Of the four main gaming categories, most players are at least familiar with slots as well as card and table games. However, when it comes to speciality games, people are often left scratching their heads and wondering what on earth those could be.
The truth is that the category is a bit of a mixed bag. It includes all the gaming options that do not fit into the other three categories. Not being as defined a category as the others means there you may find yourself learning a new set of wildly different rules with every game you play.
This can create the impression among some players that speciality online casino games are more effort than they are worth, but that could not be further from the truth. Let’s find out more.
Bingo
If online casinos do not have a separate category for them, any Bingo games they offer will be found among their speciality games. Online Bingo is almost identical to the games played in halls in countries around the world.
You can find 75-ball and 90-ball games to play without your online slots games in Canada, buy one or more tickets for them, and then you can sit back and watch while the autodab feature responds to called numbers for you. If you see the pattern complete on your ticket, you win a prize.
Keno
Also known as ‘Chinese Lottery’, Keno is a popular game that has been played since ancient times. In fact, there is a good chance it was used to raise some of the funds used in the construction of the Great Wall of China.
In days of old, it was played using pictograms, but that was changed to a smaller range of numbers when Chinese immigrants brought the game to the US in the 1800s. To play it, you need to select several numbers from the range that appears on the grid. After you submit your ticket, the results will be drawn. If your numbers match the results, you win.
Parlour Games
Parlour games are sometimes known as casual games, although some casinos use the term instead of ‘speciality games.’ You can find simple options, such as those that let you bet on a virtual coin-toss. Playing it is as simple as placing a bet and guessing whether the result will be heads or tails.
Other options in the sub-category might include pick-a-prize games or even virtual sports or virtual horse racing. Some titles may even remind you of 1980s arcade games.
Scratch Cards
Scratch cards first appeared in cardboard form in the 1980s and grew in popularity through the 90s, but they have come into their own online. Available in an array of themes and styles, they offer almost-instant winning chances.
You can remove the blocks hiding the symbols one by one, or you can select the remove all option for lightning-fast action. Either way, you win if you find at least 3 matching symbols. Some online scratch cards even have features inspired by slots, such as Wilds that can substitute for symbols, and Multipliers that multiply payouts.