Casino game odds chart

Online casino sites to play on real money

Let's say you're playing blackjack at 25 units a hand, and the table is averaging 60 hands played per hour. Multiply 25 times 60 hands and you are playing through 1,500 units an hour. Let's say you play for four hours. That means that you play through about 6,000 credits of which the casino expects to take 0.8 percent - if you're playing perfect basic strategy. This amounts to a loss of only 48 units - which isn't that bad - making blackjack one of the better options for players. This goal of this section is to educate and inform about the odds and probabilities of modern casino games. In our analyses and comparisons, you may learn which games offer the best odds for players, which ones offer the worst, and exactly how to arrive at these conclusions. Hopefully, after studying these articles, you will possess some added knowledge and be well on your way to reducing the house's edge.

Casino game odds

This goal of this section is to educate and inform about the odds and probabilities of modern casino games. In our analyses and comparisons, you may learn which games offer the best odds for players, which ones offer the worst, and exactly how to arrive at these conclusions. Hopefully, after studying these articles, you will possess some added knowledge and be well on your way to reducing the house's edge.

Game odds articles:

Odds primer

Before going deeper into each casino game, it is important to know exactly what odds are. Odds refer to mathematics in that they represent a basic probability of a potential outcome and are usually expressed in a decimal or fractional format. A well-known example is the traditional coin toss before a football match. By flipping a two-sided coin, you know that there are exactly two possible outcomes (unless by a quirk of fate the coin comes to rest on edge): heads or tails. The probability of the coin landing heads up is one out of two, expressed 1 to 2 as a ratio. Another way to express the odds of a coin toss outcome is in percentages. Ask anybody what the odds are, and they will likely reply: "fifty-fifty". This refers to the 50% chance that either head or tails will result.

Just like a coin has two sides, a roulette wheel has 37 or 38 slots, a standard deck has 52 playing cards, and a die has six sides. These numbers and the various results of each play represent the probabilities of the games. It is easy to see how math and odds are very much a part of casino gambling. While most players are busy having a roll of the dice at craps tables, or taking their next hit at blackjack, they rarely stop to consider the actual math behind their wager, and how placing certain bets will either increase or decrease their overall expectation of winning. Smart gamblers realise that there are strategic ways to bet and play certain casino games that will make all the difference. They also know that if one's goal is to walk away a winner, certain games should be avoided. With that in mind, we will begin to explore which games offer the best odds.

Best odds, worst odds

Most gamblers, from the total beginner on up to the professional, know that a casino is an entertainment business that generates revenue from its players. How are new and extravagant casino resorts built? More recently, from hefty borrowing, but historically, from the combined deficit of the players. Every casino game has an inherent advantage for the casino known as the 'house edge'. This percentage represents how much the casino expects to make from every betting unit wagered. For example, the house edge in double zero roulette is 5.6 percent. So, for every 100 betting units wagered, you can expect to lose 5.60. This may not seem like a lot, but several important factors must also be considered.

Consider how much the house would expect to gain by your playing roulette for the same amount of time. Roulette is a slightly slower paced game, with maybe a round every couple minutes or so, and not many players are quite avid enough to spend four hours at a table. But, for arguments sake, we will examine that at a rate of 30 rounds per hour with a flat bet of 25 credits, playing for four hours, a casino would expect to make 157.80 from your play. Again you might say, well that's not an overly exaggerated amount to expect to lose during a session at a casino, but keep in mind that it's playing over time that makes it add up. Twenty such sessions a year would set you back 3,156 credits and multiply that by the number of years you plan to play, and you'll see that it really does add up.

