In the discourse surrounding gambling, there is always one debate that pops up, without fail. Many people have argued in the past about whether gambling is based purely on luck, or whether there is an element of skill that plays a role in winning. 

Often it is those who have never visited a casino that argues on the basis of pure luck. From the outside it may seem like gambling and winning at the casino only happens by chance. And that makes sense to believe for someone who has never played at the casino.

There is, however, plenty of evidence to suggest that being successful at the casino does take some level of skill. This can be proven by simply looking at people who have made a career out of casino games like poker.

To be consistently successful at a casino game like poker must mean that there is a skill element involved. Otherwise, everyone could be a professional poker player. 

This article will look at a few games that rely on skill and a few games that rely more on luck. Let’s jump right into it. 

Skill-Based Casino Games 

Generally, when discussing games that require a bit more skill at the casino, you’ll be looking at card and table games. The most obvious example of a casino game that relies more on skill than it does on luck is poker.

There is a worldwide league of professional poker players that dedicate their lives to being good at what they do. They practice and play every day in order to improve their skill level at the poker table.

This is what makes them successful and good at what they do. Skills like counting cards, understanding how to read a poker face and call out a bluff, and strategies to get better odds, all play a role in being a good poker player.

This is similar to what you see when playing games like blackjack and baccarat. These games, while not quite as strategic as something like poker, are steeped in some level of skill-based gameplay. 

The best way to decipher whether a game is skill based or not is whether you can get better at the game with consistent practice. When there is the chance to improve at a game, this means that it is based on skill.

Games That Rely on Luck 

Now, before we discuss casino games that rely more on luck than on skill it is important to remember what veteran and expert gamblers have to say… All casino games can be strategized for, no matter the odds or luck element.

In other words, even games that rely more on luck than on skill can be won when using the right strategies. This means that to some extent, all casino games rely on skill in one way or another. 

However, games like roulette and pokies or slots and require perhaps less skill than games like poker. This is offset by the fact that these games provide strong winning odds to players, as they have less control over the outcome.