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Rival Software & 40 Online Casinos Reviewed
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Introduction
Rival opened for business in 2006. I didn't hear about them until 2014, but as one of the few software companies friendly to American players, I expect to see more of them in the future.
The quality of the software is about average. The slots, especially the i-slots, are nicely done, but some games, like video poker, could use more realism, especially when it comes to the sound effects.
The software comes in both Flash and download. Despite many efforts, I was unable to get very far with the download casino. If I managed to download it properly, then I couldn't log in or my account got blocked for some reason, despite the casino being U.S. friendly. So, this review is based on the Flash casino only, and my advice would be to stick to that to avoid any aggravation.
Rival Casinos
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Video Poker
I find video poker to be the weakest product in the Rival portfolio of games. A lot of the games, like Tens or Better, are long since dead in the land casinos. The returns are all over the place, from 98.10% to 99.54%. None of the games offer a multi-play option, and the sound effects are just not right.
The following table shows the Video Poker games available in alphabetical order.
Rival Video Poker Alphabetic Order
| Game review | Return | Power Poker | Multi-Play | Pay Table | Live Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aces & Faces | 99.26% | No | No | 800-50-80-40-25-8-5-4-3-2-1 | No |
| Deuces Wild | 99.37% | No | No | 800-250-45-15-9-4-3-2-2-1 | No |
| Deuces and Joker Wild | 99.07% | No | No | 2000-800-25-12-9-6-3-3-3-2-1 | No |
| Double Joker Poker | 98.10% | No | No | 800-100-50-25-8-5-4-3-2-1 | No |
| Jacks or Better | 99.54% | No | No | 800-50-25-9-6-4-3-2-1 | No |
| Joker Poker (kings or better) | 98.60% | No | No | 1000-200-100-50-17-7-5-3-2-1-1 | No |
| Tens or Better | 99.14% | No | No | 800-50-25-6-5-4-3-2-1 | No |
Here is the same list in returns range, choose your game wisely.
Rival Video Poker Return Order
| Game review | Return | Power Poker | Multi-Play | Pay Table | Live Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacks or Better | 99.54% | No | No | 800-50-25-9-6-4-3-2-1 | No |
| Deuces Wild | 99.37% | No | No | 800-250-45-15-9-4-3-2-2-1 | No |
| Aces & Faces | 99.26% | No | No | 800-50-80-40-25-8-5-4-3-2-1 | No |
| Tens or Better | 99.14% | No | No | 800-50-25-6-5-4-3-2-1 | No |
| Deuces and Joker Wild | 99.07% | No | No | 2000-800-25-12-9-6-3-3-3-2-1 | No |
| Joker Poker (kings or better) | 98.60% | No | No | 1000-200-100-50-17-7-5-3-2-1-1 | No |
| Double Joker Poker | 98.10% | No | No | 800-100-50-25-8-5-4-3-2-1 | No |
Blackjack
 Blackjack |
 Multi-hand Blackjack |
One of my biggest annoyances with Internet gambling is casinos that don't disclose the number of decks they use, especially in blackjack. This is the case with casinos using Rival software. I've asked at three different Rival casinos, but none of them could tell me the number of decks used. I don't think any of them even understood what I was asking.
There are two versions of blackjack: standard blackjack, with one hand at a time, and multi-hand blackjack, which allows up to three hands. Here are what rules I know:
Blackjack
- Decks: ?
- Dealer hits soft 17
- Dealer peeks for blackjack.
- Player may double any two cards.
- Double after split allowed
- Surrender not allowed
- Player may re-split to up to four hands, except aces.
Assuming eight decks, as a worst case scenario, the house edge would be 0.66%.
Multi-Hand Blackjack
- Decks: ?
- Dealer hits soft 17
- Dealer peeks for blackjack.
- Player may double 9 to 11 only.
- Double after split not allowed
- Surrender not allowed
- Player may re-split to up to four hands, except aces.
Assuming eight decks, as a worst case scenario, the house edge would be 0.90%.
If you somehow find the actual number of decks, you can find the house edge using my blackjack house edge calculator.
The following table shows the Blackjack games available in alphabetical order.