Some people gamble at a casino for the fun and excitement that this unique form of entertainment delivers. That is perfectly fine, as gambling at an online or land-based casino can be a leisurely, enjoyable hobby. Recreational players don't mind parting with a reasonable amount of money because they can rationalise the experience in saying it was the price paid for a little fun. This is fine as long as that person is an occasional player, or if they hadn't really planned to devote the time to studying the games or taking steps to improve their chances of winning money during sessions. However, the truth is that - given the choice - most players prefer to win, and there are proven ways to dramatically reduce the chances of losing - namely by not playing games with bad odds - such as keno. Keno carries one of the highest house advantages of all games, weighing in at a hefty 25%. This is actually as good as the odds get for keno, with the odds varying from casino to casino.

The following chart shows the expected house edge for casino table games and also sports betting. For any given session on any given day, these percentages can fluctuate quite a bit, however they represent a fairly accurate expectation of the house's advantage over time. To see how the house edge is playing out for players at online casinos, you may examine a monthly ranking of recent online casino payout percentages, broken down by category such as table games, slots, poker games and overall payouts.

Roulette odds & probability – bet payouts and winning chances

If you are about to wager real money on casino games, it is of the utmost importance that you familiarise yourself with the chances of winning each game has. This is especially relevant for roulette – a game where each bet has a specific mathematical probability of winning. Of course, those odds are affected by the type of roulette you are playing and the extra rules that apply to it.

As you probably already know, european roulette has better odds for the player than american roulette. Also, a european roulette game with the rules ‘la partage’ and ‘en prison’ will have a lower house edge than one without them. Understanding those odds and probabilities is paramount if you want to start winning big at roulette. This is why we have prepared this informative article for you.

Note: this article covers only the odds and probabilities of the various roulette bets and not all the rules of the game in general. If you want to learn the absolute basics of the game, then we recommend that you first read our roulette rules article.

Roulette bets payout and probability

In the game of roulette, there are two main groups of bets – outside bets and inside bets. The names are derived from the bet positions on the layout of the table. Outside bets have higher chances of winning, but much smaller payouts. Inside bets, on the other hand, have less probability of winning, but considerably bigger payouts. Check out the table we’ve prepared for the percentages for each bet you can place on roulette.

Roulette bet	payout	european roulette odds	american roulette odds
single number	35 to 1	2.70%	2.60%
2 number combination	17 to 1	5.4%	5.3%
3 number combination	11 to 1	8.1%	7.9%
4 number combination	8 to 1	10.8%	10.5%
5 number combination	6 to 1	13.5%	13.2%
6 number combination	5 to 1	16.2%	15.8%
column	2 to 1	32.40%	31.6%
dozen	2 to 1	32.40%	31.6%
even/odd	1 to 1	48.60%	47.4%
red/black	1 to 1	48.60%	47.4%
low/high	1 to 1	48.60%	47.4%

We will take a close look at each possible bet and its odds of succeeding, including the popular ‘call bets’ featured only in european and french roulette.

Odds & payouts for outside bets

People who like to play it safe prefer the outside bets, because they have much better odds of winning. The most popular of them are known as ‘even money’ bets, because they cover pretty much half of the possible outcomes – with the exception of the number zero (and the double 0 in american roulette). All the even bets in roulette are: red or black, even or odd, 1-18 or 19-36.

All of those bets have a chance of winning close to 50%. To be precise, ‘even money’ bets have a 48.65% chance of winning in european roulette, and 47.37% in american roulette. Due to the high probability of those bets, the payout for them is 1:1.

The other outside bets are column and dozen, both of which cover 12 numbers on the table. This is roughly a third of all possible outcomes, a little less because of the zero and double zero slots. You can bet on the first, second, or third dozens of numbers (1-12, 13-24, 25-36), or on the first, second, or third column. The winning odds for those bets is 32.43% in european roulette, and 31.58% in the american version. Consecutively, this bet will bring you more winnings – the payout for column and dozen is 2:1.

Odds & payouts for inside bets

Inside bets include betting on a single number, or on a small group of them. There are various ways to group your numbers, but they are all related to the numbers’ position on the table. As we already mentioned, inside bets have significantly lower winnings odds than outside ones, but their payouts are much, much better.

