Free Casino Games / Casino games with the best odds
Casino games with the best odds
The casino games with the best odds are blackjack with basic strategy, full-pay video poker, craps Pass and Don't Pass with odds, and the Banker bet in baccarat. Each has a house edge under about 1.5% when you play it correctly. Here is every common game, ranked.
Casino games ranked by house edge
| # | Game and bet | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackjack, basic strategy, 3 to 2 | About 0.3% to 0.7% |
| 2 | Video poker, 9/6 Jacks or Better | 0.46% |
| 3 | Baccarat, Banker | 1.06% |
| 4 | Baccarat, Player | 1.24% |
| 5 | Craps, Don't Pass | 1.36% |
| 6 | Craps, Pass Line | 1.41% |
| 7 | Ultimate Texas Hold'em | 2.19% of the ante |
| 8 | High Card Flush | 2.64% of the ante |
| 9 | Roulette, single zero | 2.70% |
| 10 | Pai Gow Poker, house way | 2.72% |
| 11 | Sic bo, Big or Small | 2.78% |
| 12 | Casino war, go to war on ties | 2.88% |
| 13 | Three Card Poker, Ante and Play | 3.37% of the ante |
| 14 | Let It Ride | 3.51% |
| 15 | Mississippi Stud | 4.91% of the ante |
| 16 | Caribbean Stud | 5.22% of the ante |
| 17 | Roulette, double zero | 5.26% |
| 18 | Big six wheel | 11.11% to 24.07% |
| 19 | Keno | 25% to 29% |
Figures are from Wizard of Odds with the standard rules for each game and correct play. Blackjack depends on the rules: 0.28% with liberal Las Vegas Strip rules, about 0.43% with Atlantic City rules, and about 0.2% more when the dealer hits soft 17. Slot machines have no fixed figure; Wizard of Odds puts them at 2% to 15%, and you can't see which one you are playing.
Why the pay table and the rules matter
The same game can have very different odds at two tables. A blackjack table that pays 6 to 5 instead of 3 to 2 adds about 1.4% to the house edge, which makes it cost more than baccarat. In video poker, 9/6 Jacks or Better returns 99.54% with perfect play, while 8/5 returns 97.30%. Full-pay Deuces Wild returns 100.76% with perfect play and 9/6 Double Double Bonus 98.98%, but those tables are hard to find. Video poker odds · Blackjack odds and payouts.
Correct play is part of the number
For games with decisions, the house edge assumes you make the right one every time. Blackjack players who guess give up much more than 0.5%. In Three Card Poker, playing every hand instead of queen-6-4 or better raises the house edge from 3.37% to 7.65% of the Ante. In video poker, wrong holds usually cost one to three percent. The low numbers above belong to players who know the chart. Blackjack basic strategy · 3 card poker strategy · Video poker strategy.
Bets to skip
| Bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| Roulette, five-number bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) | 7.89% |
| Craps, hard 6 or 8 | 9.09% |
| Craps, any craps | 11.11% |
| Baccarat, Tie at 8 to 1 | 14.36% |
| Craps, any seven | 16.67% |
| Casino war, Tie bet at 10 to 1 | 18.65% |
Most side bets sit in this range too. The big payout is what makes them look good, and it is also how they cost so much.
House edge in dollars
Bet $10 a hand for 100 hands and you have put $1,000 into action. At 0.5%, the expected cost is $5. At 1.06%, it is $10.60. At 5.26%, it is $52.60. At 25%, it is $250. These are long-run averages; any one session can land well above or below.
House edge and element of risk
For games where you raise after the deal, the house edge is quoted per Ante, but you bet more than the Ante on many hands. Element of risk divides the cost by all the money you bet. Ultimate Texas Hold'em is 2.19% of the Ante but 0.53% of all money bet. Three Card Poker is 3.37% of the Ante and 2.01% of all money bet. Both numbers are correct; they answer different questions. 3 card poker odds.
The easiest casino game to win
No casino game wins over time. Every bet on this page has a house edge, except the odds bet in craps, which you can only make on top of a Pass or Don't Pass bet. If you want the smallest edge with no decisions, bet Banker in baccarat or Pass Line in craps. If you will learn a chart, blackjack and full-pay video poker cost the least.
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Questions
What are the best casino games to win?
Blackjack with basic strategy at a 3 to 2 table, full-pay video poker with perfect play, craps Pass or Don't Pass with odds, and baccarat's Banker bet. All have a house edge of about 1.5% or less.
Do tables have better odds than slots?
Usually. Most table bets have a house edge between about 0.5% and 5%. Wizard of Odds puts slot machines at 2% to 15%, and you can't see a slot's setting.
What is the smartest bet at a casino?
The odds bet in craps, which has no house edge. You can only make it behind a Pass, Don't Pass, Come or Don't Come bet once a point is set.
What is the standard house edge in blackjack?
With basic strategy and 3 to 2 blackjack, about 0.3% to 0.7%, depending on the number of decks and whether the dealer hits soft 17. A 6 to 5 payout adds about 1.4%.
What craps strategy has the lowest house edge?
Bet Don't Pass (1.36%) or Pass Line (1.41%) and take the full odds bet behind it. The more of your money that sits on the odds, the lower your overall edge.
Which casino game has the worst odds?
Keno, at 25% to 29%, and the big six wheel, at 11.11% to 24.07%. Among single bets, the craps any seven bet costs 16.67%.
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