Gambling types represent the many ways people can bet their money while playing a certain game and potentially have a winning result. Different ways of gambling can be grouped in various broad and narrow groups, and one of the main distinctions is made between gambling games of chance and gambling games of skill.
In games of chance, the outcome is determined randomly, only by chance. Examples of popular gambling games of chance are lottery, bingo and slot machines. In games of skill, outcomes depend on both skill and chance. Examples of popular gambling games of skill are poker, horse race betting and sports betting. Different forms of gambling can also be grouped according to the theme or place, and so we have casino gambling, sports betting and lottery.
Below you can review a full list of the most popular gambling game types or forms of gambling games:
- Slots: Slot machines are electronic or virtual gambling game types that have spinning reels and symbols and the player bets a certain amount per spin to get a payout for a combination of symbols.
- Card Games: Card games are gambling game types that are played across a table with cards and they typically have a dealer which participates in the game and deals the cards.
- Roulette: Roulette is a gambling game type that involves a wheel with numbers and a table where players place their bets on the numbers they think the ball in the wheel will land.
- Dice Gambling: Dice games like craps are a gambling game type played with dice across a gambling table.
- Lottery Tickets: Lottery gambling game types are games that involve drawing numbers to complete a number series and win a prize.
- Sports Betting: Sports betting is a gambling game type that involves betting on the outcomes of sports events.
Gambling games can have various classifications based on their legality, types of specific games, their offline and online presence, their relation to sports and their status in terms of professional play.
Players can enjoy legal gambling game types which are regulated by the authorities, as opposed to illegal gambling games that are not allowed.
Gambling games are offered both online and offline, and some are found exclusively either at online casinos or offline gambling locations.
Sports betting and casino gambling are clearly different, because with the latter players participate in games, whereas in the former punters bet on sports matches the are held between athletes.
Gambling can also be casual, an activity that someone does for entertainment and recreation or professional, meaning that the professional gambler lives from gambling tournaments and gambling games.
Table Games
Table games are a type of gambling games played at online casinos. There are many different types of table games, including blackjack, poker, baccarat and roulette. Table games are one of the most popular games on casino websites, and they have centuries worth of history. After the 1990s, table games like poker have become increasingly popular across the USA. In Europe, roulette is one of the most popular table games, whereas in Asia baccarat is a traditional card gambling game that is still popular in casinos today.
Table games are played on a table and they can also include decks of cards, dice or a wheel that spins and shows numbers that are also presented on the betting table. Table games are not hard at all, if we focus on games like baccarat or roulette. These particular gambling table game types are good for beginners. On the other hand, we have blackjack, craps and poker, which require strategies and tactical thinking, therefore are harder and are not for beginners.
Below you can find a list of the main table gambling games:
- Poker: Poker is a gambling game type popularized in the 20th century. It is played with cards and has several imports sub-types, like Caribbean Stud, Let It Ride, and Three-Card Poker.
- Blackjack: Blackjack is a card gambling game type played with one of several decks of cards.
- Roulette: Roulette is one of the types of gambling which is played with a spinning wheel with numbers and the player has to guess which number the wheel will stop on.
- Baccarat: Baccarat is a simple gambling game of comparison, played with regular cards.
- Craps: Craps is a table game that involves a pair of dice and a betting table.
- Go Fish: Go Fish is a sociable card game that uses a standard 52-card deck.
- Hearts: Hearts is a competitive card game in which the goal is to get as few hearts as possible.
- Snap: Snap is a card game that involves players drawing cards and spotting pairs of the same rank.
Poker
Poker is a gambling game type that belongs in the group of table games, and more precisely, in the group of card games because it is played with cards.
The advantages of poker as a gambling game type include cognitive benefits, development of mathematical and social skills, as well as improving focus and concentration.
The popularity of poker comes from the fact that having a winning hand is not always the essential advantage, as it can be possible to win due to skill and applied psychology.
Poker games are not as easy as other card games because apart from having to learn the game rules, players also have to spend time developing strategies and improving their gambling skills. Poker-type games have been around since the 17th century in Europe, and then in the 1800s they were imported to North America, but the most popular variants of poker were established in the 1990s.
Poker is available in land-based casinos and online casinos. Through valid licenses from authorities, casinos offer legal poker to their audience. The effects of poker on players’ social skills, their experience of fun and entertainment are mostly positive.
Below you can see the most notable variants of poker:
- Hold’em: Hold’em poker is the most popular variant of poker, namely the version called Texas Hold’em. Hold’em poker is a demanding game that can be played in tournaments and as a gambling game types it ranks high in terms of difficulty and skill requirements.
- Seven Card Stud: Seven Card Stud is a poker gambling game type that involves poker hand rankings that also apply in Hold’em or Omaha poker. Seven Card Stud has 5 betting rounds and to win the player has to combine two of their cards with community cards to form a hand.
- Video Poker: Video poker is an electronic or virtual version of the gambling game type of poker most similar to Five Card Draw. It is not hard to play video poker.
- Five Card Draw: Five Card Draw is a gambling game type of poker during which each player is dealt a complete hand before the first betting round. Over the course of the session, the player draws cards to improve their hand.
