You may have fallen in love with the buzz of the live casino and thrill of your favorite casino game. So you’re probably wondering if the online casino experience can live up to that. Well the answer is not quite - because live casinos are unique in atmosphere. There’s a certain magic on the casino gaming floor that you can’t replicate online.
What can you replicate online, however? The thrill of watching the reels spin or cards turn over to reveal if you’ve just made a fortune. Playing casino games online also has quite a few advantages.
We could go on. But suffice to say, playing casino games online can open up a whole new world of enjoyment to even the most die-hard live casino player. It’s also an unmatched opportunity to dip your feet into uncharted casino game waters without having to risk a dime.
If your eyes lit up, you’re not alone - You can play free casino games online - hundreds of them even. However, you can’t win real money (more on that below). What you can do is spend an infinite amount of time trying the demo or “free play” versions. This you can get with many casino games and variations.
You also don’t even have to download any software to do it. Most of the free casino games demo versions are Flash-based so you can play them directly in your browser. So why open an account at an online casino and just play the free games?
To start off - it’s a good way to test a casino site’s software. See if you like it and if it meets your expectations. It’s also a great way to try new casino games or variations you’ve never tried before. See how many paylines you want to play. Or whether the animated slot of your favorite TV / movie characters has reasonable payouts. You can even practise the Martingale system for craps or roulette without risking any of your own money first.
The advantages are many while the downsides are close to none. Sure, the real thrill of online casino gaming is pushing your money across the betting line. But for anyone looking to invest their time at an online casino, we recommend taking a test drive with free casino games first. It’s a luxury you won’t get in a live casino and it says lots about overall online casino experience.
The idea that you can play and win real money playing casino games from your home, office, train, coffee shop? That was crazy just 20 years ago. Could you trust the games were fair? Was everyone playing of legal age? And how could you play a slot machine on your phone? Now the world of online casino gaming has blown up. Geolocation and online identification protocols can guarantee players are who they say they are. 256-bit ssl encryption ensures financial transactions are fast and secure.
Casino software developers have refined video graphics in online casino games. Government licensing and oversight agencies make sure games are fair and proper Random Number Generators are in place. Plus, your smartphone - a high-power super-computer can support all this all day, every day on a wireless network.
Running 500 different casino games would be tough in a live casino without the manpower. Online, you can run all those games simultaneously with a few servers and no overheads or staff to maintain. That’s why minimum bets can be much lower – mere cents.
Moreover, a live blackjack table may only have room for 7 players whereas online, the capacity is endless. If you can imagine a casino game live you can create it in virtual form. The recent surge of interest in live dealer games online is also a product of the advancement of streaming technology. With crisp, perfect feeds beamed directly into your device and no loss of quality.
Who knows just how far online casinos will go in the future? But if variety, speed, accessibility and personalization of the gaming experience appeals to you, online gaming is where it’s at.
If the online casino world has a flagship game - it's undoubtedly the slots. Technologically they’re one of the easiest casino games to transfer from live casino to the online realm. And slots are undeniably the online casino play favorites and the foundation that most online casinos build on.
There are literally hundreds of slots to choose from, with very high payout rates - up to 99%. Including major co-branding with pop culture franchises like DC Comics, Game of Thrones and Wheel of Fortune. Slots are also the most accessible of all casino games with a spin costing as little as 0.01. So the average player can hit the reels for a very long time on a minimal budget.
High-rollers aren’t left out of the slots game either, because you can find plenty of big-money slots that cater. Those with more capital to risk can also play up to 200+ paylines on just one spin. Pushing payout rates up to a near 99% for some games. The thrill of hitting a big jackpot never gets old. Even if you can’t hear the clinking of coins pouring into the tray at the bottom. The sounds of the slot game are immersive so you wouldn’t miss that anyway.
Not only does your standard online slot machine now have unprecedented variety and high-end graphics and experience. But they have massive progressive jackpots thanks to linked casino networks and game providers. Pooling jackpots together to create one giant progressive jackpot that can drop onto any active online player. One of the most popular, Mega Moolah, continuously breaks records. Having awarded payouts of $20,057,734 and €18,915,872 ($21 million) in 2019 and 2018.
More mega progressive jackpot machines like Ages of the Gods, Mega Fortune or Jackpot Giant frequently hit over 10m GBP. And are easily some of the highest-traffic games on any casino site, keeping those jackpots growing higher and higher.
Online slots are also perfect for mobile gaming with nothing more than a tap or two to make bets and spin the reels.