Which Gambling Game Has The Best Odds

What casino games have the best oddsUnlike some other games, the odds never change, which means a casino will statistically have a 5.26% what casino games have the best odds house edge. The 10 Best Video Poker Games and How to Play Them If you want to get the best odds in the casino, you really only have 2 choices-blackjack and video poker. When it comes to blackjack, you're basically looking at a single game with a few rules variations. But with video poker, you have multiple games to choose from.


Of all the ways to lose money in life, gambling is probably the most enjoyable (at least up to a certain point).

When you walk through the doors of a casino, you do so knowing your net worth is probably going to be lower by the time you emerge back into the blinding sunlight, but at least you can get a few free drinks for your troubles.

However, if you want to maximize the number of watered down adult beverages you receive while gambling, it’s important to know which games to play in order to ensure you don’t burn through your funds any quicker than necessary.

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In order to do that, you need the answer to one simple question: Which casino games have the best odds?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Games of Chance vs. Games of Skill

Casino games are a lot like cryptocurrencies: you have plenty of options when it comes to taking a risk with your money but there are certain ways to gain an edge if you actually know what you’re doing.

If you don’t want to rely on a computer algorithm, a rolling ball, or a random person tumbling dice, there are a few other places where you might feel right at home.

For the purpose of this article, I’m going to assume you aren’t Rain Man or someone who enjoys the adrenaline rush that comes with knowing you could be hauled into a backroom at any minute if you get caught counting cards.

If either of those labels apply to you, then I doubt you need much advice in the first place.

Which Games Have The Worst Odds?

Before we address the best casino games to win money we should also examine the ones that rip you off the most.

Odds can vary from casino to casino and many of them actually have guides that can tell you which games will give you the best return on your investment. However, they’re a bit less likely to advertise which games are designed to screw you over more than others.

I’m more than happy to take on that burden.

3. Slots

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I know it can be tough to resist the urge of the flashing lights and the alluring gaze of Carrie Bradshaw radiating from The Sex and the City slot machine but you’re doing yourself a severe disservice if you don’t have the self-control required to not sit down.

Slot machines are great because you can sit there for hours on end while establishing a camaraderie with the person bringing you drinks, which the casino is more than happy to provide you with because you’re basically printing money for them.

Odds vary from machine to machine, but one analysis says the house edge can be upwards of 15%. That number will shrink as you play machines with larger betting amounts, but if you’re a penny slots diehard, you might want to rethink your fandom.

2. The Wheel Of Fortune


There’s a pretty small chance you’re ever going to find yourself standing next to Pat Sajak on a set in Los Angeles, so for most people, this game is the closest they’ll ever get to actually playing Wheel of Fortune.

However, unlike actual Wheel of Fortune contestants, you don’t get to walk away with a food dehydrator or a new set of flatware if you lose— and there’s a very good chance you’re going to.

If you’re brave enough to bet on higher amounts, you should do so knowing the casino has up to a 25% house edge. You’ll honestly probably have better luck if you just audition for the show.

1. Keno

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I’m not sure why anyone would play Keno at a casino when you can just go to a sketchy bar or a bowling alley— not to mention that it’s just an objectively boring (and entirely random) game.

You can spice things up a bit if you want to play glorified bingo surrounded by AARP members instead of staring at a screen but you’re not doing yourself any favors either way. Opting for the former comes with a house advantage of up to 16% but that number can balloon to 30% when it comes to the virtual version.

Thankfully, there are more than a few other games you can hit up for the best odds in the casino.

Which Casino Games Have The Best Odds?

Which Casino Game Has The Best Odds

4. Roulette


When you consider roulette gives players the chance to basically bet on a coin flip, you’d think it would be one of the best games on the casino floor.

However, the inclusion of the green 0 and 00 actually gives the house a bigger advantage than you’d think. Unlike some other games, the odds never change, which means a casino will statistically have a 5.26% house edge.

There are a variety of different betting strategies that can theoretically increase your odds but there’s still a very good chance you’ll end up losing money in the long run even if you use them.

3. Craps

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There are a million different ways to bet on craps but if you’re new to the game you’re probably just going to want to bet on the Pass Line and yell “Seven!” a lot.

If you choose to adopt that strategy then the casino is looking at a house edge of 1.41%. Sadly, there’s no solid data on whether or not blowing on the dice before a roll impacts that number.

2. Blackjack


You may not have perfected the art of card counting at MIT but blackjack is still one of the best bets you can make at a casino.

Even if you’ve never played a single game of blackjack in your life you still have a pretty good chance of coming away with a winning hand as long as you know how to do simple addition.

If you did, in fact, go to elementary school, the house only has a .5% edge whenever the cards are dealt.

