When you walk into a casino, most of us can easily recognize the standard options like slot machines and blackjack tables. However, there are other gambling games out there that aren’t quite as popular.
For example, the Argentine game Pano is an intricate poker-style game and there’s also the chicken challenge at Tropicana Atlantic City where players play noughts and crosses against Ginger, a trained chicken!
Dreidel
A traditional Jewish gambling game, Dreidel has found its way into casinos. Players spin a four-sided spinning top and the amount they receive is determined by the letter it lands on. The word nun, for example, means “nothing,” while hey and gimel mean everything and half respectively.
Some rabbis connect the Hebrew letters with the four nations to which the House of Judah was subject: Babylonia, Persia, Seleucid Empire and Rome. The letter shin means “put in,” and those who land on this side of the Dreidel contribute to the pot.
Each player starts with an equal number of gelt (chocolate coins, real pennies, or any other small items) and puts them in a pot to form a “pot.” Players then take turns spinning the Dreidel, taking action based on what letter it lands on.
Belgian Birdsong
Belgium is famous for its chocolate, waffles and beer – but it’s also home to an unusual gambling game. Belgian Birdsong, or Vinkensport (which translates as finch sitting), involves betting on the male common chaffinches who are tethered in cages and challenged to make the most chirps in an hour.
The winning bird is the one who can sing the loudest and longest, and it’s a popular pastime for tourists. But it’s no surprise that the game has ruffled the feathers of animal activists, with some calling it cruel and unnecessary.
Casinos bend over backwards to keep their customers happy, but sometimes they come up with some truly strange games that are pointless, and in some cases utterly bizarre. From betting on the decisions of a gerbil to aimless pecking by chickens, here are some of the most strange ways you can gamble your hard-earned cash.
Rodent Roulette
This is a strange casino game that involves placing a rat or gerbil on an adapted roulette wheel with numbered and colored holes that resemble those on a standard Roulette table. A croupier spins the wheel, and gamblers place bets on which pocket the rodent will choose to hide in. The gambler wins if they placed their bet on the correct hole or pocket.
Mice have a reputation for being smart creatures, thanks in part to their small brains that pack a lot of power into a little package. They can also be trained to do some simple tricks.
Whether or not you think they’re worth the risk, some casinos use unusual casino games to attract and retain players who might be bored with the traditional fare.
Sic Bo
Sic Bo is a fun and easy casino game that’s becoming increasingly popular. Players place bets on the different dice combinations listed on the table and collect their payouts if they win. But like any form of gambling, it’s important to keep your bankroll in check and not bet more than you can afford to lose.
The dealer or a rang will then shake the three dice in a cage and reveal the results, which will then be displayed on the betting table. Each bet has a different payout depending on the probability of it appearing.
Fan-tan
Fan-tan is a classic casino game of chance that has been brought to the live dealer table by Evolution Gaming. The game uses beads, a glass dome, a metal cup and a selection stick to create a unique game experience that is unlike any other.
Each round starts off with a large number of beads on the table, and the dealer will cover a random portion of them using the cup. Then, the dealer will use a selection stick to begin separating the remaining beads into rows of four. The player who correctly predicts the number of beads in the last row will win.
The beauty of this game is that it allows players to make multiple bets. This includes placing bets on low, high, odd and even numbers.