Guide To Casino Game Odds For Beginners

Everyone has a particular game they love to play at a casino, but not everyone knows what the odds of winning at their chosen game are. That’s fine if you’re playing purely for recreation, but if you are interested in turning a profit then maybe you need to change your game of choice. Not all casino games give you the same chance of winning, and you might be surprised by the difference in the “house edge” i.e. the advantage that the casino has over the player in the long run. Here’s a quick run down of the different house edges for popular casino games:

Blackjack - played with a single deck (rare), using optimum strategy : close to 0.0%

Blackjack - played with 6 decks, using optimum strategy (not “card counting”) : 0.5%

Blackjack - played by the average casino player (who doesn’t use our blackjack cheat sheet!) : 2%

Craps - 0.6% - 1.4% depending on the rules

Baccarat (aka Punto Banco or Chemin de fer) - 1.2%

Video Poker - 0.5% - 3.5% depending on version, assuming good strategy

Pai Gow Poker - 2.5%

Roulette - European single zero wheel - 2.7%

Roulette - American double zero wheel - 5.6%

Slots - typically 5% in casinos, but much higher rates of payout are available online

Wheel of fortune - 20%

Keno - 27%

As you can see from the above figures, the game you are playing goes a long way to determining how much you win or lose at a casino. If you play with the optimum strategy then you stand a much better chance of walking away up rather than down on your session. For advice on how to play blackjack, see our blackjack cheat sheet and blackjack chart. For advice on where to find a European style roulette wheel see our reputable casinos page. If slot machines and fruit machines are your thing then take a look at our page on how to play fruit machines online.

The house edge disappears completely if you choose to play a game such as poker, in which you take on other players rather than the dealer. If you haven’t previously given thought to playing poker then check out our sister site’s page on poker rules for beginners.

Tags: beginners, gambling odds, Gambling Rules