Crash gambling – A look into one of the hottest game genres today

A few years ago, crash gambling was only popular on a few niche websites, but fast-forward to today and that has soon changed… 

As online slots, jackpot games and live casinos dominated the industry, the crash game has mostly flown under the radar, played by degens and crypto’s early adopters. It’s all changing today, with crash games becoming one of the most exciting (and lucrative) new casino verticals. 

Now, games such as SPRIBE’s Aviator is attracting huge numbers. That game attracts 350,000 worldwide bets per minute, attracting more than 40 million players each month. 

With plenty of providers getting into the action, including popular slots studios like Pragmatic Play offering their take, crash gambling has indeed become mainstream.

So, what is crash gambling?

Crash gambling became popular in 2018 thanks to the release of Spribe’s Aviator, an experimental game stripped of the usual complex gameplay and design, most commonly seen in slots and table games. 

Avaitor’s concept was simple yet thrilling – hold a bet on an increasing multiplier. The aim of the game is to cash out before the multiplier crashes, hence the aviating-related name. 

For example, if you wager £10 and decide to cash out at 3.15x, then your payout would be  £31.50. However, if you hold on long enough to see the multiplier crash, the game ends and you lose your bet - that is the gamble.

One of the appeals of crash games is that they give players ‘control’ of their bets, on when to cash out. However, similar to most casino games, crash gambling games also offer random outcomes, determined by a Random Number Generator (RNG).

The game’s multiplier – like the plane in Aviator, for example – uses RNG software, which ensures a random and fair outcome for each betting round. Recently, crash games have been associated with crypto gambling, since the majority of sites offering crash games accept Bitcoin and altcoins for bets.

Then, it led to the growth of provably fair games, a collection of crash-inspired games built around crypto and blockchain. These crash games don’t just accept BTC and crypto for bets; they're provably fair too which means you can always verify its results for transparency. 

Today, Aviator is easily accessible, with some of the biggest casino operators jumping onto the crash gambling trend. Casinos such as Betway, Paddy Power, Casushi, PlayOJO, Parimatch and more all currently offer this popular crash game.

Why are crash games popular?

Firstly, it’s all about the game’s simplicity. Instead of playing casino games with complex rules, that also rely on some strategies, crash games deliver quick entertainment. 

Even if you’re a beginner, you can understand it and get started with placing bets in minutes. What’s even more exciting is that you can have control of your bet, and decide whether to hold on, or cash out depending on your risk appetite. 

Imagine having control of the plane (sometimes, a rocket), and once it flies, you decide to instantly cash out for a sure (but small payout), or hold on to the bet and hope it soars higher for a bigger payout potential. 

The gameplay may look simple, but there’s the twist – the plane (and its associated multiplier) can crash at any time. In crash betting, you’re constantly weighing whether it’s best to hold or cash out at a later time for a better payout.

Secondly, crash games let you enjoy your bets with friends and other players. There’s a social element in most crash games available in top casinos today. Most of these games feature a bet tracker, and you can even watch others cash out early, win or lose. 

You’ll even find a chatroom beside the betting menu that lets you send messages and engage with other bettors. The crash game boasts fast gameplay, builds a community of bettors and enthusiasts, as well as providing plenty of thrills to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Thirdly, as mentioned earlier, crash casinos accept Bitcoin and crypto as bets. So while the game’s simplicity may appeal to players who are used to PC gaming, it’s also relevant for those who are adept in the fast-changing crypto space. 

And, since some of these games are built on the blockchain, many crash game variants are provably fair, meaning bettors can easily verify results for fairness.

Finally, the popular crash game boasts potentially lucrative payouts. Many of these games boast a top multiplier of up to 1,000x the bet, and others are designed with a theoretical one million times the bet as the jackpot. 

Unlike most slot machines, the average crash game boasts a higher-than-usual RTP, of at least 97%. Meanwhile, slots can be less, with many popular titles falling in the 94-96% RTP range.

Quick guide on how to play crash games

Now we’ve covered the basics of the crash game, its features and its reasons for popularity, we’re ready to dive into the action. Here’s a quick run-through on how you can start betting and enjoying the crash game.

1. Log in to your crypto casino account: Use your registered username and password to log in to your account to start betting. If not, you’ll need to find a legit casino that offers crash games or other provably fair games.
2. Top up your account: Lots of online licensed UK casinos offer crash games, but to get started you must make your first deposit so you have funds to play with. 
3. Navigate to the games lobby and find the crash game: Launch the crash game you want to play and, once loaded, set your bet. Most casinos let you start betting for as low as £0.10. Click the ‘bet’ button to confirm the wager.
4. Watch the multiplier: Once the round starts, the in-game multiplier starts to increase. This multiplier starts at 1x and can go all the way to 1,000x or more depending on the games supplier.
5. Cash out before it crashes: Pay attention to the rising multiplier and make sure to cash out before it crashes. If you successfully cash out, you’re paid based on the bet and winning multiplier.

Pro tip: Missed the betting round? Don’t worry. A new betting round will start in just a few seconds. Crash games in top online casinos never end; there’s always a new betting round that’s about to start in seconds.

Strategies to consider when betting in crash games

Players always want the best deals and the possibility to win huge payouts when playing online casino games. But first, let's set the record straight – a crash game’s result is always random and fair. 

There’s no single strategy that can guide players into a winning bet every time. Although the outcomes are always at random, there are a few strategies you could use to improve your chances of collecting a payout in this popular game:

• Play crash in demo: If you’re a beginner, we highly recommend starting with the game’s demo version. By playing it in a demo, you can understand the gameplay, browse the features and test a few betting strategies, risk-free.
• Start with small bets: Don’t instantly dive into huge bets. Start with small bets so you’ll get a feel of its volatility and payouts. For example, you can start with 1% -5% of your total bankroll. If you have a budget of £100, you may want to start with £1-£5 as a bet per round.
• Use the game’s betting menu and tools: Most crash games offer a betting menu where players can set their loss or win limit. For example, you can set a ‘cashout at’ figure. So, if you pick 2.5x as your ‘cashout at’, it means that the system automatically cashes out the bet for you once it’s hit.

• Check out the casino’s bonuses and free bets: You can increase your chances of playing longer if you collect bonuses. Free bets and deposit match bonuses for crash games are the most common offers at top crash betting sites. However, when playing at a normal casino, most bonuses won’t be inclusive of crash games - so do keep an eye out for that.
• Follow your instinct, and enjoy: As we’ve already mentioned, a crash game is built on fairness and random outcomes. You can’t find a single working strategy that can guarantee your big wins every time. As such, it’s better to just enjoy the game and cash out based on your risk appetite. But in doing so, make sure to play responsibly and bet within limits.

An iGaming revolution

Crash is a revolutionary game concept and casino vertical. It boasts simple gameplay, and huge multipliers and is built on a provably fair setup. Social interaction and mobility are also strong features of these games, adding to their appeal among the younger audience. 

Unlike slot machines or card games, which often boast a solitary experience, the best crash games often buzz with betting action and interaction as bettors share and brag about their winning multipliers on the live chat and scoreboard.