- Blackjack has one of, if not the best, odds of winning among table games.
- Craps offers several bets that give players an edge of up to 167%.
- Baccarat is one of the most popular games offering great odds for players.
For some, throwing back a few drinks and watching their hard-earned money disappear playing the , is all part of the fun.
But what about those who don’t share the same sentiment? What casino games do they have a chance of winning? The good news is that there are plenty of games with great odds.
Determining which games offer the best chances of winning at a casino depends on your point of view. Are you a blackjack player that’s happy to accept 99+ % odds in return for decision making? Or would you prefer to sit and spin a fruit machine that requires very little input but could take hours to produce a result?
What I mean to say here is that there are many factors to consider when determining the “best” casino games with the best odds. Nevertheless, elucidating how odds work in casinos is a good place to start.
How Are Casino Odds Calculated?
Before we can determine which casino games offer the best odds let’s first look at how they are calculated.
Unlike sports betting odds that indicate how much you might win, casino odds display the probability of that outcome occurring.
These are often referred to as “true odds” and represent what you would expect to pay to place a particular wager or the return you should receive based on the likelihood of succeeding.
For example, American roulette features a double zero wheel meaning there is a total of 38 pockets.
If you were to bet on any single number, the odds of hitting it are 1 in 38 (2.61%). The payout for a correct prediction is 35 to 1.
It’s essential to remember that casino games are designed to make a profit, otherwise, they wouldn’t be offered. This means that the sum of all possible outcomes’ true odds should not equal 100%.
The house edge represents the difference between the true odds and 100%, and this is how much the game should theoretically make from each bet. For instance, that 2.61% on the American roulette table equates to a house edge of 2.70%.
Knowing how casino odds work will help us identify which games to play if you want to win at a casino. Let’s look at the top five candidates.
Must-Know Texas Hold'em Starting Hands for Cash Games1. Blackjack
Strategy blackjack could be one of, if not the, best game to win at.
Countless studies have been done on the game, including one by Michael Shackleford, also known as The Integer Guy. He found that if you use card counting to keep track of whether the remaining deck contains more favorable or unfavorable cards, you could turn the 0.5% house edge in the player’s favor.
Although this is technically legal, most casinos will ask you to leave if they suspect you are counting cards. It’s a skill that allows you to make decisions based on the remaining cards in the shoe that have yet to be dealt.
By changing your plays and bets according to predetermined systems, you can reduce the house advantage to below 0.5%, possibly even eliminating it altogether. Once you’ve mastered card counting, you could try buying into a game with multiple decks and count through an entire shoe before shuffling.
Even if a casino allows you to complete an entire six- or eight-deck show without shuffling, you’ll enjoy between a 1 and 2% house edge. Although this isn’t 0%, it’s pretty darn close.
Of course, not everyone can learn card counting, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still come out on top when playing blackjack. Even by simply using basic strategy, you’ll enjoy one of the highest odds of winning at a casino.
Best Real Money Gambling Apps in 2023Factors such as the number of decks used, whether the dealer stands or hits on a soft 17, and if you can double after splitting all affect the house edge. In general, the lower these figures are in favor of the casino, the better your chances of coming out on top.
Take a look at the table below to see how some of the most popular land-based venues fare.
- Migomi Gaming
- Epic Digits
- One On One Blackjack
- Blackjack 21 + Poker
- Piñata! Bucketloads of Fun! — is available on iOS.
There are way more ways to play blackjack online for free by visiting our friends at Techopedia.
Using the ideal strategies and doubling down on certain situations can see the player’s odds rise to around 99%. This puts it at the top of my list of casino games with the best odds.
Popular Casinos That Offer Online Blackjack
Why wait in line to play blackjack when you can log onto one of these sites and access dozens of versions straight from the comfort of your home?
I know which option I’d choose, and it certainly isn’t waiting in line to play a game where some of the players probably haven’t even taken a moment to look up the .
Many of the offer blackjack, some even featuring live dealers. Our experts have combed through the terms and conditions and put the gaming software to the test. Check out the top sites below.
2. Baccarat
Baccarat has long been considered a game only wealthy Asian clients played in the secluded parts of the casino. While it may still hold onto some of these stigmas, the odds baccarat offers makes it worthy of recognition in its own right.
