Numbers and Casino Games: What Games Involve Numbers?

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Nearly all casino games involve numbers. Some are more obvious, but others are less so. Classics like baccarat and blackjack, for example, use non-numbered picture cards but assign these cards a numeric value. Other casino games involve numbers more distinctly. Here is a look at four:

This popular casino game is rife with numbers. When you play roulette online for real money, numbers dictate the payout. A hit typically pays 35-to-1 in a game with a house edge and 37-to-1(American wheel) or 36-to-1 (European wheel) when the casino does not have the advantage. These numbers can tell you which game is better to play.

Beyond this, roulette players wager on where on the large wheel the spinning ball will land. The American roulette wheel has 38 pockets where the ball can land, the European has 37, and the Sands Roulette wheel has 39. These numbered pockets often appear in the following sequence:

1. Wheel with 3 Zeros: 0-000-00-32-15-19-4-21-2-25-17-34-6-27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33-1-20-14-31-9-22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26
2. Wheel with 2 Zeros: 0-28-9-26-30-11-7-20-32-17-5-22-34-15-3-24-36-13-1-00-27-10-25-29-12-8-19-31-18-6-21-33-16-4-23-35-14-2
3. Wheel with 1 Zero: 0-32-15-19-4-21-2-25-17-34-6-27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33-1-20-14-31-9-22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26

Bets in roulette can be classified as inside or outside.A straight or single bet – a common inside bet – is a bet on a single number, while a street is a bet on three consecutive numbers within a horizontal line. If you want better odds but smaller payouts, you can make an outside bet. A good example is a Low or High bet, where you wager on whether the ball will fall in the 1-18 or 19-36 range.

Bingo is one of the world’s most popular gambling games, lacking the negative connotations often held by other casino games like poker. You will find bingo everywhere – in nursing homes, churches, charities, and more. To play this game, you buy a card with numbers arranged on it in a 5×5 grid. The word BINGO is usually printed across the grid, giving every number a letter-number combination.

The caller draws different combinations from the randomizer during the game, calling them out as players mark their cards. These combinations are usually printed on small bingo balls. Generally, you mark a square on your card if you have the number called out by the caller. If you get five numbers in a row – diagonally, vertically, or horizontally – you yell bingo. You have won and can collect the pot. 

Think of keno as a lottery game organized and run by a casino rather than the government. This lottery-like game is very popular in modern casinos. Typically, players bet by selecting numbers ranging from 1 to 80. The game administrator or casino site (for online gambling) then draws 20 numbers at random. A random number generator (RNG) is used to promote unpredictability. 

The administrator will usually have a series of pay tables set by the casino. They will use these pay tables to determine the payouts based on a player’s number of matches, how many numbers they picked, and the value of their bet. 

Keno generally has a much higher house edge than other casino games, which is typical of lottery games. Most games will range at 35%. However, unlike the lottery, keno players can decide how many numbers they want to wager on.

Speaking of the lottery, this is another gambling game that is heavily based on numbers. The government runs the lottery, with most US states having a state-run game. Unlike in keno, lottery numbers are set. Players buy lottery tickets from administrators who use 50% of the proceeds to contribute to a prize pool, which will be divided among the winners. The game organizers then draw a specific set of numbers at random, and players win more money the more numbers they pick right.

Conclusion

Numbers in casino games can be an intricate part of the gameplay, such as in bingo and keno. They can also play a role in dictating the mathematical aspects of the game, like payouts and house edge. Either way, numbers are a key part of casino gaming, and these four games demonstrate that better than most.