
Winning or losing in casino games often comes down to the house edge. Even the best players in world will lose sometimes, since the house is going to win eventually. But what exactly does this mean, how does it work, and how do smart players counter the situation?
First and foremost, there is a built in house edge in every casino game. Casinos don’t operate for free, which means that they have to make money sometimes. Hence, in every game there is a certain percentage by which the casino is guaranteed to win. This is referred to as the house edge. In Roulette the house edge is the 0 and 00 pockets. When the ball lands in either of these pockets it is virtually guaranteed that every bet is going to fail.
Blackjack – 0.28%
A game like Blackjack has an extremely low house edge. At just 0.28% it is so low as to virtually not impact the game at all. This doesn’t mean that a player is always going to win, of course, but what it does mean is that the game is almost entirely fair. It is only in the rare circumstances that both a player and the house simultaneously get a Blackjack. The clash ends with the house wining by default.
Regardless, the low house edge is the reason that the game is considered to be largely skill based. Which is to say; an extremely good player will make more money in the long run.
Roulette – 2.78%/5.26%
Roulette has already been mentioned, but there is an important caveat to take into account. The European version with a single 0 pocket has a house edge of just 2.78%. With the American version and the added 00 pocket the house edge jumps to 5.26%. Any smart player knows that the European version is far more generous, and will stick to it at all costs. Thankfully at a site like lucky creekthe European version is freely available.
Jacks Or Better Video Poker – 0.46%
Video Poker is often overlooked as amongst the fairest ways to gamble. The game works identical to standard Poker, but with payouts made for a hand better than a pair of Jacks. Skill and a solid understanding of Poker is required, but essentially this is a clean case of player versus house. A skilled player can gamble, and win, on a near consistent basis.
Online Slots – 2%/15%
It should be clear by now that the smartest move is to always choose the lowest possible house edge. Simply put, by law of probability a lower house edge is better. But the truth is that many still gravitate towards slots, regardless of the often overwhelming house edge. Depending on the game the number can be as high as 15%, with only a handful of games going as low as 2%. Even still, there is nothing a player can do to increase the chances of winning.
Games like Blackjack and Video Poker may require practice but are far fairer to the player.