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Are All Casino Games Luck Based?

An element of luck will always be in play when you gamble. The same goes for when you are playing casino games such as poker, blackjack, or even on your favorite slot machines. How much luck you have is dependent on the game and also the player involved. So, which casino games are skill, and which are luck? For example, when playing slot machines, luck is dependent on the mechanics of the individual machine. But when you play games such as poker and blackjack, then there are several variables that you can consider before committing or bailing on a bet.

Casino Games That Come Down to 100% Luck

So, what casino games are based on luck? Slots and roulette are the two main contenders when looking at casino games that rely on complete luck. These games offer no skill-based gameplay compared to the likes of poker and blackjack, both of which we will look at in more detail shortly. For now, let’s explain why those two former games are completely luck orientated. Slot games are based on you hitting a spin button, and there is no way for you to determine how those reels will stop. It also means you have no say in where the winning symbols will land. Slot games run on RNG mechanics, and this basically means that each spin is 100% random. In other words, winning is based on luck. So, you’re better off googling what lucky color to wear to win at the casino instead of ways to win a game based on luck.

Roulette is another casino game that offers no potential to determine the outcome of the end result. You place your chips on the betting table, but the dealer or the RNG mechanics of a video roulette game will spin the wheel and direct the eventual winning number and color. There is no way that a player can influence the result to win big at the casino, just like with a slot game. Roulette is different, though, as it does have a way in which you can increase your chances of winning. The multiple betting options offer varying levels of odds, from 35/1 on a single number down to 1/1 on red/black, for example.

So, you can improve your chances of winning on roulette by placing a bet on red rather than the red number 32. But, at the end of the day, there is still an element of luck involved because it can quite easily land on a black number.

Two Famous Skill Casino Games - Poker & Blackjack

Two games stand out the most when talking about skill-based casino games, and they are poker and blackjack. You could argue that searching for high RTP slot machines or the optimal payouts in baccarat is a skill. But in poker and blackjack, you have two games that require thought and knowledge during the game. Poker is a worldwide phenomenon. It has been the inspiration for movies with multi-million prize tournaments played every year. It is considered to be the one game that offers the biggest chance to use your skill and knowledge.

Many people wonder about the percentage of luck vs skill in poker. There are many variables to learn and take into account before any poker cards are even drawn. Reading your opponent’s expressions and habits, also known as tells, can help you make up your mind on how to bet. You also have bluffing skills and the art of being able to understand the odds of winning with strong hands. For example, being able to manipulate your opponent’s hand and forcing them to throw away a better hand than yours is an effective poker skill to have. Furthermore, knowing that you should win four out of five times when holding two aces is also a useful statistic to know. Especially when deciding how to play your next move.

Using Memory to Overcome Luck

Continuing with the theme of skill vs luck in card games, blackjack is next on our list of casino games. Similar to poker, this game has shared the silver screen with several famous movies as well. Many of them are based on the notorious card-counting technique. While not illegal, it is something that you can get banned for. Why? It removes the house edge required by the casino to make its profit. It takes away the luck, and that is exactly how casinos have built their billions over the years. Counting cards may sound like a simple enough strategy, but it is extremely difficult and requires a special type of mind to get right.

The core of the idea is to track the important cards being played during a blackjack session. You can then use your findings to base an accurate assumption on how to bet moving forward and eventually win big in a casino. Online casinos know exactly how this works, and that is why you will rarely see single-deck blackjack games available to play. Single-deck games make it much easier for card counters to succeed and win money. This is not exactly something that casinos want to be promoted throughout the world.

Every casino game is designed with a house edge in favor of the casino. Sure, some players are still going to win, but the casino will always win in the long run. So, are casinos all about luck? Well, casinos would not be in business if all their games were based on skill because players would find a way to win. Luck is what the casino industry is built upon, and all players should know this when playing their games.

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Steven Ford
Steven Ford
Last Update: 29 Mar 2023
Steven is GoodLuckMate’s casino veteran, having started in the industry in 2007! Although he knows everything about online gambling, it’s sports betting that is his true passion. Additionally, he’s not only our go-to writer for casino reviews, but he’s also the one keeping the closest eye on iGaming companies, so he always knows what they are going to do next.
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