Hold’em
Hold’em poker is a sub-type of poker, a gambling game type commonly played in offline and online casinos. In this form of poker, each player is dealt two cards face-down; they are required to construct the best five-card hand by combining dealt cards with three of five community cards at the center of the table. This applies to the most recognizable Hold’em poker game, Texas Hold’em. It is a card game of average difficulty, slightly harder than blackjack or baccarat.
Hold’em poker games were legalized in the late 1980s in California and they spread across the USA in the 1990s. Poker’s popularity grew immensely at the beginning of the 21st century, because online poker games were more and more prevalent and tournaments were televised. Hold’em poker became a spectator sport, providing action and drama not only to its participants but also to viewers.
Seven Card Stud
Seven Card Stud is a sub-type of poker, a gambling game type that belongs to the family of “stud” games. Stud poker games are forms of poker in which players receive a combination of face-down and face-up cards dealt during multiple betting rounds. Seven Card Stud is not an easy game that is recommended to beginners, as it can take years to master it.
Seven Card Stud was first popularized in the 1830s, particularly on the riverboats in New Orleans. It was the most popular poker game across the United States before Texas Hold’em gained dominance. Seven Card Stud can be more fun for some players as many describe it as less monotonous in comparison with Hold’em poker. It is a variant of poker that rewards skill over luck in the majority of cases.
Video Poker
Video poker is a computerized game of poker that is played offline at special cabinets, or online where these types of gambling games are usually offered under a separate category. Silentbet lists some variants in free-to-play demo mode. Video poker games are based on Five-Card Stud poker. In the game of video poker, the player is presented with 5 cards and has the opportunity to discard one or more of them in exchange for new cards drawn from the same virtual deck. The video poker version differs from the table poker version in one important segment – the player can discard all their initial 5 cards if they so like.
The earliest models of video poker appeared in the late-1970s. They became popular throughout the 1980s because people found them less intimidating than table games at casinos. Cide poker variations include Deuces Wild, Joker Poker, Aces and Eights and Jacks or Better, to name a few, and all of these can be played at online casinos.
Five Card Draw
Five Card Draw is a sub-type of poker, a gambling game type that is considered one of the simplest forms of table poker. It is believed that Five Card Draw originated in the period of the American Civil War. It is not as prevalent in brick-and-mortar casinos as it was before, but it can be found online at casino sites.
It is possible that Five Card Draw is less popular than other sub-types of poker because it includes just two betting rounds. However, this gambling game’s simplicity favors beginners who are just entering the world of poker. Five Card Draw is played with a standard 52-card deck and it uses the same hand rankings as Texas Hold’em.
Blackjack
Blackjack is a gambling game type that belongs among table games, and more precisely, it is a game played with cards.
The advantages of blackjack include high potential payouts, ease of play, socializing factor and the potential to improve gambling skills. Blackjack is not a difficult game and can be mastered by casino beginners.
While certain games have lost their popularity over time, blackjack still remains one of the top casino games to this day. The exact origins of the game were not determined, but it is believed that blackjack was created in French casinos around 1700 and that it has close relations with the card game Chemin de Fer. At first, blackjack was called 21.
In the 20th century, the game adopted the name blackjack and expanded across the USA as a contemporary card game we know today. Blackjack is widely available at online and offline casinos and these establishments hold licenses o to offer legal blackjack variants.
Gambling game type of blackjack positively affects socialization among players, has the biggest payout rates out of all table games and is a fun and engaging game to play when using blackjack optimal strategy.
Below you can have a look at the most trending types of blackjack at casinos:
- Classic Blackjack: Classic blackjack is a gambling game type which is also known as standard blackjack and it is played without any extra features. It is not difficult to learn and it uses 8 decks of cards.
- European Blackjack: European Blackjack is a gambling game type that is played by standard rules, but players can split just once in the game and the dealer cannot check for blackjack. It is not a hard game, but perhaps a bit more complicated than Classic Blackjack.
- Face Up 21: Face Up 21 is a special type of gambling game of blackjack. The game is not hard, and its main characteristic is that both the dealer’s original hand cards are dealt face-up.
- Perfect Pairs Blackjack: Perfect Pairs Blackjack is a variation of the gambling game type of blackjack which includes an optional bet called Perfect Pairs. The gameplay is slightly more complex than standard blackjack if we include the side bet.
- Spanish 21: Spanish 21 is a gambling game type from the blackjack family, played with 6 decks of cards. The main rule of Spanish 21 is that all the 10 cards are removed, which makes the game exciting without making it more complicated for players to learn.
Classic Blackjack
Classic Blackjack is a type of blackjack gambling game that is widely regarded as the most popular of all blackjack variants. The game uses 8 decks of 52 cards, the dealer does not receive a hole card and he has to hit on soft 17.
Classic Blackjack is a traditional version of the game which has been available for years in both online and offline casinos, and it is considered to be centuries old. In a live setting, the classic version of blackjack is normally played with up to 7 players. Whereas online it can be an unlimited table. Classic Blackjack is a simple game to learn and provides an entertaining way of winning prizes. Most blackjack experts agree that it should be the first blackjack game the players learn.
