The gambling industry is one of the biggest entertainment markets in the world. Generating billions of dollars annually, it is not surprising at all to discover that, a lot of people are discovering casinos with an increasing frequency. But why now?
Well, the major reason for this is the iGaming industry. For the uninitiated, iGaming is a catch-all term for online gambling. Within the boundaries of the word, we can include online slots, poker, blackjack, and even sports betting, as well as any other of the popular gambling games you must be aware of.
However, what about the underrated gems in the industry. Certainly, you can look at the official list of No Limit slots on Casinos.com, and pick your favorite. But what if you want to try something new? Something that many people might not have considered. In this article, we are discussing gambling games that are fun, but might have flown under the radar.
Fishing Games
With iGaming’s rise of popularity, there has been a rise in interest among gamers to try their luck at online casinos. To appeal to the increasing crowd of gaming enthusiasts, online casinos have attempted, on many occasions, to create their own spin on a video game. Thus, fishing games were born.
For the unaware, fishing games, or fish table games, are a relatively recent addition to many online casino libraries. Players take control of a harpoonist, a submarine, or a sunken ship, and must hunt down as many fish as they can.
These games often feature a wide variety of fish, all of which carry different value. There are even levels and final boss fights to recreate the feeling of an old-school arcade game. Speaking of which, fish table games are obviously inspired by old-school shooters like Space Invaders. So, retro gamers will certainly have a lot of fun with these.
Dragon Tiger
While the Dragon Tiger game may be popular in Asian casinos, the rest of the world has not yet caught on to this great game. For that reason, you are very unlikely to find it at an online casino. For this one, you might have to play it on your own time, or visit Macau.
As for the game itself, it is really quite simple. Players gather around a table, where a deck of cards (or multiple) is separated into two piles. One is the “tiger” the other is the “dragon.” From these piles, the dealer deals out a certain sum of cards. The players then bet whether the tiger can beat the dragon or vice versa.
The tiger and dragon play a key role in Chinese symbolism, history, and mythology, and it is likely from there that this game is derived. Despite having a rather complex history, the game itself is remarkably simple. If you are interested in something new, we recommend you pick it up and give it a shot.
Gin Rummy
Rummy’s history is a matter of hot debate. There is no clear consensus on whether the game’s origins can be traced to China or Mexico. What we do know is that it is semi-popular, and different variations of the game exist in land-based and online casinos.
Rummy is a matching card game, with one, simple objective: match the same cards or create a sequence (ex, three 7s or a sequence of 5-6-7-8). For this, you will need a standard deck of 52 cards, or multiple standard decks if you want to increase the difficulty.
Rummy is not necessarily a game, but rather a category of games, similar to poker. There are different variations of Rummy that you can find around the world. For example, Gin Rummy, which combines elements of rummy and poker, to create a brand new game, palatable for a western audience.
Gin Rummy was first developed in 1909, and has endured to this day. Though it is not as popular as games like baccarat, blackjack, or poker, you could easily find it at online casinos, or even some land-based establishments. If the game sounds like a good time, we recommend giving it a try.
Red Dog
Finally, let us take a look at Red Dog. A simple card game, often called Yablon, Red Dog is a game of chance. It is simple, easy to understand, and really, requires no skill. In other words, it is a purely luck-based game.
A dealer sets aside three cards, one face-down, in the middle, and two face-up on either side. The gambler’s goal is to guess whether the face-down, middle card will have a value that is greater than, smaller than, or in the middle of the two face-up cards.
As you can see, the game could not be simpler. But is it fun? It can be, especially when played with a group of friends and some shots. It is fast-paced, easy to understand, and simple to pick up, making it the perfect party game.
Variations of the game may be found at some online casinos, and there are certainly some land-based gambling establishments that hold the game as well. However, you are unlikely to find Red Dog at most of the top tier casinos in the world. That is why it is a good thing that the game is simple to play at home, with friends.
Honorable Mentions
We couldn’t let this list end at just the four games we discussed. Certainly, they are fun. But there are so many more underappreciated and unknown gambling games that are worth checking out. Some of these you will almost certainly find at an online casino, while others you could play at land-based casinos as well. Without further ado, let us take a look at some honorable mentions.
- Pai Gow: A popular Chinese domino game, Pai Gow is one of the most popular gambling games in Asia. However, western audiences have not yet discovered the game.
- Sic bo: Another Chinese gambling game, Sic bo requires three dice and little more, making it a perfect game to play at home, or at a casino.
- Pachinko: While Pachinko machines dominate Japanese arcades, the West has not fully realized the potential for fun that these games have.
Barsha Bhattacharya is a senior content writing executive. As a marketing enthusiast and professional for the past 4 years, writing is new to Barsha. And she is loving every bit of it. Her niches are marketing, lifestyle, wellness, travel and entertainment. Apart from writing, Barsha loves to travel, binge-watch, research conspiracy theories, Instagram and overthink.
