Gambling and betting has long since been a part of British culture. You’ll be hard-pushed to visit a British high-street and not see at least one bookies or betting shop, Ladbrokes, Betfred, William Hill are the usual ones. But since the advent of widely available high-speed internet, most punters have switched to placing bets and gambling online.
The pros of online gambling as opposed to visiting a brick and mortar betting shop or casino are obvious: you can sit on your sofa and get access to literally tens of thousands of different casino games, from live dealer table games to online slot games.
Let’s take a look at some of the best value for money gambling games which are available to punters in the UK.
Bingo/Slingo
More popular in Great Britain than any other country, Bingo has been one of the British public’s favourite pastimes since World War 2 and the online version now attracts millions of players per year. In fact, online bingo sites sponsor many UK television shows including The Chase hosted by Bradley Walsh. The online version is also far more simple as any hits on your Bingo card will be automatically crossed off.
One of the most exciting casino games was created for online play too in the form of Slingo, a game which incorporates aspects from bingo and slot machines. This is a great game to try out if you would like a little bit more excitement from your bingo session. Slingo games are certainly unique and they can be found at most UK online gambling platforms.
Online Slot Machines
The staple of any casino, slot machines are the most popular form of gambling, despite being entirely luck based. However, these days, they are much more sophisticated than in the past with paylines aplenty and other slot features designed to ensure punters enjoy playing even if they are not necessarily winning money.
Most online casinos will stock thousands of different slot games, as opposed to brick and mortar casinos which will not have more than 100 on the premises. If you are looking for something laidback which does not require any work, then slot machines are the one for you. However, if you prefer games with a skill element involved, then we advise staying away from slot machines.
Poker
Although the golden age of Poker (early/mid 2000’s) has long gone, online Poker remains popular in Europe and the UK. There are obviously numerous variations of Poker, but the most played remains Texas Hold’em. Poker is without doubt a skill game and a lot of very smart and intelligent people play Poker for good reason. Nowadays, to become successful at Poker, it is imperative to study so that you make as many ‘correct’ decisions as possible.
Blackjack
Loved by UFC owner Dana White, Blackjack is probably the first game you think of (alongside Roulette) when anyone mentions casino games. It is easy to learn but terribly difficult to master and combines elements of both luck and skill. Blackjack is played directly against the House and is actually the casino game with one of the lowest house edges and the online version is no different.
Online Blackjack allows you to play with other players against a live dealer, which actually feels akin to playing at a real brick and mortar casino. You can play for as little or as much as you want here too. Bets begin from around 10p per hand and go all the way up to £10,000 per hand.
Game Shows
Some of the latest additions to online casino games libraries are game show casino games which make use of a live dealer and other specialised technology. Some great examples include Monopoly Big Baller, Monopoly Live and Funky Time. There are plenty of different games and they are well worth checking out and they certainly make the online experience special in comparison with your average land-based casino.
Most casino game show games have been created and developed by either Evolution or Pragmatic Play.
Final Words
So there you have it, our quick and easy guide to online gambling in the UK. There are plenty more games when you play online compared to playing at your local casino. Granted, you don’t get the feel of the chips between your fingers, nor do you get the chance to smell the felt of the tables, but the sheer choice of games is unbeatable.