iGaming playing tips for a newbie
Thinking about embarking on your very first online casino experience? Wondering what the best online casino games are for new players?
I was once where you are now. I understand how daunting something that should seem as simple as choosing a game, can be. The reason, of course, is that there are not only several categories of casino games, but also thousands of options (and variants) from which to choose.
So, where do you start?
To help simplify the task, I’ve put together some tips on how to find the best online casino games for beginners. This includes:
- The best types of casino games for novice players
- The games beginners should avoid
- General good ideas to keep in mind when playing online casino games for the first time
The Best Online Casino Games for New Players – My Top 5 Picks
While you can obviously choose to play any online casino game regardless of your experience, there are some that are more beginner friendly due to their:
- Lack of complexity
- Betting flexibility
- Low minimum wager
Having previously been a newbie myself – and now with two years of iGaming experience under my belt – these are my top picks for the best online casino games for new players:
Uncomplicated and low-risk online slots
What do I mean by uncomplicated low-risk online slots? I mean online slots with:
🎰Low to medium volatility – Slot volatility is a slot’s risk and reward ratio. A game with low volatility has a high hit frequency and lower payouts. It takes fewer spins to trigger wins and features in low and medium volatility slots compared to high volatility slots, where it may take hundreds of spins before you hit a sizeable win.
While you’re getting a feel for playing real money online slots, games with lower risk allow you to experience more of what the game offers when playing with real money. They also tend to be less complex overall.
🎰An RTP of 95% or higher – The higher a slot’s return to player (RTP) percentage, the more often it pays out on average (especially when combined with low volatility). The general consensus is that a slot with an RTP of 95% or higher is great, an RTP of 96% or higher is excellent, and an RTP of 98% or higher is exceptional.
The bottom line for beginners: the higher a game’s RTP, the lower the house edge.
🎰20 paylines or less – When first starting out, it’s a good idea to stick with online slots that feature traditional paylines (either fixed or adjustable). Also, the fewer the paylines (20 or less) the better. Why? The lower number of paylines, the easier it is for you to read the paytable and know exactly what winning combination you’re hoping for.
Understanding how slot paylines and payouts work is vital to understanding how a slot machine works.
🎰Minimum bet of $0.20 or less – Be it online slots, blackjack, or roulette, the best online casino games for new players are those with minimum bets that are a dollar or less. For slots, stick to games with minimum bets of $0.20 or less. For instance, if a game has 10 fixed paylines and the minimum bet is $0.10, it means that each line costs $0.01 to play.
Naturally, the less you spend, the lower your potential return. However, as a beginner learning the ropes, the longer you can make your bankroll last, the more you’ll get your feet good and wet without breaking the bank.
Starburst – My pick for the best online slot for beginner players
An excellent example of an online slot that ticks all these boxes is one I’ve written about before – NetEnt’s Starburst online slot.
Starburst has:
- Low volatility
- 96.09% RTP
- 10 paylines
- Min. bet $0.10
Additionally, Starburst pays both ways (left and right and right to left) and has a Starburst Wilds feature, that can be quite rewarding. Gameplay is simple and fun, exactly what a beginner needs when learning about slot paylines, rules, etc.
Online (RNG) American Blackjack
I’m specifying RNG (random number generator) online blackjack because at many online casinos you’ll also have the option to play live blackjack. The RNG version uses computer-run software to produce the results – it’s you vs. the computer dealer. If you’ve been to a land-based casino before, this version of online blackjack is equivalent to video blackjack.
Why is online American blackjack the best game for beginners?
♠️It has one of the best RTP percentages – At 99%+, American blackjack has even a slightly better than European blackjack.
♠️You can learn the game at your own pace and take the time to think before taking action – When playing live blackjack, you must make your decision within a quick time limit.
♠️You can use a blackjack strategy chart as you learn – These charts are free and help you to familiarize yourself with basic blackjack strategy. The chart uses probability theory (math) to determine statistical optimal play (when it’s best to hit, stand, split, or double down) for every possible hand combination based on the dealer’s visible card. This maximizes your chances of winning. Just make sure the chart you choose applies to the variant of blackjack you play (e.g., American, European, etc.)
