The Name Game

There is a wide variety of gambling games that are just waiting to be played at every online casino. Even if people are new to gambling they tend to have a basic understanding of some games simply because modern culture features these games in television shows, movies, magazines and other pop culture outlets. Some players visit the casino in the hopes of doubling or tripling their money and play with an air of seriousness about them. Others go to the casino to play for fun with their birthday money or work bonus and just want to enjoy the possibility and suspense that is offered.

Different games are alluring for different reasons. Some are appealing because they have flashing lights and sirens, some because they have a sophisticated nature and others because they keep us in a moment of suspense as we await the winning number. These fleeting characteristics are not the only way the casino beckons us and keeps us playing late into the night hours.

Everyone knows that casinos have a few tricks up their sleeves to tempt us but who knew that casinos would take advantage of us by calling bets by flashy sounding names?

First, let’s take a look at the game of craps which, for most of us, conjures up the image of a man blowing on a pair of dice and shouting something ridiculous as he throws them. Snake eyes, Big Red, Whirl, Yo, Hardways, Uptown, Downtown and Box Cars are just a few of the most tantalizing sounding bets that can be played during a game of craps. However, knowing that the house edge on these bets ranges from 9%-17% takes the sparkle right out of their names and your wallet.

One of the bets picking up traction in the game of craps is called the Fire Bet which invokes an image of its own. Flames, heat and a ringing fire alarm may sound exciting in the moment but what this player just bet on is one of the worst wagers in the game. The appealing sounding Fire Bet has a house edge of 20-25% which means that for every $100 the player wagers his expected loss will be $20-$25. That cool sounding bet is going to deliver a serious blow to your bankroll.

The most lifeless sounding bets at the craps table include: the Come bet and the Don’t Come bet, the Pass Line bet and the Don’t Pass bet. These four drab names have a 1.40% and a 1.41% house edge. The most dismal sounding bet at the craps table is the Odds bet which has no house edge. Do you see the pattern developing?

Even though the player has no control of over which slot the ball rests in when the roulette wheel stops spinning, they do have power when it comes to placing their bets. Novices might hear the option of a “Five Number Bet” and think that this is the way to go. They’d be wrong. While there is a certain pull towards the sound of this bet, another look at the house edge will clarify why players should stick to the dullest sounding wagers. The Five Number bet has house edge of 7.89%. The more lifeless sounding bets like The Corner, The Street and The Straight Up all have a house edge of 2.7% in European Roulette and 5.26% in American Roulette.

Those who truly understand the game of blackjack know that it is a game of skill and strategy. Those two words, skill and strategy, can make a novice player yawn uncontrollably because they are so dull. Standing, hitting, splitting and doubling down aren’t thrilling terms either. The worst name in the game of blackjack is easily “card counting” which conjures up images of elementary school flash cards with mind-numbing addition and subtraction equations. All of these names are enough to put a person to sleep right at the blackjack table but when we look at the house edge in blackjack it is a meagre 0.5% on average. Tempted to engage in a blackjack side bet called a Royal Match, Blackjack Switch or Triple Sevens? Don’t! By now you should know better. Boring bet names mean a better chance of keeping your cash.

Now you know about the “name game” casinos use. No matter if you’re the online player just looking for a bit of a thrill or you’re serious about raking in the cash, at least now you won’t let the slick names of bets sway your decision and empty your bank account. Players should however allow themselves to be seduced by the glitz and glamour of a casino because, after all, the ambiance is a substantial part of the experience but that’s where it should end.

Save the cool sounding speech for anywhere but at the casino. When it comes to naming your child, pet, website or invention, by all means, go crazy and choose the most electrifying name you can. When it comes to placing your bets, the most lacklustre name will be your best friend and your bank account’s too!