Make Money Online Casino Free
- As Bestcasinoscanada’s casino reviews list shows, there’s still a lot of casinos giving out welcome bonuses and no deposit bonuses, but there is a trend of new casinos offering free spins instead of money bonuses. So if you are player who wants to make money from an online casino it’d probably be best to claim a bonus now.
- With that said, it is possible to play free casino games to win things like virtual points and virtual money. These can be enjoyed at social casinos, and sometimes the points can be traded in for prizes. Just don’t expect to cash out real money jackpots, or you’ll be disappointed. Which Casino Game Is Right for You?
- Feel free to just browse, though even if you don’t know what you want, we’ll try our best to fulfil your desires, by offering you free online casino games to win real money with no deposit. (Spoiler: check our slots bonuses, to find online casinos welcoming new members with no deposit bonuses.).
Without a doubt, the number one question we get asked in regards to betting
online is “How do I make money gambling online?” The answer as you might expect
is not a simple answer. While we wish we could just tell you to “do x, y, and z
and you’ll be rich,” it’s just not that simple.
Making money online comes down to game selection and having clear
expectations of what you’re doing. The opportunities are huge, and there are
millions and millions to be made if you look in the right spots. Lucky for you,
we’re going to do our best to educate you and point you in the right direction.
Looking for an online casino with a free signup bonus in the USA?Let's see what are your best options in 2020. There are a lot of casino sites that offer free bonuses to play real money games.
The best way for us to approach answering this question is to answer it
individually for each different type of online gambling/betting that exists.
Specifically today we’re going to look at sports betting online, casino/table
games online, and skill-based online games. There are a few other obscure forms
of gambling online that do exist, but these main categories should encompass
almost all of the major types that are out there.
As a spoiler, I can tell you that it is possible to make money at each of
these, though, some will depend solely on your luck while the others are
sustainable based on your skill and abilities. The difference is going to come
down to whether the game is a luck based or skill based game. Let’s clarify the
difference first before we dive into each individual type of online gambling and
how to make money at it.
Luck vs. Skill
If you’ve ever hung around a casino or talked to gamblers before, you’ve
probably heard someone at least once tell you that they had a system to beat a
certain game. It might have been craps or roulette or maybe even blackjack. The
problem we always noticed when we heard this from someone was that they were
broke or were not rolling in the money. If they truly had a system to beat a
casino game, wouldn’t they be doing it 24/7 and living the high life?
The real reason they don’t do this 24/7 for a living and aren’t living the
high life is that
most casino games are luck based. Luck based games are games
where the house has the edge. This means that there are no super secret systems
out there that can beat these games outside of cheating. Does this mean you
can’t make money at them? Of course not. All it means is that in the long-run
over thousands and thousands of hands, spins, or rolls, the casino is going to
win.
This means you can most certainly make money in the short run. Many gamblers
go months and sometimes years winning at games. The thing to note, though, is
that this is a statistical anomaly that will correct itself. In the end, the
casino will ALWAYS win at luck based games. There is a silly cliché phrase
that explains this:
Spotting a luck based game is easy. If the game is run by a casino (live or
online) and you are playing against the casino and not versus other players,
this is a luck based game, and they are going to have a long run edge. Again,
you can still make money playing these games (and lots of it), but in the long
run over thousands and thousands of games, the casino will ultimately win.
Skill-based games, on the other hand, have no house edge. These games are
ones where players compete against each other instead of against the house (the
casino). The casino will take a small fee for facilitating the game, but
ultimately it is up to the players who wins the money.
Skill-based games are sustainable ways for people to make money long-term. If
you are good at a skill based game and can continually get people to compete
against you, you can make a full-time living playing the game. These games are
easy to spot as they are games where players are competing against other players
and not the house.
Making Money Online Playing Casino Games and Slots
We have some good news, and we have some bad news when it comes to making
money gambling on your favorite casino games and slots. The bad news is that
online casino games and slots are games of luck that the house will always have
a long-term edge on. The good news is that regardless of this, you can still
make a lot of money at them!
Addressing the bad news first, you need to realize that there is no system
out there to “beat” online casino games to make a living playing them. You will
never be able to be a professional slots player or a professional roulette
player or anything like that. Ultimately, the casino edge and statistics are
going to prevail, and the casino is going to win. Understanding this is
imperative to have a great time playing these games online.
