In the mid-1990s, something started, and nobody could have known at the time how huge it would become, and how quickly. This was the time that the internet started to take over, and as a result, the online gambling industry was born.Fast forward thirty years, and iGaming is one of the biggest and fastest growing industries in the world, worth multiple billions of dollars, and with more games than one could possibly know what to do with!It is claimed by many that gambling is a natural human instinct, that it is in our DNA to take risks. Whether or not this is true, the popularity of online gambling cannot be argued with, and we all love to see those stories of someone who made a 20p wager on a progressive jackpot slot and ended up a millionaire (the highest pay-out for an online jackpot is just shy of a staggering $8 million), because next time it could be us.If you are yet to have delved into the online casino industry, it can feel a bit daunting because there is just so much choice. To make it a bit easier for you, here is a breakdown of some of the game types you can expect to find.
Slots
Slot games have always been popular in land based casinos, betting shops, bars, and other venues, and this popularity has echoed in the online world, with slots growing in popularity consistently for some years now.In simple terms, slots are played by pulling a virtual lever to spin reels covered in symbols, if the correct number of symbols line up on a payline, you will win the equivalent amount of money for that combination, it’s as simple as that.Of course, then you add bonus features such as free spins, mini-games, multiplier, wild symbols, and more, and there become even more ways to win. From low variance to high variance slots, there are games within this genre that will suit any kind of player, so it’s wise to read up in advance and find the right kind of games for you.
Video poker
If you know poker, then video poker will not be too much of a stretch for you to follow. In its most traditional form, you are dealt five cards, you click on the ones you want to keep, the computer then removes those you have not selected and replaces them, and that’s your final hand.Normally these games will be dealt by a machine, but you can also find live dealer games in many places, as well as various forms of poker with different rules and card amounts.
Other table and card games
Classic casino games have always been popular online, whether it’s blackjack, where you are trying to get a hand as close to 21 as you can, with all royal cards worth 10 and aces worth 1 or 11, without going over the limit, or it’s roulette, the classic game of chance where you pick a number, or red and black, and then a silver ball is dropped into a spinning wheel, if where the ball lands matches your bet, you win.Then there’s craps, the much-loved dice game where you roll dice to try and hit 7 or 11 to win while you and those around the table make bets on whether you will or not.Basically, if a game exists in a land-based casino, the likelihood is that you will find an equivalent online, normally in various forms, with various designs, and more. You’ll find more games as you go, but these are a sensible place to start.