What types of games immediately come to mind when discussing what the latest online casinos have to offer? You are likely to reply with popular genres such as slots, live poker feeds, crash titles, and branded originals. While these are all perfectly valid observations, why not instead stick with a classic?

Mines is the ideal example of how it is nearly impossible to improve a game that has existed for nearly four decades. Stemming from Microsoft Minesweeper that was first introduced within the Microsoft Entertainment Pack as far back as 1990, mines has since become a player favourite.

However, those who are new to the iGaming community might not be aware of how to play mines, some of the most successful strategies, and what quality providers such as Stake.com have to offer. Let’s take an in-depth look at what mines entails, and some of the ways in which you may be able to bend the odds in your favour.

A Basic Overview of Mines

One thing to keep in mind is that “mines” does not generally refer to a specific title, or brand. It instead is used to describe an entire category of online casino games. The primary goal of mines is to click certain tiles contained within a grid. Some of these are safe spaces, while a handful contain hidden mines. As you might have already guessed, landing on a mine will bring the journey to an abrupt halt.

This is also where the fun begins. The objective is not merely to survive a round. It is to rack up the points as you progress. The more safe tiles you uncover, the higher the rewards. Note that these may also sometimes come in the form of multipliers; significantly increasing the initial wager.

There can also be instances when players can select the number of mines that will be embedded throughout the grid. This essentially enables them to control the level of risk involved. For instance, Stake mines allows users to choose between three and 24 mines per round. Still, remember that fewer mines will often equate to lower payouts. This is when experience comes “into play”.

Now that we have developed an understanding of the basic mechanics, it is a good idea to discuss some of the finer points, and how these can be exploited to your benefit.

What do the Numbers Signify?

This next point is (arguably) one of the most important, and one that some players fail to fully grasp. Let’s imagine that you have uncovered a safe square within a mines grid. Clicking on this space will reveal other nearby sections. Some of these may contain numbers. These numbers are crucial if you hope to avoid a sudden death.

Every square is surrounded by eight adjacent fields (three on the top, three on the bottom, and one on each side). The numbers contained within these squares highlight how many mines are located nearby. For instance, a “1” indicates that a single mine is hidden within an adjacent square. “2” signifies that two mines are lurking nearby. The key here is to logically deduce where mines are located, and to avoid these areas. Those who possess a fair amount of experience may even be able to clear the entire board; resulting in a significant win.

Another unique feature that is often attributed to classic mines games involves the colours of the numbers. Green numbers are used to denote a relatively safe area, and therefore, fewer nearby mines. Tones such as yellow and red hint that danger is nearby; especially if you happen to uncover a square surrounded by a significant amount of red. Colours are a means to quickly interpret the next move, and they are also a convenient option when playing on a smaller screen (you can interpret the tone as opposed to the integer in question).

Additional Built-In Features

One of the most appealing aspects of mines is that while brands may adjust specific in-game elements, the mechanics tend to be similar across disparate platforms. We are not only referring to the fundamentals in this sense. There are plenty of other metrics that players can exploit; especially once they begin gaining experience over time.

One of these involves the size of the wager. There are instances when users can choose to wager half of the funds deposited each round, or instead select a multiplier (such as 2X, 3X, or 5X). This is a nice touch for so-called “high-rollers”, and anyone who has an appetite for risk. However, it is not necessary to activate these multipliers. This is up to the user in question.

Other players might instead want to automate the entire process. In this case, many games provide the option to activate each round without any type of manual input. Place a wager, choose the number of mines, and click the “autobet” feature. This is not altogether different from slots games that provide the same possibility.

For those who are already familiar with the basics, it is likewise possible to access advanced features. Examples include setting stop-loss limits on each bet, and choosing how much to adjust future wagers based on the results of the previous round. Here are two examples:

• If the player wins a round, the next wager will automatically increase by 15%.

• In the event of a loss, the wager will decrease by 5%.

The main intention here is to maximise profit margins, and to hedge against possible losses.

We can now see that there is much more than initially meets the eye in terms of gameplay, and some experts even believe that a handful of strategies will help to increase the chances of walking away with a tidy sum of money. We will now discuss a handful of potential approaches, and the merits of each.

Less is More

This first approach has been embraced by novices, and seasoned mines players alike. As we have already seen, the primary goal is to avoid triggering a mine. So, it only stands to reason that selecting fewer mines will decrease the chances of a loss. While some consider this to be an overly conservative strategy, payoffs will be more frequent (although at lower thresholds). This is also a nice way to become acclimated with the basic principles of mines before moving on to more advanced techniques.

