Review: Casino Tropez

Casino Tropez offers many different games, so there is something for everybody -- from the experienced gamblers to the occasional fun players.

Slot Machines

Lost Continent Slots

Most experienced slot players prefer to search through a casino and to experiment with multiple slot machines until they find one that gives them some play and winnings.

While the selection of slots in Casino Tropez is not huge, you do have the ability to change from quarters to dollars to five dollar slots with a click. This is a great feature because it enables you to pull back when you are losing and to charge ahead when you are winning. I started with $20.00 in quarters on Lost Continent Slots, and after I won a few times, I switched over to dollars, and in minutes I racked up over $200.00! Not bad for a night's work!

Gemstone 5-Reel Slots

If you favor slots where you can play multiple lines to increase your winnings, then Gemstone 5-Reel Slots is for you. Like Lost Continent Slots, you can change the amount you are playing with, but since you are playing up to five lines, the casino has deliberately kept the options affordable! You can play 2 cents, 5 cents or 10 cents per line. For those of you who like to play the same slot machine for a while, hoping to break the bank, this one is for you. With even a small kitty to start, you could probably play this one for hours.

Progressive Magic Slots

With Progressive Magic Slots, you have the option of playing for a much larger jackpot beyond the typical payout of an ordinary slot machine because you're playing against multiple players. This means the jackpot is incremented with every play -- making the payoff virtually unlimited. Now in order to be eligible for the progressive jackpot, you'll need to make the maximum bet of three coins with each play, but with like the other Casino Tropez slots, you can change the amount you are playing for from 25 cents to a dollar to five dollars.

Progressive Magic Slots also has a real neat feature -- Bonus Games whenever you collect three Magic Wands. Now you'll need to be making maximum bets of three coins to earn the right to win Magic Wands, but when you collect three of them, you get to pick a top hat and take a chance at winning additional money. Some of these bonuses are pocket change and some are in the hundreds of dollars! Play for fun first to see how this works, then take a chance, and see if you can experience the magic for yourself!

Jacks or Better Video Poker

If you like poker but enjoy the action and excitement of slots over cards, then Jacks or Better might be more your game. The play is similar to regulation five-card draw poker with the ability to improve your hand by holding some and giving back others. Odds on winning hands on maximum bets, and the ability to double bets at times can make this an addictive game, but just as with normal poker, you need to know the odds and how and when to bet.

Deuces Wild Video Poker

If you prefer poker with wild cards, then Deuces Wild Video Poker may be your cup of tea. Again, combining the best of slots and poker, you can play five card draw poker with deuces wild. This increases your odds and payoffs can be quite good. Study a good poker book, though, before placing your bets.

Card Games

Like with any other casino, you have the option of playing many different card games. Some folks prefer the fast pace of Blackjack while others prefer higher stakes playing various kinds of poker or Baccarat. One of the great things about online gaming at Casino Tropez is your ability to learn by playing for fun first. Then, once you have the swing of things, you can switch over to your own money to see how you do for real. If you lose your initial bank too quickly, then you can always switch to playing for fun until you feel more comfortable playing the game.

Blackjack

This is the old standard. Blackjack probably gets more play than any other game because it is familiar and most people feel the odds are in their favor. Playing Blackjack at Casino Tropez has the look and feel of a real casino, but you can play at your own pace and shut off the noise. The rules are fairly standard and they are displayed at all times on the table so you can't really get confused.

I read Beat The Dealer by Edward O. Thorp and was able to increase my winnings by carefully applying his suggested rules of play. They may not work for everybody, but it sure is nice to have the book beside me when I am playing for real money! Can't do that in a casino!

Progressive Caribbean Poker

While this form of poker has now become a standard at every casino, it was a new game for me, and I rather liked it. I'll try any game once, and this one was kind to me. It's a lot like regular five card stud with the player's card dealt face up, and the dealer's cards dealt face down except for one.

One supposes this tilt's the odds in the player's favor since you now know 20% of the dealer's hands. High hand wins here, and what you get is what you got. No cards may be drawn to improve the hand, and there are no wild cards. Dealer is only eligible to play with an Ace/King or better, so you may win with even a poor hand sometimes.

House pays bonuses on really good hands, so even a small bet can rack up some winnings. For a change of pace, you can try Pai Gow Poker, too.

Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is very popular in Vegas and elsewhere. It has a rapid pace and resembles 7 card stud with a high-low combinations. This game takes some getting used to, so play for fun first unless you are a seasoned pro.

Baccarat

The last of the card games is fancied by none other than James Bond, himself! If you like tense play, high odds, and have the bankroll to do it, then Baccarat may be your game. 

Like Blackjack, the idea of the game is to beat the dealer by coming as close to 8 or 9 with no more than three cards. Pictures cards are worth 0, and when your hand adds up to over 9, you always deduct 10 to keep your total at 9 or below. So 2+2=4, and 4+5=9, and 5+9=4? Get it 5+9=14-10=4.

Unless you are a fast number-cruncher and card counter and have the money to lose, it might be best to stay away from this one. Personally, I've never had the guts to play this in a live casino because the minimum bets are so damn high, so it's nice to be able to play this -- even poorly -- in the comfort of my own home with tiny bets. Gave me a real taste for the game. Now how about a martini? Shaken -- not stirred!

European Roulette

Roulette is one of my favorite games because the pace is not overwhelmingly fast and the odds on the table are quite good. If you can pick the winning number, then you receive 35 times your bet! Not bad! Lots of gamblers prefer to cover the board with lots of bets: red/black, even/odd, rows of 12 numbers and playing four numbers at a time. 

Because the betting can be very complicated, you might be best reading a book about the game and playing for fun for awhile before playing for money. The great thing about Roulette is that you can win very big, very quickly, if you place multiple winning bets at the same time.

The first time I played Roulette, I simply bet Black or Red. Amazingly, I won 18 out of 20 consecutive bets. Am I psychic? No such luck. When I started covering the board with lots of tiny bets, I lost it all in a few rounds. Still, it's hard not to hold your breath while watching that little ball spin!

Craps

Craps is the monster of the gambling floor. It's said that if you get a good roller (someone who is lucky and makes their number all the time without going bust), and you know how to bet that you can make a lot of dough very quickly.

If you are new to the game, play for fun. Betting is very complicated and you can lose it as fast as you can win it. You need to understand the odds of numbers turning up -- it's a very mathematical game -- perhaps more so than any other game in the casino. But I've watched high rollers rake in the chips when they know what they are doing. It's a very fast-moving and exciting game.

Keno

I've watched folks play Keno in gambling parlors throughout Vegas, and they act like they are mesmerized. It's almost always near the sports betting games like horse racing and such, and there are some definite correlations between playing the numbers and betting the ponies.

Whether you play lucky numbers or simply pick them at random, the more winners you have, the better the payoff. It's a lot like Bingo, so for some new players, you might want to start with this one. 

Of course, the best way to find your favorite game is try them all yourself. Just click on the button below to download the free software to your PC. You'll be installed and online in minutes.