European Blackjack
European Blackjack is a blackjack version that plays out just like any regular game of 21, with a slight difference in the details. What makes a blackjack game European are the following rules: dealer stands on soft 17, no hole card for the dealer, the dealer does not peak for blackjack, players may split just once and the dealer’s blackjack beats yours.
Learning to play European Blackjack is not difficult, although players should be more careful in their double down and split attempts when playing European Blackjack vs Classic Blackjack. It is recommended to players with some level of experience.
Face Up 21
Face Up 21 is a gambling game type that is a form of blackjack. It is also called Double Exposure Blackjack because in this game both of the dealer’s cards are placed on the table facing up. Double Exposure Blackjack was invented by Richard A. Epstein in 1977 and it brought some changes to the standard version of the game of blackjack. In other blackjack games, blackjack pays 3 to 2. In Face Up 21, it pays 1 to 1. Also, the dealer wins every tie, except when both of you have a natural blackjack.
The Face Up 21 blackjack variant is not difficult to learn or play, but it can take a player some time getting used to because it has significant differences from most blackjack options. It is a well-known variation of blackjack readily available in online casinos and brick-and-mortar casinos.
Perfect Pairs Blackjack
Perfect Pairs Blackjack is a sub-type of the blackjack gambling game which has its main gameplay identical to classic blackjack types. Its difference comes from a unique side bet called Perfect Pairs. This side bet enables players to make a separate wager on the possibility that the first two cards dealt are a pair (mixed pair, colored pair or identical pair).
Players can play Perfect Pairs Blackjack at many online and offline casinos as this is a widely popular version of the blackjack gambling game type. It does not require learning any complex new rules and players who have minimal experience with Classic Blackjack will be able to play Perfect Pairs without issues.
Spanish 21
Spanish 21 is a sub-type of the blackjack gambling game that maintains fundamental rules and principles of the standard blackjack gameplay, introducing one unique rule – all tens are removed from the game. This means that 48 cards are used from any single deck, instead of 52.
The origin of Spanish 21 can be traced to the 1990s when the game was mainly played in Nevada’s casinos. The game is owned by Masque Publishing Inc., a Colorado-based company. Spanish 21 is a popular, loved variation of the game of blackjack, played by hundreds of players worldwide. Due to its enticing rules, Spanish 21 requires solid knowledge of the basic rules of blackjack to be able to understand the new set of rules that applies here.
Roulette
Roulette is a gambling game type that has a spinning horizontal wheel and a ball that indicates winning numbers based on the numbered section it falls into. It has been synonymous with casinos for centuries, being around since the 18th, when it appeared in France. The zero was added to the roulette wheel in the 19th century and to give the house an even bigger edge the wheel was given a second zero when the game arrived in the USA, also in the 1800s.
The advantages of roulette can be summed up in the fact that the game is so easy, requires no complex learning and provides many betting opportunities and high payouts. An absolute beginner can play roulette with confidence and that is one of the reasons why roulette has remained popular to this day.
Roulette is more eye-catching than card games and it is one of the most iconic casino games of all time that you can play at land-based casino venues and online casino websites. Roulette is a social game, but it can also be private, so it is flexible, it is exhilarating and dynamic, therefore very fun.
Baccarat
Baccarat is a gambling game type that is played with cards across a table. The game has Italian origins and it is quite simple to play after learning the basic rules. It is believed that it emerged in the 15th century and before it was popular in casinos, baccarat was mostly played among European nobility.
In France, the game was known as Chemin de Fer, whereas in English people often called it Punto Banco. Baccarat became really popular when it entered casinos in the USA in the early 1900s. In popular culture, baccarat is also known for being the favorite game of James Bond. People can play baccarat online or offline, most commonly the simple version that is Punto Banco. The advantages of baccarat are its simplicity and also the low house edge, allowing the player to win more in the long run.
Craps
Craps is a gambling game type that is played with a pair of six-sided dice. The history of craps begins with ancient civilizations like the Roman Empire or Ancient Egypt. People would throw dice centuries ago and that is what is considered as predecessors for craps, while the game Hazard which was invented during the Crusades by the English is also tied with the emergence of the modern version of craps we can play today in offline and online casinos.
The advantage of craps is that it is a fast, exciting game that doesn’t have slow sessions like some card games involving several dealings and player actions. With one throw of the dice, the bets are settled. What can be complicated for players is to learn the layout of the craps betting table and devise a strategy for bets. The odds bet in craps is one of the best bets you can make at a casino and winning at a craps table can make one feel like a hero.
Go Fish
Go Fish is a card game type that requires matching and pairing skills and a good memory. The game is typically played with friends and family and is not often available in online casinos. It is not available in land-based casinos at all. The game is not difficult and people often teach their children to play Go Fish.
Go Fish originates from Happy Families, a card game invented by John Jaques Jr in 1851. In a game of Go Fish, players try to collect cards with specific values by asking for them from other players or by drawing them from a pile of cards at the center of the table. In China, the game has its own versions and rules.
