Where skill changes the result
Blackjack
Basic strategy brings the edge to about 0.5% on a good 3:2 table. Rule selection adds or removes several tenths of a percent. See our basic strategy guide.
Video poker
Jacks or Better on a 9/6 pay table returns about 99.5% with perfect strategy. Every mistake costs, and a worse pay table costs more. Our Jacks or Better guide covers the hold decisions.
Poker
In cash games and tournaments you play other people and the casino takes a rake. Skill decides who wins over time. Casino poker games such as Casino Hold'em are played against the house and have a fixed edge, typically around 2%.
Craps and baccarat
Craps rewards knowing the bets: Pass Line at 1.41%, odds bets at zero, proposition bets at 9% to 17%. Baccarat is simpler: Banker at about 1.06%, and skip the Tie.
House edge at a glance
| Game and bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| Blackjack with basic strategy, 3:2 table | About 0.5% |
| Jacks or Better, 9/6 pay table, perfect play | About 0.46% |
| Baccarat, Banker | About 1.06% |
| Craps, Pass Line | About 1.41% |
| European roulette | 2.70% |
| Sic Bo, Big or Small | About 2.78% |
| American roulette | 5.26% |
| Baccarat, Tie at 8:1 | About 14.4% |
Games with many betting options
Sic Bo and Pai Gow Poker look complicated. In Sic Bo, Big and Small cost about 2.78%, while single triples carry an edge above 16% at most tables. Pai Gow Poker has an edge of about 2.7% and many pushes, so it plays slowly and steadily.
Habits of experienced players
- Read the rules screen of every new variant before betting.
- Keep records of stakes and results by game.
- Size bets to the bankroll, not to the last result.
- Prefer cashback over match bonuses when playing table games.