Anyone who has ever visited a top Las Vegas casino is sure to have been impressed by the huge numbers of slot machines and gaming tables open to players. Here at Plaza Royal, we bring you just as much choice, whether you want to play Blackjack, Roulette, Slots, or anything else.
From Slots to Blackjack and Roulette
If you are a newcomer to casino games, then you may be wondering why casinos offer so many different versions of all the different games. The reason is very simple; there are many different versions of all the games.
For example, if you are a Blackjack player then you will find that there are numerous different versions of the game each with subtly different rules. The same is true of Roulette and other traditional casino games like Baccarat. Even if you play slot machines, in addition to games with different themes and features, there are also different types of slot machines.
One of the big advantages we have here at Plaza Royal Casino is that we are not confided by physical space. That means that we can offer players a huge amount of choice with all the different variants that they could possibly need. Regardless of what type of casino games you have come looking for, you are sure to be amazed by the range we have on offer. Take a look around today and we promise you’ll be having fun in no time at all.
Blackjack – Understanding the Variants
Here at Plaza Royal you will see that we have a huge number of different Blackjack games available such as Vegas Strip Blackjack, Atlantic City Blackjack, Vegas Downtown Blackjack, Vegas Single Deck Blackjack, and so on.
All of these games work on the same general principle, players have to beat the dealer by building a hand of cards that is closer in value to 21 than the dealer’s hand is, but without exceeding 21 and going bust. That said, you may be wondering what the difference is between all of these different games.
The answer is that in Blackjack there are many aspects where there can be subtle differences in the rule. However, these small changes can have a big impact, especially when it comes to strategy, and different players will prefer different versions.
For instance, one very simple area where you will find a great deal of variation is in the number of decks of cards used in a game. There are a number of ‘single deck’ games, but you will also find games that use 2, 4, 6 or even 8 packs of cards. You don’t need to be a maths genius to realise that this will have a huge impact on the game’s probabilities and statistics, so it is something you need to be very aware of. As a general rule, the fewer decks used, the lower the house edge will be. However, the games usually compensate for this in some other way. For instance, in a single deck game, players may not be allowed to double on soft hands or after splitting, or it may offer smaller payouts for Blackjack.
Another area where you will find variation is in the rules governing how the dealer has to play. Each game will have a rule about whether the dealer should hit or stand on a soft 17. Games where the dealer must hit on a soft 17 are often referred to as H17 while games where the dealer stands on soft 17 are referred to as S17. The house edge falls by about 0.2% in games where the dealer stands on soft 17.
Not all Blackjack variants offer surrender, but in those games that do, there are two types that you should be aware of, late and early surrender. Most games with surrender offer late surrender. This means that if the dealer’s up card is an ace or a ten, then the second card is checked to ensure that there is no blackjack before surrender is allowed. Early surrender is when players can surrender before the dealer checks for blackjack, which is obviously better for the player.
Nearly every Blackjack game gives players the chance to split a hand into two if they are initially dealt two cards of the same value. Furthermore, most games will allow players to split a hand again, or ‘resplit’. However, there is some variation in these rules. Some games will allow hands to be resplit an unlimited number of times while other games may limit it, for instance to four hands.
There is also a great deal of variation in the rules governing what happens after a pair of aces have been split. In most games, only one more card will be dealt to a split ace and players cannot split again, double down, or hit to the hand. However, some games will allow resplitting aces and others will allow hitting on split aces (although this is very rare). If players are allowed to hit on split aces it reduces the house edge by roughly 0.13% and allowing resplitting of aces reduces it by roughly 0.03%. It should also be noted that if a card worth 10 is dealt to a split ace it is nearly always considered 21 rather than Blackjack.
There are even more rule variations governing a split. For example, most games will allow you to double down on a split hand. However, some will not as if it is not allowed it increases the house edge by roughly 0.12%.
The option to double down is a great way for players to try to increase their winnings when dealt a strong hand. However, some versions of Blackjack will put a restriction on it. In some variants, double down is only allowed on hard totals of 9, 10 or 11 and in others, it is allowed only on hands of 10 or 11. Once again, these rules are to avoid the house edge becoming too small; however, you will find plenty of versions of Blackjack where double down is allowed on all hand totals.
In some European versions of Blackjack, the way that the dealer’s cards are dealt will also vary. Generally, the dealer receives two cards at the beginning of a round, one face up and one face down. However, in some games, the second card (face down) is not dealt until all players have played. This has a big impact on the basic strategy, so it is vital to check the game’s rules before you start playing. However, in some of these games there is a special rule known as ‘original bets only’, which means that if a player loses to a dealer blackjack, only the original bet is lost and any other optional bets, such as double or split, and returned as a push. In this case, the normal basic strategy charts can be used.
