Online casinos continue to enjoy a massive global following, and this fan base is expected to increase well into the future. Whether referring to the latest live dealer games, classic table games, or instant-win titles, there is something here for everyone.
Still, newbies should always be aware of the underlying mechanics, and how these can affect overall gameplay. One way to approach this subject is to examine a handful of everyday terms that you are likely to come across as you become more involved with the community. Let’s see what the professionals have to say.
Leaderboards
A leaderboard is simply a list of which players have won the most at a specific game. For instance, monopoly big baller results will highlight the top winnings, and in some cases, the total amount wagered. Leaderboards are important, as they tend to illustrate the most popular games at the moment.
The Return-to-Player Percentage
This is often expressed with the acronym RTP. The RTP is a percentage that illustrates how much money the player is likely to recuperate after playing for a theoretical period of time. For instance, a game offering an RTP of 97% will return approximately 97% of your funds. Note that higher RTPs tend to attract more players.
Secure Sockets Layer
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a type of encryption that online casinos will use to scramble information sent between players, and the platform. This data requires a one-time key to be decrypted, and it is an extremely effective method. Most browsers will automatically check for the presence of this firewall, and if one is not detected, a pop-up alert will appear.
Crash Games
Action-themed games have always enjoyed a loyal following, and a relatively new genre is taking the casino community by storm. Crash games are entirely random in nature. The main point is to follow a certain icon (such as an image of a rocket) as it ascends. You can choose to cash out, or to “let it ride”. If the icon happens to crash before you withdraw your funds, the wager will be lost. These games offer a simple user interface, lightning-fast rounds, and white-knuckle excitement.
The House Edge
This is another very important term to appreciate. Every casino game is associated with some type of house edge. The house edge can be defined as the amount of money a player stakes that will be retained by the casino. This is essentially one of the ways in which casinos make money, and represents an integral portion of their overall strategies. Note that games with a higher house edge are known for lower payouts, to be sure to examine this concept.
Multipliers
Many games will offer built-in multipliers. Slots, roulette, crash titles, and bingo are some common examples. As the term suggests, triggering a multiplier will multiply your wager by a predetermined amount. Extremely high multipliers can lead to massive winnings, and as you might have guessed, these tend to be quite rare.
Know-Your Client Verification
Know-your-client (KYC) verification has become commonplace over the past few years. This process helps to prevent identity theft, fraud, and money laundering. A KYC verification may be initiated when confirming an account, making a deposit, or requesting a withdrawal. Some information that you could be asked for might include:
- Proof of identity (such as a passport or driving licence)
- A recent utility bill
- An updated photo
While some players find this hurdle slightly annoying, the fact of the matter is that the casino has their best interests in mind.
Random Number Generators
Random number generators are a series of software algorithms that are used to guarantee that the results of a specific game cannot be predicted by the player, the developer, or the casino in question. While the technology behind these bundles is rather complicated, the main purpose is to ensure that no party has an unfair advantage.
Provably Fair Gameplay
Yet another method that casinos use to guarantee a level playing field involves games that are provably fair. Without getting into technical material, built-in algorithms actually determine the outcome of a round before it is ever played. This all but eliminates the possibility that a game could be manipulated, and it is a core feature of many top-selling titles.
Two-Factor Authentication
This final term is often known as 2FA. Two-factor authentication is a security feature that allows players to activate an additional firewall when performing certain account-related actions. Once they make a request, this request will need to be performed by taking an additional step, such as entering a one-time code sent to a registered smartphone. Once again, the goals here are to prevent fraud, and to keep private details safe.
Becoming familiar with these ten terms is a great way to introduce yourself to the larger online casino community. Helpful FAQs and educational guides can also make unfamiliar terminology much easier to understand.