Top 5 Alternatives to Pokies at Online Casinos
You already know that online pokies are the most popular form of online casino game at Australian online casinos. There are generally hundreds of pokie games available at most casinos. At some point, many players want to try something a little different but don’t want to play blackjack or other table games. Today, we give you 5 alternatives to playing pokies at online casinos.
Skill Games
Many online casino players hear the phrase skill games and think of online poker, blackjack, or any table game that requires a strategy. In reality, skill games are the next evolution of online pokie games. The are games that allow you to use skill to improve your chances of winning prizes.
For example, in the game Fish Catch by Real Time Gaming, you fire bullets to try and catch fish for cash prizes. Each bullet fired is a bet made. You can increase the strength of the bullets for higher bets. Fish range in prize amounts and each time a fish is caught, the prize is added to your total.
Skill games allow players to use skill to reduce the house edge of a game. They are generally more interactive and allow for more play for the same stake. Skill games are still somewhat new but expect them to experience significant growth in the next few years.
Video Poker
We’ve covered video poker at length on this site. Video poker is a simple game of Five Card Draw where you’re trying to make the best poker hand out of five cards. The strength of the hand determines your payout.
There are various forms of video poker games, most following the same basic format of the game. If you like poker but don’t want to worry about playing against other people, this could be the game for you. By picking the right paytables and using perfect strategy, you can reduce and sometimes even eliminate the house edge.
Scratch Cards
Scratch cards are lottery-style games that award a prize if you match symbols or uncover special prize symbols. Often, you have to uncover three of the same symbol to win the associated cash prizes. Sometimes there are special symbols that you can uncover to win a special prize.
Scratch cards are like playing a slow-paced online pokie game. The RTP for scratch card games can tend to be a bit lower than pokies. Also, you don’t have as many low-stakes options as you do with pokies. Most games require you to spend $1 per card.
Keno
Another lottery-style casino game, Keno gives you the chance to win big prizes by picking numbers. You will generally pick from 15 to 20 numbers from a grid of 80 numbers. After you pick numbers, the draw will occur. You win prizes based on how many numbers you pick correctly.
Keno games are exciting as each game is a mini lottery. Lucky players can win some massive prizes. However, Keno can have some of the highest house edge of all online casino games. The house edge can be as high as 29%. Treat this as a lottery rather than a true casino game.
Bingo
Bingo is a simple game where you buy a card and try to get either 5 numbers in a row or create an established pattern. Often, the first person to get a bingo is the winner. Bingo games are social games, usually played in a game room that includes chat features.
Bingo also offers some of the cheapest gaming you’ll find. Some sites have bingo games starting at just a few pennies. You can also play multiple cards at one time, giving you more chances to catch a winner.