How Did the Joker Become a Gambling Symbol? Today’s Top Casino Games with Joker Themes

Looking back at the Joker symbol’s origins is fascinating. Why is it included in a new deck for a card that is not used very often? The answer is that it was designed explicitly for Euchre.

The game, in which the goal is to win tricks, became very popular in the US during the Civil War, but it actually started in Europe, particularly Germany. In this game, the Joker holds high status. It outranks any other trump card in Euchre, making it the most powerful, and anyone who plays it will automatically win the trick.

Along with Euchre, Canasta and Gin Rummy are two very popular card games that also utilise the Joker, and in the latter, it’s used as a wild card that a player can include to complete a meld.

The Joker doesn’t often appear in casino games because it’s an extra card that would substantially change the house edge, mainly if used in its original context as something like the king of all trump cards.

There is no way that a casino would allow for such a powerful card to influence a game to that degree. So even if integrated, it wouldn’t be as its typically chaotic and unpredictable self.

The fact is now, too, that casino games like Baccarat and Blackjack are well established, with all of their rules and very specific scoring ranking, probabilities, and house edge calculated. They aren’t going to change.

It is outside the realm of card games, where the Joker can be found. Looking at slots, you will notice a greater presence of Jokers, either used as a symbol in a slot machine or even influencing its theme. The following is a selection of some titles where the Joker is part of the show.

NetEnt’s Mega Joker is a popular slot with a 99% Return To Player percentage. Released in 2011, it is a high-volatility slot that reins in payouts.

Mega Joker has a 3 x 3 layout with five pay lines and, interestingly, carries a varying jackpot. It’s a fun, accessible game for beginners and experienced slot jockeys, with symbols including cherries, watermelons, Lucky 7’s and the Joker.

The Supermeter mode, an alternative to the base game, is a way to try and target higher payouts in Mega Joker.

Mixing the Joker theme with traditional fruit symbols is Play’N Go’s Fire Joker Slot. The title has a cosy, familiar feel, and it’s an excellent game for beginners on a 3×3 grid. Common symbols like Lucky 7s, bars and cherries are used across three horizontal and two diagonal pay lines.

The Joker theme hits because it is the Wild in the game. As the name suggests, the Joker is seared onto the screen with a devilish smile and will substitute any other symbol to create a winning pay line.

There is an element of the game show about Fire Joker Slot as well because, from a Flaming Re-Spin feature, the Wheel Of Multipliers will appear, providing the chance to boost winnings even further up to a maximum of 800x.

From Pragmatic Play is Joker’s Jewels Dice, which has a carnival theme. It’s a colourful, upbeat title that steps away from traditional symbols and instead uses jewels, playing cards, and dice.

The RTP of Jewels Dice is a solid 96.5% with a medium-high volatility. The main game symbols are playing cards, with select ones, like the five hearts and the two diamonds, on the paytable.

The Joker is the top symbol in the slot, so it’s something that players will want to see. Five of those on a pay line will return that top 1000x multiplier prize. Beyond the base game, the golden dice symbol is a fantastic feature, which instantly pays out a win if three or more of them appear on a spin, providing up to a 250x payout.

Although the Joker is typically seen as a mischief-maker who causes chaos, it’s still a popular symbol at casinos. This character can sometimes also bring a windfall to players.

Sports content writer for World in Sport