Straight is betting on one specific number, and is also called a single-number bet. Naturally, this bet has the lowest winning probability, and the highest payout – 35:1. The chance of the ball falling in the specific pocket you bet on in 2.70% in european, and 2.63% in american roulette.

Split means betting on two numbers out of the 37 available, but on one condition – the numbers you choose must be neighbours on the table. The payout for this bet is 17:1, and the odds of it winning are 5.41% for european, and 5.26% for american roulette.

Street is a three-number bet, where the players bet on a row of numbers – for example, 4, 5, and 6, or 19, 20, and 21. The probability of this bet winning is 8.11% in european, and 7.89% in american roulette. The payout for winning a street bet is 11:1.

Corner means betting on four numbers that form a square on the table, like 1, 2, 4, and 5, for example. This bet pays 8:1 and the chances of it happening are 10.81% on european roulette, and 10.53% on its american counterpart.

Double street is just what it sounds like – you bet on two rows of numbers, a total of 6 numbers. The payout is 5:1, and the odds are 16.22% and 15.79% for european and american roulette, respectively.

Basket, or a five number bet, is available only in american roulette, and allows players to bet on the zero, double zero, 1, 2, and 3. The probability of this bet winning is 13.16%, and the payout – 6:1.

Probabilities & payouts of called bets

Also known as ‘announced’, those bets are a bit different from the ones we explained above. Called bets are exclusive to european/french roulette, and the numbers in them are combined according to the positions on the roulette wheel – not the table. There are two types – fixed and variable called bets. Let’s take a look at the fixed ones first.

Neighbours of zero is a bet that covers 17 numbers on the wheel, all of which are close to the green zero. You will need to place at least 9 chips to cover all those numbers, and the odds of this bet winning are 45.9%. The payout is not fixed, and can go as high as 24:1, depending on the winning number. This bet is also known as ‘the grand series’.

Thirds of the wheel are the 12 numbers situated directly across from the neighbours of zero. The probability here is 32.4%, and the payout is set at 17:1. This bet is quite similar to the dozen/column bets, at least in terms of odds and payout.

Zero game is a smaller version of the neighbours of zero, covering only 7 numbers close to the green zero slot. The odds of this bet winnings are 18.9%, and the payout can reach up to 26:1.

The orphans bet covers the numbers not mentioned in the called bets so far. The chance of this bet winning is 21.6%, and the payout can be either 35:1 or 17:1.

Those were the fixed call bets. The variable type includes ‘the neighbours’, where a player places their bets on 5 neighbouring numbers – the odds for this winning are 13.5%. The other variable bet is known as ‘the finals’, where a player bets on the last digit. Depending on the numbers, the probability can vary between 8.1% and 10.8%.

Knowledge is power

This pretty much covers the statistical probabilities and odds of all possible bets you can place on roulette. Make sure you remember them and utilise that knowledge when devising your strategies for winning. You can also check out the most popular roulette systems in our dedicated article.

Keep in mind that whatever you are doing, the house edge will always be against you. Strategies only seem to work, but always fail in the long run. Know when to stop and don’t forget to have fun. Good luck!

Online roulette odds: Q&as you should know

Last but not least, check out the following FAQ section! We tried to answer some of the frequently asked questions about what are the roulette odds and payouts when playing online. The answers may include references to the main topics in this review or throughout this site, where you can find more information and interesting details.

How do I get the best online roulette odds and payouts?

First, you should know what are the odds on roulette depending on the specific bet type. The highest roulette odds (36 to 1) are for a single number bet and the lowest (1 to 1) are for outside bets like odd/even or red/black. Secondly, if you want to know what is the best bet for winning in online roulette, keep in mind that the european roulette odds to win are slightly better than those at the american table.

What are the odds when playing online roulette with strategy?

In general, the online roulette betting odds do not change if you play with a strategy. However, changing strategy mid-game is highly recommended as it improves your house edge (not for the specific round, but over the entire roulette session).

