Casino Games With the Best Odds
Casino games might be "games of chance," but that's not entirely accurate. Sure, you're taking a chance with every hand or spin, but keep in mind that behind every game is an edge that ensures that the favor is always with the house.
However, not all casino games have the same edge. You can find a house edge low enough to give you a better chance to turn a profit. It's all about knowing which games have the best odds and how to optimize your play to maximize your chances.
Read on for a complete guide on casino games with the best odds. By the end, you'll have as much of a leg up as you possibly can against the house.
CONTENTS
- Casino Games With the Best Odds
- Ways to Improve Your Casino Odds
- How to Play Online Casino Games With the Best Odds
- Casino Games With the Worst Odds
- Responsible Gambling at the Casino
- Final Tips for Playing Casino Games With the Best Odds
- Casino Games With the Best Odds FAQs
CASINO GAMES WITH THE BEST ODDS
The built-in house edge means you'll never have the advantage over online casinos, but you can still choose casino games with the best odds. Listed below are the games that give you the absolute best bang for your buck. Additionally, we'll provide the details and strategy on these games to ensure you're optimizing every bet you place.
Note that the odds of winning and RTPs listed are averages. They will vary depending on factors such as the strategy you use, the online casino you play at, etc.
| 🃏 Casino Game | 🎲 Odds of Winning | 💵 RTP |
| Blackjack | 42% | 99-99.5% |
| Baccarat (Player Bet) | 44.6% | 98.76% |
| Baccarat (Banker Bet) | 45.8% | 98.94% (with the 5% commission on wins) |
| Craps (Pass Line Bet) | 49.3% | 98.59% |
| Craps (Don't Pass Line Bet) | 47.1% | 98.64% |
| Video Poker | 45.456% | 95% to over 100% |
| European Roulette | N/A | 97.3% |
| French Roulette | N/A | 98.65% |
| Texas Hold'em | N/A | 99.47% for the total main bet |
CASINO ODDS VS RTP
First, a player should fully understand how the house edge (AKA casino odds) and return-to-player (RTP) percentages work.
The house edge represents the odds that favor the casino, while RTP is the percentage that is paid back to the player over several hands or spins over time.
Consider a slot machine with an RTP of 95% and a house edge of 5%:
- RTP: 95%
- House Edge: 100% - 95% = 5%
Say you're placing $1.00 per bet on the slot above. The house edge means it expects to hold an average of $0.05 for every $1.00 you wager. To put it another way, for every $1.00 you wager, you'll have an average return of $0.95 per wager even though you're bound to go on winning and losing streaks.
Yes, at first glance, a $0.05 casino profit is small, but imagine $1,000 in bets, by thousands of bettors. It adds up quickly, which is why casinos make as much money as they do.
BLACKJACK ODDS
Blackjack has been around since the 1700s but wasn't the optimized version we see today until the 20th century. Not much has changed since then. Blackjack games have always been the perfect blend of luck and strategy as the player can "shoot from the hip" and play based on a feeling or stick to an unwavering strategy.
The odds of winning in any blackjack game depend on what rules you're playing by. Most standard versions of blackjack provide six decks that rotate on every hand, require the dealer to hit on soft 17, and pay a "Blackjack" 3 to 2 for a house edge of about 0.64% or a 99.36% RTP—a percentage point from a 50/50 split.
That's why blackjack is generally the game of choice for any high roller online or offline. However, the only way to achieve the best odds is to use the perfect blackjack strategy. Luckily, by searching for a six-deck blackjack basic strategy chart and following it to the letter, you'll know how to achieve the best odds on every hand. Even if you're just starting to learn how to play blackjack, you'll find that it's relatively simple to maximize your odds.
BACCARAT ODDS
The good news about baccarat? It's a simple card game that maintains the same great odds regardless of the gaming site or retail casino floor you find it in. The only time you'll see a shift in the house edge is whether you bet on the Player, Banker, or Tie.
- Player House Edge: Believe it or not, the Player bet has a higher house edge than betting on the Banker at approximately 1.24%.
- Banker House Edge: The Banker bet has the best odds of winning on baccarat tables, with an average 1.06% house edge. And don't be fooled by the casino commission—the RTP is still better by betting on the banker.
- Tie House Edge: Undoubtedly the worst odds come from betting on a tie. Although betting on these odds will always be enticing with a 9-1 payout, the house edge is an astounding 14.36%. Every dollar you bet towards a tie brings an average return of approximately $0.86.
There's a lot more to know about this table game, so check out our page on how to play baccarat.
CRAPS ODDS
Like baccarat, the craps odds depend on the bets you place.
- Pass line bet and come bet: The house edge is approximately 1.41%, and it's a win if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, or rolls another number on the come-out roll and then hits it before rolling another 7.
- Don't pass and don't come bet: This is slightly better for the player than a pass line bet or a come bet at approximately 1.36%. Don't pass and don't come bets are the opposite of pass line and come bets. You win if the shooter rolls a 2 or 3; a 12 is a tie. It's also a win if you establish a point and roll a 7 before re-rolling the point.
