Step into a casino and look for the novices – you will see them drifting around the slot games, areas of safety away from the croupiers and dealers at the tables who might see them for the neophytes they are. It’s a similar story in cyberspace, where beginners are subtly ushered towards the slots with armfuls of free spins they were awarded upon joining.
It’s not a coincidence. Casinos love gamblers to play slot games. The house edge is assured, the games proceed quickly, they don’t need the attendance of a salaried dealer and there is practically no opportunity for gaming the odds. Pro gamblers tend to steer clear of slot games most of the time for the exact same reasons. Yet even if you are purely into casino games for fun and don’t care whether you win or lose, card games make more sense than slot games. Here’s why.
Going easier on your bankroll
Whether you are playing in an online or land based casino, whether on the Las Vegas strip or playing at a casino in India for real money, managing your bankroll is vitally important. That essentially means deciding how much to spend and not going over. Let’s say you have set aside $50. Play the slots and you can burn through it in 20 minutes. Now how will you spend the rest of your evening?
With card games like 3-card poker or blackjack, every hand takes a minute or two as the players at the table make their bets, the cards are dealt and the dealer sorts out the winners and losers. Play slow and with low odds, and that $50 can easily last all night.
Reducing the house edge
Most card games have a lower house edge than slots. For example, even baccarat, which is all about luck, not skill, has a house edge of less than 1.5 percent assuming you don’t bet on the tie.
In other games, especially blackjack and different forms of poker, you can make your own luck by learning a few basic strategy rules. Follow these and your win rate will improve, it’s a mathematical certainty. In some forms of video poker, you can even reduce the house edge to less than zero, shifting the odds slightly in your favour. Of course, you have to play perfect strategy with no mistakes ever to make that happen, but it’s an intriguing thought!
Variety is the spice of life
Sure, there are hundreds of slots out there, but they all come down to the same thing. Watch the symbols appear and hope for the right combinations. Card games are far more interesting because you are actively involved in making decisions. Winning or losing still depends on the turn of a card, but at least you play an active role in influencing the outcome.
Also, the five or six different card game you might find are genuinely different from one another. From poker to blackjack to completely new games like Football Studio and Dragon Tiger, there’s something for everyone.
