Cue Sports at the Casino: Rebuilding the Connection Online
Cue Sports at the Casino: Rebuilding the Connection Online
If you go back in time ten or twenty years, there was a definite connection between pool or billiards and gambling. We don't just mean betting on the outcome of games; you're as free to do that today as you ever have been; but playing a game of pool or billiards used to be part of the casino experience. Wherever you went to play a cue game, you might also find a slot machine, or a card table. Part of the reason that players of cue based games wear tuxedos is down to that origin; the game would be played in an establishment full of gentlemen, playing some or all of the above games. It can even still be a source of controversy when someone decides to go to a snooker table in less than the required standard of attire (like when Liang Wenbo failed to wear a bow-tie in 2011 World Cup match against Fergal O'Brien).
Now, that connection has become a little broken. There are plenty of dedicated pool and billiards venues out there, but you're less likely to find other gaming machines nearby. There have been some unorthodox attempts to put that connection back; such as the invention of the game of "casino billiards", but there have also been more direct attempts to put the two games back together by making other gambling machines based on billiards or pool.
Dedicated websites that offer a variety of games, especially ones that have a strong sporting range, now play host to slot games that take the look and feel of a game of billiards, pool, or snooker, and transform them into a format that can be played on the reels, offering you the chance to win money and put yourself back in that casino "frame" of mind (sorry about the pun!). We've looked at and played a number of the better known and more popular slot games attempting to build that bridge, and these are the best ones we've found.
Pool Shark
We all know what a pool shark is. Most of us have encountered more than a few in our time. If you're one of the better players out there, you might even have been one from time to time! ‘Pool shark' takes its title quite literally though. This is a shark, playing pool, underwater. As you may have guessed from that description, the game revolves around a sense of fun more than a serious attempt to replicate the game of pool.
It makes for an amusing experience, as you'd expect, with some fun cartoon-ish visuals. You're looking to match symbols from the game of pool on the reels, with top prizes awarded, as you'd expect, for the 8 ball. It's a five reel, three row game with twenty five paying lines that keeps things simple whilst trying to raise a smile from its players.
8-Ball Slots
If you're new to the concept of playing slot games, this is probably the game to start with. The common layout for an online slot game is five reels and three rows, as the last title had. This one features the format that was more common when slot games were land based; still three rows, but online three reels. That means far fewer possible combinations, and therefore in theory more chances of finding a winning line.
Everything about the game takes its roots from the game of pool. It's played on a green baize background, all of the symbols on the reels are balls of various values, and the simplicity of the presentation is also the beauty of it. There's no chance of confusion, it's as easy to understand as it is to look at, and the only major decision you have to worry about is the choice of stake. The game doesn't try to confuse you with additional features or bonuses, because there aren't any!
Cool Pool
Is pool cool? We suppose so. Billiards might be cooler, but only because fewer people play it. That's how hipsters look at the world, isn't it? This is a slot game that takes its inspiration not just from the physical game of pool, but the elements that go around it. You'll see actual pool players turn up on the reels, as well as the occasional drink. It's an attempt to take the atmosphere of the game back inside he pool halls of old, where it was part and parcel of a night at the bar.
This game offers a progressive jackpot, which is a method by which bolder players can store their winnings and wager them again for the opportunity at an even larger win next time around. There are nine wild symbols, any of which can multiply your maximum win by a factor of whatever is showing on the balls, and adjustable minimum stakes which should make either cautious or risky-friendly gamblers feel comfortable.
Straight Pool
The clue is in the name for this one. No frills, no tricks, no left-field takes on the theme, this is just a slot game which based itself on pool, and keeps things simple. Not everybody wants or needs progressive jackpots or bonus features when they're playing slot games; a title that is intuitive and straight to the point is appreciated just as often. Especially for people who are wanting to play without spending time learning all the quirks of the individual game!
There are five reels, three slots, a few wild and scatter symbols, and a free spins feature. That's enough to keep things interesting without making the playing area crowded, and because of that it really does look like you're at a pool table, corner pockets and all. Twenty paylines means there are a few different ways you could come away with a profit if luck's on your side.
The pool and billiards market isn't quite as well served in the slot world as snooker is - which shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone - where Ronnie O'Sullivan even has his own game. Some of the snooker titles have a bonus round where you can actually play a game of snooker, which would be a big plus, and we'd like to see someone offer this in a pool or billiards game if they want to persuade us to come back for repeat play. Until then, we'll take what we've got with the games on this list. It beats playing a standard one armed bandit!
Cue Sports at the Casino: Rebuilding the Connection Online
- Title: Cue Sports at the Casino: Rebuilding the Connection Online
- Author: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)
- Published: 12/24/2018 6:45:56 AM
- Last Updated: 1/26/2020 1:55:20 PM
- Last Updated By: billiardsforum