Especially when you consider just how simple it is to play. There are three main bets you can place – player, banker, and tie. After you’ve placed your bets, two cards are dealt to the bank and player in a race to get as close to nine as possible.
Depending on the value of the cards, the dealer might draw another one. Finally, you can bet on which hand will be the closest to nine or whether it will be a tie.
The house edge for these various bets is where you’ll find out why this game belongs on the list of casino games with the best odds.
The player bet has a relatively high house edge of 1.24%, but this changes to 1.06% when placing money on the banker’s hand. One of the reasons why this bet is so lucrative is that the banker has the last say.
Since the banker acts last, they benefit from the drawing rules that force the player’s hand at times.
Another reason why the banker bet is so attractive is that it must lose only half the time. If these numbers seem too good to be true, you’re correct – they are.
Juice, or a 5% commission, is charged on wins for betting on the banker’s hand. To account for this fee, the house edge rises to 1.06%, which is still remarkable considering how close it is to 1%.
The tie bet has a house edge of 1.06% as well, which means you’re almost guaranteed an even return over the long run. However, ties occur far less frequently than both player or banker hands, offering some of the best odds of winning at a casino.
SugarHouse Casino Promo Codes & Bonus Codes (2023 - Updated)Our guide to explains how the game works and what it involves. Alternatively, check out the following sites that offer this fantastic game.
3. Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker is a variation of the traditional Chinese domino game pai gow, which uses a standard 52-card deck. The aim of the game is to set the seven cards you’ve been dealt into a five-card poker hand, and a two-card poker hand, and hope they beat the dealer’s hands.
The unique thing about Pai Gow Poker is that it is the only casino game with the best odds that allows you to be the dealer.
Players can take a turn being the banker, which means your opponents will bet against you. This position does require you to bring your own chips to the table and cover the amount you would have normally bet.
This aspect makes it slightly different from other casino games with the best odds, but extremely rewarding once mastered.
When wagering against the house, the odds of Pai Gow Poker are as good as some of the other games featured here. The main way to minimize the house edge is not to play the 6% commission or “dragon” or “laizi” options, which we will discuss shortly.
Under these circumstances, you’ll enjoy a 1.46% house edge on winnings from the low hand and a 1.71% edge on the high hand. These figures combine to give the casino a 1.59% advantage on every hand, making it one of the lowest on the strip.
If you add that players have a 96.57% chance of pushing (a tie) and a 0.7% likelihood of winning both hands (a “wicked hand”), you’ll end up with a -0.14% house edge.
Effectively this means that over millions of hands, the casino should break even on wicked hands, while you’ll make a small profit on ties.
One of the penalties for winning both hands is that you only get paid at even money (-110) instead of 1:1 like normal. On the flip side, you’ll receive odds of 1:1 if your opponent manages to pull off a wicked hand against you.
By avoiding the laazi and commission bets, you can enjoy some of the best odds in town when playing Pai Gow Poker. Unfortunately, not all Las Vegas casinos offer such generous terms. Those in search of even odds can try the following online.
4. Craps
Anyone who has watched the iconic movie Rounders with Matt Damon and Edward Norton will be familiar with the scene in which Norton’s character, Mike, laments the loss of $50,000 playing craps in an exclusive club.
20+ Best RTP Slots Online (2023-2024) - High RTP Slot GamesHowever, instead of focusing on the exorbitant amounts of cash required to sit at the table, let’s look at the odds craps provides that make it one of the best games at a casino.
Pass lines, don’t pass lines, come bets, and don’t come bets offer players one of the best odds in a casino, with the added bonus of a low house edge of 1.4%.
In a nutshell, passing and coming refer to a shooter rolling a seven or an 11, while failing refers to a six or 12, and coming refers to a seven. Of course, there are lots of different bets and variations, which our guides can teach you .
By sticking to these bets, you can enjoy one of the best ratios of probabilities to payouts, resulting in incredible odds craps offers.
Some casinos will also allow you to lay odds behind any of these bets, which has a juice fee, but comes with an enormous house edge of around 0.5 to 1.5%. When including the five percent commission, the effective house advantage sits at approximately 1.4%.
Oddsmanship bets that involve 6 and 8 usually have a zero house edge. The hard four and hard six or eight wagers also come in at 97.07% and 98.08%, respectively, thanks to payouts of 7 to 1 and 9 to 1, respectively.
