We’ve all heard the legends of the professional gamblers who buy houses for cash and drink champagne for breakfast. The truth is that any Joe in an online casino can reach those heights and earn big money, but for newcomers the vast array of games leaves them wondering where to head first. This article outlines as a guide for new players two of the most popular games that appear in online casinos – Roulette and Poker.

Roulette

Roulette is the quintessential game of chance. A ball spins round the table containing pockets numbered 1-36. Should a player choose to bet on any of these numbers he or she will win the greatest amount in return as these have the greatest odds. The odds decrease as the number grouping gets larger, all the way up to odds or evens and black or red (paying 2-1 rather than 36-1).

However, players should be warned that there is no skill involved in Roulette as it is all down to probability.

This does mean that the thrill involved as the wheel spins and the ball bounces is extreme, as the excitement level is directly proportionate to the odds – just like probability itself. However, there is some literature available that lays claim to certain systems when playing online roulette, and new players are advised that they should gather in all possible information before they attempt to play the table.

Poker

The chief difference between Roulette and Poker is not only between the cards and wheel. As Roulette is the quintessential game of chance, Poker is the quintessential game of skill. Poker players are at the mercy of the hands they are dealt, but while they have to pay the ante or blinds (the initial bet that players must make in order to take part in the hand) they can fold during any round of betting.

Thus, should a player be dealt a poor hand he can judge for himself early on the strength of his hand in comparison to that of his fellow players. In a regular casino, this skill would involve reading the players for “tells” – giveaway signals unwittingly displayed by players. In online casinos, however, there is no way to read your opponents in this way, resulting in the need for probe betting, which is betting to try to gage a response from your opponents. If your opponent calls the bet when you raise it, it is likely that they have a good hand. In such a situation, and based on the cards on the table, players can surmise the strength of their opposition. In Poker, as in battle, it is better to fight another day than to go all-in and walk away with nothing.