Patience is a Virtue

It can be tempting to begin randomly clicking on squares in the hopes to racking up the rewards. The issue here is that the risk of hitting a mine increases with each action. Most experts agree that it is best to begin with an air of caution. Choose tiles that are associated with lower levels of risk. These tend to be placed around the periphery of the grid, or in each of the four corners. You can then begin to expand these patterns using the clues provided by each square. This is particularly useful if you happen to be playing a mines game that displays numbers.

Watch for Patterns

This next piece of advice is associated with a fair amount of conjecture, but it can still be a worthwhile concept to appreciate. There can be times when patterns begin to emerge across multiple rounds. For example, you might notice that the majority of mines are located within the centre of the grid. In this case, previous outcomes may indicate future results. Even if the prediction fails to materialise, the ability to recognise discrete patterns during active gameplay is a great way to hone your visual acuity skills.

Build Up Speed

Anyone who has ever witnessed an experienced mines player has likely noticed the speeds at which different tiles are uncovered. This is hardly random, and it is far from haphazard. Much like any other casino game, your confidence will begin to grow over time. Developing a sound strategy will allow you to make snap decisions, and to mitigate the associated risks. Although speed might not always be needed when involved with a single-player game, it is a definite benefit for timed rounds, or if you happen to be competing against others. However, never make the mistake of sacrificing accuracy for speed alone.

Use Win and Loss Thresholds to Your Advantage

We already mentioned the option of adjusting wagers based on the results of a previous round. This is an invaluable tool, and one which should never be taken for granted. Let’s use the version of mines offered in the bundle of Stake Originasl games to prove this point, and to demonstrate a real-world example.

We will imagine that you have wagered 1 USDT on a single round. In the event of a win, you choose to automatically increase this bet by 25% (equating to 1.25 USDT). If you happen to lose, the initial position is instead decreased by 25% (0.75 USDT). We can then begin to extrapolate the results, and to see how this approach can actually help to increase your long-term bankroll:

• First bet (win): 1 USDT

• Second bet (win): 2.25 USDT

• Third bet (win): 3.5 USDT

• Fourth bet (loss): 2.25 USDT

• Fifth bet (win): 3.5 USDT

• Sixth bet (win): 4.75 USDT

We can now begin to see that even small incremental changes will quickly add up; even if you happen to encounter an occasional loss.

Grid Size Versus Payouts

Similar to a slots game offering more reels and paylines, the size of the grid (and the number of squares) will have a direct impact on your possible winnings. Now, the problem here is that this may appear to be slightly overwhelming at first glance. More squares equate to more possibilities, and therefore, the degree of risk increases exponentially. However, this is more of a psychological hang-up. The fundamental rules can still be applied; albeit on a different scale. Once you become comfortable with fewer squares, it may be wise to experiment with larger layouts.

Practice Makes Perfect

What if you have never played mines before, and want to wrap your head around the basics? In this case, sites such as Stake offer demonstration versions that can be played without depositing any real-world funds. Simply register for an account, and enter “mines” into the manual search field located at the top of any page. Not only can you can access to their original version, but other third-party alternatives are available. These include:

• Mine Sweeper (BGaming)

• Pragmatic Mines+ (Pragmatic Play)

• Mummy’s Mines (Belatra)

• Mines Rush (Uppercut Gaming)

• Boomerang Jack’s Lost Mines (Red Rake Gaming)

Once any of these are opened, click the “fun play” tab found at the lower right-hand corner of the main interface. You can then play to your heart’s desire without risking any funds. In fact, there were more than 2,300 members playing Stake mines at the time that this article was written.

The Proof is in the Pudding

A final tip that is likely to come in handy involves the ability to access a leaderboard that displays mines high-rollers, the wagers they placed, and the amount that they won. This provides two vital pieces of information. First, it displays which mines titles tend to be the most popular. Secondly, you can begin to appreciate average bet sizes, the associated multipliers, and the subsequent payouts.

A Game of Skill, Surprises, and Suspense

While mines still involves a fair amount of luck, we can now see that there are several strategies which can be employed. Even if you happen to be a newbie, the suggestions highlighted throughout this article will provide you with a much-needed edge. Providers such as Stake likewise continue to push the envelope in terms of the gameplay itself, so there are plenty of options to walk away a winner.