If you really want to play for real money at a (online) casino, you’d do well to first consider the house edge of casino games. The size of the house edge reflects your chances of winning. If you’d rather not go home with an empty wallet, read on!
What Does House Edge Mean?
The casino always has an advantage. The games are designed to generate revenue for the casino, and this applies equally to online casino portals outside GamStop UK. The business model of both land‑based and non‑GamStop casinos is simply designed to generate profit. Without a slight edge over gamblers, the casino wouldn’t survive. The built‑in advantage the casino has over the player is also called the house edge. The house edge is always expressed as a percentage. The higher the house edge, the lower your chances of winning. The house edge varies by game and even by casino.
How Do You Know a Casino Game’s House Edge?
Non GamStop casinos always display the house edge per game. This is often expressed as ‘RTP’ (return to player). Subtract the RTP from 100 to get the house edge percentage. For example: if a slot machine has an RTP of 95%, the house edge is 5%. At land-based casinos, no exact figures are released regarding the house edge. However, it is certain that the payout percentage of slot machines (such as fruit machines) in non GamStop casinos is at least 80%. For slot machines in restaurants and arcades, this percentage is much lower, at over 60%.
Reducing the House Edge of Casino Games
Each game requires a different approach when it comes to reducing the house edge. A casino game like blackjack is very different from baccarat, after all. Strategies have been developed for each game to increase players’ chances of winning. We have mapped out the best strategies for the most popular (table) games so you can reduce the casino house edge.
- View the roulette strategy here
- Reduce the house edge in blackjack with this strategy
- Here you will find the best Baccarat strategy
Casino Games With the Lowest House Edge
Now that you know how to reduce the casino edge, we’ll tell you what the best casino games are in terms of odds. Take advantage of them!
Blackjack
The well-known card game blackjack isn’t just popular because it’s fun. Blackjack is also known as a casino game with a very low house edge when using basic blackjack strategy optimally. On average, blackjack has a house edge of 0.5% to 1%, making it the absolute number one in terms of odds of winning . This includes the many variations of the game, such as Switch Blackjack and Single Deck Blackjack. The latter is played with only one deck, which is advantageous for the player. The advantage of blackjack is that you, as a player, have complete control over the course of the game, which isn’t the case with a slot machine. If you employ a good strategy regarding standing, hitting, doubling, and splitting, the table game can be very lucrative.
Video Poker
Video poker is the automated version of the well-known card game. Like blackjack, this is a casino game where you can influence the outcome. Video poker also has several variations, some more lucrative than others. The “Full Pay” Jacks or Better variant is generally considered the most profitable because it pays out 9/6. With “Full Pay” video poker machines, the house edge, provided you employ the right strategy, is around 0.44%.
Baccarat
Baccarat , of which Punto Banco is the most well-known version, is a simple card game. As a player, you have to guess which hand wins the round. You have only three choices: banker, player, or tie. Betting on the banker gives you the best chance of winning. This option has a house edge of only 1.06%.
Casino Games With the Highest House Edge
Now that you know which casino games have a low house edge, it’s valuable to know which games to avoid if you’re aiming to win money. We list the casino games with the highest house edge for you:
Keno
Keno is a popular bingo variant that originated in China and spread to Europe. The original game is played with 80 numbers, 20 of which you choose. After you choose, the balls fall in sequence. The more numbers you correctly predict, the more you win. Keno is a fun and very simple game, but unfortunately, it does have a high house edge (between 20% and 30%), which reduces your chances of winning.
Money Wheel
Money Wheel, also known as the wheel of fortune, is perhaps the oldest casino game in existence. The Money Wheel wheel has 52 slots with a clapper at the top. You win if you bet on the slot where the clapper stops. This makes Money Wheel quite similar to roulette. You decide how much risk you take. The house edge on Money Wheel is between 7.5% and 20%. This means your chances of winning aren’t very high!
American Roulette
With a house edge of around 5.26%, it’s best to avoid American roulette if you want to maximize your chances of winning. This roulette variant has two zeros in play, which is usually unfavorable for gamblers. The European variant, on the other hand, has a house edge of around 2.7%. This is almost half that of American roulette!
Understanding the Odds of Online Slots
What about the odds of winning at online slots? These vary greatly from machine to machine. Unlike card games like poker or blackjack, a good strategy can’t increase your chances of winning. With an online slot, you usually choose a number of paylines and press the button, hoping for the best. So you have no direct influence on the outcome of the game. On average, the house edge for online slots is between 2% and 15%.
If you do want to play a slot machine at an online casino, choose slots with a very high RTP. Thunderkick and casino software giant Netent are particularly known for their slots with a high RTP (and therefore a low house edge).
Slots with a very high RTP:
- Book of 99 from Relax Gaming (99%)
- Jackpot 6000 from NetEnt (98.9%)
- Blood Suckers from NetEnt (98%)
- Starmania from NextGen Gaming (97.87%)
By choosing casino games with a low house edge and applying the best strategy, you can increase your chances of winning.