The vast majority of Blackjack games pay 3:2 for blackjack. However, there are games where it is reduced to 6:5 or even 1:1. This tends to be the case in games with low minimum bets or single deck games. It is also used in games that have other conditions that are extremely favourable to players, such as when early surrender is allowed. Similarly, there are games where the dealer may win on tied hands rather than push. It is very rare, but worth keeping an eye out for.
These are the rule variants you will find in standard Blackjack games. There are of course other variants for the more specialist games, such as Blackjack Double Exposure, in which both dealer cards are dealt face up. Here at Plaza Royal we are pleased to offer you a huge number of Blackjack games and before you start playing, you can easily check the rules of each game to see exactly what variants it uses so that you can plan your strategy accordingly.
Roulette – A Range of Options
Roulette is a hugely popular game but despite having a history that dates back hundreds of years, it is far more standardised than Blackjack. There are a number of different versions of the game, but generally, the differences between them are very small.
Everyone will know that Roulette is based around the spinning wheel. In fact, the game takes its name from the French for ‘little wheel’. However, there are some differences to be found in the wheel.
There are three different types of wheel, Single Zero Wheels, Double Zero Wheels and Triple Zero Wheels. In each instance, the number order is slightly different, as follows:
Single Zero Wheel
0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26
Double Zero Wheel
0, 28, 9, 26, 30, 11, 7, 20, 32, 17, 5, 22, 34, 15, 3, 24, 36, 13, 1, 00, 27, 10, 25, 29, 12, 8, 19, 31, 18, 6, 21, 33, 16, 4, 23, 35, 14, 2
Triple Zero Wheel
0, 000, 00, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26
As a general rule, European and French Roulette games use the single zero wheels, American Roulette uses double zero reels, and triple zero wheels are found on specialist games and are not very common at all.
When looking at a Roulette table, you will often see two betting areas, a regular one that is a rectangular grid and a racetrack shaped one. The racetrack betting area is used to place announced or call bets. The bets are patterns based upon the way certain numbers lie next to each other on the roulette wheel. There are a number of standard announced bets, such as Voisins du Zero, Jeu Zero, and Le Tiers du Cylindre. However, some games will not offer these bets and others may have slight variations on the standards.
In regards to the actual Roulette rules, there is very little variation found in the standard games. The only exception to this is French Roulette, which may offer one or two special rules. There is a rule known as La Partage, which means that any player who has placed an even money bet will receive half of the bet back if the ball lands on zero. The second rule is En Prison, which means that an even money bet will stay on the table for the next spin if the ball lands on zero. If the bet wins on the next spin then the player receives it back. Obviously, both of these are advantageous to players and reduce the house edge. It is not difficult to find games offering the La Partage rule, but the En Prison rule is much rarer.
Once one starts looking at more exotic Roulette variants there is far more variation. For instance, a game may use a mini-wheel with just 13 numbers on it and there are also games that use multiple wheels, in some cases to allow spread betting, which can result in huge payouts. You will also find Roulette games that introduce payout multipliers, bonus rounds, progressive jackpots, and so on.
At Plaza Royal, we have many different roulette games for you to explore, from the most traditional to highly original, and fans of the game are sure to have a great time discovering them all.
Slots – The Machines Explained
Slot machines are continually evolving and over the years, a number of different types have appeared. Players are sure to be used to looking for themes that they enjoy as well as bonus features that appeal. However, not many people realise how many different types of machines there are.
In a land casino, you will find a huge number of different types of machine. It is not quite the same when playing online, but there are still a few that you should be aware of.
There is a type of machine known as a multiplier (not to be confused with the bonus feature of the same name). These are machines that have a payout ratio according to the number of coins bet. For example, placing a bet of 1 coin and landing a win may award 100x, but with 2 coins bet that same combination would award 200x. Very often, these games will offer a boosted payout when betting the maximum number of coins.
You are no doubt used to playing machines with numerous paylines as the vast majority of modern machines will offer several, sometimes thousands. However, it is worth knowing that these are called Multiple Payline Machines. Conversely, if you are a classic slot fan, then you may well be used to playing Single Payline Machines, which have just the single payline running through the middle of the reels.
Another very common and popular form of slots are Progressive Machines. These are games that are linked to progressive jackpots. Every time that you place a bet, a portion of that bet goes to the jackpot pool. Thanks to this system, if the slot is popular then the jackpot can grow to a huge amount very quickly, and a number of lucky players have won life-changing sums this way.
A final type of slot machine that is becoming more popular are Arcade Machines. These games do not use the traditional reel and payline structure. Rather, the games take place on a grid of symbols, and players need to land clusters, or groups, or matching symbols in order to win a payout.
As you explore the collection of slots that we have to offer at Plaza Royal, you will come across all of these types of machines. Regardless of which type of machine you prefer, you will find a wide choice of themes, plenty of bonus features, and the chance of landing some huge winnings with every spin.
Less info
