- For games like Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em and Crazy 4 Poker, where there are two required initial wagers, the house edge is based on one of them only. House edge figures are based on optimal or near-optimal player strategy. The table below shows the house edge of most popular casino games and bets.
- When Is the Best Time to Play Slot Machines at a Casino? Top 10 White Hat Gaming Sites While the casino's advantage is something that can never be changed and will always exist both online and offline, you can get an 'edge' yourself when playing casino games with the best odds.
Casinos are big businesses, which create over $6 billion of revenue annually in the US alone.
In order to maximise their profits, every casino has their own specified probabilities and odds – after all, casinos make their money from those who lose, not those who win. As such, if you want to increase your returns, and win more often, it's well worth looking into which casino games are best for the players in regards to the likelihood of winning.
We've put together a list looking at the casino games which offer the best and worst odds, and some information regarding the payout percentage and house edge of each, too. Read on, and beat the casinos at their own game!
Payout Percentages and House Edges
These two terms – ‘house edge' and ‘payout percentage' are key pieces of gambling terminology to be familiar with before you head out and wager your cash, and also before you look into the odds and probabilities of specific casino games.
Dead alive 2. Essentially, the house edge and payout percentage are where the casinos make their money. The house edge is the colloquial term for the percentage of each player's original bet that goes into the casino's pocket – that is, the profit of the house. By learning a certain game's house edge, players can better judge the odds of that game, and decide where to put their money. Some casinos will pay out 95 cents of every dollar, making their house edge 2.5%, and while every single detail is not necessarily important, the average house edge is between 2-3%, meaning anything higher than that should be approached with caution.
Payout percentage is a term usually used to refer to slot machines and other similar casino games, and is essentially the same as the house edge.
We'll tell you which casino games give players the best odds and which should be avoided if winning is your goal. Our casino game odds page will also tell you how you can find out the odds for yourself, as well as whether there is a difference in the odds between games played online and in land-based casinos.
Games which have the greatest odds
Nobody goes into a casino wanting to lose. But if you want to increase your chances of winnings, you've got to pick your games wisely. Most people don't seem to realise, for example, that all of the games which offer the best odds are actually table games.
The problem for some people seems to be that the presence of the dealer is an intimidating one, and people are scared of the idea of somebody in a waistcoat taking their money. However, to turn to the slots as a solution would be a mistake, as the odds of winning big on the machines are far slimmer.
Blackjack: 0.13%
There's a reason why Blackjack is so popular: it has the highest odds of winning at every casino. The normal house edge for Blackjack sits somewhere around 1%, and some online operators have it as low as 0.13%… which explains why the odds are so preferable.
On top of this, when you're playing Blackjack, you're competing with the dealer and not professional players, perhaps making things an awful lot easier! Cazino lounge las vegas.
Craps: 0.60%
At first glance, Craps looks quite complex. There are so many different kinds of bets for this dice game, many beginners get put off. Actually, it's quite easy to master, and as it has the second-best odds, a favourably low house edge and the possibilities for winning big, there are many reasons why it's worth considering.
The house edge for Craps is around 1.2%, and some casinos offer around 0.6% – pretty good for those looking to take home some winnings!
You may have heard of the ‘pass line' in Craps. This is a bet which almost guarantees that every player makes a slight return – even those with no experience at all! As you learn more, and get better at the game, you can start adding bets to your repertoire, and taking bigger payouts from the table.
Roulette: 2.7%
Next on the list of casino games with good odds is Roulette. Simple to learn, fun to play, it's popular with beginners and it generally pays out well, too. The principle idea of Roulette is that the player places a bet on their favourite number, the wheel is spun, and you win if and when your number comes up.
Most casinos have a house edge for Roulette at 2.7% for single zero, and for a double zero, the house edge is 5.26%.
Which games have the worst odds?
Getting information on which games have the worst odds is a little tricky. Unsurprisingly, casinos are fairly secretive about this side of things! However, if you listen to Forbes and other trusted sources, the worst casino games regarding odds are The Wheel of Fortune, and the ubiquitous Slot Machines.
