Are slots the most popular casino games?
Online gaming is cool. That’s not just an opinion; it’s what the data seem to be telling us.
The global online gaming industry is expected to be the lucky recipient of a compound annual growth rate of 11.5% from 2020 to 2027, according to data from Grand View Market Research.
So someone out there is enjoying it, and here on this blog no one is going to stand in the way of that.
And why wouldn’t players like a few electronic thrills? The spin of the roulette wheel, the flip of the poker cards, the rotation of the slot reels – especially if you get free spins, it is enough to give anyone a bit of a rush.
Below is a look at the world of casino games, looking at some of the most popular ones, and asking whether online slots are the king of them all.
Most popular casino games
When it comes to casino games, you can’t beat the classics. They’re tried and tested, but they’ve still managed to adapt as the years have gone by. The way we know some of them now isn’t the way they were when they first started.
Blackjack
If you visit a casino, online or offline, and don’t sit down for a game of blackjack, are you even a real person?
Blackjack is one of the most popular games like ever. It’s you versus the dealer in a “Who can get the closest to 21 and not go bust?” showdown. Stick, twist or split. That’s pretty much it.
It’s less about luck and more about decision-making. Beat the dealer and you redeem yourself after that awful tattoo you got during spring break.
Roulette
You can make simple bets, such as betting on the ball stopping on a certain color or an odd number, or you can make more complex ones, including whether the ball will stop within a specific range of numbers.
Then you spin that wheel and wait for the ball to stop rolling. It’s as straightforward and cross-between-exciting-and-nerve-jangling as that. Once that wheel starts spinning, the fate of your wager is in the hands of the roulette gods, which is never a dull moment.
Roulette is a classic casino game that has remained popular over the years.
Slots
Now, slots have that little magic about them. Maybe it’s their music. Maybe it’s their design. Maybe it’s the ease of playing, but people love slots —L-O-V-E them. Some will even leap online and play in slot competitions. Now that’s passion!
Slots are so popular that it’s worth giving them an extra section and looking at some of the best slot machine games out there. You don’t look back after them and they might even be more popular than all the other casino games combined. That would really be a feat.
A quick look at a couple of the best slots ever
Here are two classics to whet your appetite.
Starburst
Starburst is just like one of the Lost Boys: it never grows old and it will never die. Starburst is a true classic and the online gaming community just loves it.
It’s so damned straightforward, not to mention easy on the eye, and has that hint of nostalgia about it. Whatever else could the high-paying symbols be but lucky 7 and the gold BAR. Land five of the latter in a line and you’re in for a big, big payday.
There are 10 paylines and Wilds are the main bonus symbol. When they land, they expand and can replace other symbols on the reel. Fantastic.
Many popular slot games incorporate the ‘Gold Bar’ into their symbols on the reels.
Rainbow Riches
Rainbow Riches continues to delight to this day, having gone from providing entertainment for the arcade-erati and for alcohol-swilling players in bars, to serving it up for nimble-fingered gamers online.
This Irish-themed game offers 20 paylines and spoils players with free spins, giving them plenty of chances to win. Players can win up to 500 times their original stake, thanks to the Pots of Gold, Wishing Well and Road to Riches features.
Just why are online slots so popular?
Whoever came up with the concept of online slots must be mightily pleased with themselves.
One of the reasons for the deep popularity of slots has got to be that you can play them for free. There’s no buy-in. You just throw down your stake and off you go a-spinning, hoping those reels will spin in your favor.
It’s a masterstroke from the operators. Better still, when you do lay your money down, it doesn’t have to be a huge sum, yet you can still win big. You might have low odds of winning the jackpot, but they’re odds nevertheless, so it’s gotta be worth a shot, right?
There’s also the sheer variety. If you ever have the temerity to get bored of one particular slot, there’s always a seemingly million more from which to choose.
Operators cater for all tastes, with themes ranging from superhero movies, through to history, game shows and nostalgia. Crisp graphics, catchy music and a generally fabulous user experience all keep the punters coming back for more.
So online gaming is cool. Agreed. Are online slots the most popular casino games ever? That might be a little more controversial to state, but some out there will, for sure, be giving them a hell-to-the-yeah!
Slots are giving more traditional casino games a major run for their money, though. That’s one thing no one will dispute.