♠️You can find low-limit tables – There are online blackjack games beginning at $1 a hand or less. My personal favourite as a new online casino player was GVGs American Blackjack ($1 – $100).
Video Poker
Video poker, not to be confused with traditional online poker and live poker, is a solitary game of 5-card draw poker played on a machine and run by a computer (RNG software). There are many video poker variations with both single- and multi-hand options available.
Why is video poker one of the best beginner online casino games?
🔶Video poker games are easy to learn – They are based on 5-card draw poker, which is deemed the simplest variant of poker to play.
🔶Video Poker has an excellent RTP – While RTP percentages vary depending on the variant, on average the return to player for video poker casino games is above 99.70%.
🔶There are many variants – It’s easy to find a game you like as there are different options including Jacks or Better, Tens or Better, Aces & Faces, Joker Poker, etc., as well as multi-hand options when you want a bigger challenge.
Single-hand Jacks or Better – My pick for the best video poker game for beginner players
If you’ve never played video poker before, I highly recommend you start with the variant known as Jacks or Better.
Jacks or Better video poker is considered one of the easiest poker games (and casino games) to learn due to its straightforward rules. To win, you need a pair of jacks or a higher ranking poker hand.
As a newbie, remember to make the lowest minimum bet per hand and choose a single-hand game. This means you’re only playing one hand at a time, instead of having to split your concentration by playing multiple hands at once.
Live European Roulette
European roulette is a table game that is well known for being fun and for having a high RTP percentage. The live version is played in real time via webcasting technology from a real-world gambling studio and features a human croupier.
Why is live European roulette one of the best beginner online casino games?
🟢It has a high RTP percentage of 97.3% or higher, on average – This makes it a far better choice over its American roulette cousin (94.74%).
🟢The rules are straightforward – European roulette is considered very easy to learn. Basically, the objective is to predict where you think the ball will land once it comes to a stop in the spinning roulette wheel, by placing your bet on a number or colour.
🟢You can place bets with 1:1 odds – These bets include odd/even, red/black, and high/low. In essence, they give you a 50% shot at winning (more or less).
🟢Live roulette is more social and exciting to play than online (RNG) roulette – While I do highly recommend that you demo an online version of European roulette to learn how to play, when playing it for real money, the live version is far more enjoyable. That’s because roulette is a highly social game. The combination of the live dealer, playing with other live players, and reading/participating in the live chat in real time, make for a far more interesting online experience.
Crash Games
Crash games are a type of online casino arcade game/instant win game that have recently become popular. Their basic gameplay requirements, and few rules make them suitable for players of any experience level.
Why are crash games among the best beginner online casino games?
💥 Easy to learn and play – The point of the game is to place your bet and cash it out before the game ends at random (crashes). The longer you hang in, the higher the multiplier climbs, but the greater the risk of a crash.
💥If you’ve played one you’ve pretty much played them all – Regardless of the theme, all crash games have a crash mechanic and multiplier feature. This makes it easy for you to choose a theme you like without having to worry about learning extra rules.
💥 Real-time versions available – While all crash games are controlled by RNG software, some games like Big Bass Crash and Aviator run in real time. In these games, you must place your bet within a certain time limit to take part in the round. You can also participate in a live chat and view up-to-date statistics.
Aviator – My pick for the best crash game for beginner players
I think the best crash game to start with is Spribe’s Aviatior.
Bets start as low as $0.10, so you don’t have to spend a lot to play a round. You also have the option of placing up to 2 bets, which gives you the opportunity to cash out one and take grater risk with the second one, if this is your preference. You can also see live stats of other players’ actions (when they cash out, what they win, etc.).
Plus, due to its basic graphics and quick and easy gameplay, Aviator – like all crash games – is ideal for playing on mobile.
Online Casino Games New Players Should Avoid
Now that you know what the best online casino games for new players are, here’s some of the games you might want to avoid until you’re more comfortable and confident gambling online.
