Whether you’re living it up on the Las Vegas strip or curled up on the sofa with your smartphone, casino games basically fall into two categories. The table games are for the traditionalists. Roulette, blackjack, baccarat, three-card poker, these are the casino staples that are the same today as they were 100 years ago. Then there are the slots. Constantly evolving, this is where the innovation lies, and you can find new games every week.

At least, that used to be the case. The traditional games are as popular as they have ever been, but the current emphasis on live tables has inspired developers to explore new games over which they can hold court – as well as a few variations on older ones! Here are three such games that are causing a stir.

Football studio

Here’s a game that few had heard of a year ago, yet it’s now becoming a must-have for casino platforms. Despite the name and the football theme, this game has nothing to do with sports betting. It’s actually a super-simple version of baccarat, played by dealing a single card to either “home” or “away” All you have to do is call a winner for an even money return, or back the draw at 11/1. Football studio has proved popular due to the simple rules and the great presentation. But from a gambling perspective, it’s more style than substance and the comparatively high house edge means you’re better off sticking with baccarat in the long term.

Lightning roulette

Like Football Studio, this is another variation on a classic theme from Evolution Gaming. But where the first game simplifies, this adds a welcome extra dimension to what is consistently voted the most popular game to play at the casino online. For the most part, the game follows the standard rules of European roulette – that’s the one with the single zero only. However, there is then the lightning strike that comes into play. For every spin of the wheel, it will light up between one and five numbers at random. If you placed a straight up bet on one of these lucky numbers, your payout increases by a multiplier that could be anything from 50 to 500. The great thing about this variation is it makes you rethink your roulette strategy by significantly boosting the potential return on straight up bets.

Cribbage

Some games are naturals for casino play, others less so. Anyone who knows their card games would probably put cribbage into the latter category. It’s a wonderful game, and one with an intriguing history, having been invented by Sir John Suckling, a renowned English poet of the early 17th century, but the rules are complex and a game can take an hour or more. 1x2 gaming rose to the challenge, however, and has created a simplified version of cribbage that is easy to master and is becoming a cult hit at the online casinos. Player and dealer are dealt four cards each, and the community card placed in the middle is known as the crib. Score points with pairs, straights, flushes and so on as you would in poker, in a race to reach a set target faster than your opponent. It’s fun, it’s addictive and it might just be the next big live gaming trend.