What Table Game has the Best Odds? Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Pai Gow Poker?
Best Table Games Odds: What You’ll Learn
- Identify Table Games with the Best Odds: Learn which casino games like Blackjack, Baccarat, and Craps have the best odds, and discover strategies to lower the house edge for a higher chance of winning.
- Understand Responsible Gambling: Gain insights into setting gambling limits, managing your bankroll, and recognizing signs of problem gambling to ensure a healthy relationship with gaming.
- Maximize Your Winning Potential: Find tips on choosing slot machines with high Return to Player (RTP) percentages and bonuses to enhance your gaming experience.
- Tips for Enjoyable Play: Discover strategies for maintaining a fun and responsible gambling experience, including sticking to your budget and making rationale-based decisions.
- Explore New Games Risk-Free: Learn how to balance playing games with good odds while occasionally exploring riskier games for excitement, ensuring a well-rounded and enjoyable casino experience.
If you’re looking to maximize you bankroll and leave the casino with more money than when you entered, this article will focus on ways you can find the best table game odds the lowest house edge as well as some betting strategies for some of the most popular casino table games.
First, let’s talk about casino odds and house edge.
Understanding Casino Odds and House Edge
While casino odds and house edge seem to be similar, they are quite different.
Definition of Odds
The odds for a casino table game provides the likelihood of winning. Roulette is the easiest example of explaining odds.
- If you bet on an individual number in American Roulette, the odds of that number coming up is 38:1 (36 possible numbers + 0 and 00) or 2.63%
- If you bet on red, the odds of that color coming up is 47.37% (not 50% because of the 0 and 00)
What is House Edge?
The house edge looks at the long-term percentage of a player’s wager that a casino expects to keep. It may not seem like a high percentage, but the number is based on countless bets by countless players over the long run and it’s how a casino anticipates their potential profits.
Sticking with American Roulette as an example:
- The odds of winning on an individual number is 38:1
- However, if the casino pays 36:1 for a winning number, they have a built-in house edge
- If wager $1 on all 36 numbers, 0 and 00 you’ve bet $38
- Yet, whatever number it lands on you’ll make $36 (not $38)
That’s the house edge.
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Evaluating the Best Table Games Odds
What are the best table games odds? There are lots of different table games to consider when stepping into a casino or playing on an online casino, but knowing which games have the best odds can help you determine where to best spend your bankroll.
Why Blackjack Offers the Best Table Games Odds
Blackjack is one of the most popular table games. It’s incredibly easy to learn and playing with a basic strategy can reduce the house edge to under 1%. It also offers favorable odds for the player.
With a optimal strategy, the odds of winning a Blackjack hand are about 49%, which is just about the same odds as losing a hand.
The odds of winning change if the player veers from a basic strategy, such as hitting on 16 when the dealer has a 6 face up card or even when deciding to double down.
Doubling down on 11 is part of a basic strategy, yet the odds of being dealt a 10 (for 21) are just 31%. Even then, a 21 doesn’t guarantee a win – you could also push.
Baccarat: Focusing on the Banker Bet
In Baccarat, the banker’s bet boasts a slight house advantage versus the player’s bet, which is why players tend to like to wager on it.
When you bet on the banker’s hand, you have a little better chance of winning. Now, because of the advantage of the banker bet, a casino will generally take a 5% commission if the bet wins.
Even still, many players prefer paying a commission if it means they are more likely to win the hand.
Strategic Betting in Craps
Craps is an exciting game with lots of options to make money on the next roll. But while betting the hard ways might be thrilling, it’s not a strategic way to win at Craps. When it comes to the first roll, a Pass Line bet will provide a 1:1 win if you roll a 7 or 11. 7 is the most likely number to come up giving Come Out roll the best bet.
But the casino makes money when a point is established and the roller shoots a 7 and the table loses. With the option to bet against the shooter, you’re playing with the house advantage and the edge on winning is better.
A lot of experienced players will bet this way – now, as a warning, most players don’t like seeing someone bet against the table so if you’re okay being a bit of an outcast (or you play Craps online), this could be a strategic bet.
Games with Higher House Edge to Avoid
What game has the best odds to win? Not these! There’s nothing wrong with playing and enjoying these games but if you’re looking for the lowest house edge, these are the ones to avoid.
In comparison to the following table games, keep in mind that with a basic strategy, Blackjack has a house edge of under 1%.
American Roulette: Double Zero Drawback
American Roulette wheels, which unlike European Roulette wheels, has both the 0 and the 00 and therefore brings the house edge up to 5.26%. Having 1 extra spot for a 00 might not seem like that big of a deal but the house edge for European Roulette drops to 2.7%.
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Caribbean Stud Poker: Understanding the Edge
Caribbean Stud Poker is a popular game but, unfortunately, its house edge makes it a casino game to avoid. For those who aren’t aware of how to play, Caribbean Stud Poker is a lot like regular poker games only it’s just you versus the dealer.
You place your ante to start and, depending on your five card poker hands and the dealer’s one face up card, you either fold or double your wager to play. The house edge is 5.2% which is high considering other table games.
Sic Bo: Weighing Risk and Reward
Sic Bo is a game of prediction as players place their chips on several betting options before the dealer rolls three dice. Based on what has been rolled will determine which areas win. In a way, it’s similar to Craps, although not exactly the same.
Here is a breakdown of the house edge based on common bets:
- Combination Bets: 2.78%
- Single Number Bets: 7.87%
- Specific Triple Bets: 16.20%
- Double Bets: 18.52%
Of course, if you’re placing bets on high-risk numbers coming up, like a specific triple bet of 17, the reward is often a massive 62:1 payout!
