What is a House Edge?
If you are a regular casino player, then surely you have read or heard about the house edge. It’s a truism in the gambling industry- you can’t beat the house over the long term. Casino operators still run a business, and they make sure online casinos remain profitable. This is possible thanks to the concept of a house edge. Simply put, the online casino house edge refers to the theoretical advantage of the casino in a specific game.
Let’s use the popular online slot as an example to explain this concept. Online slots have Return to Player (RTP) percentage, and it normally ranges from 95 to 97%. It describes the percentage of the amount that a slot game theoretically returns to players over the long term in the form of winnings. A game with a 97% RTP means that it will theoretically return 97% of all wagered money to players in the form of winnings. Simply put, for every $100 wagered, the games pay out $97 over the long term.
The house edge is simply the opposite of the RTP. Going back to the slot machine with 97% RTP, its house edge is 3%, which acts as the casino’s advantage. It means that the lower the house edge, the smaller the share of the operator. To improve your chances of winning, look for the games with the lowest house edge.
8 Casino games with the lowest house edge in US casinos
Since operators still run a business, it’s better to look for games where you have better chances of winning. The key is knowing what online casino games offer the lowest house edge in the business. To help you win big, we cover these games using the table below. As you can see, this list of friendly games is dominated by table games. Players don’t realize that table games such as blackjack and craps offer the lowest house edge in the business. Check the table below for a list of what games to play.
| Game | House Edge % |
|---|---|
| Blackjack (Single Deck) | 1.5% |
| Craps | 1.4% – 5.0% |
| Baccarat | 1.5% |
| Three-card Poker | 1.5% |
| Video Poker | 1.5% |
| Slots | 2.0% – 10.0% |
| European Roulette | 2.5% |
| Pai Gow Poker | 2.5% |
Conclusion
Before you go to your favorite casino or sign up online, you may want to know which casino games offer you the best chance of winning. As a player, don’t just focus on the payout schedule or the jackpots. Make sure to review the game’s house edge or the casino’s advantage over the long term.
Among the popular casino games to play, table games such as blackjack and craps are your best bets. Blackjack offers the best odds of winning, with a house edge of 1.5% or even lower in some physical casinos. If you play online, you are only playing against the dealer and not experienced poker players. Next up is craps, which can offer a house edge of 1.4%. Based on our list, you can also consider baccarat and online poker.
By choosing games with a lower house edge, you give yourself a better chance of landing a win. With this approach, you don’t just win frequently, but you also protect yourself from stressful losses and lost time.