While popular casino staples like poker, blackjack, roulette and slots recreate the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas wherever they’re played, exotic games from around the world offer exciting variations on these classics. Many emerged centuries ago in Eastern cultures before exploding in popularity across Asia’s bustling gaming centers.
Ancient Asian Origins
Asia is home to some of the oldest and most culturally significant casino games played today. Asian games often use tiles or dice instead of cards, adding layers of chance and skill that culminate in high stakes showdowns at online casino LuckyOnes.
Popular Exotic Asian Casino Games
- Pai Gow – Blends poker and a lottery with domino tiles
- Sic Bo – Big payout dice game meaning “dice pair”
- Pachinko – A high energy, pinball/slot machine hybrid
- Fan Tan – Players bet on piles of buttons left after grouped deals
- Dragon Tiger – Wager on the higher value tile from two dealt
Pai Gow
Pai Gow’s roots reach back to ancient China, where it was played by nobles and warlords. Today, it’s a staple at Asian casinos known for blending strategic elements of poker with the chance-based drama of lottery drawings.
Each player is dealt seven tiles from a stack of 32, ranging from ace to seven in four suits – circles, bamboos, cracks and characters. Arranging them into the strongest high and low poker hands is key to winning. Dealers also form their own high-low hands and players win by beating one or both. With side bets for specific hands, Pai Gow keeps each deal engaging.
Sic Bo
Beloved for big payouts despite terrible odds, Sic Bo transports players back to ancient China. Its name means “dice pair”, players wager on the outcome of three dice shaken in an automated tumbler. Wagers cover guessing specific totals or combinations like triples and small or big sums. Its fast action gives players plenty of bites at hitting a huge 50 to 1 payout for a lucky triple bet.
Oceans Apart
The other side of the globe has also spawned exotic takes on games of chance thanks to ingenuity and cultural diversity. These creations added new flavors to the casino world as they made their way east.
Pachinko
Pinball meets slots in Japan’s famous Pachinko games. First introduced early last century, these arcade amusements caught on quickly. Ball bearings cascade down a vertical playfield filled with pegs and slots. Players turn dials to launch more balls hoping they trigger prize doors that reward more shots at the machine. It’s more skill-based than pure gambling, but the bright colors, lights and sounds make for an electric experience.
Carribbean Stud
The Caribbean island of Aruba birthed a poker spin-off in the 1980s that swept international waters. Caribbean Stud builds five-card poker hands, then pits them against the dealer’s cards with a twist – players can’t see the dealer’s full hand during play! Players must raise or fold before the dealer reveals their hand to determine a winner. Side bets spice things up by allowing players to wager on rated hands.
Craps
Among the rowdiest attractions luring crowds to casinos worldwide is the dice game Craps. It evolved from English street games in 18th century New Orleans before exploding across Europe then mid-1900s Las Vegas. Players wager on the shooter’s dice rolls, primarily their first (come out). Seven or 11 on that roll pays out even money bets, two or three loses and twelve pays double. Subsequent numbers establish the “point”, which wins if hit again before a seven “out” roll loses.
Exotic for Everyone
While cultural relics, these creative games now enjoy worldwide fame, thanks largely to their uniqueness. Any casino patron looking to mix up poker or blackjack with something adventurous should consider them. Their combinations of skill, strategy and chance refresh the standard casino routine. And with table limits ranging from penny slots to VIP levels, they welcome casual weekenders to serious gamblers.
Next time you’re planning a casino outing, pass on another hand of 21 for a few rolls of the dice in Craps or tiles of Pai Gow poker. Far flung games have brought new energy and variety to casinos far beyond their home turf. Don’t let a little culture shock spoil the fun – exotic games reward an open mind with seriously good times.
