Casino Favorites Part II: Your Favorite Games

24 August 2024

By Jerry Stickman

Casinos have a wide range of games designed to attract nearly every type of gambler. Since there is such a variety, I thought it might be interesting to survey casino goers to find out their favorite games and why they play them.

This is the second article in a series of articles that explores this topic.

Responses from a recent casino sampling.

Mary from Missouri:

“When you found me, I was at the craps table with my husband Bob. He is a fanatic when it comes to playing craps. When we come to a casino, he seldom plays anything else. I normally do not play craps. It is a bit busy for me. There are so many bets and so much jargon that it is hard for me to understand. So, while I will occasionally play craps alongside Bob in a casino, that is not my favorite game.

“I much prefer playing something less chaotic. Pai Gow poker is my game of choice. I find it to be a rather slow-paced game. It does not have all the jargon that is present at the craps table. There are only a couple of bets that can be made.

“Another thing I like about the game is you don’t really need a lot of knowledge about how to play the game. You don’t have to spend hours at home studying basic strategy like you do in blackjack. I am really irritated and also kind of intimidated if I make a decision to hit or double down on a blackjack hand and other players at the table berate me for making the wrong play. It is my hand, right? I paid for the privilege to play that hand and I should be able to play that hand any way I want – should I not?

“That type of thing does not happen while playing Pai Gow poker. If I am having trouble deciding what to do with my hand – trouble deciding which cards to put in the 5-card hand and which in the 2-card hand, I can ask the dealer to set my hand ‘the house way.’ There is no mess, no fuss, no static from other players at the table.

“The only downside that I have experienced with Pai Gow poker is sometimes that table minimums are a bit high for my taste. Even though the game moves rather slowly, it does not take long to deplete my modest bankroll when I hit a losing streak and the table limit is $25 or higher.”

What about you? What casino games do you like to play – and why?

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines and 888casino.com. He authored the video poker section of “Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!” You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com