While the thrill of casino gaming is undeniable, it is always wise to understand the inherent risks that come along with the craft. Mind you, the stakes are the same irrespective of where you play – it could be at a brick-and-mortar New Zealand gambling house such as the Christchurch Casino or an NZ-facing iGaming site like mrbet online platform.
Based on casino revenue statistics, some games have been known to consistently make the house more money than others; they are pokies, roulette, craps, and blackjack. As a result, the said games are thought to ‘always take away your money’ whenever players participate in them. So, does this assumption carry any weight? Well, in today’s post, we’ll unravel the mysteries of the various games that are considered to take all your money.
The Pokies Illusion of Easy Wins
When we talk about gambling in New Zealand or other parts of the world, slots or pokies, as Kiwis popularly call them, usually take centre stage. With their colourful themes, enticing mechanics, exciting sounds, and bonuses, these are the most ubiquitous games in any casino, brick-and-mortar or online.
While pokies present players with the illusion of choice, they are carefully crafted with mechanics set in place to ensure that wins are produced at random. Here’s a breakdown of how slots calculate wins:
- Random Number Generators – Each slot machine uses RNG software that generates thousands of numbers per second. The numbers correspond to varying sequences of symbols on the slot reels;
- Mapping Symbols to Numbers – The RNG allocates each symbol to a specific number;
- Player Spin – When you spin the reel, the RNG will generate a new arbitrary number right away, and the RNG outcome produced in each spin is different;
- Outcome Determination – The random number produced will correspond to a specific sequence of in-game symbols, and if the symbols land on a payline, you win.
So, as you can see, the outcomes of pokies are purely based on luck; there is no way for you to predict the next win, which is why they are thought to take your money. However, if you enjoy playing pokies, you can increase your odds of bagging wins by only taking on high RTP slots, preferably 96% or higher.
Roulette
Like pokies, roulette is primarily a game of chance. The wheel determines your fate, and you are presented with a one in thirty-seven chance of winning every time you play. The probability of this stat does not raise the required confidence that this game has commanded over the years.
All in all, the deceptively simple gameplay of the roulette game conceals mathematics that typically gives the house an edge for specific types of wagers, especially for American variants of the game. To try evening the odds, if this is a game you enjoy, you should employ different roulette strategies like the Martingale or D’Alembert systems.
Craps
Often left to the upper echelons of the gambling realm, the entertainment of craps is a somewhat complicated game that novice gamers often shy away from. That said, beneath the intimidating outward look, it is a game that is pretty easy to understand once you get the gist of things. In craps, players place wagers on the outcome of two rolled dice, with the various combos determining wins, losses, and continued rolls.
The house edge in craps will vary depending on the type of wager you place. Here’s an example of some of the common bets associated with craps and their respective house edge rate:
| Bet Type | House Edge |
| Field Bets ( 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11) | 5.56% |
| Place Bets (6 or 8) | 1.52% |
| Place Bets (4 or 10) | 6.67% |
| Place Bets (5 or 9) | 4% |
| Don’t Come | 1.36% |
| Come | 1.41% |
From the table above, you already know that you should avoid the wagers with the higher house advantage to reduce the chances of the house taking your money.
Blackjack
Blackjack, often known as 21, is often associated with players who can employ strategic decisions to win the game. That said, there is more than meets the eye regarding the entire game makeup. For you to rake in some attractive rewards, you must be skilled enough in the game; otherwise, you’ll end up with the short end of the stick. So, as popular as the game is in casinos, don’t be tempted to play it unless you have confidence in your gameplay skills.
Measure Twice, Bet Once
Beneath the flashing glitz and the glam of casinos lies the uncomfortable truth that gambling games, by nature, are designed to ensure that the house wins or at least turns a profit. Otherwise, the casino wouldn’t be a viable business. This does not mean that playing the games isn’t a good idea; instead, just make sure you have a plan before risking your hard-earned money in the lobby.