There’s no question that there has been a titanic shift in preferences when it comes to casino gameplay. In the past five years, more American players have gravitated to online casinos to play their favorite casino games. This seismic shift really took place during the COVID-19 Pandemic when Americans and the world were forced to stay home. As a result, these seasoned casino players turned to the internet to play their favorite games.
But now that the restrictions have been lifted, hardcore casino players are going back to their roots—retail casinos. With many states supporting land-based casinos, discover the hottest games that draw a crowd on the casino floor.
All-Time Classics on the Casino Floor
There’s a science to putting together a casino floor. The premier casinos in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and other states like Mississippi carefully place their games for maximum impact. When you’re ready to play in person, discover the areas where crowds flock to see the next big winner.
All-Time Greats on the Casino Floor
Every square inch on the casino floor is strategically used. Enjoy the hustle and bustle of casino employees like pit bosses and dealers with these fantastic game options.
Slot Rooms
Due to their spacious floors, retail casinos have the luxury of having dedicated slot rooms. While you are still likely to have rows of slots on the main floor, often as soon as you walk into the casino because a land-based casino is likely to have thousands of slots, it is necessary to have a dedicated room or dedicated rooms to house and promote them.
Of all casino games, slots are the easiest to play and master. Really, all a player has to do is insert tokens or pay directly with a credit or debit card in the machine and let the reels spin. If playing video slots, players have the luxury of setting them in autoplay mode, which can handle hundreds of pre-arranged spins for their convenience.
Also, slots continue to gather crowds because they fit in virtually all themes and reel sizes. The original slots were three reels with a single payline, better known as Vegas-style slots, and were made famous by films like Ocean’s Eleven starring The Rat Pack. Today, savvy casino players have the luxury of playing five-reel games with state-of-the-art graphics and complex themes. Of course, if you want to go the old-school route, you still have single-payline games with classic sevens and fruit symbols.
But with slots, you have rows of progressive jackpot slots. Slot machines like the Wheel of Fortune have jackpots that increase with every wager and routinely top $1 million. For those not working with much money, you can expect a decent selection of penny and nickel slots to get you to engage.
Baccarat
Of all the table games, you can make the argument that baccarat is the most elegant. Baccarat has been romanticized and promoted in many Hollywood films, especially the James Bond movies, giving off an elegant and chic flair for high society wearing tuxedos and evening wear. In casinos like Monte Carlo and Macau, it’s common to have celebrities and other high-society individuals around the table.
But baccarat continues to draw a crowd because it is not an overly complicated game to play compared to poker, which involves much more strategy. With the goal of having a hand worth nine or eight points, baccarat players don’t have to worry about going bust like in blackjack.
Blackjack
Blackjack games are so popular at retail casinos that you might find a dedicated room for high rollers. Blackjack offers flexible wagering options for those counting dollars and high-rollers, so it is common to find tables that begin with $1,000 minimum buy-ins. Like poker, blackjack is often used for tournament play. With the prospect of winning hundreds of thousands of dollars and more, casino blackjack has become so mainstream that you can often find live tournaments streamed from the casino floor to help promote it.
Blackjack aims to give the player a higher hand than the dealer or to get to 21. The dealer issues two cards from the shoe to all the players. Finally, the dealers pass themselves two cards. One card is left face up, and it is known as the upcard, and the other card is dealt face down like a hole card in poker. However, in European Blackjack, which is available at some land-based casinos, the dealer only begins with one card, the upcard, and only draws the second card once the other members have made their bets and wagers.
If nobody has a natural blackjack hand, the game continues. Because the dealer has to stand at a soft 17, players have the option of hitting, which means taking a third card that might result in going bust, standing, which means doing nothing, or doubling down, which means doubling their bet and receiving one final card.
Tips to Win on the Casino Floor
Even though casinos heavily advertise the chance of big wins, please try to play for fun so you can stay on the straight arrow. Below, we list some tips to give you an unforgettable playing experience.
- Making aggressive bets to win can lead you down the dark path of problem gambling. Compulsive gambling is no joke, and it can lead to devastating life choices or, worse, the end of your life.
- Before sitting at the playing table, already have a fixed budget. And no matter what, stick with it.
- Limit your playing time. If you’re new, consider starting with only a few hours.
- Bring a friend to help you know when it’s time to leave.
- Leave the credit cards at home and only bring cash.
- Bring a friend to help you know when it’s time to leave.
- Leave the credit cards at home and only bring cash.
Key Takeaways
Even though online casinos continue to grow in scope, retail casinos remain the primary way for casino game lovers and professionals to enjoy iconic games like American Roulette. Most retail casinos operate 24/7 and invest heavily in lavish décor to make each player feel like a million bucks. Retail casinos also have memberships that let their members build up reward points to unlock perks like free hotel stays and VIP player services.