Regarding the good news, though, this does not mean you can’t make money
playing online casino games and slots. First, the casino edge is only for the
long term. The long term usually means hundreds of thousands and millions of
spins of a slot or roulette wheel or hundreds of thousands of tosses of the
craps dice etc. You may play the games and never ever experience the long term
statistics correcting themselves. The casino edge on most games is only a couple
of percentage points meaning you can totally have major winning sessions and
runs.
An Analogy to Help
Imagine this analogy. There are two bettors, you and a friend, who are going
to bet on the flip of a coin. You are going to take turns flipping the coin with
you allowed to bet on every flip. If the flip is heads, you win your bet. If the
flip is tails, you lose your bet. You do not have a choice; you have to bet
heads every time.
We all know that coins are going to land on heads 50% of the time and on
tails 50% of the time. Let’s say we alter the coin a little bit to make it more
like when we are betting against the casino giving them an edge. Let’s say that
this coin lands on heads only 48% of the time and on tails 52% of the time.
This represents the long-term edge that the casino is going to have.
You and your friend start flipping the coin and placing your bets against the
house. You each get to flip the coin 50 times. If everything happened without
any variance, you both would get heads about 48% of your flips and lose a tiny
bit of money to the casino over the course of the flips. But variance comes into
play. Variance says that over ALL 100 flips about 48% will be heads, but it
doesn’t necessarily say which of you two are going to get more or less of the
heads in the short run.
It’s possible that you get heads 48 of your 50 flips and your friend gets
heads zero times in their 50 flips. At the end of the day in the long-run, the
casino is still making money because it is winning 52% of its bets, but you’ve
made an absolute TON of money. The point here is that most recreational gamblers
will be operating in the short term for most or their entire gambling career.
Jackpots
Part of the way that this variance spreads itself out is through jackpots.
Not all players are going to win jackpots but if you do win one you can bet that
you’re going to be a lifetime profitable gambler (depending on the size of the
jackpot of course). Jackpots still fall in line when it comes to
statistics and house edge, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be one of the players
to fall outside of the statistical norm and strike it rich!
Bonuses
One way to fight back against the house edge and a lot of times turn it in
your favor (at least temporarily) is by
taking advantage of bonuses. Bonuses, as
you may already know, are free money/free spins/free play that online casino
sites will give you to try to attract your business. A lot of times the benefits
of these bonuses will turn the odds in your favor while you are using the bonus.
Of course, they won’t give you the bonus forever because they would lose
money and have to shut their doors. But in the short term, you can definitely
take full advantage of these promotions and clean up some easy cash. It’s also
of importance to note that there is no reason you can’t jump between a few sites
to take advantage of different promotions.
This is a lot like going to a different grocery store for a week because you
have a coupon for something. There is nothing unethical about it, and the sites
actually would prefer you use their promotions. The reason they run the promos
is to get you in the door to try out their product in hopes that you will stay
or make a change from your home site.
Making Money Online Sports Betting
Sports betting is a complete 180 the other direction from online slots and
table games. Sports betting is a skill based bet (depending on the bets you
choose). While you might think you are betting against the house, they are
actually manipulating lines so that you’re basically betting against other
players and they are taking a small fee for facilitating the bets. With proper
skill and a sharp eye, you can make a living as a sports bettor. Is this
difficult? You bet your butt it’s difficult but it’s completely possible, and a
lot of people do it every day.
So how do you make money online betting sports?
Simple. Join a sportsbook and
start making correct picks. Start with a sport that you know well and do
extensive research. If you can come up with a system to properly predict games
and outcomes, you can be a successful sports bettor.
One thing that is extremely important to point out is that you have to choose
the right type of sports bets or you’re going to be placing luck based bets
instead of skill based bets. As you may or may not know, you can bet on a lot
more than just who the winner of a game is going to be. You can bet how many
points will be scored, how many times they will do something, who will score
first etc. Some of these bets will require research and skill to make a correct
pick, and some are just going to be dumb luck.
Here are two different sports bet as an example. One is a skill based bet and
one is a luck based bet.
- Will Rob Gronkowski score more or less than 1.5 touchdowns in a game?
- Will the final score of the Patriots be odd or even?
As you can hopefully see, the first bet would require you to have strong
knowledge of how Rob Gronkowski is going to perform in a game. You would have to
look at the defense he is up against and predict the game plan of attack the
Patriots employ. There is a lot of skill that goes into picking this bet and the
more knowledgeable and skilled you are, the better off you will do. This is an
example of a skill based bet that you could profit from long term if you were
sharp enough.
