Want the casino experience without spending too much?
Despite what you may have heard, you don’t need a lot of money to gamble in casinos.
I’m a casino dealer and in this brief article I’ll share the top five casino games that won’t break the bank.
Keep in mind, it all depends on how you play. But the following games are usually quite cheap unless you do anything too crazy…
Cheapest casinos games
Poker tournaments
If you’re a beginner, cash poker could be one of the most expensive casino games.
Besides the minimum to sit down being usually high, you are likely to lose if your opponents are much better than you.
That being said, poker tournaments can be very cheap in the sense that you get a lot of poker time for what you pay initially.
Unless the first hand is aces versus kings and you bust. Not very likely though.
In poker tournaments, once you buy-in you’re good to go. And unless the tournament structure is fast, if you play conservatively you’ll probably play for a while regardless of your level of experience.
So in my opinion, tournaments are pretty cheap compared to other casino games.
Roulette
This is the kind of game where you could lose everything (or win big) on one spin, or play for hours and break even after a series of tiny wins and losses.
The beauty of roulette is that, unlike most if not all other casino games, at least popular ones, there are so many different bets available.
Want to go all-in? Bet on a few numbers straight up, or risk it all on the complete of your favorite number.
Want to play for cheaper? Then play even chances (such as red or black), corners, or six-lines.
For those who don’t know, corner bets cover four numbers; six-lines cover… yep, six numbers.
There are 37 numbers in roulette, or 38 if the wheel has a double zero, so depending on where you put your chips, winning could be more likely than you think.
Electronic roulette
What if you want to play roulette but think the table minimums are a bit too high?
Luckily, you’ll often have the option to play on the same exact table, but on a machine.
Basically you’ll watch the roulette wheel, and place your bets, through a display.
And typically, the minimum bet will be much lower.
Let’s say the minimum straight up bet at the actual roulette table is 1 — if you’re playing the machine, it could be as low as 0.25.
Plus, you won’t have to worry about the table being too busy, and it won’t be as intimidating if you’re a beginner.
Slots
As a casino dealer, I’ve seen customers lose tens of thousands on slots within a couple days.
But it doesn’t have to be the same for you.
Slots are among the cheapest casino games, so if you feel like gambling without breaking the bank, they’re a good option.
Another great thing about slots is, there are so many available, and with so many different games.
So just pick one that has lower minimum bets.
You never know — you may hit the jackpot for betting less than a dollar.
Online casino games
And finally, you can always play at an online casino, where minimums tend to be much lower.
This is because online casinos have less expenses. Provided there are enough customers, this translates to relatively high profits even if customers don’t play as much.
Now, is the atmosphere going to be the same as that of real, land-based casinos?
Definitely not. And personally I wouldn’t even enjoy playing online.
But in terms of convenience, you can’t beat the experience of online casinos.
No need to leave the house, drive in traffic, etc. And as I said, chances are you’ll be able to play with much lower minimums.
Plus, you may receive a free bonus bet if you sign up as a new member.
Have casinos become cheaper or more expensive?
I am obviously referring to real casinos — not websites or apps.
So, compared to a few decades ago, are casinos cheaper or more expensive?
From what I’ve heard, and seen, the minimums are higher now. But that’s basically inflation, so not a significant change by any means.
The games haven’t changed either. Roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker, and so on. Still the same.
There is a lot more technology and security now, and the dress code isn’t as formal as it used to be in most cases.
In terms of customers, I believe there has been a decline, sadly, in the sense that people don’t gamble as much as they used to.
That being said, casinos are definitely evergreen, and in general, people will never stop playing.
Thanks for reading! You can leave a comment or ask a question by clicking the button below 👇