The rest of the craps bets have either significantly worse odds for the player or require a Pass/Come or Don't Pass/Don't Come bet first.
VIDEO POKER ODDS
Online video poker is not a singular table game but a group of digital games in the same vein as online slots. However, unlike slots, video poker offers a lower house edge on gaming sites. Each video poker variant has its own house edge.
To reach the odds of winning we're pointing out below, you must use a "full pay" version of each game. Lower paytables push returns in the house's favor.
- Jacks or Better: The Jacks or Better house edge is typically at 0.46%. The game not only has great odds but is one of the simplest video poker games you'll find.
- Deuces Wild: If you find a version with the full paytable, Deuces Wild shockingly offers a negative house edge for casinos. At -0.76% edge translates to 100.76% RTP. This version treats any twos, or "deuces," as wild cards that can substitute for any other card in the game.
- Joker Poker: While Joker Poker has the overall worst odds on this list of video poker games, it still offers a house edge of approximately 1.40%. Also, there's a gambling feature that can double your win after every bet.
- Double Bonus Poker: This is the second video poker game that offers favorable odds to the player at -0.17% house edge, but you'll have to play the perfect strategy. Luckily, there are various charts you can find online that will point out how many cards you should keep or let go.
- Double Double Bonus Poker: Again, you need a perfect strategy, but this game has a house edge of just 1.02% which makes for a great 98.98% RTP.
To improve your poker game, read our poker cheat sheet for effective strategies.
ROULETTE ODDS
The house edge of roulette is dependent not only on the type of bet you place but also on the version you choose to play because of the varying roulette odds. We understand the desire to play American Roulette, but European Roulette and French Roulette have better odds.
European roulette offers a house edge of 2.7%. This lower house edge is due to only 37 available wagers (1 to 36, plus a single zero), while the payout for a winning single number bet is 35 to 1. Meanwhile, American Roulette's house edge leaps to 5.26% due to having 38 numbers (1 to 36, single zero, and double zero). French Roulette is even more favorable with a house edge of 1.35%.
Whether you're playing live dealer roulette or not, it is wise to keep these numbers in mind.
TEXAS HOLD'EM ODDS
When it comes to pure Texas Hold'em, it's been said that "Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game," and that's 100% true. With a Texas Hold'em game of player vs. player, there is no real house edge.
That said, there is a casino variant of Texas Hold'em that isn't talked about nearly enough: Ultimate Texas Hold'em.
Ultimate Texas Hold'em is a version of poker where the player faces the dealer and is allowed one raise. If you stick with the ante bet, the house edge is approximately 2.19%. However, once you raise and consider the blind bet, the edge shrinks to about 0.53%, a good RTP for players.
WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR CASINO ODDS
Want to achieve optimal casino odds on the best online games? Here are some expert tips:
- If you play one of the games we outlined above, choose the full-pay version with the best rules for the player, which in turn provides the best RTP.
- Always follow an optimal strategy to the letter.
- Remain consistent with your risk amounts.
- Understand that online casino games reshuffle after every hand due to the random number generator. Therefore, don't attempt to count cards or predict a hot or cold streak.
- Slot machines are fun to play but offer some of the worst odds if you play long-term. It's best to cash out if you've hit a jackpot, especially if you're playing progressive jackpot slots.
HOW TO PLAY ONLINE CASINO GAMES WITH THE BEST ODDS
If you want to play the best casino games with the best odds, you have to know where to find them. The first thing to keep in mind is there are three types of casinos in the iGaming industry: online casinos, social casinos, and sweepstakes casinos.
REAL MONEY ONLINE CASINOS
Real money online casinos are legal in the seven states below. Check out each link to learn more about the state's iGaming industry:
- New Jersey online casinos
- Pennsylvania online casinos
- Michigan online casinos
- West Virginia online casinos
- Delaware
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
Licensed operators in these states adhere to online gambling laws and allow users to wager and win real money.
If you're lucky enough to be in one of these states, you should have no problem finding the best blackjack games, baccarat tables, etc. Most online casinos for real money offer the games we've discussed on this page.
Check out PlayGunLake Casino Promo, PARX Casino Review, and PokerStars Casino Review for more real money online casino games!
SOCIAL CASINOS
Social casinos are online gaming platforms that operate on a free-to-play model. You use a currency known as gold coins that have no monetary value, though you can purchase more gold coins if you want to increase your virtual bankroll. Since they don't offer real money prizes, social casinos like Hello Millions and High 5 Casino are widely accessible.
You should be able to find the casino games you're looking for like blackjack, roulette, craps etc. Social casinos are a great place to practice your optimal strategies before playing for real money or a virtual currency.
SWEEPSTAKES CASINOS
Sweepstakes casinos, just like social casinos, let users gamble with gold coins and sweepstakes coins. You can obtain these currencies for free or purchase gold coins to earn bonuses of sweepstakes coins. Use sweepstakes coins to cash out for real money prizes like gift cards at sites like LuckyLand Casino and NoLimitCoins Casino.