Craps offers numerous bets, each with varying odds. Players looking for the best odds should stick to the pass/don’t pass and come/don’t come bets. Any other bet will significantly increase the house advantage.
On that note, some tables feature a “single roll” bet wherein you wager whether the next throw will be a 7 or 11, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, or 12. As these are all hit once every 6 six times, these wagers have a true odds ratio of 5:1 or 6:1 depending on the numbers rolled.
Best Online Slots You Can Play in a Casino right now!Casinos usually offer odds of 5 to 1, which means the mathematical odds closely mirror the payoff. In fact, these odds in craps are so close to the payout that many think it offers the highest probability of winning in a casino.
Check out our recommended casinos that offer craps if you’d like to experience these odds for yourself.
5. Video Poker
Video poker is similar to slots in that it is a single-player game that can be started and stopped at your leisure. Like casino odds, slot machine payouts express themselves in the same way.
For instance, a jackpot that carries odds of 8,000 to 1 would require 8,000 coins to be paid out once if the next coin dropped would be your winner.
Crucial Licenses That Allow Online Casinos to Operate LegallyThe odds of getting that coin in the prize compartment on one attempt are extremely slim, but if you had all day, there’s a reasonable chance it could happen.
The best odds in video poker don’t work quite in the same way because you have input in the outcome. Your ability to swap cards can dramatically improve your odds of walking away with more money than you came in with.
Mastery of this input allows you to finish each minute, hour, or day with a winning result far more easily than slots. This places video poker among the best games to play at a casino if you want to win.
You’ll need to understand the and implement them accordingly. Once you have these skills under your belt, you can reduce the house edge to below 0.5%.
With such a small percentage, any machines that are due for a payout are difficult to determine. This means that in the short term, you are far more likely to walk away with more money than you came in with.
The only downside to video poker is that each decision you make affects the outcome. This means that unless you are already a skilled player, or you dedicate ample time to practicing, you are more likely to win in the long run.
Never fear, there is a solution to both of these concerns. Insert a 100 bill into your favorite video poker machine and stay for 100 hands. Stick to the perfect strategy at all times, and you should see an accurate representation of the odds video poker offers within a few hours.
Not sure which games to play? Here are some of the best video poker variants to try at BetUS.
5-Card Draw Poker
The simplest of the video poker variants to understand is 5-card draw. Using a standard deck of 52 cards, players draw five cards, evaluate their worth, and either keep or discard cards to build a stronger hand.
Paytables will highlight the rewards for everything from a pair of Jacks to a Royal Flush. Some games will also include wild cards or jokers to make things more interesting.
As a general rule, any pair or stronger is worth keeping, while disposing of anything weaker. You can then draw new cards to improve your hand. The best video poker games will allow you to hold all five cards, taking them again for a fresh set to hopefully improve your standing.
The version above is a great example of a simple, classic 5-card draw game.
Here’s a quick look at the general order of the strongest hands you should be familiar with:
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- Pair of Jacks or Better
- Less Than Jacks
Note: The rankings on the bottom row reflect the cards held rather than the value of the hand.
“Jack or Better” is highlighted because any hand lower in value results in no payout. This rule forms part of the paytable and should be inspected before playing.
Hands better than a Jack or Better increase the payouts exponentially, sometimes even including bonuses for a Royal Flush. Understanding these values alongside your odds of winning video poker will help you make the most profitable choices.
Joker Poker
Joker poker is another top variant that uses a 53-card deck containing all the usual cards plus a joker. This symbol functions as a wild card able to substitute for any other to form the highest possible hand.
Five of a kind is the highest hand you can get in this version, followed by Royal Flushes. Both of which usually come with hefty payouts.
Situations where you should keep or discard remain much the same as 5-card draws, with anything higher than two pairs of jacks or better generally worth holding onto.
The addition of the joker can lead to some massive hands and payouts. However, the odds of getting one to assist with your hand is what makes this game awesome.
It appears on average once in every deployed card, which is the equivalent of 0.2%. Keep this figure in mind when deciding whether to continue with or discard a hand.
Fun Little Creeks Casino Resort Activities You Won’t Want To MissDeuces Wild
Deuces Wild is probably one of the craziest poker variants you’ll ever come across. In this version, all twos are wild, acting as any other card to boost your hand.
