If you have any Las Vegas holidays planned, you need to know the rules of basic casino games. Here's a quick guide to three of the most popular.

1. The rules of the casino…

2. Is lady luck on
your side…?
If you have any Las Vegas
holidays planned, you need
to know the rules of basic
casino games. Here's a
quick guide to three of the
most popular.
Some would say that all
you need is luck win these
games, while other argue
that these games actually
require a great deal of skill.
What do you think? You
decide...
Image by Triin

3. Image by Images of Money
Blackjack
One of the most widely played casino games in
the world, blackjack is the staple of any
gambling institution.
The premise is simple. The aim of the game is
to get dealt a group of cards that add up to 21.
The player is initially dealt with two cards -
they then have the option to take another card
from the dealer (hit) or stick with the cards
they've got (stand).
The player can take as many cards as he
needs, but if the sum of the cards tips over
21, then the player is "bust" and loses the game.
Once the player has decided to stick, the dealer
reveals his cards. The player with the total
closest to 21 is the winner.

4. Craps
Craps is a dice game, where players can place bets on the
outcome of a roll of a dice.
The players can play against each other (street craps) or
against a bank or casino (table craps).
In table craps, players take turns to roll the dice (shoot)
and players can place bets on various outcomes by
placing their chips on certain points of the table. The
shooter must place a bet on the "pass" or "don't pass" line.
The round starts with one or more "come out" rolls. In
this stage of the game, if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or
12, anyone betting on the 'pass' line loses and the shooter
is said to have rolled a "craps".
A roll of 7 or 11 in this stage is called a “natural" and
players betting on the pass line win.
However, if any other number is rolled, then this
establishes the point at where the players will "pass“, or
win. So for example, if the shooter rolls a four, then he
must roll a four again to win. However, if he rolls a seven
before he rolls the point value again, then he loses (i.e.
"don't pass").
The round ends when the player throws the point value (to
win) or a seven (to lose) and the dice gets passed on to the
next player.
Image by Dave Gough

5. Image by Kuoni
The Roulette
Wheel
Another iconic game, the roulette wheel is one
of the most well-known features of the casino.
The croupier spins the wheel in one
direction, then spins a ball in the opposite
direction. The ball whizzes around the wheel
until it eventually slows down and lands in one
of 37 or 38 numbered slots.
Players place bets on the outcome of the spin.
There are variety of bets that can be
placed, each varying in odds. For example, you
can bet on whether the ball will land on a red or
black slot, or if the number of the slot will be
odd or even. However, if you're feeling
REALLY daring, you can bet on the exact
number. While the chances you'll win are a
great deal lower than other bets, the pay out
will be a great deal larger, too!