The second bet about whether or not their final point total is odd or even is
really just dumb luck. You could make some crazy argument that you can predict
the exact game flow and how many points they score, but in reality, you are just
guessing. This is an example of a luck based bet that you can still make money
off of but it is not sustainable long term. As long as you’re aware of this,
have at it!
It’s important to point out that these bets are not segregated or separated
at all when you go to the online sportsbooks. The luck based and the skill based
bets are all going to be listed side by side, and it’s up to you to be able to
decipher the difference. Honestly, it should be easy to tell the difference by
just taking a few minutes to pay attention to what you’re betting on. If it is
something that you are struggling to find data and information to support your
pick, it is probably a luck based bet.
The Beauty of Line Shopping Online
One of the easiest ways to make MORE money online with correct sports betting
picks is through line shopping. Line shopping is a strategy that is not possible
with brick and mortar casinos due to logistics and has really only become
popular thanks to online sportsbooks. Line shopping is the process of checking
several different sportsbooks to get the best odds and payouts possible for your
bets.
You just can’t do this in real life unless you live somewhere like Vegas
where you have a ton of different sportsbooks right next to each other. Even
then, most of the books there are interconnected, so the odds are going to be
the same at all of them. Online, though, you tend to see a lot of greatly
varying lines for the same bet.
Let’s say you are planning to bet the Miami Heat to beat
the Golden State Warriors on the moneyline at +150. Let’s say you’re totally
confident on this bet and you think it’s the easiest bet in the world. Is this a
good bet for you to make?
A better question would be, is this the best bet you can make? If you were to
take a few seconds and line shop another online sportsbook, you would see that
one is offering the same bet for +170. This is the exact same bet except if you
place it at the second online sportsbook you will get paid out more money. If
you bet $100 and the Heat win, the first sportsbook will pay you $150 in profit
and the second will pay you $170 in profit.
By simply taking advantage of the technology that comes with betting online,
you can make MORE money on a correct pick just by taking a few seconds to check
a few different sportsbooks. We can assure that this is not a rare occurrence to
find varying lines. It’s actually a fairly common occurrence to find different
lines, and it can greatly affect the amount of money you make betting online.
Making Money Online Playing Skill-Based Games
You may notice that in the title of this section it does not say anything
about “gambling.” This is because gambling refers to placing wagers on a game of
chance that you have no control over. Out of all the different bet types on this
page, these are the ones that you have the most control over. Skill-based games
are games that pit two or more players against each other. Skill-based games are
NOT played against the house, but as we stated earlier, the house takes a small
cut for facilitating the game.
Skill based games can 100% be played for a living as long as you can continue
to get people willing to play against you. While some of these games do have an
element of luck, the majority of the game’s outcome is determined by skill. This
means that a worse player may win a few games in the short run, but the better
player will always win out in the long run.
For example, if you get your money in the middle playing Texas Hold em poker
(a skill based game) with pocket Aces against J-10, you’re supposed to win that
hand based on the statistics. However, it is entirely possible that you lose
that hand in an unlucky fashion. If you continue to get your money in
significantly ahead, though, statistics should even out, and you should make
money in the long run. Though you might lose in the short run, you will prevail
in the long run.
Some of the most popular skill games you can play for money online are:
For more information on playing these games online, here’s a guide we’ve put
together for you:
The Bottom Line of How to Make Money Gambling Online
Hopefully, if you’ve read until this point, you have a pretty strong idea of
the different options you have when it comes to making money gambling online.
Depending on whether you’re just looking for some recreational fun or a way to
make a living, we’ve given you several different options in both directions.
Remember, be realistic with your expectations and don’t try and make a career
out of a game that you are not statistically supposed to win long term at.
There are so many real money casinos on the web that it can be difficult to know which one to choose. That’s why websites like this exist.
Luckily, our team of experts has decades of experience in the industry and is trained to spot rogue casinos as well as world-class ones.
We’ll explain to you how we pick the best online casinos for real money to recommend, how the various games work and your chances of winning them, whether or not you can gamble for real money for free, and we’ll answer some frequently asked questions about real money gambling.