At first glance, you may think this introduces tons of Royal Flushes and big wins into your future. Sadly, this isn’t always the case.
Getting lots of deuces is often more of a hinderance than a help. Having two or three of them in the beginning can make it nearly impossible to create any sort of valuable hand. But don’t worry; there’s a method to this madness.
Remember how a flush and a straight pay out the same amount as a full house? Well, in Deuces Wild, this is turned on its head.
Paytables typically give straight flushes crazy large sums of money compared to anything else. Five of a kind, especially a Royal Flush with deuces, can earn you hundreds or even thousands of times your initial stake.
Ultimate X Poker Deuces Wild is another great example of this type of game.
To maximize your odds of winning deuce wild video poker, you’ll need to dispose of anything less than three of a kind. Two’s are never worth keeping unless you have another two and can potentially create four of a kind or a straight, straight flush, or Royal.
As you can see, understanding the worth of different hands and when to use the best video poker strategy is crucial for success. Knowing the odds of winning video poker will also come in handy.
Bonus Poker Deluxe
We are going to switch gears now and focus on Bonus Poker Deluxe. Although the name is long, this video poker variant is one of the easiest to understand and play.
The game follows a similar format to others in that it uses a standard deck of 52 cards and awards payouts for hands ranging from a pair of Jacks to a Royal Flush.
Ways to Play Poker Without Putting Money on the LineHowever, Bonus Poker Deluxe includes an additional reward for four or a pair of Jacks or better. Although subtleties like these may seem minor, they can greatly enhance your odds of winning video poker.
Once again, any pair of Jacks or higher should be kept, with discrepancies between the different varieties becoming apparent when comparing a Jacks or Queens to a pair of Kings or Aces, and four of a kind or a Royal Flush.
Check out the table below to see how these compare in Bonus Poker Deluxe.
Games like these provide some of the best odds when compared to casino games with the best odds. Making the right moves at the right times could even put them amongst slots.
That said, you might struggle to convince some that video poker deserves a spot on the best games to play at a casino if they look like this.
6. Bingo
Typically associated with old ladies in church halls or bingo halls, this classic game has some of the best casino odds. The key to finding it lies in the multiples of bingo, which offer some phenomenal returns.
There are numerous types of bingo games, but most follow the same premise. Players purchase a sheet that contains several cards, each with 25 numbers randomly spread out in five columns and rows.
Numbers range from 1 to 75, with each card boasting a unique selection. A call jar contains all 75 numbers, which the caller will draw one at a time. Each number comes with a corresponding color to aid in identification.
Best Casino Online Wyoming 2023 - Poker, Gambling SiteThe caller will also announce the number and stalk the numbers on your bingo card. Hitting the auto-daub feature at our recommended sites is the easiest way to keep up with the numbers drawn.
A pattern forms the basis of most bingo games, with the most common being a single line, double line, and full house, or bingo. The first person to mark off the desired pattern shouts “bingo.”
The best odds come from multiples of bingo, which we will explore in the next section. Before that, let’s touch on some of the bingo variations you can expect to find at reputable casinos.
Variations of Bingo
- 75-Ball Bingo – This version uses a 5×5 matrix with a free space in the center. Different patterns are available, like diagonal, vertical, or horizontal lines; two diamonds; or a covered star.
- 90-Ball Bingo – UK Bingo uses this variation, which features a 3×9 grid with 15 numbers. Strewn among these grids are one line, two lines, and full house prizes.
- 30-Ball Bingo – Also known as Swedish bingo, Speed bingo, or Blitz bingo, this game offers the fastest rounds using a 3×3 grid. Only one winning pattern exists: covering all numbers.
There are many more variations on these classic casino games with the best odds, but these are among the most popular.
Odds of Multiples Bingo
Multiples bingo takes the standard game and adds extra payouts for reaching certain milestones before anyone else.
For example, getting four lines in 42 ball bingo in under 30 balls is an impressive feat. So impressive, in fact, that bingo halls and casinos will reward you for the achievement.
The odds of bingo offering remarkable opportunities are some of the best you’ll find in any establishment. Getting a single line in 75-ball bingo comes with roughly 60:1 odds, which increases to 180:1 for a full house.
However, multiples of each pattern can change the odds considerably. Getting one line in under 15 calls doubles your stake, while two lines in 35 calls will pay out 6 times your original amount.
