The mathematical advantage that a gambling game, and thus the commercial gambling establishment, has over you over time while you play is referred to as the "House Edge." This advantage ensures that the venue will earn a specific percentage return over time. The percentage remaining of the theoretical 100% is known as the return to player.
As a business, the House Edge aids the gambling operator in defraying expenses like maintaining the club or casino, paying employees, and providing the game. Whether it is a poker machine, Keno, blackjack, or another game, the money players invest in the game is how the casino makes money.
A straightforward approach to visualise the concept of house edge is to view it as a roulette wheel. On a roulette wheel with a single zero, there are 36 numbers total, plus the green zero. There are a total of 37 possible places for the ball to stop in. Therefore, there is a mathematical chance of 1 in 37 that you will choose one of those selections. However, the payout ratio for the house is 35 to 1. As a result, over time, the house will have a 2.7% advantage. It is important to note the phrase ‘over time’ as the house edge, and resulting return to player are theoretical averages compiled over thousands of rounds or games.
Of course, when playing any game at a casino, be this online, or in person, players are going to want to opt for games that offer the highest return to players and the lowest house edge. With this in mind, in today’s article, we will be taking a closer look at the casino games which have the lowest house edge.
Casino Game Blackjack
Blackjack
House edge from 0.42% to 1.5%
First on our list of casino games by house edge is blackjack. Compared to other casino games, blackjack offers a better chance of winning thanks to a higher theoretical RTP, and if you can find a game with just one deck, you can be sure that the house edge is lower than one with multiple decks.
Importantly, there is a skill component to blackjack, so more experienced blackjack players will be pitted against a house edge as low as 0.42%, while the inexperiences of some players can theoretically decrease their odds and increase the house edge by up to %2, by virtue of factors such as rookie errors. The house edge will not alter depending on which casino site you play at but may change between variants, such as multi-deck blackjack vs. single-deck blackjack, so be sure to double-check the game information of your chosen blackjack variant to learn more.
Baccarat
House edge from 1.06% to 14.36%
Another casino game with a minimal house advantage is baccarat, which is often referred to as Punto Banco. Before the cards are dealt in a game of baccarat, you can only make one choice. You have three betting options: Banker, Player, or Tie.
The odds of winning are better when betting on the Banker, which affects the house's advantage. You would have a 1.24% advantage when betting on the Banker if there was no commission. However, the 1.24% advantage the house holds over the player would offset this. As a result, the house typically keeps 5% of winning bets on the banker, giving them an advantage of 1.06%. Tie wagers give the house a 14.36% advantage.
Casino Video Poker
Video Poker
House edge from -0.76% to 5%
Since video poker is a skill-based game, the player's choices can affect both the outcome of the game and the theoretical payout percentages. The paytable of each individual Video Poker game is something to look at so you can better understand the estimates for a given game.
The most likely to win is the straightforward variations of video poker like Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better. The RTP for a 9/6 Jacks or Better is 99.5%. This indicates that the advantage to the house is merely 0.5%.
Deuces Wild is a rather unique situation because it has an RTP of 100.76%, which actually results in a -0.76% house advantage. This negative house edge makes Deuces Wild the video poker casino game with the lowest house edge.
Roulette
House edge from 2.70% to 5.26%
With roulette, the house edge that you can expect to play against massively varies depending on the variant you have selected to play. You can place bets on the numbers 1 through 36 in both European and French roulette, with just one 0 allowed. The probabilities of winning do not include the zero. For both French and European roulette, this results in a house edge of 2.70%.
American roulette, on the other hand, contains an extra double zero (00). Your odds of winning are now 1/38 instead of 1/37 because of this additional number. Although this would appear to be a small distinction, it really raises the house edge in American Roulette by a significant amount, to 5.26%.
Online Slot Game
Online slots
House edge from 1% to 12%
There is no way to increase your odds of winning at slots through skill or strategy because they are completely dependent on luck. Slot machines utilise a Random Number Generator as their mechanism for determining payouts and ensuring fair play. On a slot machine with five reels and thirty-five possible stops on each reel, there are 52,521,875 different stop combinations that could occur.
All players need to do is choose the number of paylines you wish to use, spin the wheel, and cross their fingers. Slot machines at casinos have a high house edge and a low RTP, which is why there are so many of them. Slot machine house edges ranging from 1% to 12%.
Every slot machine will feature a comprehensive payout table that lists the paylines and the various payouts for each one. They will also mention their RTP, allowing you to make an informed decision and set your expectations of the game.
Where to play casino games with the lowest House Edge
So, the rule of thumb is as follows: The lower the house edge, the better the payout potential for the player. If you would like to play any of the types of games mentioned in this article, then feel free to explore the online casinos that we recommend here at Gambling Zone.