The casinos listed below all have:
- Top-Quality Graphics and a Large Variety of Games Available
- Excellent Ratings for Safety and Security
- Proven Real Money Payouts
Rank | DE Gambling Site | Sign Up Bonus | Get Started |
---|---|---|---|
#1 | Betway Casino | 100% up to €250 | |
#2 | Europa Casino | 200% up to €500 | |
#3 | Jackpot City Casino | 100% up to €400 | |
#4 | Spinia | 100% up to €250 | |
#5 | Spin Casino | 100% up to €400 |
Best Real Money Casinos by Location
If you’re unsure if the above accept players from your country, don’t worry; we still have lots of top-rated online casinos for real money which we can recommend to you. There are also some we definitely won’t recommend, and we want you to be aware of those, too.
It’s crucially important to pick a real money casino which accepts players from your country for a few reasons.
First, it’s possible that your government has some sort of minimum standards a casino needs to meet. That’s definitely the case if you’re from the UK or some other European countries.
Second, you don’t want to face unnecessary restrictions such as not being able to claim bonuses, not being able to play some games, or not being able to sign up at the given casino you have spent time researching.
Finally, this will help you stay on the right side of the law. Some countries prohibit players from their countries from signing up at anything other than state-sanctioned online casinos. While these laws are difficult to enforce, they do exist in some countries.
Take a look at some of the regions listed below. If you’re from there, click on the relevant button to see a list of online casinos for real money which accepts you.
Beating the House Edge
Every online casino game has a house edge. This is the casino’s built-in advantage and means that it’s mathematically guaranteed to make money over a long enough timeline.
In the long run, you honestly can’t beat it. It’s pure mathematics. Ever heard the saying “the house always wins”? Well, it does!
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t win in the short term. If everybody lost at online casinos constantly, it wouldn’t be long before people stopped playing at them. The fact is, some people do win real money at casinos.
While the majority of winners will simply double or triple their money and walk away after having had a great time, there are some crazy stories of life-changing wins that enter the realm of the almost unbelievable. If they weren’t documented, they might seem like fiction.
A Spin from Heaven
One such example is the story of the biggest online slots jackpot ever won. A British soldier playing Mega Moolah slot won £13,200,000, which shattered all existing records and hasn’t been topped since. Best of all, he won it with a £0.25 spin.
That’s just one headline story. There are many more, and it’s no coincidence that video slots are involved in many of them. If Lady Luck is going to visit you and then change your financial destiny, there’s a good chance that this type of huge win will come while playing slots.
These colossal wins aside, we’ve all heard stories of people winning enough to buy a house while playing poker, paying off debts after a great night at the blackjack tables, or going on a roll while playing roulette and buying something they’ve always dreamed of afterwards.
Even when these insane wins happen, the casino still makes money because of house edge. The majority of players won’t win, and you can be sure that over the long run the casino makes a percentage no matter what.
Not All Games Have the Same Edge
It’s important to recognize that house edge is not a fixed number across all games. Different games have different math involved in them, and understanding this can be the key to winning more often.
For ExampleIt’s widely accepted that some variants of video poker have the lowest house edge, whereas keno and lottery games have the largest house edge, meaning the worst odds for you as a player.
We’ll talk a little later about the odds of various games and their pros and cons. For now, just be aware that not all games are mathematically equal. There are some you have a much higher chance of winning than others, and there are some in which you have a greater degree of control over the outcome as compared to games of pure chance.
Safety and Legality
It’s essential to know how to stay safe while gambling online. There are a few potential pitfalls which you may not be aware of if you’re not an experienced online gambler.
Luckily, you have us to show you the ropes. Here are some of the things you have to be aware of to gamble safely online.
Risk Associated with Sharing Financial Details
Sharing your credit card, debit card, or bank details with any online merchant carries some degree of risk. If that merchant is untrustworthy, you could find yourself in a world of trouble quickly.
You can immediately find out if a casino site is trustworthy by reading our reviews.
Take the time to look around, and you’ll see that we certainly don’t recommend every site we review, and we aren’t afraid to call out scam casino sites when we discover them.
Financial predators are everywhere online, and sadly the casino industry attracts its fair share of them. Stick with expert-recommended real money online casinos to avoid falling into their clutches.
Predatory Terms and Conditions
There are real money online casinos which aren’t direct scams in that there are real games to play and you can win actual money.
Warning:However, they can make it extremely difficult for you to get your money out when the time comes to do so, even if it’s technically possible. The idea is to make you give up and go away without collecting.
Usually, a site will state in its terms and conditions that withdrawals can be held for no reason, that the casino can drag its feet before paying, or that they can simply void winnings on a whim without justification.
Believe us; we’ve seen it all in our years of reviewing real money online casinos. This type of casino site preys on the fact that nobody takes the time to read endless pages of legal jargon before registering.