Optimizing Your Betting Strategy
One way to lower the house edge and also take advantage of the best odds is to follow a basic strategy.
Learning Basic Blackjack Strategy for the Best Table Games Odds
If you follow a basic Blackjack strategy, you can lower the house edge to under 1%. Click here to learn more about Blackjack Strategy.
Many casinos will even allow you to have a chart like this at the table when playing and you can always consult them without any issues if you play online Blackjack.
Learning these strategies and knowing when to hit, stand, double down and split, will allow you to maximize your bankroll and improve your odds of winning.
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Managing Your Bets in Craps
Craps can be a game of high emotions. When the table is hot it’s easy to throw around money in hopes of boosting your bankroll on a lucky roll. But if you can keep your emotions in check, you’ll be able to manage your bets better, have fun at the table and enhance your odds.
Why bet the minimum on the Pass Line? The Pass Line only pays 1:1 if you win. On the Come Out roll you’ll win if you roll a 7 or 11, lose if you roll a 2, 3 or 12 or the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 would be your point.
Once the point is established, you can place a bet behind the Pass Line for better odds or other numbers that pay better than 1:1.
Because 6 and 8 are the second likeliest numbers to come up after 7, these would be your best bets, unless you decide to wager on the Don’t Pass Bar line, which means you win if the table loses.
Effective Bet Types in Baccarat
When sitting at the Baccarat table, there are two types of bets that provide a low house edge under 1.25%.
- Banker Bet: With a low house edge of 1.06%, this is one of the best bets you can find in the casino and pays 1:1. It’s so good, in fact, that the casino will often take a 5% commission if you win.
- Player Bet: Although a Player Bet doesn’t win as frequently as a Banker Bet, the house edge is still only 1.24%.
Tie Bets and Pair Bets might seem enticing but they have a house edge above 10%.
Online vs. Physical Casinos: Odds Comparison
Do the odds change for popular casino games depending on where you play? The answer is yes. Online casinos are a booming industry and, along with the competition of getting players to gamble on their website, they have the ability to change the odds to entice gamblers.
Online casinos have a lot less overhead than a physical casino so they can afford to make the odds of winning or the house edge more favorable to players. But beware, there are side bets or bonus bets that might increase the house edge and don’t have as good of odds of winning.
Online Casinos: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Play anytime, anywhere.
- Lots of game varieties. Even a Las Vegas casino is limited to its space, but an online casino could offer a variety of Blackjack or other table games.
- More casino bonuses. Online casinos tend to offer more bonuses to keep players coming back.
- No people. Some may see this is a con but if you don’t want to sit with an obnoxious drunk gambler, online casinos remove that possibility.
Cons:
- Withdrawal isn’t immediate like a physical casino.
- Risk of addiction is higher. Think about how people are glued to Candy Crush or other games on their phone. This can be a similar experience with online gambling.
- Playing at an unlicensed casino. It’s important to find an online casino that is licensed and regulated to ensure gameplay is fair and that you will receive your winnings.
- No internet, no play. Without a connection, you’re not able to gamble online.
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Physical Casinos: What to Expect
When you step foot into a physical casino, you’re inundated with sounds and sights designed to keep you active and engaged. Most have tinted windows and no clocks so you lose your sense of time-of-day.
Physical, or land-based, casinos can be exciting and a lot of fun though. You get to sit down at tables and play with other gamblers. However, the number of available tables might be limited and, depending on the day and time, the table minimums might be higher than what you want to wager.
Responsible Gambling Practices
Bankroll management is key to ensuring you don’t overspend and know what to walk away – this holds true for whether you’re winning or losing.
Importance of Setting Limits
When you set limits on how much you allow yourself to gamble, you’ll be able to focus on fun and know when it’s time to leave the table.
Think of going to the online or physical casino as any other activity: you probably wouldn’t budget $100 for a night out but keep spending more and more. Same is true for setting your budget.
Regarding limits, think about how much you want to gamble with for the entire time you’re at a casino, then divide that by as many hours you’ll be there. If you need to step away because passed your limit, then make sure to do so.
Also, you don’t want to win big and then gamble that away. Setting limits on winning is also a great strategy to knowing when to take a break.
Recognizing Signs of Problem Gambling
Gambling addiction is real so if you recognize these signs, make sure to stop and seek help. It’s better to get the help you need than lose your home or isolate yourself from friends and family.
- Preoccupation with gambling, such as anticipating the next time you’re going to play or finding ways to get more money to gamble.
- Just like an addict may need more alcohol or drugs to relive the initial high, increasing your bet amount to find that “high” is a sign you may need to seek help.
- If you’ve tried to quit but can’t and continue gambling despite negative consequences.
- Hiding your gambling from others.
- Your gambling is negatively impacting relationships with family, friends or work.
Final Tips for Responsible and Enjoyable Play
With a proper bankroll management, you can focus on having fun and getting the most out of your gambling experience. Whether online on in a land-based casino gambling, make sure you’re not spending more than you budgeted and, if you find you’re making emotional decisions, walk away and refocus.
While the lowest house edge and the best odds can help you win, sometimes it’s fun to bet on something a little riskier. Don’t be afraid to try something different even if the odds aren’t as good.
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Maximizing Your Chances of Success
If you’re looking for types of casino games with the best odds in a real money casino, you’ll want to seek out Blackjack, Baccarat and Craps. With a basic strategy for these casino games, you’ll lower the house edge and increase the odds of potential payouts.
If you to get away from the tables on the casino floor and try out slots, find which slot machines have higher Return to Player percentages and the ones with the best bonuses to maximize your gameplay.
Title Image Credit: Rob Gruner/Shutterstock
