Casinos make money from your plays. While you don’t have to pay to play casino games, the house has a built-in mathematical profit in any game you play. This is commonly known as the house edge. The house edge works in the long term. In other words, your outcomes over a period of time – both wins and losses – always match the house edge. And naturally, this advantage is bigger in some games than others. The following guide will help you find games with the best odds and lowest house edge.
Casino Games: Specific Odds
Your chances of winning in an online casino like Betway are directly tied to the house edge. Games with higher house edges place the odds in the house’s favor and disadvantage you. Consequently, it is important to understand which games have great odds and which to avoid.
The house edge in casino games tends to cover a large spread. While a favorable blackjack game gives the house a 0.5 percent advantage, an any-7 craps game goes up to 16.67 percent. The games with the best odds you can try include:
- Online blackjack with favorable rules, 0.5 percent
- Pass line bets in online craps, 1.41 percent
- Online baccarat, 1.24 percent player, 1.06 percent banker
- Outside bets in French roulette, 1.35 percent. (The edge in American Roulette is 5.26 percent).
- Dollar slots, 97 percent RTP. (Penny slots only have a 90 percent RTP.)
Other casino games offer terrible odds with high house edges. They include Blackjack Insurance 7.4 percent, keno 5 percent, tie bets in baccarat 9.5 percent, and triple zero roulette 7.69 percent.
Game Speed and Volatility
In addition to specific odds, factors like game speed and volatility can inform the house edge. Many slots have a 97 percent RTP (3 percent house edge). And because you can make a spin every few seconds, the house can recoup its profit from you faster. This differs from blackjack. While the game offers similar odds, you can only play one hand every several minutes, which means the house takes longer to play out its edge.
In terms of volatility, you also need to consider how many bet units you can make at a time. Baccarat is scored in single-bet units, so every hand delivers a win or loss. However, other table games like poker pay multiple units, which can lead to a series of wins or losses.
When picking a game, you want to avoid games that combine high volatility, fast play, and bad odds.
Game Strategy
It is also important to consider strategy, especially in table games like poker. Most poker variations have relatively low house edges, with Mississippi Stud at 4.91, Ultimate Texas Hold’em at 2.2, Casino Hold’em at 2.16, Let It Ride at 3.51, Caribbean Stud at 5.2%, and ante-bets in 3 Card Poker at 2.01.
Despite such odds, many novice players lose way more to the house because of strategic missteps. Games with low house edges but complicated strategies raise the odds in the house’s favor because players are likely to mess up. As such, it is better to stick to simpler games when you are a beginner, even when harder games have lower edges.
Wrapping Up: Making The Best of Your Gambling Experiences
At the end of the day, picking the right game for your bankroll is about more than the house edge. A low house edge is an excellent start because it will lengthen your bankroll’s shelf life and help you stay in the game longer. But you also need to consider your strategy. Knowing the house edge is just as important as knowing which bets to make, which to avoid, and which tables to pick.
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