Five Unusual Casino Games Found Around the World
By
Jane Shaw
Senior Editor Updated: 10/09/2023
We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she’s our gambling tech expert. Jane’s also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.
People Betting on Dreidel
- Unique Casino Games
- Weird Casino Games – Kicking Off with Dreidel
- Tic-tac-toe Chicken
- War: An Asian Favorite
- Rodent Roulette: Cruel and Inhumane
- Pachinko: A Japanese Classic
- Frequently Asked Questions
Online and offline casinos are known for offering a huge selection of games, from slots and roulette to blackjack and poker. However, while we’re all familiar with titles like these, you may be surprised to learn there are some much more unusual casino games – and some are surprisingly fun!
In this post, we’ll explore some of the strangest crazy casino games that can be played around the world. These weird casino games aren’t necessarily easy to find – and one of them even involves live animals! Let’s get into it!
Unique Casino Games
In the world of casinos, you’re likely used to the usual suspects: slot machines, poker tables, and the roulette wheel. But did you know there’s a whole other realm of casino games that are far from ordinary? In this article, we’re diving deep into the world of offbeat casino games that you probably haven’t heard of.
We’re covering everything from games that trace back to ancient traditions to those that involve live animals. Get ready to discover five peculiar casino games: Dreidel, a spinning top game with roots in Jewish education; Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken, where you’re literally up against a chicken in a game of Xs and Os; War, a simple yet captivating card game that’s a hit in Asia; Rodent Roulette, a game that was thankfully outlawed due to its inhumane nature; and Pachinko, a Japanese favorite that’s a mash-up of pinball and slot machines.
Sure, these games aren’t popular online casino games, but it’s fascinating to learn about them – so let’s get into it!
Weird Casino Games – Kicking Off with Dreidel
Dreidel is a unique casino game that originated centuries ago as a teaching tool for Jewish children. This four-sided spinning top was used to help kids learn the Hebrew alphabet and Jewish traditions. The Hebrew letters on each side of the dreidel signified different actions for the players. Over time, the educational game evolved into a betting game played during Hanukkah and eventually made its way into casinos as an exotic gambling option.
The rules of Dreidel as a casino game are straightforward. Players place bets into a pot before spinning the top. Depending on which letter the dreidel lands on after spinning, the result varies. Here are the different result options:
| Result | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Nun | Nun means “nothing,” and players get none of the pot. |
| Gimel | Gimel stands for “everything” and allows players to take the entire pot. |
| Hey | Hey signifies “half” and lets players take half of the accumulated bets. |
| Shin | Shin represents “put in” and requires players to add more money to the pot. |
The luck-based nature of spinning the dreidel combined with the changing odds depending on the size of the pot makes this game surprisingly exciting. Players never know when their spin will win big or come up empty. While this game might not be a top pick at the best MI casino sites, it has its own fanbase.
While not as fast-paced as slots or poker, Dreidel offers a more methodical, complex challenge for players seeking something different from conventional casino games. Dreidel is a top choice for those looking to try an ancient game with an intriguing backstory. Casinos have brought this Jewish cultural icon into the gambling world, although it can be hard to find. For example, don’t expect to see it at the best online casinos for slots!
Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken
One of the most bizarre casino games is Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken. In this game, players bet on a chicken’s ability to play tic-tac-toe. This game originated in Atlantic City, where players initially bet on a chicken named Ginger in a live head-to-head match. At first glance, the idea of wagering on a chicken playing a kids’ game seems – well, crazy. Yet what kept players coming back was the surprising talent possessed by Ginger, the chicken.
While chickens may lack higher intelligence, Ginger has been explicitly trained to play tic-tac-toe! The rules are like the traditional game: players and the chicken take turns placing Xs and Os on a 3×3 grid, attempting to make a row of three. Ginger has even gone as far as to develop her own techniques, like blockading opponents, that make her capable of actually defeating players! And no, this isn’t some kind of joke – it’s a real game!
The novelty of playing against a chicken makes every match exciting and unpredictable. Even though Ginger has a strong track record, she doesn’t always win – although we assume most players are playing not to win money but to be able to say they’ve played one of the craziest casino games in the world!
War: An Asian Favorite
When it comes to weird casino games, War may not be winning any awards for the most bizarre casino game – but it’s still pretty strange and is worth checking out. The game originated in Asia and has since become a pretty popular choice with players around the world. It’s incredibly easy to pick up, and it’s generally played between two players using a standard 52-card deck.
Once bets have been placed, the deck is divided evenly among the players; they cannot look at the cards. Each person turns over their top card at the same time. The player with the higher value card wins both cards. If the cards are equal in rank, a “war” is declared.
During a “war,” each player places three cards face down and flips the next card face up. The higher face-up card wins all the cards played during that war. The goal is to collect all the cards in the deck.
Despite the basic premise, War provides a pretty suspenseful gambling experience as it’s based on so much luck – and there’s a slight competitive element, too, as you play against other players. However, unlike when you play baccarat online there isn’t a skill element involved – so it’s ideal for those with less casino experience.
For gamblers looking for simple rules, quick gameplay, and pure chance, War hits the mark. Its origins in Asia mean you’ll often see Chinese players crowded around the casino tables – but anyone is welcome, and if you’re looking for something new to try out, give it a try!
Rodent Roulette: Cruel and Inhumane
One of the strangest casino games to have existed is Rodent Roulette. Also called Rat Roulette, this game saw players betting on which slot a spun wheel would stop on, using live rats as the roulette balls. Popular in the 1940s until banned, croupiers would spin a wheel designed to fit rodents, and then players wagered on which rat ended up in what slot.
Though cruel and inhumane, Rodent Roulette drew crowds for its sheer novelty and unpredictability. Using live animals was, of course, something you didn’t see every day – and rather cruelly, when the game began, the rats would frantically scrabble and slide around the wheel as it spun, leading to very unpredictable results.
Thankfully, authorities got involved after animal activists started to protest against the game. It also highlighted how greedy land-based casinos could be without proper regulation; they’d do pretty much anything they could to attract customers. However, there’s no denying that the public’s curiosity about such an unusual concept kept the game in demand until the day it was finally banned.
Pachinko: A Japanese Classic
Pachinko is a casino game that originated in Japan and combines elements of a slot machine with a vertical pinball game. Played on a specialized machine, the goal is to shoot small silver balls into scoring holes to accumulate more balls, which can then be exchanged for prizes. With its bright, colorful graphics and anime character designs, pachinko appeals to fans of Japanese pop culture.
To play, players load one or more balls into the pachinko machine and launch them vertically up a playing field filled with pins and obstacles. As the balls cascade down, the player controls flippers on the side to direct balls into certain areas. Getting balls into specific holes earns more balls, along with lights and sounds. The more balls go into holes, the bigger the payout will be.
The pinball-like setup combines skill and luck, keeping players engaged and trying to guide the ball into high-value areas. Hitting the right shot can set off entertaining animations or bonus rounds themed around favorite anime characters. Modern machines have LCD screens and 3D graphics, creating an immersive, exciting experience.
While pachinko is not officially gambling since cash prizes are illegal in Japan, players can exchange accumulated balls for various rewards. For Western gamblers, playing pachinko offers all the lights, sounds, and action of video slots with the added physicality of pinball. Fans of anime and manga will appreciate the Japanese pop culture theme, although it’s pretty hard to find in land-based casinos due to the skill-based element involved.