Once again, having experience in dealing with casinos online can solve this problem.
Our experts know exactly where to look in the terms and conditions, and our casino reviews show you all of the deposit and withdrawal methods and any good or bad sides to the terms and conditions of the sites we review. If a site is going to try to screw you, we’ll let you know.
Fixed or Pirated Games and Software
Make Money Online Casino Free Online Games
As you gain experience in playing at real money online casinos, you get to know more about the software companies that provide the games. In time, you’ll know instantly by looking at the range of games whether or not you can trust an online casino.
This can help you avoid the fixed games which are run by some rogue software companies in order to fleece you.
Note:However, it takes a little bit of more time to get to know how to spot pirated versions of legitimate games.
By assessing a real money casino’s licenses and looking at some other factors, our experts can instantly tell if the games on a casino site are pirated. By playing the games and assessing them against the published return-to-player figures, we can quickly figure out if they’re fixed.
You probably don’t have the time to figure this all out for yourself, and by the time you realize the games are fixed, it will likely be too late.
Once again, that’s where we come in. It’s our job to figure this out, so you don’t have to.
The Legal Situation in Your Country
While online casino gambling is a global phenomenon, each country is still sovereign and has its laws and regulations. This can confuse the matter of whether or not it’s illegal to gamble online in some places.
You can check out our gambling laws page for the latest and most up-to-date information on the legality of gambling in your country.
You won’t only have to contend with the authorities if you get caught, but scam artists know you have no legal recourse when they hustle you out of your hard-earned cash.
After all, if gambling is illegal in your country, you can’t exactly go to the police and report that you lost money to a scam artist while gambling on the internet.
Keeping things legal is one of the keys to gambling safely online.
Online Casino Bonus Offers
There are a few different types of real money casino bonuses available to new and existing players. We have an entire page dedicated to explaining the differences between these bonuses. Check it out by clicking the button below:
There are pros and cons to taking casino bonuses. Let’s start off by looking at the reasons you might want to take them before turning our attention to why they might not be suitable for you as an individual player.
Whether casino bonuses are right for you depends on what your goals are.
The Positives
Make Money Online Casino Free Sign Up Bonus
You Can Test the Waters Without Risk
It’s nice to be able to play the games available in an online casino and to be able to check it out in general without having to make a financial commitment.
While some bonuses do require you to deposit to activate them, there are many which don’t. These are known as no-deposit bonuses and are the ideal way to test an online casino without risking your own money.
Once you’re sure you can trust the casino site and have decided you would like to play the games, then you can start playing for real money.
Some Bonuses Can Increase Your Chances of Winning
In the casino bonuses and promotions page we linked to above, we explain the concept of wagering or rollover requirements. Bonuses which have these attached make it difficult (without serious luck) for you to withdraw the bonus amount and are designed to allow you to simply test the casino.
However, there are plenty of casino bonuses with no wagering requirements available online these days. If you take these, you’ll more than likely be required to make a deposit, but they increase your chances of winning by giving you free spins or free games with no strings attached.
They may only slightly increase your chances of winning, but hey, any increase in the chance of winning is always welcome.
The Negatives
You Can Become a Marketing Target
If the casino figures out that you are a bonus hunter or that you like a particular kind of bonus, they might decide to pitch you regularly.
This can be a good thing if you like taking these offers, but if you sign up at multiple casinos, take the bonus, and don’t play, you can expect your email inbox, and sometimes your cell phone, to be bombarded with offers. The more accounts you create, the more intense this will become.
Some unscrupulous casinos will sell your information on to other operators who will pitch you, too. This can become a serious annoyance, and so if you’re going to take bonuses with no intention of becoming a real money player, we suggest setting up an email address specifically for that purpose.
Most Bonuses Have Terms Which Favor the House
If a real money casino bonus has rollover or wagering terms, there’s a very little chance you’ll ever be able to withdraw it or anything you win while playing with it.
You have to remember that bonuses are a promotional and marketing tool. The casino doesn’t want to let you play with house money and walk away with the multimillion-dollar jackpot. They also don’t want you to take the free casino chips and walk away without playing. That wouldn’t be very good business, would it?
Rollover requirements are explained in greater detail on the casino bonuses page linked to above. Basically, they mean you have to bet the bonus cash a number of times before you can withdraw it. For example, if a bonus has 20x wagering requirements, then you need to bet the total amount 20 times before you can withdraw it or anything you win while using it.