Where do the strategies for rising the roulette odds come from?

The two most popular roulette odds strategies include the martingale and the double-O-seven systems. The martingale roulette strategy originates from the 18th century in france and it features even odds payout bets, such as red/black. The double-O-seven strategy was invented by the author of the james bond movies and it requires you to spread your bet in a very special way.

What are the odds to win every time at online roulette?

The odds of winning on roulette every time are very low. It depends on what number hits the most in roulette, so you could follow the hot and cold numbers and the full history of your game session. For example, if you play european roulette (with 37 slots on the wheel) and you place your bet on only 1 slot, the probability to observe the ball landing on the winning slot every time is 1 in 36, which is very low.

How to calculate roulette odds and their payouts?

Check out this roulette odds chart where you can see the values for the two main types of table layouts – european and american. Additionally, you can always use a betting odds calculator to follow the rates throughout your game session. To calculate the payout of a single number bet on the european layout, you should know that the roulette table odds are 36 to 1. You should take away 1 from 36 to get 35, which is the payout rate. In a winning case scenario of a £10 single bet, you would win £350 (£10 x 35).

Does the zero have the lowest odds in roulette?

The exceptionally high 35:1 payout is the main reason why players want to place an inside bet on the zero in european roulette. By contrast, the odds of hitting 0 in roulette are pretty low (2.70%). Yet, those are the highest odds for winning with this type of bet because the american version offers slightly smaller odds (2.60%) due to the double zero slot. However, the american roulette has an exclusive bet (the basket) including 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 with 13.16% odds and payout 6:1.

What is the highest roulette odds probability?

48.60% are the odds on a roulette table for a wide range of outside bets. For example, the bets including even/odd, red/black or low/high offer the highest odds on roulette with european (48.60%) and american (47.40%) layout. These roulette betting odds mean that your chance to hit a win is almost 50:50.

Casino gambling games with decent odds

Casino gambling for dummies, 2nd edition

For gamblers, four casino games offer decent odds. That is, if you made a hundred $1 bets at these recommended casino games, your average loss would only be about a buck. These odds aren’t good enough to retire on, but they stretch your bankroll as far as possible, even if you’re on a limited budget.

Neither life nor gambling offers any guarantees, and your actual daily results may be far different than your theoretical loss, so plan accordingly.

Jacks or better video poker (the 9/6 version)

The 9/6 version of jacks or better is considered full pay because you get a payout of 9 for 1 for a full house and 6 for 1 for a flush. The 9/6 version is the only one whose payout rate makes it worthwhile to play. Tips for playing this game well include:

Make sure you’re playing a full-pay 9/6 version by looking at the full house/flush payouts for one coin.

Because of the increased payouts for a royal flush, always play the maximum coins to get the best odds — even if that means finding nickel or quarter machines to stay within your bankroll.

Never keep a kicker (a high card along with a pair).

Throw away a small pair (tens or lower) if you have four cards to a flush or three cards to a royal flush.

Blackjack

The way to win at blackjack is to get better cards than the dealer. The aim is to have your cards add up to a maximum of 21.

Play the table with the least number of decks.

Stay away from gimmick games like 6-5 blackjack, spanish 21, or super fun blackjack.

Remember the following important tips

Double down on 10 or 11 when dealer shows 2 to 9. (to double down means you double your bet and are allowed just one more card.)

Stand on 13 to 16 when dealer shows 2 to 6.

Hit on 12 to 16 when dealer shows 7 or higher.

Craps

Rolling two dice is the essence of craps and what number those dice add up to determine whether bettors on the pass line win or bettors on the don’t pass line do. A new player’s first roll is her come-out roll, and other players wager on what the shooter will roll. The smartest strategy is to stick to the following bets in craps:

Pass line bet with odds bet

Baccarat

You may be intimidated by baccarat with its glitz, glamour, and european aura, but behind the stiff exterior lies a decent game for the average bettor because there are only three possible results of each hand and there’s no skill involved — it’s strictly the fall of the cards. A couple tips for doing well:

Always bet on the banker (house edge is 1.06 percent, meaning if you made a hundred bets of $1, your average loss would be about a buck).

