Updated: September 1, 2026
Casino house edge by game is one of the clearest ways to compare the long-run mathematical cost of common bets. A house edge is the advantage built into a game or bet. Lower is better for the player over extensive play, but it does not predict the result of a short session. This guide compares common games under clearly stated rules, explains why the figures change, and shows how to check the version you are actually offered.
Quick answer: favourable blackjack and full-pay video poker can have some of the lowest published house edges when played with the correct strategy. Baccarat Banker and simple craps line bets are also relatively low-edge choices. European roulette has a lower edge than American roulette. Slots, video poker pay tables, side bets and game variants can differ widely, so never rely on a category average.
18+ only. Gambling involves risk and is not a way to make money. Every standard casino game can produce losses, including games with a comparatively low house edge. Set a fixed entertainment budget, never chase losses and check the rules available in your location.
Casino house edge chart
The table uses standard examples for comparison. “Best case” figures require the stated rules or strategy. The game help screen and pay table take priority because providers can offer different versions.
| Game or bet | Indicative house edge | What the figure assumes |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | About 0.5% in a favourable game | Player follows basic strategy; rules such as 3:2 blackjack, dealer action and doubling options matter |
| Video poker: 9/6 Jacks or Better | About 0.46% | Full-pay table and mathematically optimal holds; other pay tables can be much worse |
| Baccarat: Banker | About 1.06% | Standard drawing rules and 5% commission on winning Banker bets |
| Baccarat: Player | About 1.24% | Standard drawing rules |
| Craps: Don’t Pass | About 1.36% | Standard line bet; a tie on the come-out 12 pushes |
| Craps: Pass Line | About 1.41% | Standard line bet before optional odds |
| French roulette: even-money bet with la partage | About 1.35% | Single-zero wheel and half the stake returned when zero lands |
| European roulette | 2.70% | Single-zero, 37-pocket wheel |
| American roulette | 5.26% | Double-zero, 38-pocket wheel; excludes the five-number bet |
| Triple-zero roulette | 7.69% | 39-pocket wheel |
| Baccarat: Tie paying 8:1 | About 14.36% | Standard drawing rules and an 8:1 payout |
| Slots | 100% minus the published RTP | Use the exact game version and bet mode; RTP can vary by operator or configuration |
To convert any published RTP into house edge, subtract it from 100%. A 96% RTP equals a 4% theoretical house edge. Use our casino RTP calculator to convert RTP, estimate theoretical return and compare the long-run cost of different wager totals.
What house edge means
House edge estimates the casino’s average mathematical advantage per unit wagered over a very large number of rounds. If a game has a 2.70% house edge, the theoretical long-run cost is 2.70 units for every 100 units wagered. That is not the same as losing 2.70% of your starting deposit.
Repeated betting increases total turnover. A player who starts with $100 but makes fifty $5 bets has wagered $250. At a 2.70% edge, the theoretical loss attached to that turnover is $6.75. The real result can be far above or below that amount because individual sessions are volatile.
The UK Gambling Commission describes RTP as an average achieved over a significant number of plays and notes that previous wins or losses do not change the odds of the next result on a random machine. Its player guide to RTP and house edge is a useful independent reference.
Lowest-house-edge casino games
Blackjack
Blackjack can be a low-edge game, but only when the rules are favourable and the player follows a strategy matched to those rules. Check whether a natural blackjack pays 3:2 or 6:5, whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17, the number of decks, doubling restrictions, surrender and resplitting. A headline percentage without these details is incomplete.
Side bets usually use separate pay tables and may carry a much higher edge than the main hand. Treat each side bet as a different game and look for its own probability or RTP information.
For a complete payout and configuration checklist, read our blackjack house-edge and rules guide, including 3:2 versus 6:5, soft 17, doubling, splitting and surrender.
Video poker
Video poker is another strategy-dependent category. The familiar 99.54% theoretical return for 9/6 Jacks or Better corresponds to an edge of about 0.46%, but it applies only to the full-pay 9-for-a-full-house, 6-for-a-flush table with optimal play. Change the pay table or the holds and the return changes. Read the complete pay table before playing and do not assume every game with the same name is identical. Read our video poker pay-table and Jacks or Better guide for a complete payout and strategy checklist.
Baccarat
In standard commission baccarat, Banker is normally the lowest-edge main bet at about 1.06%, followed by Player at about 1.24%. The casino charges commission on winning Banker bets because the fixed drawing rules make that hand slightly more likely to win. Tie bets are much more expensive mathematically: at an 8:1 payout, the edge is about 14.36%.
Commission-free baccarat changes the payout on certain Banker outcomes, so the standard Banker figure may not apply. Check the game-specific rules rather than relying on the label “no commission.”
Use our baccarat odds and commission guide to compare Banker, Player and Tie probabilities, standard payouts, drawing rules and modified no-commission versions.
Craps
The Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets are among the simpler low-edge craps choices, at about 1.41% and 1.36% respectively under standard rules. Optional odds placed after a point is established are paid at true odds, but they increase the amount at risk. Proposition and one-roll bets can have far higher edges, so compare the exact bet rather than describing craps as one percentage.
See our craps odds, payouts and line-bet guide for the full Pass/Don’t Pass sequence, true-odds table and variable wager checks.