Real Money Casino Apps
Mobile casinos have become a huge deal in the past several years. Real money casino apps and mobile casino sites can now boast that they serve the majority of players. This trend will undoubtedly continue for years to come, at least until something comes along to replace mobile devices (chips in the head, perhaps?).
We’ve written an entire page to help you decide which casino app is right for you. Check it by clicking the button below.
Online Casino Games for Real Money
New players are often bamboozled by the vast range of casino games on offer and how to play and win them.
We’ve created game-specific pages on each popular real money casino game to show you how to play, how to give yourself the best chance of winning, and what the rules of each game are.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with the games listed below. Click any of the buttons, and you’ll be transported to a wealth of information on that specific game.
We also cover a bit about each game in the “which casino game is right for you?” section below.
Real Money Online Pokies
Real Money Baccarat
Real Money Slots
Real Money Roulette
Real Money Blackjack
Real Money Craps
Real Money Video Poker
Real Money Sic Bo
Playing Free Casino Games to Win Real Money
Is it possible to win real money playing free casino games? The short answer is no.
A casino is a business, and usually, it’s a very profitable one. You can’t expect a casino to let you play real money games and assume all of that risk without getting anything in return.
It’s true that some bonuses will allow you to play real money casino games for free. However, these bonuses will have terms and conditions which favor the casino and make it almost impossible for you to withdraw all that money. See the page about bonuses for further details.
We’re telling you straight that if anyone tells you that you can win real money without any risk, they’re lying to you. They might be scam artists waiting to empty your wallet, or they may have merely misunderstood a bonus offer they read about online. There is no such thing as a free lunch. That’s an old saying for a reason, primarily because it’s always correct!
With that said, it is possible to play free casino games to win things like virtual points and virtual money. These can be enjoyed at social casinos, and sometimes the points can be traded in for prizes. Just don’t expect to cash out real money jackpots, or you’ll be disappointed.
Which Casino Game Is Right for You?
There are lots of great online casino games to choose from. They may be digital variants, but they’re not that different from what you would find at a real Vegas casino, or a casino anywhere else, for that matter.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular casino games you might be interested in playing. We’ll look at your chances of winning them, how fun they are, and some other things you might want to be aware of.
Hopefully, by the end of this section, you’ll have a better idea of which game you would like to play.
Please note that the “house edge” figures listed below can vary depending on how you play the game, the game variant, and the casino itself.
Baccarat
This is a fun card game with a simple objective – bet on either the player or the banker to get closest to nine, or bet on a tie between the player and banker. If you place a bet on the banker hand to get closest to nine and the banker does so, you win your bet for that hand.
It’s fast-paced, fun, and you just bet on the outcome, rather than actively participating.
- If you bet on the player, the house edge is 1.24%
- If you bet on the banker, the baccarat house edge is 1.06%
- If you bet on a tie, the house edge is 14.36%
Don’t bet on a tie! Also remember that if you bet on banker and win, the house can take a 5% commission.
Blackjack
This might be the most popular card game in the world. It’s a game with some degree of skill involved, and there are professional blackjack players out there. Entire movies and books have been made about this game.
The objective of blackjack is to get a hand totaling 21, or as close to it as possible without exceeding it. You play against the dealer, and whoever has 21 (or the highest hand not exceeding 21 in cases where neither has 21) after all the cards have been dealt wins.
Going by Vegas rules, the house edge is a tiny 0.28%. This will change if you play another variant of blackjack such as Atlantic City rules or Suit ‘Em Up.
The tiny house edge is what makes it possible for some people to make a living playing blackjack.
Keno
This is a fun lotto game, but it’s known for having the worst odds in the house. The objective is to pick between one and ten numbers from a pool of 80, and then wait for the draw.
The house edge in keno can be between 25% and 29%, depending on the variant and the casino itself. This game is okay for switching off and having a little fun, but it’s highly unlikely you’re going to win money playing keno, at least in the long run.
Roulette
This is one of the most fun casino games, period. The objective is to predict where a ball will land on a spinning wheel when it stops.
You can pick a color or a number between 1 and 36 (or the zero) if you want to make basic roulette bets. It’s also possible to select clusters of numbers, rows, or entire columns as you gain confidence and learn to understand the game.
- If you’re playing American Roulette (Double Zero), the house edge is 5.26%
- If you’re playing European Roulette (Single Zero), the house edge is 2.7%
You have a decent chance of winning roulette, but you are guaranteed to have a lot of fun whether you win or lose.