You can also bet on the player’s hand. (the house edge is only slightly worse than the banker’s hand at 1.24 percent.)

Casino gambling games with decent odds

Casino gambling for dummies, 2nd edition

Neither life nor gambling offers any guarantees, and your actual daily results may be far different than your theoretical loss, so plan accordingly.

Jacks or better video poker (the 9/6 version)

Make sure you’re playing a full-pay 9/6 version by looking at the full house/flush payouts for one coin.

Because of the increased payouts for a royal flush, always play the maximum coins to get the best odds — even if that means finding nickel or quarter machines to stay within your bankroll.

Never keep a kicker (a high card along with a pair).

Throw away a small pair (tens or lower) if you have four cards to a flush or three cards to a royal flush.

Blackjack

The way to win at blackjack is to get better cards than the dealer. The aim is to have your cards add up to a maximum of 21.

Play the table with the least number of decks.

Stay away from gimmick games like 6-5 blackjack, spanish 21, or super fun blackjack.

Remember the following important tips

Double down on 10 or 11 when dealer shows 2 to 9. (to double down means you double your bet and are allowed just one more card.)

Stand on 13 to 16 when dealer shows 2 to 6.

Hit on 12 to 16 when dealer shows 7 or higher.

Craps

Pass line bet with odds bet

Baccarat

Always bet on the banker (house edge is 1.06 percent, meaning if you made a hundred bets of $1, your average loss would be about a buck).

You can also bet on the player’s hand. (the house edge is only slightly worse than the banker’s hand at 1.24 percent.)

Roulette odds & probability – bet payouts and winning chances

Roulette bets payout and probability

Roulette bet	payout	european roulette odds	american roulette odds
single number	35 to 1	2.70%	2.60%
2 number combination	17 to 1	5.4%	5.3%
3 number combination	11 to 1	8.1%	7.9%
4 number combination	8 to 1	10.8%	10.5%
5 number combination	6 to 1	13.5%	13.2%
6 number combination	5 to 1	16.2%	15.8%
column	2 to 1	32.40%	31.6%
dozen	2 to 1	32.40%	31.6%
even/odd	1 to 1	48.60%	47.4%
red/black	1 to 1	48.60%	47.4%
low/high	1 to 1	48.60%	47.4%

We will take a close look at each possible bet and its odds of succeeding, including the popular ‘call bets’ featured only in european and french roulette.

Odds & payouts for outside bets

Odds & payouts for inside bets

Straight is betting on one specific number, and is also called a single-number bet. Naturally, this bet has the lowest winning probability, and the highest payout – 35:1. The chance of the ball falling in the specific pocket you bet on in 2.70% in european, and 2.63% in american roulette.

Split means betting on two numbers out of the 37 available, but on one condition – the numbers you choose must be neighbours on the table. The payout for this bet is 17:1, and the odds of it winning are 5.41% for european, and 5.26% for american roulette.

Street is a three-number bet, where the players bet on a row of numbers – for example, 4, 5, and 6, or 19, 20, and 21. The probability of this bet winning is 8.11% in european, and 7.89% in american roulette. The payout for winning a street bet is 11:1.

Corner means betting on four numbers that form a square on the table, like 1, 2, 4, and 5, for example. This bet pays 8:1 and the chances of it happening are 10.81% on european roulette, and 10.53% on its american counterpart.

Double street is just what it sounds like – you bet on two rows of numbers, a total of 6 numbers. The payout is 5:1, and the odds are 16.22% and 15.79% for european and american roulette, respectively.

Basket, or a five number bet, is available only in american roulette, and allows players to bet on the zero, double zero, 1, 2, and 3. The probability of this bet winning is 13.16%, and the payout – 6:1.