Go Fish can be played just for the purpose of having fun and socializing, without the pressure of making bets and having to win any money.
Hearts
Hearts is a card game that requires strategy and revolves around tricking opponents to take certain cards. The rules of Hearts are not complicated, but in practice the game can become complex. As an evasion-type game, Hearts was invented in the 1700s in Spain and it was called Reversis. By the late 1800s, Hearts became a popular card game in the United States.
Today, you can play Hearts online at entertainment websites and with a lot of mobile apps, too, but you will not find many online casinos offering real money Hearts card game. The biggest advantage of Hearts as a card game is that it brings people together. You need at least 4 players and it is the most fun when played with friends or family members.Snap
Snap is a card game that uses a standard deck of 52 cards and the goal of the game is to win all the cards by reacting quickly and spotting pairs of cards of the same rank while the dealer deals them. Once the player notices a pair, they must shout “Snap!” to acquire more cards for their stack.
It is not clear when Snap was invented, but it is believed to be related to Egyptian Ratscrew, which draws its origins from 19th-century games played in Britain. Snap is an accumulating cards game that does not have a fully explored gambling potential. It is not offered in land-based casinos and it is often played at home.
SharpEdge Gaming is a software provider which produces Casino Snap, a computerized version of the game designed for online casinos. Nevertheless, online casino Snap for real money is not a common game at casino sites.
Slots
Slots are gambling machines that offer gambling games to customers in casinos and pubs. Their usual layout features a screen that displays three or more reels of symbols and the players spin them to hopefully lineup identical symbols in a certain way and win a payout. Slot machines are just as popular online as they are offline, if not more. The main reasons for slots popularity are the accessibility of the games and the fact that anyone can just start playing without prior preparation.
The first slot machine was called Liberty Bell and it was invented in 1899 by Charles Fey of San Francisco, California. The first electromechanical slot appeared in 1964 and the first video slot in 1976. During the early 1990s, slots became increasingly popular at casinos and took up approximately 70% of the casino floor space. In the late 1990s, the first online slots emerged and continued the tradition of fruit machines.
Slots are now played worldwide in land-based casinos, online casinos, slot parlors, gaming centers, pubs and adult sections of amusement arcades. Playing slots is an activity that is officially regulated by the government in most countries, especially large markets like the USA, Australia, Russia and Canada.
Slot machines are perfect for beginners as they require no experience. With slots, the players do not have to understand complicated rules and they do not have to feel stressed because they need to think too much.
Below you can see the most common sub-types of slots that have been developed over time:
- Video slots: Video slots are gambling games that have 5 or more reels, bonus features, various numbers for paylines and different themes (animals, adventure, history etc.)
- Progressive slots: Progressive jackpot slots are a gambling game type of slots that come with a progressive jackpot payout.
- Classic slots: Classic slots are one of the types of gambling that have traditional themes and layouts, often with just 3 reels and a few symbols.
- Fruit machines: Fruit machines are one of the types of gambling within slots that has fruits as symbols on the reels.
- 5-reel slots: 5-reel slots are a gambling game type of slots that have 5 columns that spin and show different symbols.
- 3D slots: 3D slots are video slot machines that have advanced graphics with 3D effects.
- Multipliers: Multipliers are a sub-type of online slots that have the multiplier feature which enables their payouts to be doubled, tripled or multiplied more times.
Video Slots
Video slots are the most developed and the most popular sub-type of the gambling game type known as slots. Video slot machines can feature many different themes, extras and game modifiers and they give players a lot of diversity to choose from.
Video slots also look great, featuring advanced, colorful graphics with animations and sound effects. They have multi-payline systems and at least one bonus feature or bonus round. Despite sounding complicated, video slots are not hard at all.
Historically, video slots weren’t available until the early 1990s and they really went through a boom when they transitioned to online casinos. Nowadays, you can find video slots at every casino online, as well as most land-based casinos.
Video slots offer more payline options than 3-reel classic slots do and make it easier to achieve wins. They can have so many themes and different combinations of in-game bonuses which makes them superior to just regular, classic slots.
Progressive Slots
Progressive slots are a variation of slots that includes a special kind of payout – an accumulated jackpot. They are played just like other slot games, but a small portion of each bet per spin goes to the progressive jackpot pot which can be won on a random spin or in some sort of a progressive jackpot bonus game. Progressive jackpot slots have great popularity because they promise life-changing wins.
Playing progressives is not difficult and involves simply setting the bet amount and hitting the spin button. Anyone can do it, but a player should keep in mind that some slot games will only pay out the jackpot when the maximum bet is staked.
The first-ever progressive jackpot slot was launched in 1986 by IGT and it was called Megabucks. Progressives are widely available in both online and offline casinos, some even maintaining networks of different games all generating one massive progressive jackpot.
Progressive jackpots bring more excitement to the player compared to other types of slots, because they give them a chance to become instant millionaires after just one single spin. Progressives are the only slots that have prizes worth millions.
Classic slots
Classic slots are a gambling game type from the slot family with the longest tradition. Classic slots are usually 3-reels slots with a simple design and barely any features. They often have 1-5 paying lines and simple gameplay with streamlined payouts.