- High volatility slots with complex mechanics and features – Games with non-traditional layouts and payout mechanics like Megaways or All Ways (giving you hundreds or thousands of ways to win), as well as those with an abundance of bonus features, progressive jackpots, and modifiers, is a lot to wrap your head around. Breaking from traditional slot machines when first starting out can quickly become overwhelming.
- Craps – While craps is a lot of fun to play and does have an excellent RTP (98%+, on average), the table and bets may seem daunting at first for a new online casino player. The rules aren’t difficult to learn by any means, it’s just not as straightforward as roulette, for example.
- American Roulette – This game has a lower RTP than European roulette, due to it having an extra green pocket, increasing the house edge. So, even though the odds of American roulette are the same as the European variant, your chances of success are lowered.
Essentially, if I didn’t mention the game in my best online casino games for new players list, it’s something you might want to consider holding off playing until you’ve built a solid iGaming foundation.
Tips to Keep in Mind When Playing Online Casino Games for the First Time
Here are 10 quick tips to remember as a new online casino player:
- Exercise strict bankroll management – Think about how much money you would like to (and can afford to) spend on gambling for the month. Never spend more than this amount, for any reason.
- Practice risk management – Risk no more than 1% of your total bankroll on whatever game you play (e.g., $20 bankroll – 1% risk = $0.20 per game round, $100 bankroll – 1% risk = $1 per game round, etc.). The goal of casino risk management is to maximize profits from winning bets while limiting the potential for loss.
- Set limits – Online casinos have responsible gaming tools that allow you to set various limits to help you stay aware and in control of how much you spend and how long you play. Use them.
- Demo games free when possible – There’s no better way to learn the rules of a game or try out a strategy than playing it risk free. That said, I do highly recommend that you play the game demo exactly as you intend to play the game for real money (e.g., bet size, etc.). This helps to avoid unrealistic expectations.
- There is no fool-proof winning strategy – There are plenty of casino game strategies out there, but none of them guarantee wins. If you want to test out a strategy, try it out in a demo first before risking real money.
- Avoid the “Buy Free Spins” feature in slots – This feature typically costs you 100x (or more) your total bet (e.g., $0.20 bet = $20) to instantly trigger the games bonus feature (usually the free spins feature which has the highest hit rate and payouts). That said, Buy Free Spins doesn’t guarantee you’ll make a profit or even break even. In my experience, I’ve lost more when using this feature than not.
- Be open to new playing experiences – Try games from different game studios/providers as well as different games from the same provider. You might discover new themes, features, or mechanics you like, or find that while you don’t like one type/game variant, you do enjoy another.
- Take advantage of promotions – Welcome offers, no-deposit freebies, freeroll slot tournaments, and any other special perk or campaign can make your playing experience more enjoyable. Just be sure that the promo works with your budget (you can meet the minimum deposit amount) and you fully understand the bonus terms and conditions so you know the rules that apply and how to use it.
- Play games you enjoy – Tips and recommendations are great, but the reality is that the best online casino games for new players are the games that they find to be the most enjoyable. In other words, if you don’t like roulette and you’d far rather play craps – go for it.
- The odds are always against you – This is true, even when playing online casino games with the highest RTP. The longer you play, the more you stand to lose. No win is ever guaranteed. Don’t try to make money gambling and don’t chase your losses.
Mia’s Final Thoughts
When first starting out, it’s always in your best interest to start simple and risk less.
Choosing games with straightforward rules makes it easier to understand how the games and their features work, as well as the different bets that can be made and their odds.
As you become more comfortable with your iGaming experience and more confident with your own personal responsible playing strategy, you can branch out to games with more features, rules, bet options, and complexity.
Remember, it’s not a competition and there’s nothing to prove. The whole point to playing online casino games – whether you’re a beginner or not – is to enjoy the experience.
The long and short of it is that the best online casino games for new players will always be the games offering entertainment that the player finds the most fun.
For me, that turned out to be low-medium volatility, cluster pays slots.
Until next time, good luck, and have fun.
Mia 👩💻
*I’m not affiliated with anyone.
**All links and images in this post are for informational purposes only.
***All opinions are my own. If you choose to gamble, take care, and please play responsibly.
