House Edge by Game: The Numbers Side by Side
Every casino game keeps a slice of what's wagered. Here's how big that slice is, game by game and bet by bet, so you can see what you're up against before you play.
Every casino game is built so the house keeps a small, predictable slice of everything that's wagered. That slice is the house edge. A 2% edge means that, over a very large number of bets, the casino expects to keep about 2% of the money that runs through the game. Turn it around and you get the return to player, or RTP: a 2% edge is the same as 98% RTP.
Two things are worth keeping in mind before the table. First, these are long-run averages, not a forecast of your next hour. Over a single session, luck swings far harder than the edge does. Over thousands of bets, the edge is what's left standing. Second, the exact figure usually depends on the rules and the paytable in front of you, so treat these as the going rate rather than a promise.
The table starts sorted from the lowest edge to the highest. The games near the top give back the most when you play them well; the ones at the bottom keep the most, whatever you do. Click Game or House edge to re-sort it.
| Game | Bet or variant | House edge | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video poker | 9/6 Jacks or Better, optimal play | ~0.46% | One of the best returns in the building, but only on a full-pay machine and with correct strategy. |
| Blackjack | Basic strategy, standard rules | ~0.5% | Among the lowest edges anywhere if you follow the strategy chart. The rules on the table shift it. |
| Baccarat | Banker | 1.06% | The best baccarat bet, even after the 5% commission taken on winning Banker bets. |
| Baccarat | Player | 1.24% | No commission, slightly worse odds than Banker. |
| Craps | Don't Pass / Don't Come | 1.36% | Marginally lower than the Pass line, and you can back it with free odds at no edge. |
| Craps | Pass / Come | 1.41% | The standard craps bet, and a perfectly sensible one to stick to. |
| Craps | Place 6 or 8 | 1.52% | The most reasonable of the Place bets. |
| Blackjack | 6:5 blackjack payout | ~2% | A common trap rule that quietly multiplies the edge. Check the felt before you sit down. |
| Pai Gow Poker | House way | ~2.5% | Slow, low-edge, and lots of pushes, which stretches a bankroll. |
| Roulette | European, single zero | 2.70% | The version to look for. One green pocket instead of two. |
| Sic Bo | Big / Small bets | ~2.8% | The simple bets are fine; the exotic combinations on the layout run far higher. |
| Three Card Poker | Ante and play, basic strategy | ~3.4% | Reasonable for a casual table game if you play the strategy. |
| Slots | Typical online slot | 4%-8% (some 2%-10%+) | Varies hugely by game. The RTP is usually listed in the game's info screen, so check it. |
| Caribbean Stud | Standard play | ~5.2% | The side bets are worse than the main game. |
| Roulette | American, double zero | 5.26% | The same game as European roulette with nearly double the edge. Choose single zero when you can. |
| Roulette | American five-number bet (0,00,1,2,3) | 7.89% | The single worst bet on an American wheel. Avoid it. |
| Big Six / Wheel of Fortune | Most bets | 11%-24% | Bright, simple, and priced accordingly. One to skip. |
| Craps | Any 7 (proposition) | 16.67% | The flashy centre bets the table pushes hardest are the worst value on it. |
| Keno | Typical | 20%-40% | Among the highest edges in the casino. Enjoyable, but priced like a lottery ticket. |
How to actually use this
The practical takeaways are simple. Where a game rewards skill, like blackjack or video poker, learning the correct strategy is what keeps the edge low; play it casually and the real number is higher than the one in the table. Steer clear of the proposition and centre bets, since they're almost always the worst value on offer. And remember the part the marketing never mentions: no betting system changes a negative edge. Progression staking and “due” numbers feel clever, but the maths underneath doesn't move. You can size your fun, you just can't flip the odds.
To put real numbers to your own play, try the house edge calculator or the RTP calculator. And if the goal is simply to enjoy it without it costing more than you meant, our responsible gambling page is worth a read.