Classic slots are the early version of all slots that came after, so it is safe to say that the history of classic slots began with the first-ever slot, the Liberty Bell.
Their basic gameplay makes classic slots ideal for beginners, for people who are just getting into the world of slots. Classic 3-reel slots are available in online casinos, less than video slots. You can also play them at brick-and-mortar casinos across the USA and other parts of the world.
Fruit Machines
Fruit machines are a gambling game type that belongs to the slots category and it is often synonymous with classic slots. What makes fruit machines so distinct is the fact that their symbols are just different fruits, typically cherries, lemons, plums and the like.
Throughout history, fruit machines evolved into modern-day video slots that abandoned fruits and incorporated many other themes. The first fruit machines are Charles Fey’s Liberty Bell and Operator Bell produced in the early 1990s.
Fruit machines are fun to play and good for novices. They require no preparation and they deliver simple gameplay without complicated features. Some features that may appear in some fruit machines are the Nudge feature, or the Hold feature. The nostalgia is what usually makes players decide on fruit machines over other types of slots.
5-reel slots
5-reels slots are one of the types of slots and they feature 5 columns of symbols. This is the most numerous slots gambling game type, because the majority of modern online slots have 5 reels. The most common configuration includes 5 reels, 3 rows of symbols and 15-20 paying lines.
With 5 reels of symbols, the slot machines providers enough paying lines to engage the player and prolong play time. There is room to implement interesting features and animations, followed by suiting sound effects.
The first slot machines with 5 reels emerged in the early 1990s, with the help of video screen technology.
Slots with 5 reels have become the norm in online and offline casinos. Players love to play 5-reel slots because they have bonus features, Wild symbols and provide more winning combinations than a simple 3-reels slot.
3D slots
3D slots are a variation of slot machine gambling games that have 3D graphics as their main characteristic. The idea behind 3D slots is to make the visuals as real as possible by using 3D effects. Also, most 3D slots have some sort of a storyline that the player follows as they unlock various levels during play.
Three-dimensional slots emerged in the middle of the 2000s when the software provider Betsoft started gaining more popularity. This type of slots is more common in online casinos than in land-based venues.
3D slots are not as suitable for newbies as much as they are for experienced slot players. They have cutting-edge graphics and sound, which is why they are considered more advanced than classic slots or regular video slots. 3D slots provide a sense of depth as you play, something that other slot types can’t provide.
Multipliers
Multiplier slots are types of slot games that have a special feature called the multiplier. This extra feature gives the player a chance to multiply their wins twice, three times and even 50x or 100x. Multiplier slots can have multipliers for Wild symbols wins or as a modifier in a free spins round, for example.
Multipliers can multiply line wins, bets and total wins and there are also slots with unlimited multipliers. This mode in slots appeared in the late 1990s/the early 2000s when video slots started adding more and more bonuses and interesting features to enhance the player experience.
Multiplier slots are entertaining and more dynamic than classic slots. However, most multiplier slots with win multipliers also have other features, so multipliers are not the only thing that affects the game’s quality and popularity. The bigger the multiplier the better for the player.
Sports Betting
Sports betting is a type of gambling where the player can place a bet on certain elements of a sports event, including the overall outcome of a sports event or specific events in the match, like who scored the first goal. Sports betting is extremely popular all over the world because sports are popular and people like to demonstrate their knowledge of sports, different athletes and tournaments.
The first historical records of sports betting date back two millenniums ago, when the Greeks bet on the Olympics. Gladiator games in Rome were the first legalized form of sports betting, whereas it is considered that modern sports betting started with horse race betting in the early 18th century. Online gambling is the most popular in Europe, whereas in Latin America land-based sportsbooks maintain their superior popularity.
The general rules for sports betting include the ability of the player to predict the outcomes of sports results and there can be various types of bets available, according to the specific sports that the bet is placed on. Sports betting is not suitable for beginners because it requires knowledge not only about sports but also about odds and potential payouts.
You can review a list of the most common sports betting options below:
- Football Bets: Football bets are the most popular types of bets in sports betting because they come from football, the most popular sports in the world.
- Race Bets: Race bets are betting options made on sports that involve races, such as horse races, car races and greyhound races.
- Basketball Bets: Basketball bets are types of betting on sports, in this case basketball and events during a basketball match.
- Volleyball Bets: Volleyball bets are betting types that can be placed on a volleyball game, including not only the overall outcome but also scores of individual teams and other related bets.
Football Bets
Football bets are a gambling game type that exclusively involves sports betting on football. The most popular football bets are match result, correct score, both teams to score, accumulator bets, anytime goalscorer and first/last goalscorer.
Out of all sports to bet on, football (or soccer) is one of the easiest because it is easy to research the game, use betting props and gradually improve. Before the 1960s, betting on football was illegal. After that, football betting became known and more entertaining for people in the 1980s. Sky sports bought the rights to screen Premier League for the first time in 1992. At this point, betting on football was done offline, but in the early 2000s the sports infiltrated online bookies and became a staple of any online sportsbook website today.
