While every online casino will be sure to have casino games unique to their gaming platform, there are a handful of online casino classics that will almost certainly appear in every portfolio of games.  Here is a brief description of the rules for Roulette, Blackjack, Video Slots, Video Poker, Keno Bingo, Craps, and Baccarat.

Roulette - The wheel in a game of Roulette bares 38 numbers: numbers 1-36, 0, and 00.  The wheel is spun and a small ball is placed on its rim.  Just before the wheel is spun, players must place bets on where the ball will land.  The numbers are arranged on the wheel in alternating pairs of odds and pairs of evens.  Then the colors of the wheel alternate between black and red.  The two zeros are placed at the opposite end of the wheel and are green in color.  Players can place bets on either what number or color the ball will rest.

The table portion of the Roulette arranges the 36 colored numbers in 3 columns.  Players have two betting options in Roulette: inside or outside bets.  The 6 inside bets are: straight, split, street, corner, five number, and line bets.  There 3 outside bets are as follows: even-money, column, and dozen bets.  Players can place as many bets as they would like at a time.

Blackjack - The objective in Blackjack is simple: to get the value of your hand as close to 21 without busting (going over).  You must also accumulate a higher value than the dealer.  Cards numbered 2 through 10 maintain their face value.  Face cards are valued at 10.  If a player receives an ace they can decide whether the card is valued at 1 or 11, whatever works to their advantage.  If a hand is composed of an ace and a card valued at 10 it is considered a Blackjack.  A Blackjack always beats a hand of several cards that make up 21. 

After bets are placed, the player is dealt two cards.  The dealer also receives two cards, but one is exposed and the other remains face down.  When players have completed their hands, the dealer reveals his “hole” card.  The dealer must continue to take cards until he busts or his hand is over 16.

Video Slots - Video slot machines usually display a grid of symbols aligned in rows and columns.  Most video slot machines are composed of 5 reels.  The graphic symbols appear to spin on the reels then the selected symbol appears at random in the cell.

There are usually more pay lines in video slots than in traditional slot machines.  Pay lines may line up vertically, horizontally, diagonally, or even in a pyramid shape through the cells.  The electronic interface of Video Slot machines allows for side bets and bonus rounds that keep things interesting.  Fantastic graphics and interactive games really boost the playing experience. 

Pay lines, payouts, and betting options vary differently from one video slot to the next.  Be sure to read individual instructions closely.

Video Poker - There is little difference between traditional poker and Video Poker.  Video Poker is only named as such because it involves one player squaring off against a machine.  The game could easily be played with real cards and a living banker. 

The living player is dealt a five card hand from a 52 card deck after placing a stake.  The player gets an opportunity to choose which cards of the original hand to discard.  He is then dealt an equal number of replacement cards.

Players get paid according to a predefined scale of odds depending on the final hand they collect.  If the final hand is weak the player will likely lose the stake, but a strong hand (typically a pair of Jacks or better) receives a payday.  Each Video Poker game varies.  Players will find different odds offered and different requirement for a minimum winning hand.  Some times wild cards are introduced into the mix.

Bingo - Bingo is a very simple game, usually played with a card baring 25 squares, arranged in a 5x5 pattern.  Each square has 24 randomly selected numbers, making each card different.  The center square is a Free Space; it is similar to a wild.  The five letters of BINGO are place individually at the top of the five columns on the card. The numbers 1-75 are arranged in each column as follows:

B from 1 to 15
I from 16 to 30
N from 31 to 45
G from 46 to 60
O from 61 to 75

The objective of the game is to be the first to complete the game “pattern” and cry “Bingo” as the numbers are called at random. 

The online version of Bingo does not typically vary greatly from the original.  More features are automated and the numbers are selected by a random number generator, maintaining the integrity of the game greater than a human drawing.  Another online feature, ‘auto-daub’ automatically marks the numbers on a players card as they are called, eliminating the chance of the player missing a number they need.

Keno - Keno is relatively simple game.  It is best described as a hybrid between bingo and the lottery.  The Keno board is similar to a Bingo card, only it has 80 numbers.  Different from Bingo, the player is given a chance to select 1-15 numbers.

Of course the payout will change depending on how many numbers the player picks and how many numbers are randomly selected.  Keno is true game of chance.

Craps - Craps terminology is perhaps the most difficult part of learning the game, outside of that craps itself is a very simple game.  The game is played with a pair of dice.  Players wager money against each other (street craps) or against a bank (bank craps) on the outcome of a single or a series of rolls. 

The first player at the table stands at one end to throw a pair dice and is called the “shooter.”  There are several types of bets: Eleven, Seven, Buy Bets, Place Bets, Pass Line, Don't Pass, Come Bets & Don't Come, Hard Ways, Any Crap, The Field, Horn Bet, Big 6 & 8, and Odds.

Baccarat - Baccarat is played between the player and the banker with a standard deck of cards.  Two hands composed of two cards are dealt; one hand to the player the other to the dealer.  The player must now place bets on which hand will have a value closest to 9.  Players are free to bet on either the ‘players’ hand or the ‘dealers’ hand.  Bets can also be placed on a tie. 

In Baccarat, 10s and face cards are valued at 0.  Aces are valued at 1.  The rest of the cards maintain their face value.  If a pair of cards value 10 or more, the first digit is removed from the total.  For example, 9 and 8 make 17; in baccarat you would remove the 1 and the pair would be valued at 7.