Though you'll find a lot of slots in sweepstakes casinos such as LuckyLand Slots Casino and McLuck Casino, you'll also encounter games with better RTPs like blackjack, craps, etc. Sweepstakes casinos adhere to sweepstakes regulations, though they're still more widely available than traditional online casinos. Check the terms and conditions of the operator to ensure the sweepstake casino you want to use is legal in your state.
Before signing up with a sweepstakes casino, check to see if there's a bonus available, such as the WOW Vegas no deposit bonus.
CASINO GAMES WITH THE WORST ODDS
One thing a player should know is which casino games have some of the worst odds. Here's a list of casino games that aren't the best at paying out consistently.
- Slots: Yes, unfortunately, slots don't have the best odds of winning for the player with a house edge of anywhere between 5-7% for most. Some slots can even balloon up to 15%. And this edge isn't exclusive to online—these are the same odds you'll find at machines in Las Vegas and other retail spots.
- American Roulette: As we said earlier, American Roulette is not the table game of choice for the player as it offers a double zero. With a house edge of around 5.26%, there's simply no point in playing if you have European or French Roulette as an option.
- Caribbean Stud Poker: Playing Caribbean Stud Poker is fun with the jackpot prize, but with a 5% house edge, the jackpot has to be huge to be worth playing.
- Big Six Wheel: If you think this game is simple like "Wheel of Fortune," you've got another thing coming. Big Six Wheel has a house edge of a whopping 11-24%.
- Keno: Keno online is the most notorious game because it has some of the worst odds in casino history. Its house edge can balloon from 20-40%.
RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING AT THE CASINO
While it's easy to put all of your focus into improving your odds, never forget the importance of betting responsibly.
It's important to see gambling as entertainment and not as a way to earn guaranteed money. The more you rely on a win, the more financial, emotional, and even physical distress you may experience.
We suggest you do some of the following to ensure you're gambling responsibly:
- Have a budget: You should understand how much you can afford to lose per session so you don't exceed your limit.
- Set a time limit on your play: Knowing when to quit is hard during an intense session. Try putting a time limit on your play so you know when to stop. You might even set an alarm to hold yourself accountable.
- Learn the rules and strategy before playing: When money is on the brain, some players will start playing without understanding how a game works. It's best to read and understand the rules and even learn proper strategy so there are no surprises.
- Do not chase your losses: Players on a losing streak tend to chase their losses to try to win their money back. Know that this approach will likely only dig you into a deeper hole.
- Use account limits: Most casinos allow you to request betting, deposit, and time limits to your account to help you avoid playing above your budget.
- Request a self-ban: If you feel like you need a break, you can ask a casino to ban you from their services for a certain length of time or permanently.
FINAL TIPS FOR PLAYING CASINO GAMES WITH THE BEST ODDS
While it's great if you understand the best casino games to improve your odds of winning, that doesn't mean you can immediately start spinning and winning. Here are some final tips:
- Read the rules: Reading the rules will help you understand what strategy to employ and whether you're playing the right casino game with the best odds.
- Follow strategy: There are a lot of ups and downs when playing, but if you stick to an optimal strategy by reading a chart or using another method, you should receive the best odds.
- Play the free version first: Reading about optimal casino strategy and executing the plan are two different things. We suggest playing the free demo version before you use real money.
- Stick with the game you know best: We understand we've given you a handful of games with the best odds, but we suggest that when you find the one that fits, you stick with it. Playing blackjack and then jumping into roulette is an odd transition—it's better to stick with what you know.
Learn more about best no deposit casinos.
CASINO GAMES WITH THE BEST ODDS FAQS
To ensure all your inquiries are answered, here are some frequently asked questions that involve casino games with the best odds.
WHICH CASINO GAME HAS THE BEST ODDS OF WINNING?
Deuces Wild, a video poker game, has the best odds with a negative house edge of -0.76%. Keep in mind this game must be played with optimal video poker strategy to secure these odds.
WHAT DOES HOUSE EDGE MEAN?
House edge is the percentage the house will receive, on average, from every bet placed. Every casino game except a select few has an edge for the house.
Have you ever played fish table games? Read our review to learn more about it.
WHICH SLOT MACHINE IS MOST LIKELY TO WIN?
The one with the lowest house edge! Most slot machines offer a 5-7% house edge, but you may be able to find some old slots with an edge as low as 3%.
WHICH CASINO GAME PAYS OUT THE MOST?
That would be Deuces Wild video poker which has an RTP of 100.76%.
WHERE CAN YOU PLAY CASINO GAMES WITH THE BEST ODDS?
Most of the games that have the best odds like blackjack, roulette, craps, etc. are available in most U.S. states. The only question is whether you're in a state that allows real money casinos, social casinos, or sweepstakes casinos.
Learn more about best casino apps you can use on iphone.
WHAT IS THE LUCKIEST CASINO GAME?
Deuces Wild once again wins this award. With a 100.76% RTP, you can't go wrong with this video poker game.
Read an article to learn more about Clubs Poker.