There are many football betting fans worldwide, who enjoy the socializing effects of football bets. They can share their tips with friends and visit the bookies together, as well as watch the matches they bet on and have fun doing it. Betting on football can be lucrative and also generate a feeling of accomplishment.
Race Bets
Race bets are sports bets made on competitions of speed such as horse races, greyhound races or car races (motorsport races). The advantage of race sports bets is reflected in the simplicity of the sports themselves, as they do not require any complex game rules to study.
The most popular race bets are place, forecast, winner, which car manufacturer wins (in car races), quiniela, exacta and trifecta (in greyhound races), to name a few. Historically, betting on horse racing began in the UK in the early 1600s. Chariot racing in Ancient Rome is considered the start of motorsport racing, while betting on greyhounds began in the 1930s.
Betting on any sort of race is available in offline and online sportsbooks. Most countries have legalized betting on auto sports, greyhounds and houses, but in specific countries betting on specific races may not be legal. Cockfighting, dog fighting, dog sled racing and street racing are considered illegal in the majority of countries.
Race bets have notable effects on people’s fun levels, their excitement and socialization activities, and they can also contribute to their winnings at the bookies.
- Horse Races: Horse racing betting is placing bets on speed competitions conducted with horses. Horse races have more variables than greyhound races and that is why it is harder to bet on horse racing.
- Car Races: Car racing betting is placing bets on speed competitions conducted with automobiles. Motor racing also has many variables; therefore, it is not easy to make successful bets on car races.
- Greyhound Races: Greyhound racing is placing bets on speed competitions conducted with dogs. Betting on greyhounds is considered easier than betting on horses.
Horse Races
Betting on horse races is a specific type of gambling where the player needs to place wagers on competitions in which horses race each other. They are known as equestrian performance sport races and the horses are ridden by jockeys, expert athletes.
Sports bettors who want to bet on horse racing can do so at gambling stations at the tracks, at sportsbook facilities or online bookies. In horse racing, a bettor needs to take into consideration various variables, such as weight, jockey, equipment, type of race, number of entries etc. That is why betting on horses is not considered easy.
Many countries have traditions developed around horse racing and the first records were found in n Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Horse racing in the United States emerged in the 1660s. In the 17th-19th centuries most of the sports’ rules were established in the UK.
As a spectator sport, horse racing is immensely popular in Australia, and it is also the second-most popular spectator sport in the UK.
Car Races
Car racing is a motorsport in which automobiles race to see which one is the fastest. The earliest car races date back to the mid-1860s. Specialist racing cars weren’t developed until the 1930s. There are many auto racing categories, including autocross, demolition derby, monster truck, rallycross, road racing and sprint car racing, to name a few.
Car racing betting is fun because it is thrilling and generates a lot of anticipation. Physical sportsbooks and online bookies provide options for betting on motorcar races. While car racing betting can be somewhat enjoyed by inexperienced bettors, it is better to understand the mechanisms behind all available bets in car races.
Greyhound Races
Greyhound race betting is a type of gambling that involves the competitive sport in which greyhounds are raced around a track. Greyhound racing can be organized purely for enjoyment and fun, but in most countries it is part of the gambling industry, especially popular in Australia, Mexico, Spain, the UK and the USA.
Modern greyhound racing began in 1912 in the USA and was introduced in Britain several years later. Nowadays, bettors can gamble on dog races online and at the tracks, or the bookies. Betting on dog racing is one of the least popular forms of sports betting, because greyhound races have an aging fanbase and younger generations are less interested in it.
Placing wagers on greyhound races is not as hard as betting on the horses or motorsports.
Basketball Bets
Basketball bets are a category within the sports betting gambling types and they include betting options available in sportsbooks revolving around basketball matches. Basketball is a collective sport and when gamblers bet on basketball, they can bet on the winner, point totals or season win totals, the first team to 15 points, player’s assists and team’s total three-pointers made, to name a few.
Basketball bets are popular at both offline and online bookies because the NBA is loved and followed around the world, not just in the USA. It is tough to bet on championships like the NBA because the gambler needs to shop for the best odds, evaluate the statuses of certain teams, see if the players are well rested and check home and away records, among other things. Basketball as a sport emerged in the late 1800s. College basketball became an attractive betting option in the “Golden Era” of sports, during the 1920s in the USA. In the early 2000s, online sportsbooks started offering sports bets on basketball leagues. Of course, people can still bet on basketball in land-based sportsbook facilities, legally if they are of legal gambling age in their country.
Sports betting on basketball has a positive effect on socialization, fun and feelings due to big events like NCAA March Madness or the NBA Championship. Basketball fans usually watch the games with their friends and family and bet on their favorite teams to win.
Volleyball Bets
Volleyball bets are wagers placed on specific outcomes in a volleyball match at an online or offline licensed sportsbook. Bettors can gamble on volleyball all year round and they can even turn volleyball’s comparatively low coverage into an advantage because that leaves room for thorough research. Some of the main bets in volleyball include total points, correct score and which team will win individual sets, for example.
