7 Overlooked Casino Games

Modern casinos offer players a seemingly endless number of gaming choices. In fact, it may be overwhelming for many casino newcomers to be faced with so many options.

But it’s not just the newbies that seem to have issues settling on the best game. Casino veterans are regularly walking by table games that offer fantastic odds for the player.

Let’s look at the seven most overlooked casino games that may turn your luck around the next time you get the itch to go gambling.

1 – Craps

I understand why so many casino gamblers, especially rookies, avoid the craps table.

For starters, the scene around the craps table is exciting but potentially overwhelming. There are upwards of a dozen players hooping and hollering with each roll of the dice.

The table is large and full of available wagers for these clearly savvy gamblers to place their chips. How in the world have these players cracked the code?

There are over 120 available bets on the typical craps table. So, casino rookies tend to shy away because they feel like they’ll never understand the game.

The basic truth of the matter is that real money craps is not only relatively simple to pick up; it’s also one of the most player-friendly games in the casino. Still, you need to know a couple of basics to get started.

Most casino gamblers can happily get by with one of two bets, the “pass line” and “don’t pass line.”

The pass line is betting that the shooter will win. The shooter wins on the opening roll by hitting 7 or 11. When the player rolls a 2, 3, or 12, the shooter loses.

When the opening roll is anything other than a 7, 11, or 2, 3, 12, the shooter has established the point. If the shooter then hits the point before rolling a 7, you win.

The don’t pass line is betting that the shooter will “crap” out. If the opening roll is 2, 3, or 12, you win. If 7 or 11 comes on an opening roll, you lose.

Craps has a ton of friendly bets you’ll learn along the way, but these are the fundamental starting point for any craps player.

2 – Mississippi Stud

Mississippi Stud is one of the games where experienced players walk by without giving it a second thought. Many of these players have grown accustomed to merely ignoring the poker derivatives because of a negative stigma surrounding the games.

This may be a mistake for veterans and newbies alike. Mississippi Stud has several attributes that make it a wonderful place to take a seat and play a few hands.

First and foremost, there’s the fun factor. Mississippi Stud requires a significant amount of strategy to play.

On every hand of Mississippi Stud, you’ll be placed in a position to raise or fold several times. The stimulating strategy will keep you engaged for hours of play.

Still, the fun gameplay alone doesn’t make for an outstanding casino game. Otherwise, all of the slot machines would be replaced by skee-ball games.

The house edge on Mississippi Stud is often misconstrued. Many of the pundits state that the blanket edge is nearly 5%. This house advantage seems exceptionally high when compared to games like blackjack, craps, and baccarat.

Still, there’s far more to Mississippi Stud. The house advantage is being calculated solely off your initial wager. 

Once you account for the hands, you’ll be winning, and the total lost per hour, your total risk factor falls to only about 1.8%.

This number is much more manageable and makes the game one of the better choices for the player. It’s certainly much better than slot machines.

Lastly, there are tremendous payouts when playing Mississippi Stud. A royal flush pays an incredible 500 to 1 if you’re lucky enough to get one.

Still, a simple flush will pay you 6 to 1. You won’t win every hand, but with great payouts, you’ll be able to mitigate some of the losses.

I recommend downloading Mississippi Stud to your mobile device and becoming familiar with the game before heading to the casino.

3 – Video Poker

Slot machines will drain your bankroll faster than any other game in the casino. So, it’s not entirely surprising that many gamblers choose to avoid all electronic gaming machines.

However, video poker is possibly the best game in the casino for players. You’ll need to do a fair amount of preparation to get that house edge below 1%.

Depending on which variation of video poker you’re playing, there will be the best strategy. It’s essential to research what games will be available and match your approach to those games.

You can find strategy charts for video poker on numerous websites. It would be best to print out a few of these charts and take them with you to the casino.

Playing the best strategy on every hand doesn’t guarantee you’ll walk out of the casino a winner. Still, it will dramatically reduce the total losses.

Video poker hands also play out much more slowly than a spin of the slot machine. You won’t have a dealer or other players to slow down the action like on a poker table, but you can largely dictate the rate at which you play.

Give video poker a shot the next time you’re in the casino. The excellent odds and strategic gameplay will keep you engaged for hours without losing all of your money.

4 – Three-Card Poker

Three-Card Poker is one of the easiest games in the casino to pick up and play. It’s also one of the most thrilling casino games out there.

The basic premise is straightforward, and the gameplay is exhilarating. Players make their best possible hand out of the three cards dealt to them.

You’re not competing against the dealer or other players in Three-Card Poker. Your primary objective is to have the best hand possible.

Much like Mississippi Stud, this game uses a paytable to determine wins. This game feature, in particular, always gets me excited. Why?

Because it provides players an opportunity to rake in some large wins; I’m talking up to 100 to 1 payout for the right hand.

You’re going to need these massive payouts because you’re going to lose nearly 75% of the hands you play.

Despite this horrible winning percentage, the game is straightforward and fun to play.

5 – Baccarat

Baccarat is the most straightforward casino table game on the planet. There isn’t much to it.

Players make their wager on the player or the banker, and the dealer does 100% of the work. Still, baccarat is becoming the most popular table game in the world.

In Macau, the gambling epicenter of the world, baccarat rules the casino floor. It’s not surprising that the game has risen to such meteoric popularity.

Baccarat has a house edge below 1.5%, and the whales can’t get enough of the thrill that comes leaving vast sums of money to chance. It won’t be long until the United States follows suit, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a seat on a decent baccarat table.

6 – Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is the most exciting and enjoyable of the poker derivative games. I enjoy it so much that I’ve spent more hours than I’d like to admit trying to figure out a way to diminish the house edge.

The house edge in Pai Gow Poker is slightly under 3%, much higher than I’m comfortable with within the casino.

However, the game plays out slowly as players use their cards to build a five-card and a two-card hand. That’s right; each player is dealt seven cards which they use to construct two separate hands.

In addition to the slow gameplay, which stretches your bankroll, the game is a blast as you build your best possible hands.

Many casino gamblers are missing an opportunity to bond with their fellow gamblers. Don’t skip the Pai Gow Poker table on your next casino trip, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

7 – Casino War

Look, some casino games are better off being overlooked. Take Casino War, for example.

This game has as much entertainment value as flushing a urinal. It’s a monetized version of the same game many of us played as children.

The player and the dealer each get a single card, and the high card wins. If both cards are of the same value, it’s a war.

In this instance, the player must place an additional wager equal to their first or forfeit the hand. This is where the casino gains its house edge.

This game actually came about after the infamous Clark Griswold played the game in some third-rate desert casino in Vegas Vacation. A casino executive watched the movie and thought it looked like a great way to make a buck.

It’s making the casinos money, but the players? Not so much.

Conclusion

Casino gamblers have so many choices regarding casino gambling that many get locked in on one game and never stray. Still, by branching out and trying something new, you accomplish two things.

First, you keep things fresh and exciting by breaking the repetitive nature of casino gambling. Next, you continue to hone and develop your skills as a casino gambler.

Please don’t sleep on these seven overlooked casino games when it’s time to break away from your gambling routine.