Unconventional casino games are designed to give players the opportunity to beat the house edge in a game. The key to success in these games is the creation of a unique theme and design, along with easy-to-understand rules.
Some casinos have skirted regulations by using cards instead of traditional dice. Others use a dreidel to play a spin-the-wheel game.
Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken
In a casino you can play many different types of games. From Craps to Black Jack and Slots, there are a lot of options. But one game that takes the cake in terms of strange is Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken.
The game originated at New York City’s Chinatown Fair in the 1950s. Despite its name, the machine was partially organic and featured a live chicken in a cage that would play Tic-Tac-Toe against a human player.
The avian opponent is trained by a former rodeo clown named Bunky Boger who was once reported to be earning $4,000 a week leasing his tick-tack-toe chickens to casinos. He claims it takes several months of training to teach the birds. The winner gets $10,000.
Rat Roulette
Unlike gaming machines, which have an inherent long-term disadvantage to the house, table games provide players with the opportunity to make short-term gains. Players who have enough skill to overcome the house edge of a game are known as advantage players.
A recent TikTok clip from an Alaska fairground sparked outrage after it showed a live rat on top of a roulette wheel spinning to Johnny Cash’s ‘Ring of Fire’. The croupier asked participants to place bets on which of the 40 numbered holes in the octagonal wheel that the dizzy rodent would fall into and be paid accordingly.
The video was created for Sallos, a German licorice brand known for its extra strong taste. While some people are offended by the use of animals in this way, others find it a fun way to promote a new licorice flavor.
Dreidel Roulette
Dreidel Roulette is a Jewish gambling spinning top game that features a wooden board with a number of colored balls and holes. Players spin the top and knock the balls into the holes to score points, with the highest total after 3 rounds winning.
During their turn, players place a piece in the center ‘pot’ and spin the Dreidel. Depending on the position that it lands in, players give or take pieces from the pot.
If the dreidel lands on nun, players don’t receive anything. But if it lands on hei or gimel, players will get everything or half of the pot, respectively. Once the pot is empty or a player wins, a new betting round begins. It is a fun and quirky way to gamble, but definitely not for the faint of heart!
Pass Line
If you’ve ever stepped inside a casino, chances are you have seen unusual games. They are used to keep the players engaged and enthralled.
Currently, non-traditional games are dominating operator game lobbies. Michael Pedersen, Shalva Bukia, Shane Cotter and Tom Wood examine why these games are so popular with players.
Pass Line is a bet that pays even money, so you will win the same amount you bet. Unlike other bets, you cannot reduce or increase your Pass Line bet once a point is established, but some casinos allow put betting where you can increase your odds behind the Pass Line once the come out roll has been made. However, these bets are not self-service, so you will need to get the dealer’s attention before you make your bet.
Hammer Roulette
This game is a variation on Russian Roulette that uses a hammer instead of a revolver. A player spins the hammer and, if it points to them, they must hit themselves with it. The player can cock the hammer to stop it, but they must do so before hitting themselves.
Some tribal casinos are not allowed to play traditional dice games, so they created this game as a way to circumvent that. Players draw two cards from a complete deck and must pick higher or lower than the previous card to win. Correct picks pay out a small prize.
This is a fun game that features many different ways to win, including a Way Multiplier and a Wild Collect and Release feature. It is another great game from Peter & Sons, who have a knack for crafting high-quality slots with unique gameplay.