Popularity for volleyball bets is growing and bookmakers not only offer the biggest volleyball tournaments but also try to incorporate minor leagues into their markets. Women’s volleyball had the third-highest viewership in the US in 2019.
Volleyball bets can be made at physical sportsbooks or online bookies. As with most collective sports, betting on volleyball requires knowledge of the game, the teams and the players, so it may not be as easy for beginners.
The sport developed throughout the early 1900s and nowadays it is a legally offered market at sportsbooks around the world. Since volleyball is less boosted in the media, it does not have that socialization effect as basketball or football, but it can be satisfying and lucrative to bet on volleyball if you like the sport and know it well.
Chance Gambling Game Type
The chance gambling game type includes games that players at online casinos can bet on and have the outcome completely depend on luck. Gambling games of chance are popular because they can be profitable, they are simple and very easy to play and they are often very sociable and fun.
It is believed that games of luck originate in Ancient Egypt and Rome. Some people argue that it was in the period of the Trojan War in the 12th or 11th century BC when games of chance were invented to entertain the soldiers, which might be more of a myth. The fact remains that games of chance have been around for centuries.
In the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, and Australia, games of luck are quite popular, especially their variations like bingo and lottery-type games (raffles, tombola, sweepstakes, etc.). The general rules for games of chance dictate that many players take part in a large-scale draw, but only one can win the prize, or there may be multiple prizes of different value awarded to participants who have met certain conditions of the game.
Games of luck are not hard at all, and gamblers of all skill levels can play them. They are suitable for beginners and casual players.
Below you can see a list of the most conventional types of chance gambling games:
- Lottery: Lottery is a gambling game type in which players enter stakes in a large pool, and only one is the winner.
- Scratch-Offs: scratch-offs are one of the types of gambling in which participants buy a ticket and scratch off the prize if they match symbols in a required pattern.
- State Lotteries: State lotteries are a gambling game type that is run by the state authorities instead of a casino or some private betting company.
- Flipping Coins: Flipping Coins is a gambling game type that is purely based on chance. It is the simplest game of chance and comes down to just flipping a coin and calling on which side it will land.
- Bingo: Bingo is a gambling game type in which each player matches numbers printed on the tickets with numbers that are drawn at random.
- Keno: Keno is a gambling game type that is similar to lottery and bingo as it also involved drawing numbers and getting payouts based on the combinations of drawn numbers.
Lottery
Lottery is a form of gambling based on chance and there can be various variations of lottery games, but usually the game involves participants buying entries into the lottery pool. A draw is held and one entry ticket is chosen to win the main prize pool.
As a gambling game type, lottery is superior to other types of gambling as it is easily accessible to all profiles of players. Total beginners can play lottery and win, it is easy and requires no effort. Lottery is very popular in the USA, as well as in some European countries like Spain.
The first modern lotteries took place in 16th century Europe. Today, players can take part in lotteries offered by regional organizations and vendors, but also at some casinos and gambling facilities, offline and online. Lotteries are not very sociable, but they can be a family event, and they can bring big monetary prizes if the player is lucky, nearly life-changing wins.
Scratch-Offs
Scratch-offs are a sub-category of the lottery gambling game type. The game consists of small cards you can buy and then rub off a thin layer to see if the winning combination of matching symbols appears. If it does, the scratch-off card brings a payout.
Scratch cards are just as easy to play as regular lottery and they are even more accessible as people can find them at kiosks or buy virtual ones online. Scratch-offs provide instant wins and players do not have to wait for any draws to see if they have won something.
Scratch-offs are popular because they are low-cost and because they provide the player with the opportunity to win instantly. They are one of the most popular forms of lottery in the USA and worldwide. Scratch cards were first produced in the USA in the 1970s.
State Lotteries
State lotteries are a sub-category of the lottery gambling game type that involve large geographical areas and carry larger jackpots. There is no difference between state lottery and regular lottery, except that they are considered national lotteries and state jurisdictions operate them.
Participating in the state lottery is just as easy as taking part in any other form of lottery, the player simply buys the entry and waits to see if their ticket is drawn.
Early lotteries were often used to collect funds for schools, roads, bridges, and other public works, but they were soon banned by the 1890s. The first modern government-run US lottery took place in Puerto Rico in 1934. State lotteries are popular in states like New York because the player stakes a small amount of money against long odds to win a large prize.
Flipping Coins
Flipping coins is a gambling game type that is known as the simplest game of chance there is. The idea is to just flip a coin and rely on the 50% chance that it will land on either heads or tails.
Coin flipping is not a traditional gambling game that you can normally play at online or land-based casinos, it is more of a means to resolve some sort of a dispute between two parties. However, some lottery games use the coin toss to ensure random results and confirm the amount for payouts, like the New Zealand lottery game Big Wednesday.
As a gambling game type, flipping coins is the easiest game to play. A player does not need any knowledge or skill, just the will to flip a coin and rely on luck. Flipping coins was a practice known to the Romans, and today if you want to test your fortune you can play virtual coin toss games at legal online casinos.
Coin flipping can be a satisfying way of generating instant wins or simply resolving a conflict between friends.
