Many people really enjoy the thrill and excitement of playing gambling games, whether at a land-based casino, or online. But when it comes to playing these games, is there an element of skill involved or is it just luck? Well, the simple answer is: it depends what games you are playing. Some games are partially skill based and partially just luck, and then there are some games that are pure games of chance –meaning that nothing you could do would impact the outcome of the game. It is important to understand which games are which, so you know with what you are dealing.

In terms of games of pure chance, these include games like slots and keno as well as bingo games offered online by companies such as sunbingo. Many people enjoy games of chance because they are fun and exciting. In addition, they do not need to worry about things such as requiring good skills for winning, and having a good knowledge of the actual game –as is necessary in other casino games that rely on this understanding. Not being able to control the outcome of the game makes it thrilling and enjoyable for the players. Games of chance like bingo and slots are also the most fun in terms of appearance, with big colours and visuals to add to the overall joyous gaming experience. On average the payback percentage on slot machines in most casinos range from 90% to 97%, and the chance of hitting the jackpot on typically weighted machines is 1 in 64.

When it comes to games that are both bound by chance and skill, poker is a good example. Not understanding that poker is a game of skill, and just making random moves, will not be a very good strategy for maximising your winnings. Of course there is some element of luck in poker, insofar as the luck of the draw in terms of what cards the dealer gives you. But there are still various ways in which a single person can play any given hand –and this relies on having good strategic thinking. Being good at poker also requires that you be able to read other people’s body language well. While you may not be able to see your opponents’ cards, so often their facial expressions and subtle body movements give them away; these are commonly referred to as ‘tells’.

Blackjack is another game that relies on both luck and skill. Blackjack is all about numbers, and as such, probability theory. This means that for given hand, you can work out the probability of whether the next card will be a high or low value card. This means that while there is still an element of luck as to which card the dealer will turn over, if you understand how to work out the probability of various cards being dealt; you can make a better informed bet. Sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? If you’re naturally good with numbers it will be easy enough to pick up, but for the rest of us, we might just prefer to stick to the fun games of chance like Bingo and Keno!