It would be a weird question to ask anyone playing a game whether one wants to win or not. Obviously everyone has the winning intention in mind no matter what. Same applies for Casino War game. If you think War is only about luck, you’re wrong. There’s a lot of skill involved and some handy tricks that can help you beat your opponent most of the time.
The simple rule of the game is to pits the dealer’s card against your own. You don’t compete against your table companions, only against the dealer.
Side Wager & War
There is a side bet available in the game of Casino War: a wager that your first card will tie the dealer’s card. Since this bet pays out at 10:1, a winning wager of this nature can be quite profitable. But the casino’s edge on this bet is over 18.5%: only Sic Bo, Big Six, some slots, and Keno give the house a better advantage than this sucker bet, so unless you get off on making a big risk for a 10:1 reward, avoid this side wager.
Strategy and Advice
Simple games have simple rules and basic strategic advice. The same holds true for Casino War. A house advantage of 2.88% for the basic Casino War bet encourages more sophisticated gamblers to play more complicated games with lower house edges. Many games in a casino feature worse odds, but just a few hands of Casino War should be enough to convince you to look for a game with a better expected payout and more entertainment value. If your nostalgia for the childhood game called War is too much to overcome, some strategy tips can help you improve your shot at walking away a winner.
The first question most players of this game ask is whether they should surrender their bet or go head-to-head in the event of a tie. Mathematically speaking, doing battle with the dealer makes sense, and surrendering half your wager is a losing proposition. In a head-to-head battle, you’re risking 2 betting units for a potential 1 unit win, which sounds like a bad idea if you know much about gambling. But giving up half your bet is always less profitable than potentially earning a win, even if it is a 1-2 win.
The strategy of always competing against the dealer in a War after a card tie means giving the casino a 2.88% advantage, while surrendering at every instance of a tie give the casino an edge of just under 4%.
Should you Place the Dealer Tie Side Bet?
As for the 10:1 payout available for bets placed on a tie between dealer and player? Don’t fall for it. Side bets are for suckers. This game is simple, moves lightening fast, and the house is happy to take advantage of the 18.65% edge that they earn from that terrible side wager. Since an average of 65 hands of War play out in an hour, placing a $1 side bet for a tie on each hand at a Casino War table means dumping about $12 in the casino’s pockets each hour, with the odds of actually winning that side bet nowhere near worth that investment. The bottom line: avoid the tie-with-the-dealer sucker bet unless you have a great time gambling away your bankroll.
No doubt the casino or online gaming site you’re playing at has a more interesting game available, probably one with better odds than those offered by Casino War. It is always better to go head-to-head with the dealer on all ties, avoid the $1 side bet for dealer ties, and try to have a good time. If you’re having fun, you’re winning at Casino War.
Rules of War in the Casino
Play begins when the dealer hands one card to each player who has placed a bet and one card to himself. There’s no mystery here; all the cards are dealt face-up. Winners are determined based on the value of the cards; if the dealer’s card is higher than your card, you lose. If your card is higher than the dealer’s card, you win. Beating the dealer pays out at even-money.
Should the dealer’s card and your card tie, you can “go to war” with the dealer. You can also choose to surrender, rather than face off against the dealer in a card battle, but that surrender option means that you only get half your bet returned to you. If you do go to war, you’ll have to place a wager equal to your initial bet in order to continue.
When you go to war against the dealer, the top three cards are buried and play starts over, only this time between just you and the dealer; no other players are involved. These cards are dealt face-up, just like in the first round of the game. Should the dealer’s second card beat yours, you lose your original and secondary bet. On the other hand, if your second card beats or even ties the dealer’s second card, you win back your original bet only. That means odds of 1-2, or $1 paid for each $2 bet in a war situation. Try your luck!