Crash Gambling 101
What are crash games? They are a new form of gambling that’s only been around for a few years but is taking the world of online casinos by storm. They take gambling back to basics with their simple rules, premise, and often minimalistic graphics. Instead of elaborate contraptions with reels, win lines and symbols, crash games consist of little more than a counter. When a new round begins, a multiplier starts to grow from zero - and it stops at a random value.
Players will stake an amount of their choice. As soon as the multiplier starts to grow, players have the option to cash out. They can be cautious and cash out at low values or be brave and wait for longer - it’s up to them. But as soon as the multiplier “crashes”, all the bets that weren’t cashed out are lost.
A Bit of History
Many people think that Aviator, Spribe’s insanely successful crash game, was the first to be released. The original crash game was “Bustabit”, a multiplayer crypto gambling game released in 2014. And it has been quite successful: since its release, more than 800,000 players wagered over 2.3 million Bitcoin on it. The game has an overall return-to-player of almost 99%, beating pretty much every other form of gambling.
Aviator, the crash game that everyone has grown to love in 2023, was a sleeper hit. It was first built by Spribe as an exclusive title for Adjarabet, a Georgian betting site owned by PaddyPower Betfair - now Flutter Entertainment. It was launched in February 2019, with great success: it exceeded all expectations in terms of players and wagers. This called for a wide release.
Aviator 2.0
Aviator 2.0 hit the market in August 2019. It was a new and improved version of the game, with a more polished interface, better optimized, and more lightweight. The goal was to create a more streamlined game version that would work well on slow internet connections and low-end devices. I would say it was a two for two.
And the rest, as they say, is history. Aviator started to spread, flying to every corner of the globe, and becoming the hottest form of gambling in 2023. And, of course, prompting others to release their own take on crash games.
How to Play Crash Games?
While there are many different crash games, with different themes and formats, the basic principle behind them is the same:
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You bet
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You watch the multiplier grow
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If you cash out before the multiplier “crashes”, you win
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If not, you lose
Most crash games have an autoplay feature that allows you to bet automatically on every round and cash out at a predefined multiplier.
Popular Crash Games Today
When it comes to popularity, Aviator is certainly at the top of the players’ preferences. But other contenders also want a piece of the players’ attention.
Crash
A variant of the original Bustabit, with slightly better graphics. It’s only available at Stake.com.
JetX
JetX is what you would call an “Aviator on steroids”. Here, the propeller plane is replaced by a fighter jet - otherwise, the game is pretty much the same.
Big Bass Crash
Reel Kingdom’s “Big Bass” series got the crash game treatment in this game. The fisherman from the games is now driving a fishing boat with a big net collecting schools of fish. As usual, you have to cash out before it “crashes”.
Spaceman
Another crash game variant, this time from Pragmatic Play. Instead of a plane, an astronaut is soaring through the atmosphere. You need to cash out before something irreversible happens to them.
Zeppelin
As its name suggests, “Zeppelin” is another crash game reminiscent of Aviator, built by Betsolutions. Instead of a plane, you watch a blimp soar.
Jet Lucky 2 and Skyliner
Similar games with different themes, both built by Gaming Corps. As you might expect, Jet Lucky 2 features a fighter jet and an extra bonus if it shoots down enemies. Skyliner has a noir theme and a classic plane soaring.
Space XY
Bgaming’s Space XY has the same premise as Aviator but no automatic cashout.
ThunderCrash
ThunderCrash is an Ignition Casino exclusive with visuals seemingly inspired by Tron. It’s a fun take on crash gaming.
As the popularity of the crash games continues to grow, we’ll surely see more of them appear at the top game providers of the iGaming world.
Can You Predict the Results in Crash Games?
While it does represent a completely new take on gambling, crash gaming is just like other gambling games: it’s completely fair, with every round completely independent from all others. In short, its results cannot be predicted.
This doesn’t stop people from pretending that it can be. Just like in the case of roulette, where people promise “systems” that beat the game, there are “Aviator predictors” and “Aviator cheats” showing up all over the web.
Let’s make one thing clear once and for all: Aviator, and all other crash gambling games, are tamper-proof and unpredictable. No matter if it’s a version powered by the blockchain or a random number generator, there’s no way you can predict a crash game’s result, or cheat on it. Don’t believe anyone pretending otherwise.
What Makes Crash Games Special?
The popularity of crash games is soaring as we speak (no pun intended). But why? What makes them so special that now everyone wants to play them? There are several things about these games that make them stand out:
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Simple rules: Playing crash games is as simple as playing slot machines.
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Control: Crash games allow players to decide when they cash out. No other game does that.
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Live chat: Ever since Bustabit hit the web, crash games had a chat module built into them. This has become a tradition.
Winning Tips and Strategies
One of the things that make crash games special is that they allow players to decide when they cash out. This makes them a potentially very lucrative game to play - as long as you don’t get greedy.
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Aim for low multipliers: If you take a look at the game’s history (pretty much every crash game has it), you’ll see that lower payouts happen much more frequently than higher ones. Stick to low multipliers.
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Make use of auto cashout: You can set most crash games up to bet and cash out automatically as soon as the multiplier reaches a specific level.
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Manage your bankroll wisely: Always gamble responsibly! Be disciplined, practice good bankroll management, and don’t let yourself be carried away!
If you wonder where to play Aviator or other crash games, here’s a list of reputable South African mobile casinos where you can do so:
There’s more to crash gaming than just Aviator. Its success has determined others to release their own take on the genre, giving us countless amazing games to try. So, if you get bored by the soaring plane, you can always try your luck with a soaring blimp, a rocket, a Spaceman, or even a fishing net dragged by a boat.
No matter which game you try, though, make sure to play it responsibly. Don’t get greedy, manage your bankroll wisely, and keep it fun!
Online Casino Savant and Globetrotter
Bonni Masike’s expertise spans over a decade in journalism and five years in the iGaming industry, where she brings insightful analysis to casino platforms and gaming trends. Bonni's unique blend of professional qualifications and in-house iGaming training ensures her content is informative, engaging, and reliable. She excels in translating complex casino concepts into accessible information, guiding both new and seasoned players. As a seasoned travel writer turned online casino aficionado, Bonni offers in-depth insights into user experience, game selection, and security in online casinos. Whether exploring new destinations or navigating the digital casino world, Bonni's passion and professionalism shine through.