Bingo
Bingo is a gambling game type that belongs to the group of games of chance. It is played with cards that have numbers on them. The player acquires bingo tickets or cards, then matches numbers as they are drawn with the help of a host who takes numbered bingo balls from a container randomly. If the numbers called match the pattern on the player’s card they win and have to say “Bingo!”.
Bingo is very popular among older players because it is very sociable and easy to play. It is extremely liked in the UK and the USA. Bingo increases participation and builds excitement. Bingo was invented in 1929 and modern versions of it are regulated by law. Some of the most popular variations of bingo are 75-ball bingo and 90-ball bingo.
Bingo is available in land-based bingo halls, as well as online casinos and licensed bingo websites. Being a fun game with benefits to concentration and memory, bingo does not lose popularity even now.
Keno
Keno is a sub-category of lottery, a gambling game type based on chance. Players pick a set of numbers out of possible choices and they mark them on keno tickets and they pay their stakes. The random draw determines which numbers are the winning ones. The more winning numbers the player have, the bigger the payout they win.
Keno has the advantage over some other gambling game types because it is so simple. Even if the odds of winning aren’t the greatest, keno will still have many fans and people today especially like to play keno online at licensed casinos.
Keno is presumed to come from China and it was introduced in the USA in the 1840s. The game boomed in Texas in the 19th century under the name keno. Modern keno players can find different keno games and paytables at online casinos, but also at lottery retailers.
What are the other classification methods of gambling game types?
Other ways of gambling games classification are presented below:
- By legality
- By professionality
- By online and offline accessibility
Gambling Game Types based on Legality
The gambling game types based on legality are:
- Illegal gambling game types
- Legal gambling game types
All the games we’ve presented above are regulated and legal within the laws of specific countries. However, casino games and sports betting can be illegal in some parts of the world, when they are not regulated by law and offered by unlicensed operators.
Illegal gambling games are specified by gambling laws. In most cases, illegal games are games that include gambling on animal fights, such as cockfighting and dog fighting.
Gambling Types Based on Professionality
Gambling game types based on professionality refer to the status of the player that plays them.
- Social Gambling: Social or casual gamblers visit casinos from time to time, play slots online or join friends in gambling activities like sports betting or card games.
- Professional Gambling: Professional gamblers make a living out of gambling and they often take part in official poker tournaments and similar gambling game competitions. They have self-control and patience.
- Problem Gambling: Problem gamblers are compulsive gamblers who spend too much time gambling and can’t stop despite having problems at work or at home.
Read the psychology of gambling next to get a clearer idea.
Gambling Types Based on Online and Offline Ways
Gambling games can be offered at offline venues or online websites.
Online gambling is a form of gambling in which the player takes part in games through a computer and thanks to an internet connection.
Offline gambling is a form of gambling that takes place at a physical venue, be it a casino, sportsbook, a bingo hall or a racetrack.
Land-based gambling is considered more sociable, but online gambling provides privacy and is readily available, not requiring travel or accommodation.
All popular ways of gambling, including card games, games of chance, slots and sports betting are available both online and offline.
Gambling Terminology and Glossary
The most common gambling terms are presented below:
- Bankroll – the entirety of the money reserved for gambling
- Bet – a single real money wager on a gambling game
- Maximum bet – the maximum amount allowed to wager on a gambling game
- Dealer – casino employee who deals the cards, also known as the croupier
- Fruit machine – a classic slot with fruits as symbols
- Jackpot – the largest prize in a gambling game
- Reel – a column of symbols in a slot game
- Face card – card showing kings, queens or jacks
- Paytable – list of payouts for various results in a gambling game
- RNG – Random Number Generator, the software that creates random outcomes for online casino games
- Shoe – device that holds the decks of cards at a casino table
- Stand – staying with the current hand, not drawing more cards
- Snake eyes – rolling a one and another one in craps, therefore rolling two in total
It is important to know this and more gambling terms to better understand how different casino games and betting options work.
Which Gambling Type is Best?
The best type of gambling is casual gambling because it is not dangerous like compulsive, problem gambling.
The best gambling types for beginners are games of chance like bingo or keno, or slot machines.
The best gambling game types for advanced players are video slots, dice, roulette and blackjack.
The best gambling game type for professionals is poker.
Which gambling type is best for socialization?
The best gambling game types for socializing are poker for table games and bingo for games of chance.
Which gambling type is best for entertainment?
For entertainment, the best gambling game types are video slots for slots, bingo for games of chance, roulette for table games and blackjack for card games.
Which gambling type is best for money?
The gest gambling game types for payouts are table games like blackjack, craps and roulette.
Which gambling type is best to feel better?
The best gambling game types to feel better are roulette for table games and video slots for the slots category.
FAQs
Which are the most popular types of gambling?
The most popular types of gambling include casino games and sports bets.
What are the common casino gambling types?
Popular types of casino gambling include table games and slots.
What are the most popular sports betting types?
Betting on sports such as football, volleyball and basketball is very popular.
Which is the best type of gambling online?
It depends on the type of player you are, but most punters go for betting on slots.
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