Thanks to the rise of online gambling, casino games have boomed in popularity. By 2024, the global market is predicted to value more than $94 billion – and with gambling now legal in the states of Goa, Daman and Sikkim, an increasing portion of this figure is likely to be focused in India.
As the new year gets underway, we’re taking a look at which casino games are set to be the most popular in 2020. From classic card games to online lotteries, these are the games which have changed the world’s fortunes and entertained nations across the globe.
Keno
Keno is a straightforward lottery-style game. Thought to originate from China (where, according to legend, it helped raise funds to build the Great Wall), Keno sees its players wager by selecting a series of numbers. These are often between 1 and 80, but it can vary depending on the casino. As in Bingo, 20 numbers are then drawn at random, either using a ball machine or a number generator. The winner is the player who guessed the correct numbers. royal1688
Keno has famously low house odds, but this hasn’t lessened its popularity. In fact, its reliance on pure luck as opposed to skill can make it an exciting prospect for more inexperienced gamblers.
Blackjack
Blackjack is a casino classic, both on mobile phones and physical gambling tables. The card game – in which one or more players compete against a dealer to get a score as close to 21 as possible – has remained a popular choice because it combines strategy with the luck of the draw. This means it’s partially a skill-based game, like poker and baccarat.
Blackjack first become popular when it was introduced to casinos in the United States. In an attempt to attract more players, dealers gave out bonus payouts at the blackjack table, and it has been a top choice ever since. The fast pace of the game makes it well-suited to online casinos, where people are typically in search of quick wins as opposed to a luxury Las Vegas experience.
Slots
Slot games offer the quintessential casino experience. With increasing numbers of slot developers, there has never been so many games to choose from – with themed graphics ranging from arcade-style fruit to detailed Game of Thrones tributes!
Because slots are so popular, many online casinos offer demo versions where people can play for free. Although this is designed as a way to entice players, with the idea that they eventually play for money, it makes it possible to enjoy the thrill of a win without any financial risk. This makes them a fun choice for casual players and serious gamblers alike, with their popularity only set to rise in 2020.
Mega Moolah
Mega Moolah is the most played online jackpot game in the world. In 2015, it won the Guinness World Record for the largest online jackpot payout ever, when a player named Jonathan Heywood won £13.2 million (that’s more than $17 million). And it didn’t stop there – last year, Mega Moolah paid out a combined figure of £79 million ($102 million) to a further 12 jackpot winners.
The African Savannah-themed game is a progressive jackpot. Players spin a wheel to win, with a bonus jackpot triggered randomly during the game. Although it’s possible to increase your chance of triggering the jackpot by betting more money on each spin, Jonathan Heywood won with a stake of only 25p! It’s the potential for huge payouts on small wagers that makes Mega Moolah such a popular choice amongst online gamblers.
