For hundreds of years, table games, such as Craps and Poker, have been one of the favorite pastime activities in the world. What started as a form of leisure and entertainment, evolved into an important market and an industry that generates more than US$400 billion worldwide. But in 2020, we were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns were enforced in most countries, and people had to comply with social distancing measures and health restrictions to stop the spread of the virus. Therefore, land-based casinos and gambling venues were forced to shut down operations, and casino websites became a safe alternative for punters around the globe.
Online casinos were created in the 1990s, and by the end of the decade, there were already several companies offering table games online. As technology improved over the years, so did graphics and gameplays, and these games became more realistic, featuring even live dealers and professional croupiers, thus providing an authentic experience for those playing online. Today, the selection of casino websites is immense, and online gambling is an important part of the market, generating almost US$60 million annually.
In this article, we present some of the most popular table games available online today. However, in this guide for US players, bettors can find reliable information on these games, including strategies and useful tips to improve winnings.
Roulette
Roulette is certainly one of the most famous table games in the world, and very popular in either land-based and online casinos. Its settings have been depicted in several books, films and TV shows, and its sophisticated image captivates players all around. The game originated in France in the 18th century, and made its way to American casinos by the 1950s.
Most online casinos offer many variations of the game, including live dealer games, multiball roulette and themed tables. The wheel layout also varies, with the American roulette featuring two zero pockets and a 5.26% house edge – which means for every US$100 wagered, players lose US$5.26 over time – and the French roulette, that has only one zero pocket and a 2.7% house advantage.
Baccarat
Baccarat has always been a popular casino and table game in Asia, but in recent years it has been attracting many American and European players as well. The game is very straightforward, and it’s played between two hands, the player and the banker. There are only three possible outcomes, the player or the bank hand wins, or a tie, and bets are made on one of these outcomes.
Casino websites offer many variations of baccarat, including the most popular versions punto banco, chemin de fer and baccarat banque, with different bet limits and payouts as well. Apart from its simple rules, baccarat is also attractive to novice players due to its lower house edge, which is usually around 1%.
Craps
Craps was originally a street game played in colonial Louisiana, and evolved into one of the most popular table games. Players bet on the outcome of dice throws – two dice are thrown by a “shooter” and there are different bets available. However, playing craps at a traditional casino can be intimidating to beginners, due to its many intricacies and all the action that usually revolves around a craps table.
Playing online craps is much simpler, as most online casinos feature a list of all possible bets, screen guides and other visual aids that can help novice punters get a better understanding of the game. There aren’t any variations to the game, but online casinos usually offer tables with different bet limits and payouts. House edges vary with each wager, and bets with higher payouts might have a house advantage of almost 5%.
Poker
Poker is unarguably the most popular card game in the world, and since the mid-2000s, when millions of people started playing in online rooms, online poker has been an important market in the gambling industry. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, most professional poker tournaments took place online, and important events, such as the World Series of Poker circuit, were also held in online rooms.
Today, the selection of online poker rooms is almost endless. Most casino websites offer different variations of the game, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Three-Card Poker and video poker. There are also dedicated poker websites like PokerStars, which is currently the largest real money online poker room in the world, and GGPoker, that hosts several WSOP events and professional tournaments.
I'm a published author and proud US Army veteran who happens to be a gamer, so I decided to combine the two and love every minute of it! Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and I'll be sure to get back to you.
More Stories
Outright Games and Mattel’s MATCHBOX DRIVING ADVENTURES Now Available for PC and Consoles
BLOODLESS Review for Steam
GTA Online Features Oktoberfest Goodies, Double Rewards for Bail Office Bounty Objectives, and Additional Offers