Roulette house edge: wheel type matters
A single-zero European wheel has 37 pockets. A straight-up number wins once in 37 outcomes but pays 35:1, producing a 2.70% edge. A double-zero American wheel has 38 pockets, raising the standard edge to 5.26%. A triple-zero wheel has 39 pockets and raises it again to 7.69%.
On a standard wheel, changing from red to a single number changes volatility, not the basic edge. The exception is a special bet or rule. The American five-number basket has a higher edge than other standard American bets. On some single-zero tables, la partage or en prison reduces the edge on even-money bets when zero lands.
Use our roulette odds and payout guide to compare every standard bet, European and American probabilities, zero rules and payout-versus-return examples.
Slots: calculate the exact game version
There is no reliable house-edge figure for “slots” as a whole. Use the RTP shown in the help screen for the precise title, provider, version and bet mode, then calculate:
House edge = 100% − RTP
For example, 96.5% RTP corresponds to a 3.5% edge. A game can also be offered in several RTP configurations, so a percentage copied from a review or provider page may not match the version at a particular casino. Jackpot bets, feature buys or optional modes may use different mathematics.
RTP does not describe how results are distributed. Two 96% games can have very different volatility, hit frequency and maximum-win structures. A higher RTP reduces theoretical long-run cost, but it never guarantees a better result in one session.
Use our slot RTP, volatility and hit-frequency guide to compare payout patterns, multiple RTP versions, feature frequency and short-session limitations.
Crash-style multiplier games need their own version check. Use our crash-game RTP and multiplier guide to compare cashout timing, displayed multipliers, RTP, provably fair verification, maximum payouts and interruption rules.
House edge versus volatility
| Measure | What it tells you | What it cannot tell you |
|---|---|---|
| House edge | Average long-run cost per unit wagered | Whether the next bet wins |
| RTP | Average theoretical proportion returned over extensive play | Your return in one session |
| Volatility | How widely and unevenly results can vary | Whether the game has a lower edge |
| Hit frequency | How often any paying result is expected | Whether those results cover the stake |
Do not use “best odds” as a synonym for “low volatility.” European roulette red/black and a single-number bet have the same 2.70% edge under standard rules, but their short-term result patterns are very different.
How bonus wagering changes the practical cost
A low-edge game is not automatically the best game for a promotion. Casinos often assign reduced contribution to blackjack, baccarat, roulette and video poker, or exclude them completely. A slot may count 100% while blackjack counts 10%, so the player would need far more blackjack turnover to clear the same requirement.
Check eligible games, contribution percentages, maximum bet, expiry and cashout limits in the casino bonus terms guide. Then use the casino wagering calculator to compare the playthrough created by different contribution rates.
For the format-specific checks behind streamed tables, see our live dealer game-format guide, including timed decisions, zero pockets, commission, table limits and interruption rules.
A five-step game check
- Open the game rules. Confirm the wheel, deck, pay table, commission and optional modes.
- Find RTP or probability information. Licensed remote games should make the relevant information accessible before play.
- Separate the main game from side bets. Each can have a different edge.
- Check bonus contribution. A low-edge table game may contribute little or nothing to wagering.
- Set money and time limits. Lower edge means lower average cost, not a positive expectation or guaranteed win.
For broader checks covering licensing, payments and withdrawals, start at the online casino guides hub. If gambling is no longer affordable or enjoyable, stop and use the responsible gambling tools and support guide.
Methodology and limitations
The fixed roulette figures are calculated from the number of pockets and standard payouts. Baccarat and craps values use standard drawing or line-bet rules. Blackjack and video poker examples require the stated rules and strategy. Slot edge is calculated only from the RTP published for the exact game configuration. We round figures for readability and label variable examples rather than presenting them as universal.
Rules and configurations can change. Verify every figure in the current game help screen or pay table before using it. We review this page periodically and correct material errors under our editorial policy and corrections policy.
Frequently asked questions
Which casino game has the lowest house edge?
Favourable blackjack and full-pay video poker can be among the lowest-edge common games when played with the correct strategy. Baccarat Banker and simple craps line bets are comparatively low-edge choices that use fixed game rules. The exact answer depends on the offered rules, pay table and player decisions.
Is a 1% house edge good?
It is low relative to many casino bets, but the game still has a negative long-run expectation for the player. At a 1% edge, the theoretical cost is 1 unit per 100 units wagered, not 1% of the opening balance.
Does a lower house edge mean I will win?
No. House edge describes a long-run average across extensive play. Short sessions can end in a win or loss regardless of the published percentage.
Is RTP the opposite of house edge?
For a standard house-banked game, yes: house edge is commonly expressed as 100% minus RTP. A 97.3% RTP corresponds to a 2.7% edge. Poker rake, promotional rules and unusual bet structures may need separate treatment.
Can a betting system remove the house edge?
No staking pattern changes the underlying probability and payout of an independent casino bet. Systems can change volatility and how quickly money is wagered, but they do not turn a negative-expectation game into a guaranteed profit.
Why do casino bonus terms exclude low-edge games?
Promotions are costed around a required amount of play. Casinos often reduce contribution for low-edge or strategy-based games to prevent players from clearing the requirement with less theoretical cost. The current offer terms determine which games count.