Probabilities & payouts of called bets

Neighbours of zero is a bet that covers 17 numbers on the wheel, all of which are close to the green zero. You will need to place at least 9 chips to cover all those numbers, and the odds of this bet winning are 45.9%. The payout is not fixed, and can go as high as 24:1, depending on the winning number. This bet is also known as ‘the grand series’.

Thirds of the wheel are the 12 numbers situated directly across from the neighbours of zero. The probability here is 32.4%, and the payout is set at 17:1. This bet is quite similar to the dozen/column bets, at least in terms of odds and payout.

Zero game is a smaller version of the neighbours of zero, covering only 7 numbers close to the green zero slot. The odds of this bet winnings are 18.9%, and the payout can reach up to 26:1.

The orphans bet covers the numbers not mentioned in the called bets so far. The chance of this bet winning is 21.6%, and the payout can be either 35:1 or 17:1.

Knowledge is power

Online roulette odds: Q&as you should know

How do I get the best online roulette odds and payouts?

What are the odds when playing online roulette with strategy?

Where do the strategies for rising the roulette odds come from?

What are the odds to win every time at online roulette?

How to calculate roulette odds and their payouts?

Does the zero have the lowest odds in roulette?

What is the highest roulette odds probability?

Before you go gambling: the best and worst casino game odds

Many people will be visiting a casino this summer, whether on a trip to vegas, on a cruise ship, or just at a local casino during a "staycation."

But before you go, you may want to know which games give you the best chance of winning.

So we went behind the scene at two casinos, and spoke with the game managers, to find out which games give you an edge.

Table games your best bet

Jay bean, a caesar's floor manager, agreed to sit down with us and talk about the games with the best odds.

He said many people don't realize that table games have much better odds than slots. They are intimidated by thoughts of card sharks taking their money, with images of an intense texas hold 'em tournament in their minds, and so they stick with the safe games: the slots.

But they are doing themselves a disservice, he said.

Bean's advice? After you've spent some time on the slot machines, move on to the blackjack table, and start by just observing.

Blackjack has the best odds of winning, with a house edge of just 1 percent in most casinos, bean said.

Plus, you are playing against only the dealer, not hooded poker champions.

"blackjack is one of our easiest games to play," bean said. "you're just looking for a number that beats the dealer's number without going over 21."

If you're a novice, bean said to sit down during a less busy time, such as the afternoon, and the dealer will walk you through the game.

But the same is not true with poker: you should practice the game with your friends first, at home, bean said, until you are comfortable with it. Bean said novices are best off passing on the poker tables, where yes, the competition can be tough.

You can find out more information about the game of blackjack at the following link:
http://wizardofodds.Com/games/blackjack/

So from the blackjack table, he suggests moving on to the dice game craps, the game with the second best odds, also nearly 50-50.

The craps table can be a bit intimidating for the beginner with all the boxes on the table, bean admitted. But it's really not tough, and it has one of your best chances of winning. In the end, all you are really doing is betting on a dice roll.

Bean said your next stop should be the roulette wheel. It's simple, and pays fairly well.

"so you bet on your favorite numbers," bean said. "the dealer spins, and if your number comes in you win."

If you stick to betting on just reds or blacks, you have nearly a 50-50 chance of walking away a winner. If it lands on red when you choose red, you will double your bet, bean explained.

While it may seem you have an even chance of winning by simply choosing a color, there is one catch that gives the house its edge: the extra green 0 and 00 position on the wheel. It's on all american roulette wheels.

Or, if you feel lucky, play just one number. It's hard to win, but if you do it pays out 36 to 1.

Your worst odds? The casinos, understandably, did not want to talk about games with poor odds.

So we turned to forbes magazine, which in a report about best bets at the casino, said two popular games -- the wheel of fortune and the ever-popular slot machines -- have the lowest odds of winning, with a house edge of 10 percent or more.

