A New Night Out (Or In)

If you are bored of taking your friends to the cinema or the pub and you need something a little more exciting to fill your weekend with, there are plenty of other more unorthodox entertainment options that could have you jumping for joy this Friday or Saturday night… Whilst karaoke is a long-standing favourite (you can even go to specially designed karaoke bars now, inspired by the Japanese equivalent), and bingo remains a great way to get competitive as well as stay sociable, you might also want to consider raising the stakes…

The UK still has no claim to be quite Las Vegas or Atlantic City, but the country does at least boast a few large nationwide gaming complexes which specialise in creating a low-pressure ambience around a modern day casino setting. Whether you know the games back to front or you can't shuffle a pack of cards to save your life, there is plenty on offer to keep you busy, from Roulette and Black Jack (two games you don't need much know-how for, anyway) to Poker and its many variants.

Whilst nobody will be out there hustling for money - large casino complexes are more popular with hen nights, birthday parties or organised groups and events - you could still win big and learn a lot. Poker in particular is a game which requires a bit of nous, not least because it seems to alter everywhere you play it. Poker is less a singular practice and more a family of card games, which are hugely various, but usually have common rules when it comes to the hierarchy of winning hands (but these too can subtly change).

The key is to keep you wits about you - despite the fact that these large complexes, such as those sponsored by Grosvenor Casinos, offer a full-stocked bar and restaurant, you don't want to be slugging back the whiskey chasers - poker takes concentration as well as creativity. The key, though, remains a good bluff: if you can act your way out of a bad hand at poker, you are good person to keep around in a crisis. Of course, if you prefer do go it alone, and the comfort of your own room, they also provide online casino, where you can a gamble in peace and quiet.