A full house won before any other player with 42 calls reduces the odds to 0.2%, or six times the stake. These odds of bingo prove why this game is among the best if you want to win big at a casino.
Don’t believe me? How about these odds for a full house in 42 ball bingo?
- 42 calls – 0.27% or 7x your stake (as per above)
- 37 calls – 0.54% or 15x
- 30 calls – 1% or 30x
- 24 calls – 2% or 60x
- 18 calls – 4.76% or 200x
- 12 calls – 11.63% or 500x
- 8 calls – 25.46% or 1,200x
- 4 calls – 45.45% or 2,500x
- 3 calls – 63.64% or 3,500x
- 2 calls – 70.83% or 5,000x
- 1 call – 84.61% or 7,000x
Getting a full house before anyone else in just one call has a 16:1 payout – not exactly amazing odds bingo.
This table highlights the payouts for getting a full house before anyone else in 75-ball bingo.
These odds bingo can offer are almost like slots, but with more control over the situation since you have some influence over how quickly you mark off numbers.
However, you can’t just sit there pressing your daub button repeatedly. Each additional card you have increases your odds, but also your workload. The sweet spot seems to be four cards, providing enough odds to make multiple baskets worthwhile, but not so many that you go broke trying.
Still not convinced that bingo is among the best casino games to win? Try these online versions at the sites below.
Avoid These Casino Games
No matter how long you’ve been gambling, there are certain games you should avoid if you’re seeking the best odds of winning in a casino. The following titles boast extremely high house edges that sap your bankroll at an alarming rate.
Keno
Keno is a lottery-style game where players select between one and 15 numbers between one and 80. The game then draws 20 random numbers, known as a keno round, with winning payouts dependent on how many matches were chosen.
Each combination creates a unique house edge, as demonstrated in the table below.
The best odds in keno come with special bets, namely a catch 0 and a hit. Catch zero means your ticket doesn’t match any of the 20 numbers, paying out 30 to 1 on a five-spot ticket, increasing to 165 times your money for 10 spots, and maxing out at 2,880 times your stake for a single ticket.
A hit, on the other hand, predicts at least one match, which sounds easy until you consider there’s a 4.87% chance that it won’t. Receiving payouts for what seems like a sure thing comes in handy on bad days.
Unfortunately, the incredibly high house edge makes these the best odds keno provides. Most casinos sit around the 30% mark, which is extremely high, even for online keno. Compare this to baccarat, which checks in at around 1.06% and you’ll start to get an idea of the folly of playing the former.
Slot Machines
The most popular casino games often come with the worst odds. can range anywhere from 2% on games like baccarat and video poker up to 33% or even more in some instances.
Slot machines have a bad rap for being loose with payouts, enticing players with flashy lights, sounds, and alluring themes.
All the explosions, free spins, and hot drops in the world cannot mask some of the worst odds in the casino.
The biggest problem with slots is that people win, which creates a false narrative that they are one of the best games at a casino if you want to win.
You’re far more likely to win a couple of bucks on a $1 slot machine than someone playing video poker or even blackjack.
The issue becomes apparent when you look at the odds slots offer and compare them with other games.
A typical slot machine has around a 5x payout ratio, meaning every $100 wagered results in $500 leaving the casino.
Best Casino Apps in West Virginia 2023 - Mobile Online CasinosThat’s a whopping 50% house edge, which is 10 times worse than baccarat, the next highest casino game in terms of odds.
Sure, you might walk out with a few extra dollars, but so would 90% of the other patrons. Does that mean all these people won at the casino? Nope, it just means the house edge was maintained.
In fact, this is the ultimate goal of the casino. They don’t care if you win or lose as long as the overall amount of money going in matches or exceeds the amount going out.
So, don’t feel bad if you think you’re due a win on the slots only to hit the bonus round and come away with $8 having wagered $100. The odds were always against you.
If you’re looking for the best casino games to win, maybe skip the slots.
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About The Author
Harry Bridge is a freelance writer and intrepid traveler with bylines on Lonely Planet, Expedia, Road Affair, Dollar Sanity, and more. He specializes in writing about nightlife, breweries, and attractions around the world. When he’s not behind a computer screen, he loves exploring new cities and meeting people along the way.