Slots: 5%
Slot machines are iconic, loud, colourful and look like the easiest thing in the world. They attract first time gamblers like bees to a honeypot… but be warned, the odds of winning big on a slot machine are shockingly high. According to some sources, a jackpot of 2400 coins has odds of 1 in 262,144… and a jackpot of anything between $8 and $33million has the eye-popping odds of 1 in almost 50 million. No deposit casino usa.
With this in mind, it's best for both online gamblers and casino players to take to the tables for their gambling pleasure. Stick with the low house edge games, and see your returns rocket!
Wheel Of Fortune: 11.2%
Also known as the Big Six Wheel, the Wheel of Fortune game can be found almost everywhere there is gambling – from amusement parks to the major Vegas casinos. The concept is a simple one: there is a big wheel, and it has 54 ‘segments'. The wheel is spun, and whichever segment the wheel stops on, is the prize you win.
This may sound simple, but the odds are dreadful. Firstly, 54:1 isn't a great starting point, but also, bear in mind that each segment is different, and many segments will bring no return at all. As such, it's hard to reach a high payout, and as such the house edge sits at around 11.2%, and goes all the way up to 24.07%.
We've put together a table of odds for each game, so you can compare them against one another.
Game | House edge |
---|---|
Blackjack | 0.13% – 1% |
Craps | 0.60% – 1.2% |
Roulette | 2.7% – 5.26% |
Slots | 5% |
Wheel Of Fortune | 11.2% – 24.07% |
Home > Casino Game Odds
This goal of this section is to educate and inform about the odds and probabilities of modern casino games. In our analyses and comparisons, you may learn which games offer the best odds for players, which ones offer the worst, and exactly how to arrive at these conclusions. Hopefully, after studying these articles, you will possess some added knowledge and be well on your way to reducing the house's edge.
Game Odds Articles:
Baccarat | Blackjack | Craps | Keno | Roulette | Slot Machines | Video Poker
Odds Primer
Before going deeper into each casino game, it is important to know exactly what odds are. Odds refer to mathematics in that they represent a basic probability of a potential outcome and are usually expressed in a decimal or fractional format. A well-known example is the traditional coin toss before a football match. By flipping a two-sided coin, you know that there are exactly two possible outcomes (unless by a quirk of fate the coin comes to rest on edge): heads or tails. The probability of the coin landing heads up is one out of two, expressed 1 to 2 as a ratio. Another way to express the odds of a coin toss outcome is in percentages. Ask anybody what the odds are, and they will likely reply: 'fifty-fifty'. This refers to the 50% chance that either head or tails will result.
Just like a coin has two sides, a roulette wheel has 37 or 38 slots, a standard deck has 52 playing cards, and a die has six sides. These numbers and the various results of each play represent the probabilities of the games. It is easy to see how math and odds are very much a part of casino gambling. Free slot play no registration. While most players are busy having a roll of the dice at craps tables, or taking their next hit at blackjack, they rarely stop to consider the actual math behind their wager, and how placing certain bets will either increase or decrease their overall expectation of winning. Smart gamblers realise that there are strategic ways to bet and play certain casino games that will make all the difference. They also know that if one's goal is to walk away a winner, certain games should be avoided. With that in mind, we will begin to explore which games offer the best odds.
Best Odds, Worst Odds
Most gamblers, from the total beginner on up to the professional, know that a casino is an entertainment business that generates revenue from its players. How are new and extravagant casino resorts built? More recently, from hefty borrowing, but historically, from the combined deficit of the players. Every casino game has an inherent advantage for the casino known as the 'house edge'. This percentage represents how much the casino expects to make from every betting unit wagered. For example, the house edge in double zero roulette is 5.6 percent. So, for every 100 betting units wagered, you can expect to lose 5.60. This may not seem like a lot, but several important factors must also be considered.
