Here’s why it’s important to know the house edge, which is the amount of money the casino expects to win from you over time when you play the games. The bigger the edge, the more they win. The smaller the casino advantage the longer your money may last. You are at risk for a quicker loss on any type of bet within a game that has a house edge of more than 2%.
Here is the house edge, AKA casino advantage, for some of the most popular gambling games in casinos today:
Roulette
There are 38 numbered positions that players can wager on in a number of ways. Betting a single number and winning will net you a payoff of 35 to 1. Therefore the casino makes a 2 unit profit for each win. 2/38 = 5.26% advantage for the house. Your expected loss over time is $5.26 for every $100 wagered. on a single number.
Craps
Type of bet Edge
Pass Line 1.4%
Place 6, 8 1.5%
Any Seven (one roll wager) 14.36%
Baccarat
Bet Bank. 1.06%
Bet Player 1.24%
Bet Tie 14.38%
Basic Blackjack
By far the best table game as long as the player uses correct basic strategy and the house offers favorable rules such as:
Blackjack pays 3 to 2
Dealer stands on soft seventeen
Double after splitting pairs
Double on any 2 cards
Re-split pairs
Surrender allowed
Look for these rules and you’ll enjoy a house edge of about 0.5%.
It’s worth noting that many casinos have switched to hitting soft 17. This increases the edge to 0.7% but it’s still a good game. Be aware of games that pay only 6 to 5 for a player blackjack instead of the customary 3 to 2. Simply put, a 3/2 game nets a player $15 for a $10 bet, whereas a 6/5 game only pays $12. That’s a -$3 loss for every blackjack! Not good. Unfortunately, the Vegas strip is converting to 6/5 games.
Blackjack Variants
Two low edge blackjack variants are:
Spanish 21. 0.7%
Blackjack Switch 0.6%
Carnival Games
Remember the infamous words of the carnival showman P.T. Barnum? ” There’s a sucker born every minute”. A number of games are dubbed carnival games because of a higher house edge than the traditional offerings of blackjack and baccarat. They are:
Texas Holdem Bonus 2.0%
Three Card Poker 2.3%
Ultimate Texas Holdem 2.5%
Four Card Poker 2.8%
Casino War 2.9%
Crazy 4 Poker 3.4%
Let it Ride 3.5%
Mississippi Stud Poker 4.9%
Caribbean Stud Poker 5.2%
Also, be mindful of the optional bonus or side bets at the 바카라 tables. Most games have them, including those with a low edge.The winning payout amounts look very attractive and players can win even if the original wager is lost to the house. However the house edge jumps to double digits on most of these wagers.
Sports Gambling
When betting on sports games, the house takes a “vig”, slang for vigorish, when bettors make an even money wager. For example, a $10 bet on the Buffalo Bills, vs. the Miami Dolphins will cost $11. Player wins $10, the house keeps $1.
Slot Machines
It seems the everybody loves the penny slots these days. Multi-coin, multi-line with striking themes, graphics and bonus features. Players can wager as little as fifteen cents up to three or four dollars per spin. the edge on the pennies ranges between 10 & 15%! The hold on dollar and higher machines is much lower, ranging from 2 to 5%. If you’re going to bet max on the pennies, you’re better off playing the bucks.
If you like machines study up on video poker. Learn how to read the pay tables that are posted on each machine. There is a skill element to video poker. Choosing the right game can drop the house edge to less than 1%. Good Luck!