1. Video Poker

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Sure, video poker might not be as exciting as facing off against a guy rocking sunglasses inside with a pair of Beats over a pulled-up hoodie, but at least you don’t have to deal with the blow to your psyche if you end up losing to him.

If you can track down a Jacks or Better machine, you’re in a position to rake in more money than anywhere else in the casino.

Technically speaking, an inexperienced video poker player has the same shot at winning as a blackjack player does but there are a number of proven strategies that (if applied correctly) result in the house only having an advantage of .46%.

However, an expert at Deuces or Wild can theoretically gain a .7% edge on the casino, so if you happen to have some time on your hands, you might want to start studying up.

Which Gambling Game Has The Best Odds In Las Vegas

Roulette wheel Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Spending a weekend gambling in Vegas may be fun, though you’ll probably have an even better time if you win big at the tables. If you’re hoping to beat the odds at the casino, the game you choose to play matters. You’re more likely to come home a little bit richer if you sit down at the blackjack table rather than settling in with the gray-haired set at the slots.

It all comes down to math. Amateur gamblers may hope luck is on their side when they walk through the doors of the Bellagio or Caesars Palace, but what they really need to think about are the odds of winning at different games. While the house always has an edge, it’s much bigger in some situations than in others. That’s why you never see smart gamblers wasting their time playing keno or wheel of fortune – games where you’re almost guaranteed to lose money.

Casino games with the best odds

Savvy gamblers are going to cluster around the blackjack tables, where the casino’s edge is usually between 0.5% to 1%, though the number varies depending on the number of decks and other rule variations. You can calculate the house edge on a particular game of blackjack using the Wizard of Odds online calculator. Those numbers also assume you’re playing with what’s known as basic strategy, or making the best possible decision based on the cards you’ve been dealt. For the average player who’s going to make some mistakes, the house’s edge increases to 2%, according to the University of Nevada’s Center for Gaming Research.

Blackjack table Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

“Blackjack is one of our easiest games to play,” Jay Bean, a floor manager at Caesar’s, told Cleveland’s Newsnet5. “You’re just looking for a number that beats the dealer’s number without going over 21.”

“You are somewhere between 44% to 48% in every single hand of winning,” Michael Magazine, a professor of analytics at the University of Cincinnati, said of blackjack.

After blackjack, the games with the best odds are baccarat and craps. In baccarat, which is a game of chance rather than skill, the odds are close to 50/50, though your chances are slightly better if you bet on the banker rather than the player. At the craps table, the house edge on a pass line bet is 1.4%.

Roulette is one of the easiest casino games to play, and the odds are also fairly good. If you only bet on red or black or evens or odds (as opposed to a specific number) the house edge is 5.26%, assuming you’re playing in an American casino with double zeros on the wheel. Your odds of winning are better in a European casino with a single-zero wheel.

Video poker is another game with fairly good odds for players. “For video poker the statistical advantage varies depending on the particular machine, but generally this game can be very player friendly — house edge less than 3% is not uncommon and some are less than 1% — if played with expert strategy,” per the Center for Gaming Research.

Casino games with the worst odds

Slots may be less intimidating to novice gamblers than table games like blackjack, but the house is more likely to take you for a ride. Each slot machine is different, but the Wizard of Odds estimates the house edge for penny slots at between 6% and 15%. If you can’t resist the slots, chose a higher-denomination machine, since these tend to have a higher payout percentage than lower-denomination slots.

“The average slot machine is probably two, three times more costly to players than the table games,” Bill Zender, a former professional gambler, told Mental Floss.

Which gambling game has the best odds in las vegas

Even worse than slots are “sucker games” like wheel of fortune and keno. The house advantage on keno averages 27%, according to the Center for Gaming. For wheel of fortune games (which also go by names like “big six” and “lucky wheel”), the house edge ranges from 11% to 24%, depending on your bet.

Whether you choose to take a chance on the wheel of fortune or are a high-roller playing baccarat, understanding how the game is played will put you ahead of most other players.

“Ninety percent of the people who walk into a casino have no idea of the odds stacked against them,” Zender said.

Also keep this in mind: The more you gamble, the likelier you are to lose. An analysis of online gamblers found that those who bet the least also had the highest winning percentage. But even then, the numbers weren’t great. Seventeen percent of the lightest gamblers ended up in the black over a two-year period. Only 5.4% of the heaviest gamblers came out ahead.

Which Casino Game Has The Best Odds Of Winning

“[T]he average person doesn’t understand the math” of the multiplier effect, Jim Kilby, who has written books on casino management, told the Wall Street Journal. “Casino games are nibbling machines, and the more nibbles you have, the bigger your losses.”

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Which Gambling Game Has The Best Odds In Gambling

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