Everybody loves a fun night out at the casino, but not everyone knows how best to take advantage of the odds on offer. While you may think you have the same chance of winning at every table, nothing could be further from the truth. Different casino games offer significantly different odds of winning. For example, poker machines and slots offer the least chance of winning out of all casino games. Casinos don’t like to advertise this fact, of course, but any gambler who hopes to avoid making a loss should avoid these two games.
So, what games should you frequent for the highest returns? The answer may surprise you. Many people feel safest playing the automated machine games like animated poker and electronic slots, but these are usually designed to tip the odds in favor of the house. If you want to avoid games that are contrived to give you a disadvantage, stick to table games. Here, you are usually playing against other players with real cards. This way, you aren’t at the mercy of PRNGs (pseudorandom number generators) that simulate randomness in electronic games. Playing with a deck of cards ensures true randomness, whereas PRNGs are sometimes designed to give the player a slight disadvantage.
1. Blackjack
Blackjack is widely agreed to be the most player-friendly game available at most casinos. It is an international favorite and easy to pick up. You are playing against the dealer, with the simple goal of beating their total without exceeding 21. You can play blackjack for money here.
There are usually between 2-4 rounds per hand, wherein you can choose to either stick with your current cards or be dealt another one. The dealer’s hand only gets revealed when you choose to stick, hit 21, or exceed 21 (bust). If you bust or stick with a hand that turns out to be lower than the dealer’s, then you lose. If your hand is higher than the dealer’s, you win. If you hit 21, you have most likely won. The only way you won’t win with 21 is if the dealer also gets 21, in which case you draw.
The house edge for Blackjack is roughly 2%, meaning that for every $100 you bet, you will lose $2 on average. Of course, this swings and roundabouts depending on your luck. You can win or lose big depending on your luck, but the house edge is remarkably low. You can reduce the house edge even further by reading up on strategy. Knowing when to stick and when to take another card can greatly increase your returns, as well as noting other factors like how many decks the dealer is using.
2. Craps
Another exceedingly popular table game, craps, involves betting on the outcomes of dice rolls. It is a fairly simple game to grasp, and depending on the bet, the house edge is not very high. One player (or “shooter”) stands at the table and rolls a pair of dice. All bets must be placed before the dice are rolled. There are a few kinds of bets the shooter can make before rolling, with varying odds of success.
Depending on what kind of bet the shooter makes, the house edge can range from roughly 2.5% to as high as 12%. If they’re feeling particularly lucky, they can make an “any craps” bet which has an 11-12% house edge. However, most players stick to the “lay” bets which have a 2-3% house edge.
Craps is a fast-paced, fun, and exhilarating game that is played in almost every casino around the world. The biggest recorded run of luck at a craps table was achieved by Kerry Packer, an Australian media tycoon with a fondness for casino games. During a lucrative few days in Las Vegas, Packer racked up a total of $30 million in winnings at the craps table. It was an unprecedented victory, and has never been repeated since. However, records are made to be broken. Who knows, if you bet smartly, you may just walk away with even more winnings than Kerry Packer did.
3. Baccarat
Baccarat is another good choice for those who seek the best odds of winning at a casino. Many people are intimidated by the prestige surrounding the game, but it is as simple as playing Bingo at black lotus casino and has a low house edge too. The dealer (or “banker”) deals two cards each to themselves and the player. The cards are dealt face up, and there is only one round of betting. Before the cards are dealt, the player bets on either the banker to win, themselves to win, or for a tie. Whoever’s hand totals closest to nine wins. If you bet on the banker’s hand, you win 95% of your bet. If you bet on your own and it wins, you win 100% of your wager. The final betting option is to bet on a tie, which pays out 8-1 due to its improbability.
If either hand exceeds 9, the first digit of the hand’s total is dropped to get the final value. For example, if you’re dealt a 5 and a 7, your total is 12. You drop the 1, and your new total is 2.
Like most casino games, the house edge depends on what kind of bets you make. If you bet on the improbable outcomes, both the risk and the reward increase substantially. However, many punters prefer to play the long game, betting moderate amounts on outcomes with favorable odds. If you’re careful with your bets, you can stay at a baccarat table for hours on end and leave with a decent profit. However, luck is still the deciding factor. The house edge for a player win is roughly 1.5%, while the house edge for a banker win is closer to 1%, hence the slightly lower odds. A tie has a roughly 14% house edge, making it the highest paying outcome in the game. The only way to reduce the house edge in baccarat is to consistently bet on the banker’s hand, but this might become tedious after a while.