Australian gamblers have the luxury of playing in brick and mortar casinos or staying home and playing at online casinos. Casino gambling is a popular pastime in Australia, with nearly 40% of its population engaging in some form of gambling.
So, how do Australian gambling habits align with those around the world?
Here are 10 casino games that Australian gamblers love.
1 – Roulette
Roulette rules the top of the Australian gambling market. You can find both American and European variations at the brick and mortar casinos. The tables stay full day and night.
Still, It’s the Online Roulette Games That Really Shine Here
You’ve never seen so many tricked up roulette games in your life. Well, you may have, but you likely moved along without much thought. Australian gamblers have embraced these wild games. How wild? You can play on tables with multiple wheels or even numerous balls. Of course, you can find the traditional game as well.
My favorite tricked up roulette game combines roulette with bingo. So, you’ve got multiple ways to win, and even when you lose, you might win. With so many choices, it’s easy to see why roulette is holding the attention of Australian casino gamblers.
2 – Poker
Poker aligns with the cowboy culture many of us associate with Australia. Most people assume Texas Hold’em is the clear leader when it comes to poker.
They’re mostly correct; Texas Hold’em has become synonymous with casino poker games. However, the Stud games are much closer second place in Australia than you may have guessed.
You can walk or log into any poker room in Australia and find a cash Stud Poker game almost as quickly as you’ll get into a game of Texas Hold’em.
Australians seem to prefer this strategy of playing your bets versus playing your cards. Of course, you and I know that you’re playing the opponent your facing.
Stud Poker offers a unique set of challenges and requires a skill set that aligns with Hold’em, yet the two remain very different. Don’t make the mistake of believing your Hold’em skills will translate to the other variations common in Australian casinos.
3 – Pokies
Here in the US, we have slot machines, and casino gamers can’t get enough of the spinning reels. Australian gamblers also love the spinning reels of electronic gaming machines.
Only, they call them by a strange name, “pokies.” Australians love their pokies, but possibly slightly less than most of us do. The pokies shine brightest at online casinos. Many of the low-denomination games are tied to progressive jackpots and offer a fair return to players.
Obviously, the RTP will be much higher as the money goes up. The highest denomination slots will often be the ones with the lowest volatility.
Other than what we call them, the games themselves are pretty much the same titles you’ll find around the world. This familiarity makes it very easy to transition from playing online slots to those in brick and mortar casinos.
4 – Baccarat
Baccarat is becoming the most popular casino table game on the planet. Its low house edge and lack of any need for skill make the game a favorite for novice casino gamblers and the whales.
The game is as straightforward as they come. The gambler either bets on the banker’s hand or the player’s hand. The hand closest to 9 wins, and the dealer does all of the work. All you need to do is place your bet and watch the hand unfold.
Both bets have a house advantage of below 2%, but the banker bet is the smart play at 1.24%. There is a standard 5% commission on the banker bet.
That’s actually where the house gains its small edge. Always be on the lookout for reduced commissions.
When a casino offers a reduced promotional commission, it drops the house edge even more. Australians are beginning to buy into the baccarat craze along with the rest of the world.
5 – Craps
Craps is the quintessential casino table game. The very mention of Las Vegas sends me to the controlled chaos of the craps table at the Wynn.
Australian gamblers have also bought into the buzz. Craps in Australia is much more popular at Australian online casinos than the brick and mortar establishments.
Still, they have learned the right bets and aren’t shy about taking their chances on the dice game.
I see gamblers around the world shy away from the craps table because of the seeming complexity of the game. However, there are two simple bets that will have you looking like a casino veteran.
The pass line and don’t pass bets are simple and effective. The house advantage is around 2%, and you can lay odds bets where the house edge is 0%.
You can find a number of tables in casinos online and land-based establishments. Australian gamblers place craps about the same place on their favorite games as American gamblers.
6 – Video Poker
Video poker is just as underloved and overlooked in Australia as it is in the United States. Sure, there are those in the know that understand video poker has some of the lowest house edges in the casino.
Several variations of video poker offer a house edge under 1%. In fact, advantage gamblers can find the right combination of game and bonus structure where they will beat the casino most of the time.
While video poker machines sit empty at times in land-based casinos, online casino games are favored among many players. Gamblers that have grown tired of the lack of skill or an inferior house edge of the pokies will often graduate to the video poker games.
7 – Keno
Most gamblers are familiar with keno. Gamblers can find lottery-style games in casinos around the world. However, many of the keno halls that once encompassed large swaths of the casino floor have been repurposed.
Still, keno remains a casino staple due to its low impact on the bankroll and the possibility of winning six-figures. Unfortunately, the odds of striking it rich playing keno is extremely low.
Keno has seen a recent surge in popularity thanks to the rise of online casinos. Australian gamblers seem more than willing to drop a couple of bucks for their chance at thousands.
I can’t imagine keno ever going away; the casinos are making too much money. However, it’s the online gaming that drives the casino keno action and not the other way around.
8 – Blackjack
Blackjack is still the most popular casino table game in most of the world. It lost its spot at the top in Macau, and blackjack tables felt that sting around the globe.
Still, if you’re looking to stretch your casino bankroll as thin as possible, blackjack deserves serious consideration.
Keep in Mind:
By employing a basic blackjack strategy on each hand, you cut the house edge by more than half. You’ll be able to download or purchase your chart online easily.
So, there’s no complicated system you need to learn. All you need to do is keep your chart handy, and it will give you the best play on every hand based on the dealer’s card.
Of course, if you want to maximize your casino profits, you could learn to count cards and make some serious bank. However, most Australian gamblers are content with sticking to basic strategy and trying to get on a lucky streak.
9 – Sic Bo
Sic bo has slowly worked its way onto the casino floor. Sic bo is one of the oldest gambling games on the planet and closely resembles a game of roulette if it were played with dice.
Australian gamblers enjoy crowding around the tables at land-based casinos. The game tends to be very social in Australia, and cheers and jeers can be heard from the sic bo table.
Part of the popularity of the game is likely because the game so closely resembles the favorite of Aussie gamblers, roulette.
10 – Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker is a poker derivative game in some sense. Still, it’s just a card variation of the popular game played with dominoes.
Pai Gow Poker has become popular because of the element of choice. The player is dealt seven cards and must build two hands.
One of the hands must contain five cards, and the other two—the caveat being that your five-card hand must be stronger than the two- card hand.
If both player hands beat the dealer, they win; if the one it’s a draw. When the dealer’s hands beat both player’s hands, it’s a loss.
Casino gamblers in Australia love the strategy involved with building their hands. The game also moves somewhat slowly, so you can play for hours without taking a massive hit to the bankroll.
Conclusion
You notice that the top games in Australia aren’t all that different from those around the world. Part of this is because casinos only give us so many options, to begin with.
Still, the games may be the same, but the habits are much different. The 10 games that Australian gamblers love are primarily played in the online casinos instead of US gamblers that must visit one of the many land-based casinos.
Michael Stevens
Michael Stevens has been researching and writing topics involving the gambling industry for well over a decade now and is considered an expert on all things casino and sports betting. Michael has been writing for GamblingSites.org since early 2016. …