Here is the same list in returns range, choose your game wisely.
Baccarat
 Baccarat |
The standard baccarat rules are followed with eight decks of cards. The house edges on the three bets are:
- Banker: 1.06%.
- Player: 1.24%.
- Tie: 14.36%.
For more information, please visit my page on baccarat.
Craps
 Craps |
Pass, Come
The player may bet 3-4-5X odds after a point is rolled. This means 3x on a point of 4 or 10, 4x on a 5 or 9, and 5x on a 6 or 8. If the player always makes the maximum odds bet, then the combined house edge between the pass and odds bet averages to 0.37%.
Don't Pass, Don't Come
As on the pass line, the player may bet 3-4-5X odds after a point is rolled, based on the amount bet. In land casinos, the odds are always relative to the potential win, but I have yet to see an Internet casino properly understand this rule. The way Rival does it, the combined house edge between the don't pass and laying the odds is 0.36%.
Field
The liberal rules are followed that pay 3 to 1 on a 12, for a house edge of 2.78%.
Place, Buy
The standard place bets odds are offered. The following table shows the house edge according to the place bet made.
Place Bets
| Point | Pays | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| 4, 10 | 9 to 5 | 6.67% |
| 5, 9 | 7 to 5 | 4.00% |
| 6, 8 | 7 to 6 | 1.52% |
The player must pre-pay the commission on buy bets all the time. The following table shows what each buy bet pays on a "to one" basis and the house edge.
Buy Bets
| Point | Pays | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| 4, 10 | 39 to 21 | 4.76% |
| 5, 9 | 29 to 21 | 4.76% |
| 6, 8 | 23 to 21 | 4.76% |
Don't Place, Lay
Players in the UK and Australia will already be familiar with don't place bets. For the rest of the world, they are basically the opposite of place bets, where you win on a seven and lose on the chosen point. The following table shows the odds and house edge according to the don't place bet made.
Don't Place Bets
| Point | Pays | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| 4, 10 | 5 to 11 | 3.03% |
| 5, 9 | 5 to 8 | 2.50% |
| 6, 8 | 4 to 5 | 1.82% |
The player must pre-pay the commission on lay bets all the time. The commission is based on the potential win. The following table shows what each buy bet pays on a "to one" basis and the house edge.
Lay Bets
| Point | Pays | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| 4, 10 | 19 to 41 | 2.44% |
| 5, 9 | 19 to 31 | 3.23% |
| 6, 8 | 19 to 25 | 4.00% |
It should be noted that the house edge is less on don't place bets, except on the 4 and 10.
Proposition Bets
The standard American odds are followed, as shown in the following table.
Proposition Bets
| Point | Pays | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Hard hops | 30 | 13.89% |
| Easy hops | 15 | 11.11% |
| Any craps | 7 | 11.11% |
| Any seven | 4 | 16.67% |
It should be noted that the odds on the table incorrectly say "for" when they mean "to."
Hard Ways
The standard American odds are followed on the hard ways, as shown in the following table.
Hard Way Bets
| Point | Pays | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| 4 and 10 | 7 | 11.11% |
| 6 and 8 | 9 | 9.09% |
Keno
 Keno |
 Vegas Jackpot Keno |
There are two keno games to choose from, regular and Vegas Jackpot.
Keno
Following is the pay table for the standard keno game.
Following is the pay table for the Vegas Jackpot keno game.
Following is the expected return for both games by number of picks.
Keno Return Table
| Picks | Keno | Vegas Jackpot |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75.00% | 87.50% |
| 2 | 92.09% | 90.19% |
| 3 | 93.04% | 90.19% |
| 4 | 93.79% | 93.16% |
| 5 | 93.87% | 92.79% |
| 6 | 93.79% | 93.23% |
| 7 | 94.15% | 92.22% |
| 8 | 92.90% | 95.84% |
| 9 | 93.43% | 90.32% |
| 10 | 94.54% | 96.48% |
| 11 | 93.10% | |
| 12 | 94.22% | |
| 13 | 94.90% | |
| 14 | 94.27% | |
| 15 | 94.39% |
As you can see, the greatest return is the pick-10 on the Vegas Jackpot game at 96.48%.