Professor of analytics michael magazine has crunched the numbers, and agreed that blackjack is the best way to go home with money in your pockets. He said if you take a little time to learn the game, you have the best odds of winning.

"you are somewhere between 44 percent to 48 percent in every single hand of winning," he said, noting that no other casino game gives you odds that good.

But magazine cautioned that he's not promoting gambling, because he said even games with the best odds still favor the house.

"play it long enough and you will lose. In the long term the house doesn't lose," magazine said.

Finally, if you really enjoy playing the slots, here is some good information to know, from state casino reports we examined.

With slots, the more money you put in per bet, the higher your chance of winning. If you put the max in a penny machine, which is usually around 50 cents, you have much better odds than if you put in 2 cents.

In addition, penny slots have the lowest odds, with $1 and $5 slots paying much better.

Always gamble responsibly, and don't waste your money.
__________________________

You can learn more about specific odds of slots machines in each state that has casino gambling by visiting the american casino guide.

Don't waste your money is a registered trademark of the EW scripps co.

Get an edge at the casino by knowing which games have the best odds

The best and worst casino games to play if you want to win

Image (c) michael blann / getty images

Some people go to a casino to have fun, and only want to play the games they like the most. But if you want to improve your chances of walking away with more money than you went in with, you need an edge. Before you sit down at a table, know which casino games have the best odds so that you can spend your money wisely.

Before you start, know that none of the casino games have good odds for players. There's a reason for the phrase, "the house always wins." every casino game is designed to give the house a better chance of winning, but some of them are more tilted than others.

The three best casino games to play

If you walk into a casino and can't remember the details of this article, keep one thing in mind: you have the best odds of winning at a table game. They may be more intimidating than slots, but they usually work out better for the players.

Here are the three best casino games to play if you want decent odds of winning money:

Blackjack's odds of winning: 49%

Blackjack is a simple card game with an element of skill to it. The odds of winning aren't too bad. You play against the dealer; more people can play at one time, but each is only trying to beat the dealer, not each other. The person whose hand comes closest to 21 without going over (which is called a "bust") wins.

Winning blackjack takes luck and a relatively small amount of skill. The dealer relies as much on luck as the players do, so the odds of winning are pretty even. In most casinos, the advantage to the dealer is about one percent.

If you want to brush up on your blackjack skills, check out these blackjack tips for beginners from business insider.

Craps' odds of winning: nearly 50 percent

Craps is a table game played with dice. One person is the "shooter," who rolls the dice, and the other players make wagers on the results of that roll.

On the first roll, called "coming out," the shooter wins on a seven or an eleven. If the shooter rolls any other number, that number is now the "point." the shooter needs to hit the point before he rolls a seven to win.

The simplest bet to make is: will the shooter win or lose on his roll? You can also place other bets. For example, you can bet that the shooter will hit another number before he rolls a seven.

If you make a "pass line" wager to bet whether or not the shooter will win, your odds are approximately 50/50. If you make more specific bets, your odds of winning drop but your payouts rise.

You can read more about craps strategies and rules in pokernews.Com's craps for dummies guide.

Roulette's odds of winning: nearly 50%

Roulette is a wheel with 38 numbers on it. The numbers 1 - 36 are either red or black and the number 0 (and in american casinos, also 00) in green. The croupier, as a roulette dealer is called, spins the wheel and the ball falls on one of the numbers.

There are several ways to place roulette bets. The simplest is to bet on whether the ball will fall on a red or black piece, which has odds of almost 50/50 ("almost" because of the one or two green tiles at 0 and 00).

You can increase the payout — but lower your odds — by betting on specific numbers or ranges of numbers (like "1 to 12" or "1 to 18").

If you'd like to learn more, check out the best and worst roulette strategies from roulettephysics.Com.

Note that the three games with the best odds of winning still have odds that mean that you'll win less than half the time. That means to walk away with more money than you started with, you need a good amount of luck.

