The most popular casino games being played in Montreal in 2022

Montreal has a long and intriguing history when it comes to gambling. Like so much in Quebec culture, it is a little different to the rest of Canada. Montreal’s magnificent casino on Notre Dame island will celebrate its 30^thanniversary next year and its unique architecture makes it one of the best-known landmarks in the city. 

Yet, long before Île Notre-Dame even came into existence, there was a thriving gambling culture in Montreal. In the late 1940s, there were 200 gambling establishments dotted around the city. The game of choice was barbotte back in those days, although slots and chemin de fer, the original European version of baccarat, were also popular. 

Montreal in the online age

Today, the Casino de Montreal does brisk business, but still, most of the gambling in Montreal takes place online. Web based casinos are easy to access from desktops or smartphones and tend to offer the best promo deals as they have fewer overheads. Online casino games in Canada are also quite different to the casino games that were trending 75 years ago, with nary a barbotte table or a game of Chemmie to be found. Yet not everything has changed. Let’s check out the most popular casino games being played in Montreal right now.

Slots

The first slot games appeared on the scene in the late 1800s, so are much older than you might think. Online casinos have hundreds of titles, slots are easy to understand and they can tempt you with their impressivejackpots. Most casinos offer new player free slot spins on joining too, so all in all, their popularity is unsurprising. 

Roulette

The second most popular game in Montreal, roulette can divide opinion. It’s a game that allows for no skill or decision making other than where to place your bet – but even that makes no material difference in the long run. It makes roulette a great choice for inexperienced players, as they can play on equal terms with casino veterans.

Blackjack

In most of the Western world, blackjack is the number one rated casino game. It has third spot in the hearts and minds of Montreal gamblers, favoured by more mature gamblers who know their way around the tables and have dedicated a little time to researching basic blackjack strategy. It’s well worth doing as when you follow the rules, you can reduce the house edge from more than two percent to less than one percent.

Poker

Montreal’s poker scene has a real buzz to it. The World Poker Tour Montreal is an annual event that has been going since 2006 and the success of local heroes like Quebec-born Jonathan Duhamel and Isabelle Mercier has inspired more men and women in Montreal to give poker a go. There are also far more opportunities for novices to make those first baby steps thanks to games like video poker and three card poker that do not involve taking on more experienced players.