Casino War Game Guide: How to Play Casino War Online
Casino War is one of the most easily understood games out there. It’s you against the dealer in a battle to draw the highest card from a deck. If your card is higher, you win. If your card matches the dealer’s, it’s a tie. You can choose to give up half of your bet or as the name suggests, go to war! In our guide to playing War for real money, you’ll find the top casinos online USA, learn how to play, read up on game variations & more!
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Find classic Casino War at the top rated online casinos for US players:
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How to Play Casino War
As we mentioned before, War is incredibly simple. Here is a step-by-step guide to playing a round:
- Once you’ve joined a War game, the first thing you’ll have to do is place a starting bet. You have three options here. You can either bet on yourself, bet on a tie, or place some money on both wagers.
- As soon as you’ve locked in the bet, the dealer will deal you each a card. In War, Ace is the highest and 2 is the lowest.
- If you have the higher card, you’ll earn a payout of 1:1, if the dealer has the higher card, you’ll lose your bet, and if it is a tie, you’ll have to choose whether to surrender and lose half of your initial stake, or go to War.
- If you choose to go to War, you’ll have to double your stake. The dealer will then deal another two cards. If you win, you’ll earn a 1:1 payout on your boosted wager.
Casino War Rules
Payouts
Standard wins in War are paid out at 1:1. Tie bets offer higher payouts of 10:1, but that’s because they don’t pay off as often. We recommend avoiding tie bets.
Card Rankings
As in poker, Aces are the highest ranking card in War followed by Kings, Queens, Jacks, 10s, 9s and so on. The game typically does not involve Joker cards.
You vs. Dealer
If your playing at a land-based casino, there may be other patrons playing at the same table as you. In War, you only compete against the dealer, so don’t worry about other people’s cards.
Is There an Optimal Way to Play?
According to statistics, there is an optimal way to play and it is almost too simple to believe it’s a strategy.
At the start of the game, both you and the dealer have a 46.3% chance of winning on the first card draw. This might make you think it’s a fair game. There are two reasons as to why that is not true. If the casino uses more decks to play or if you choose to surrender, the house edge increases. The house edge is 2.8% when you choose war but it is 3.7% when you surrender. Statistics make it obvious that the best strategy is to never surrender and always go to war.
Apart from that, the best and easiest thing you can do is to find a casino that uses the smallest number of decks possible to give yourself the edge. Remember to avoid the tie bet if you don’t want to give the house a massive 18% edge when 5 decks are used.
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Casino War House Edge
The house edge in a standard game of War stands at around 2.88%, but this varies depending on how many decks are in play, your game strategy and whether or not you choose to use a casino bonus. Here is how the odds stack up:
| No. of Decks | Tie Bet | Surrender | House Edge With Bonus | House Edge Without Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35.3% | 2.9% | 2.1% | 2.4% |
| 2 | 25.4% | 3.4% | 2.2% | 2.7% |
| 3 | 21.9% | 3.5% | 2.3% | 2.8% |
| 4 | 20.3% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 2.8% |
| 5 | 19.3% | 3.7% | 2.3% | 2.9% |
| 6 | 18.7% | 3.7% | 2.3% | 2.9% |
| 7 | 18.2% | 3.7% | 2.3% | 2.9% |
| 8 | 17.8% | 3.7% | 2.3% | 2.9% |
As you can see, playing with a bonus, with less decks of cards and avoiding tie bets will greatly lower the house edge and make your money go further in War. You should also remember the golden rule – never, ever surrender!
Casino War Game Variations
Since it is such a simple game, there aren’t a great deal of popular variations. Here are a few you might come across:
Gamesys Rules
If you play the Gamesys-developed version of Casino War, you’ll earn a 3x ante bonus if you land a tie after a tie.
Tie Boost Payouts
Though few and far between, some casinos will payout at a rate of 2:1 if you land a double tie – one at the start of the game, and another after you go to war.
Vegas Ties
If you tie with the dealer twice (one at the beginning of the round and then again when you choose to go to war), some Vegas casinos will give you a special bonus equal to the size of your first wager.
Casino War Terms
Initial Wager
The bet that must be made by the player before any cards are dealt to participate in the round.
Original Deal
The first card that is dealt to every player and the dealer to decide the initial wager in a round of play.
Dealer
A participant in the game designated to act last and whom all the other participants are trying to beat on a given deal. Taking on the role of Player/Dealer is offered to all participants and is optional.
Tie Hand
When the rank of a Player’s card and the rank of the Dealer’s card are the same.
Tie Wager
An optional wager made at the same time as an initial wager or War wager, that the deal on which the tie wager is made will result in a tie hand.
War
The decision of a player to place a War wager when there is a tie hand on the original deal.
War Wager
A wager, identical to the player’s initial wager, that is needed to be made if the player chooses to go to War.
Casino War Online FAQs
What is Casino War?
War is a card game offered at many casinos. It is one of the most simple casino games online available. In it, you’ll play against the dealer in a single card draw where the highest card wins.
What is the best Casino War strategy?
In War, you and the dealer both have a 46.3% chance of winning on the first card. In the event of a tie, the statistically optimal strategy is to always go to war. The best strategy also involves not betting on tie bets, no matter how fun they might appear!
Can I play Casino War for real money in the USA?
Absolutely! Casino War for real cash is offered at many of the top online casinos USA, as well as many land-based sites!
How Do You Win in Casino War?
To win in Casino War, your dealt card must be higher than the dealer’s or, if you’ve chosen to place a tie bet, the drawn cards must be of equal value.