Casino Game Odds List
Let's say you're playing blackjack at 25 units a hand, and the table is averaging 60 hands played per hour. Multiply 25 times 60 hands and you are playing through 1,500 units an hour. Let's say you play for four hours. That means that you play through about 6,000 credits of which the casino expects to take 0.8 percent - if you're playing perfect basic strategy. This amounts to a loss of only 48 units - which isn't that bad - making blackjack one of the better options for players.
Consider how much the house would expect to gain by your playing roulette for the same amount of time. Roulette is a slightly slower paced game, with maybe a round every couple minutes or so, and not many players are quite avid enough to spend four hours at a table. But, for arguments sake, we will examine that at a rate of 30 rounds per hour with a flat bet of 25 credits, playing for four hours, a casino would expect to make 157.80 from your play. Again you might say, well that's not an overly exaggerated amount to expect to lose during a session at a casino, but keep in mind that it's playing over time that makes it add up. Twenty such sessions a year would set you back 3,156 credits and multiply that by the number of years you plan to play, and you'll see that it really does add up.
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Best Player Odds Casino Games
Some people gamble at a casino for the fun and excitement that this unique form of entertainment delivers. That is perfectly fine, as gambling at an online or land-based casino can be a leisurely, enjoyable hobby. Recreational players don't mind parting with a reasonable amount of money because they can rationalise the experience in saying it was the price paid for a little fun. This is fine as long as that person is an occasional player, or if they hadn't really planned to devote the time to studying the games or taking steps to improve their chances of winning money during sessions. However, the truth is that - given the choice - most players prefer to win, and there are proven ways to dramatically reduce the chances of losing - namely by not playing games with bad odds - such as keno. Keno carries one of the highest house advantages of all games, weighing in at a hefty 25%. This is actually as good as the odds get for keno, with the odds varying from casino to casino.
The following chart shows the expected house edge for casino table games and also sports betting. For any given session on any given day, these percentages can fluctuate quite a bit, however they represent a fairly accurate expectation of the house's advantage over time. To see how the house edge is playing out for players at online casinos, you may examine a monthly ranking of recent online casino payout percentages, broken down by category such as table games, slots, poker games and overall payouts.
Game | House Edge |
Craps (double odds) | |
Blackjack | 0.80%* |
Baccarat (banker) | |
Baccarat (player) | 1.63% |
Pai Gow Poker | |
Roulette (single zero) | 2.7% |
Three-Card Poker | |
Let It Ride | 3.5% |
Sports Betting | |
Caribbean Stud Poker | 5.26% |
Roulette (double zero) | |
Big 6 Wheel | 11.1% to 24% |
Keno | |
* two deck game with favorable house rules for players |
Looking at the chart above, you'll see that craps, blackjack, and baccarat offer the smallest house advantage. These are the games upon which you should focus. Coincidentally, craps and blackjack are two of the most popular online casino games, and this makes their study feel less like actual study and more like fun. If you already know a thing or two about blackjack, then you probably know that it is one of the only games where a skilled player can not only eliminate the house edge, but go a step beyond that by creating a player's edge. How is this possible? Learning basic strategy to perfection is the first step. Next is becoming a knowledgeable and accurate card counter. Lastly, adjusting bets and hand decisions based on the count while masking your expertise to the dealer, pit personnel, and preferably other players. Unless you are already a natural genius at math, this will likely take hundreds of hours of practice. Few ever make it to the level of professional blackjack player. If you are able to someday acquire this elite status, you can expect to have an edge over the house at somewhere between 0.5 and 2 percent. Again, you might say this doesn't seem like a lot. It's time, my friend, time that makes things add up. A professional player can expect to make in the neighborhood of 30 units per hour playing blackjack, depending on betting level. While this is a lot more than minimum wage, it is not a salary by which millionaires are made either.
This is just an example of one way to make smart play work for you. Instead of giving up a big advantage to the house playing a game like keno, try learning basic craps or blackjack strategy and you'll likely notice a decrease in your losses and an increase in your winnings right off the bat. Focusing on low house edge games like blackjack, craps, etc is the smartest play when it comes to casino gambling.
Game Odds Articles:
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