em has exploded in popularity over the last 30 years. Casinos that once stuffed crafty card players into a dark, smoke-filled rooms now offer massive poker rooms full of luxurious amenities.

This boom has brought more than opulent settings for poker players to lounge and compete in. The number of players that fill the rooms on any night of the week is staggering. Of course, when there’s that much blood in the water, the sharks are sure to come out. This may spell disaster for overly confident and underprepared poker players.

More than one home game poker pro has strut through the casino doors expecting to cash in on their superior strategy and play. Almost to a man, they’ve been humbled in rapid succession. It happened to me early in my gambling career, too. I was confident that my time had come to run with the big dogs.

So, I took my entire paycheck to the casino’s poker room, confident that I’d easily double up in time to be home for dinner. I was back in my car and headed home within an hour of arriving at the casino. Needless to say, I had not doubled up.

Poker can be a challenging and thrilling way to spend your time in the casino. However, if you’re not properly prepared for the challenge, you may be flatly broke before you know it.

6 – Craps Pass or Go Home

Craps is often the least understood casino game of them all. Players look at the plethora of betting options, see the players crowded around the table, and get intimidated.

Well, it’s time to stop being scared of one of the best casino games around. Craps has a couple of bets that can pump up the adrenaline and dopamine levels like no other game in the casino.

Watch how quickly players lose money when they start making bets with high odds and low probabilities.

7 – 6:5 Blackjack

Nope. Never. Not even once.

Casinos have started the ugly trend of paying blackjack 6:5 as opposed to 3:2.

Playing 6:5 Blackjack is akin to playing double-zero roulette. It’s a losing proposition in every regard.

Again, this small variation tips the house edge to nearly double what you’ll find on tables that pay 3:2 for a blackjack.

Under no circumstances should you play on a table where the casino is only paying 6:5. You’ll be better off finding another casino to gamble at for the day.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that the key to casino gambling is that you’re being entertained. If you ever find yourself not having a good time, you should reevaluate your gambling.

If you’re walking into the casino with a clearly defined objective to stretch your bankroll as far as possible, these are 7 casino games you may want to avoid.