Online Games for Canadians
The best casinos have a large selection of online games for your pleasure and entertainment. There are so many different styles of online casino games for Canadians that every gamer will find not just one but many online games that suit his or her temperament and personality. Any casino worth its salt will allow players to play in practice mode before depositing a single dollar and playing online casino games for real. Playing online games for real money is, of course, the big attraction; but there are so many games that you really should check them out before gambling your hard-earned money. So, here is a short introduction to many of the games you’ll find online.
First, let’s understand what an online casino is like. Unlike land-based casinos, it is unlimited in scope. The land-based casinos only have so much room; online the space is endless. Therefore, an online casino can give you many variations of Blackjack, Roulette, and Poker. The online casino also has room for many non-traditional games such as Bingo, Keno, Sic Bo, Arcade games and Scratch Cards. And many online casinos are right in your hand these days through your phone or tablet.
Games
Slots are the game most often associated with casinos. The first slots were mundane by today’s standards. They had three reels with symbols on each reel. When you pulled the arm, the reels turned. The configuration of symbols at the moment the reels stopped spinning determined your win or loss. Most slots had only a few pay lines. Many online casinos keep some on hand for nostalgia, but they don’t have the excitement of modern slots.
First, the technology of slots has advanced by leaps and bounds in the last 20-30 years. Five-reel slots are the rule of the day. Many slots have 50 or more pay lines; some super-modern slots have 243 ways to win! The basic idea is still the same as in the old days: spin the reels and win or lose. But with active Wilds the winning chances increase. Also, today’s slots have “Scatter” symbols. Often these symbols bring you to bonus rounds where you might win money outright or get free spins. The free spins usually have a “multiplier” which multiplies your bet. The chance to win big in the bonus rounds is very formidable.
Modern slots also have superior graphics and sound. Many have animation that Walt Disney would be proud of!
Video Poker
The next type of online casino games for Canadians is video poker. This is usually 5-card draw poker played against the house. In tens or better, for example, you win every hand where you get at least a pair of tens and you lose every hand where you don’t. The main criteria are how many cards you can draw. Some games allow you to draw all five cards; some allow only four. Some games have wild cards, so your chances of getting high hands are increased. In a game of deuces wild you can, theoretically, get five-of-a-kind!
Blackjack
There are often more than 20 variations of Blackjack at an online casino. The differences usually refer to the number of decks, doubling, splitting, surrender, and side bets. The most player-friendly Blackjack is Vegas Strip. You can split up to three times except aces which can be split only once, you can double after splitting, and dealer must hit on soft 17. Pontoon is a common variation of Blackjack. The term Pontoon means Blackjack, ace + a 10 card. In Pontoon any 5-card hand at or below 21 wins automatically except to dealer’s Pontoon; you can hit after doubling; players must hit on 14 or less; and the dealer wins all ties. There are too many subtle variations to cover here so be sure to read the rules before playing Blackjack.
Table Games
Roulette is sometimes called the Game of Kings; it has a certain elegance. Many casinos have several versions of Roulette. The most common games are American, European, and French Roulette. The American Roulette wheel has both 0 and 00 whereas the European and French wheels have only 0. The latter is a big boon to players. In French Roulette, when the ball lands in 0, half of the even-money bets are returned to the bettors.
Although the Craps table occupies a central place in a land-based casino, it is far less popular online. The excitement around a Craps table comes from the bettors rooting for the dice. The noise distinguishes Craps from Roulette which is more sedate. In Craps, if a player gets a hot hand, he or she attracts a big crowd as people bet with the hot shooter.
Lottery Games
Most online casinos for Canadians have a large selection of Scratch Cards. The fun in playing Scratch Cards comes from the animation and music, aside from winning that is. The games are just fun. Another category of fun games is Arcade. Here are Bingo and Slingo, Granny Prix and Rubber Ducky. You get the idea. When you feel like being a little kid again, come here.
Progressive Jackpots
Many online casinos have Progressive Jackpots. These jackpots can appear in any standard casino game. When the casino is part of a large network, the jackpots can get into the millions of dollars. Tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars are not uncommon. Each Progressive Jackpot is governed by its own eligibility and betting requirements. Read the rules carefully before plunging in.
Live Casino
Finally, we arrive at the Live Casino. Whereas you usually play incognito, that being the biggest advantage of playing online casino games, sometimes you want some live action. You can usually play Poker, Blackjack, Roulette, and Baccarat in the Live Casino which operates via live feed.
We hope this short introduction was helpful. We wish all our Canadian online gamers the best of luck!