Video Poker
This is a machine-based game based on 5-hand poker. There are many different variants with different pay tables and slightly different rules, but the aim is always to make as valuable a hand as possible according to poker hand ranks. No matter the variant, a Royal Flush will always pay the most.
Covering some popular versions of video poker, you can expect the house edge to be:
- 0.46% when playing Jacks or Better with an optimal strategy.
- 0.71% when playing Deuces Wild with a perfect strategy. In this case, you as the player have the advantage.
- 0.64% when playing Joker Poker with perfect strategy. Once again, you have the advantage here.
If you are patient and want to make money playing casino games, video poker is your best bet. You’ll need to develop skill, though, and learn video poker strategy first.
Don’t expect to have the advantage when you’re new to video poker and don’t know what you’re doing. Even in these cases, though, the house edge is significantly lower than in most other casino games.
Video Slots
These are probably the most-played casino games online. There are tens of thousands of video slots ranging from simple 3-reel games with no features to 5-reel new slots with bonus rounds, free spins, and progressive jackpots.
They’re fun, highly entertaining, and if you’re lucky, you can win a fortune playing slots.
The house edge depends on the game in question. It can range from 2% to 15% – that’s no small difference! Knowing this, it pays to do your research on which slots have the best RTP.
A Quick Summary Before Moving On
Which casino game is best for you ultimately depends on your goals as an individual player.
If you want to real money playing casino games, then pick the games with the best odds and lowest house edge.
If you just want to have a little fun and relax, then any of the above games will do.
Choosing the Right Real Money Casino
If you already know what games you want to play, then it’s time to look at picking an online casino. If you’re new to playing casino games, there’s a lot more to this than you might initially think. As you’ll see, most of the top real money casinos have some things in common.
Consider the following factors before registering at any casino site.
1 – Reviews
Are there reliable, trustworthy casino reviews on the site? If so, what do the experts say?
It pays to pay attention to these reviews. If a casino expert says a site sucks, there’s a great chance you’ll want to avoid it.
If you were looking for a new car, you would probably talk to someone who knows a thing or two about cars before making a decision, or at least read a few reviews on various models, wouldn’t you? The same should go for choosing an online casino. There’s more to it than you might think, and reading a review can be a great way to get all the information in one place.
Be suspicious of reviews which are overly positive, though. Sometimes there’s an agenda at play. If a review site gives a real money online casino a glowing review, check out some of the other reviews, too.
If they’re all overly positive, that could be a warning sign. If the reviewers throw some terrible casinos under the bus, you’re probably dealing with an honest casino review site.
2 – Legality
Is this casino operating legally with a valid gaming license?
If so, what jurisdiction is the license from? Believe us when we tell you that not all casino licenses are equal. UK, Malta, Alderney, Gibraltar, Curacao, and Puerto Rico licenses are all respected and are good indicators that a real money casino can be trusted. Others, we don’t have that much faith in.
Also, make sure the casino isn’t accepting players from your country even if it’s illegal to do so. If they’re willing to break the law, what makes you think they’re going to be honest with you?
3 – Safety
A valid license is one way to make sure you’re dealing with the safest real money casinos.
There’s more to it than that, though. We advise checking that the website is operating on a secure, encrypted connection. You can do so by looking at the web address. If you see HTTPS:// in front of the domain, you’re dealing with a secure casino. If it’s just HTTP:// (no “S”), then the connection might not be protected.
Also look for published game payouts verified by third parties. This is a hugely positive sign, and it means that it’s highly likely this is a safe casino site. If the games are verified by eCOGRA, you’re in safe hands.
4 – Preferences
It would be a shame to go through the registration process only to find out the casino doesn’t offer the types of games you want to play or doesn’t offer very many of them.
Make sure the exact games you want to play are offered, make sure the casino accepts the types of bet you want to make regarding size, and check which betting services are provided. For example, some casinos also offer Texas Hold’em poker tournaments or sports betting as additional services, whereas others don’t.
We would also suggest taking some time to familiarize yourself with the site. If you like how it “feels,” that’s a great sign. A user-friendly website likely means the operator actually cares about its players and has invested time in figuring out what makes you happy. That’s likely to show across the casino as a whole.
5 – Bonuses
First, you’ll need to figure out if the online casino offers real money bonuses at all. Most do, but some don’t.
After that, you’ll need to look into exactly what types of bonuses are offered and their terms and conditions.
