When people think of online gambling they usually think of poker, blackjack, slots, craps, roulette and baccarat – and it’s fairly easy to understand why. These are some of the oldest, most popular and lucrative games in both virtual and live casinos. They dish out some of the most action and have attracted a worldwide following.

This said, they are hardly the only profitable and exciting online casino options. Online casinos are constantly adding new games as well as innovative variations on old favourites. Moreover, there are a slew of games out there that don't take days, months or years to master. In fact, they take mere minutes to understand and can pay out surprising sums. Here are a few of my favourites...

Online Scratch Cards

Spare yourself the trip to the corner store and the standing around viciously scratching away whilst trying to manoeuvre around preteens buying more sugar-ridden treats than you can remember seeing in your lifetime. Online scratch cards are by far the easiest and quickest way to take a turn with Lady Luck. There is absolutely no skill involved in winning. As long as you are old enough to play online and can log into a casino, you can win. Usually, all you have to do is get a certain number of symbols or values 3 or more times on a given card and you’re in the money.

Bingo

Another no brainer that can deal out big time! Bingo, while immensely popular in live games, is a comparatively untapped treasure online, though it's following is growing exponentially. When all is said and done, bingo is a game of pure luck. Providing you are paying enough attention to dab the correct number and letters if they are called, there is nothing else to be done – and actually, the majority of online bingo games give you the auto-dabber option, which means the computer will mark the square for you. What's more, you can cater to your budget and schedule by purchasing almost any number of cards and a variety of different stakes. Bingo is definitely a great game to play if you may be mildly distracted by something else.

Keno

Similarly, Keno requires little skill and allows for a flexible timeframe. What's more, it can deal out some pretty big money for a relatively tiny wager. The difference between Keno, scratch cards and bingo is that many people believe that there is an element of technique involved in playing winning Keno since you can actually select the numbers you hope to see on the Keno board. If you have lucky numbers, play them. Use about 3 or 4 of your favourites when you start and then check for trends in the last fifteen or so games that were played. (You can check the game history to see this.) Of course, whether or not the numbers you select appear is pure chance.

The majority of online casinos offer a variety of these games, including the Tower Gaming Casino. They will employ different themes and promotions, like Tropical Bingo or Bonus Keno, which help provide variation on the feel of the game without changing its basic essence – which is a good thing. The draw of these options lies in their universally quick, easy and exciting appeal.

- Patricia Lang, Tower Gaming Media Room Manager