Sudoku
 Sudoku |
I think every software brand should have at least one game they invented themselves, besides slots. In the case of Rival, they have Sudoku.
To be honest, it is kind of like a slot machine. The game picks nine numbers from 1 to 9, arranges them in a 3 by 3 matrix, and pays the player mostly based on any three of a kind or greater.
I created a page on Sudoku with all the details. The bottom line is the house edge is 15.05% (ouch!).
Slots
There are lots of slot machines available. These screenshots are just a small sampling. They are categorized as follows:
- i-slots
- 3-reel slots
- 5-reel slots
- Progressive
The i-slots are something special. They are kind of like Pac Man, where there is a little animation from time to time. In the case of the i-games, they reveal a story line, loosely based on a soap opera. The "As the Reels Turn" series is about a casino. I didn't have the patience to get very far, but the introduction was very well done. The player advances through the game by getting so many "Advance to the Next Scene" icons in one play.
Rival is nice enough to declare the return in the help files, which range quite a bit. The following list, in return order, is for just some of the games I checked. These are taken from the Rival website, so they may or may not be the same at any actual Rival powered casino.
Slot Returns
| Hand | Pays |
|---|---|
| Rock On | 98.00% |
| Dog Pound Dollars | 95.37% |
| Spy Game | 95.09% |
| Psychedelic Sixties | 95.00% |
| Heros Realm | 94.03% |
| Japan-o-Rama | 93.71% |
| Aussie Rules | 93.42% |
| Sevens and Bars | 93.18% |
| Money Magic | 91.15% |
| One million reels BC | 90.59% |
My advice is to check the help files of as many games as you have the patience for and then play the one with the greatest return.
Red Dog
 Red Dog |
The usual rules are followed with one deck of cards. The house edge is 3.55%.
For more information, please see my Red Dog page.
Casino War
 Casino Battle |
Rival calls this game Casino Battle, but the name change is fooling nobody. The standard rules are followed with six decks of cards. No bonus for a tie after a tie.
The only strategy you need to know is to go to war on ties. With six decks, the house edge is 2.88%.
For more information, please see my page on Casino War.
Let it Ride
 Ride 'em Poker |
Rival calls this game Ride 'Em Poker, but I prefer the original name Let it Ride. The standard rules are followed with the Swaziland pay table that goes as follows:
Ride 'Em Poker Pay Table
| Hand | Pays |
|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 |
| Straight flush | 50 |
| Four of a kind | 25 |
| Full house | 12 |
| Flush | 10 |
| Straight | 8 |
| Three of a kind | 3 |
| Two pair | 2 |
| Tens or better | 1 |
From my Let it Ride appendix 3, you can see the house edge is 2.96%, which is better than the 3.51% under the American pay table.
Pai Gow Poker
 Pai Gow Poker |
Pai Gow Poker is dealt by the standard rules. Conveniently, there is a house way button. The player isn't able to spoil his hand because the game won't let the player choose a low hand that is better than the high hand. As usual with online pai gow poker, the dealer is always the banker. Assuming the player plays the house way, the house edge is 2.72%. Under optimal strategy it is 2.51%.
For more information, please see my page on pai gow poker.
Roulette
 Double-Zero Roulette |
 Single-Zero Roulette |
Both single-zero and double-zero roulette are available. In both cases, even money bets lose when the ball lands in either zero. The house edge is 2.70% in the single-zero game and 5.26% in double-zero.
Scratch Cards
 Cast for Cash |
There are several scratch card games available. The rules don't declare the return, so you're on your own there.
Conclusion
Rival Gaming serves as the most prominent US friendly gaming software alternative to those who want to try something other than RTG. Players looking to play at Rival powered casinos need to use caution though, as there are many subpar and rogue casinos offering these games, and players will have little recourse to get their winnings if a casino denies the withdrawal.
With that being said, there are several unique and interesting Rival games out there, with some games offering large progressive jackpots to players. Rival serves as a decent alternative to players who face restricted betting options, but it is by no means the best online gambling software out there.