Don’t just look at the welcome offers, which are always emphasized to attract new players. Look at the ongoing weekly and monthly offers, too. These will give you an insight into what kind of casino you’re dealing with.
Also look at the terms and conditions of any bonus offers. Pay attention to minimum deposits and wagering/rollover requirements. If they’re excessive (40x or more), think twice about taking the offer.
If you like playing slots on weekends, it makes sense to find a casino which offers free spins on weekends, doesn’t it?
6 – Service
Everybody likes to feel like they matter, casino players included. It’s essential that a casino has top-notch customer service if you’re going to enjoy your experience playing there.
Check the number of customer service options available. Email and live chat are a necessity, but if a real money casino also offers telephone support, that’s an excellent sign.
Don’t be afraid to test the customer service if you wish. Ask a question or two. You’ll soon see how fast the responses are and how helpful (or unhelpful) the customer service agents are.
You know that old saying that goes “When someone shows you who they are, believe them”? That applies here. If an agent is slow to respond, avoids answering questions directly, or acts in an unhelpful manner, move on.
7 – Banking
You wouldn’t believe how many people register at online casinos for real money without considering the most important thing of all – withdrawing your money!
Most casinos will make it as easy as pie for you to deposit, but only the best real money online casinos make it as easy for you to withdraw.
Look for a roughly equal number of deposit and withdrawal methods, low (or no) fees, and fast withdrawals.
The last thing you want is to be sitting around waiting for weeks to get your money, or worse, never getting it at all!
Feeling Overwhelmed? Don’t Worry!
If all of this makes your head spin and you wonder how on earth you’re going to go about finding all of this information out, don’t worry; we have plenty of top casino reviews where you can find the information all in one place.
We don’t want you to think that all real money casino sites are scams out to get you. There are lots of world-class online casinos worth playing at. It’s just that you have to wade through a fair deal of not-so-great ones to find them.
Our job is to make that as easy as possible for you. If you see a casino on this site that you like the look of, there will be a full, in-depth review attached.
Other Real Money Sites to Consider
While playing at real money casinos is arguably the most fun way to gamble, there are other ways to have fun gambling and hopefully make a little money in the process.
Betting on sports, playing poker, playing bingo or lotto games, and even betting on financial markets are all possible thanks to the global connectivity the web facilitates.
Why not check out some of the other options? We have sections dedicated to each form of gambling. If you want to know more, click any of the buttons below.
Real Money Online Casinos FAQ
Q. Will I need casino bonus codes to claim the bonuses offered by online casinos?
A. In most cases, you won’t need a casino bonus code, but where one is required, the casino will make it abundantly clear before you register.
Sometimes casinos run temporary promotions which do require bonus codes. In these cases, the codes are often emailed directly to you or are listed in the terms and conditions of the offer. If in doubt, ask the customer service agents.
Q. Do real people win the slots jackpots, or are they fixed?
A. Real people most definitely win slots jackpots from time to time. Big slots software companies like NetEnt, Microgaming, and IGT are independently audited, and random number generators control the games. There is no possible way that these games could be fixed.
It’s unlikely that you’ll become a millionaire playing slots, but you never know! Many more people win hundreds or thousands, and you never hear about them. This is a far more likely outcome.
Q. Is it illegal to gamble online as an American player?
A. This is somewhat of a grey area. The relevant regulations (UIGEA – 2006) make it illegal for financial institutions to facilitate real money gambling online, or for casinos to accept deposits from US-based players.
That does not make it illegal for you to gamble online. There are still many casinos which do accept deposits from US players.
Don’t worry; nobody wearing a S.W.A.T. vest with a machine gun is going to come through your door and shoot your dog before arresting you just because you played a little blackjack online.
Q. Are there any real money casinos which accept Bitcoin?
A. There are indeed. In fact, the number of casinos accepting Bitcoin is growing by the day. You could say Bitcoin is trending in the online casino world. It’s becoming a hugely popular way to make deposits and withdrawals quickly and safely.
If you’re looking for a Bitcoin casino, we have reviews on several. Feel free to check out our real money Bitcoin gambling sites page.
Q. What’s the number-one sign that a casino is a scam site?
A. Having no valid gaming license is a big warning sign. Having had a permit in the past, but having had it stripped for some reason is even worse.
We don’t recommend casinos to you which don’t have valid and legal gaming licenses. Without them, it’s the Wild Wild West, and casino operators can do whatever they want without fear of repercussions.