The winner in this competition is European Roulette, which has half the house edge of the American counterparts, and, with a certain rule in effect, that (lower) edge can be cut in half yet again. But we are not without hope, for many of the online casinos offer the European version, although the ones with the wagering options printed in French may take some getting used to. And, there are some casinos in the U.S. which offer European Roulette, but these usually have very high bet minimums. One exception to this is the Monte Carlo casino in Las Vegas, which offers European Roulette with $10 minimums during non-peak periods. The house advantage for American Roulette is 5.26%; for the European version 2.70%, and if the latter has the En Prison rule, that edge is reduced to a very respectable 1.35%. This rule allows you either to surrender half your wager, or leave it there for the next spin. (Your wager is in fact held captive) European Roulette, with En Prison is very popular in Europe with systems players, for its leisurely pace and low edge are very appealing. The American version generally moves faster, which is another drawback that compounds the penalty of the higher edge, for it compels players to react faster, to the benefit of the house. But the American versions are not beyond redemption; I just want to stress the importance of seeking out the European version when circumstances allow. Terminology of European roulette
French-style (European) Roulette, is the version played on many cruise ships, in most casinos in Europe, and in a small but growing number of gaming establishments in the United States. If you find yourself playing at one of these tables, expect to find French terms on the table layout and French words being spoken by the croupiers. French terms for roulette bets and other common expressions in this game are found below.

Black

This is when you bet that the ball will land on a black-colored number. Again,the payoff for such a bet is 1 to 1. If you place $20 in bets on a black colorednumber and the ball lands on black, you win your original bet back, plusan additional $20.

Odd

When you bet that the ball will land on an odd number. The payoff for this bet is 1 to 1. So if you put $25 on the "Odd" square and the number that landsis an odd number, you will $25, plus your original stake back.

Even

The opposite of the odd number bet. You are betting that the next number to land is an odd number. Again, the payoff for such a bet is even money, or 1 to 1.So a $50 bet would return $50, plus your original bet back if you won.

High Bet

This is when you are betting that one of the numbers, 19-36, will land on thenext spin of the wheel. Payoff for this bet is even money, or 1 to 1.

Low Bet

This is when you bet that one of the numbers 1-18 will land on the next spin of the wheel. Again, payoff for this bet is even money. So if you bet $100 on theLow Bet, and any number through 1-18 hits, you will win $100, plus your original$100 betback.

Dozen Bet

This is betting that one of a particular dozen numbers hits on the next spin of the wheel.The wheel is divided into 3 different "dozen" groups; 1-12, 3-24, and 25-36. The payofffor such a bet is 2 to 1. So, let's say that you think the next spin of thewheel willland on a number from 1-12. You place a $20 bet on the 1st dozen, and the wheel landson 7. That means you win $40, plus your original $20 bet back.

Column Bet

Similar to the dozen bet in terms of payoff and number of potential winning numbers,except you are betting on one of the numbers in a particular column payingoff, rather than one of a dozen numbers. You will notice at the end of the table, there is space denoted to make a column bet. There are three columns of numbers, thetop, middle and bottom column.

Baccarat is played with eight or six complete decks of cards. The cards are shuffled by the dealer, and then placed in a special box called the "shoe."The deal rotates among the players by passing the shoe counterclockwise around the table, and each "Player" alternate being the "Banker". This rules may be intimidating at first, but there are always "Callers" at the table to assist you, and if you do not want to deal, you may pass the shoe to the next player. The same person will keep dealing as long as the "banker" hand keeps winning.The player with the shoe represents the banker-hand, although the player takes no additional risk and the casino remains the banker. Even though the player dealing is acting as the Banker, he is not obligated to bet on the Banker's hand.Four cards are dealt face-down:

1. First card to the player's hand. The dealer takes a card from the"dealing player" and passes it to the player who wagered the largest amount on "player's hand".
2. Second card to the banker's hand - placed next to the shoe.
3. Third card to the player's hand.
4. The fourths - to the banker's hand

Pai Gow Poker is a variation of the Chinese domino game gai gow. Pai gow poker is played with a 53 card deck, including a joker. Pai Gow Poker is played one on one, the player against the dealer, each competing to make the best possible hands. After placing an initial bet, both player and dealer receive seven cards. The object of the game is for the player to split (or set) the seven dealt cards into two hands - a five-card High hand, and a two-card Low hand. The cards must be set in such a way that the five-card hand has a higher poker rank than the two-card hand. For example, the player's hand is: 6,7,8,9,10,A,A. The player sets the pair of Aces as the Low hand, and 6,7,8,9,10 (straight) as the High hand. The dealer's hand is: 2,2,2,A,K,4,5. The dealer sets the Ace and King as the Low hand, and 2,2,2,4,5 (three of a kind) as the High hand. The player beats both the dealer's High and Low hands, thus winning the round. The hands are ranked according to standard poker rules, with the exception that an A-2-3-4-5 straight is the second highest straight after A-K-Q-J-10. The only real difference between Pai Gow Poker hand ranks and standard poker hand ranks is that a five-Aces hand (four Aces and a Joker) beats a royal flush, and it is the highest hand in the game. By the way, the best Low hand is a pair of Aces. After the player finished arranging his/her hands, the dealer arranges his/her hands according to a set of fixed rules (the House Way) The player's two hands (High and Low) are then compared with the dealer's two hands (High and Low) to determine the winner. In order to win, both the player's High and Low hands must have a higher poker rank than both the dealer's High and Low hands (according to the Pai Gow Poker Hand Ranks table)