The two casino games with the worst odds of winning

The two casino games that are hardest to win also happen to be two of the most popular games to play. They're easy to understand and require little to no skill, so a lot of people play, making lots of money for the casinos.

Now, there's nothing wrong with playing these games if you enjoy them. After all, you went to a casino to have fun, right? But keep in mind that the chances are high that you'll lose the money you play with.

Big six wheel/wheel of fortune: odds of winning: 26% - 39%

When you play the big six wheel, you bet on whether the wheel will stop on a segment labeled $1, $5, $10, $20, or a joker. The segment that the wheel stops on is the amount you'll receive if you win.

Placing a $1 bet has the best odds of winning, with only an 11 percent edge for the house, but also the worst payout. The joker offers a 36x payout but has a 24 percent edge for the house.

Slots: odds of winning around 1 in 49,836,032

You play slots by putting money into a slot machine and pulling a lever or pushing a button to spin a wheel. Depending on where the wheel lands, you win or lose.

Slot machines have various odds of winning, and the odds are printed on each machine. Be sure to read them before you select a machine to play.

Generally, the more money you need to spend to play, the better your odds of winning are. You may also have better odds of winning smaller payouts than a jackpot prize.

If you want more tips, check out this strategy for winning at slots.

The wildcard — odds are hard to calculate

There is one casino game where the odds are wildly variable because skill plays as large a part in winning as luck does:

Poker: odds vary dramatically

Poker is a game where you have more control over whether you'll win or not. Luck plays a role, since you receive random cards, but how you play those cards does a lot to determine whether you win or not.

Obviously, playing poker at a casino is a very different beast than playing at home with your friends. You will be up against other players who may be total beginners or vicious sharks.

If you want to win money playing poker at a casino, make sure your skills are good before you start. Then find a table that meets your budget and skill level.

Upswingpoker.Com recommends playing at night, when there may be more recreational players and when the drinks have been flowing for a while.

Conclusion

These tips will help you make informed bets at a casino, but remember that the house always has the advantage. The more often you bet, the higher your chances of losing are.

There's a difference between not winning and being a loser. You can enjoy a casino and accept that it will cost you some money to be there. After all, you'll spend money if you go to an amusement park, too.

But be sure to walk into the casino with a firm budget of how much money you are willing to lose, and never let yourself cross that boundary.

Furthermore, be aware of the warning signs of gambling addiction and know how to get help, if necessary.

Slot machine odds

Learn about the odds and probabilities of slot machines, including how slots payouts work at land casinos and also at online casinos.

Article highlights:

Basic three-reel slots are a common type of slot machine found at modern casinos, although multi-payline video slots are also very popular amongst players.

Introduction

Attempting to pinpoint the odds for slot machines is a daunting task. With such a variety of machines and games available, the odds can vary a great deal. Generally slots odds are expressed in the form of a payback percentage. The closer to 100%, the better for players. Some machines even pay back at percentages greater than 100%, giving the lucky players who find them a positive expectation for winning. These 'loose slots' are frequently mixed into the sea of machines on a casino gaming floor. For a while, casino operators placed the highest paying machines in high traffic areas like entrances, bars, and near lines for buffets or shows - basically any place a crowd of people was likely to be. The strategy behind the prominent placement of higher paying machines was that since they produced winners more frequently, they would also generate more interest from passers-by, making other players more likely to play at average or low paying machines.

It didn't take long for slots players to figure out this simple strategy, so casino managers shuffled things up a bit. Reverse methods were employed, putting low-paying machines in high traffic areas, and vice versa. These days, there really is no standard procedure for distributing the different pay level machines on a casino floor. Machines are mostly placed at random or in a secret arrangement that only the casino management and staff are privy to. The machines, themselves, still offer a mix of payout percentages with some high and the majority being low to average.

One popular guideline that is easy to follow is to try multiple machines until you find one that pays. Start with a nominal amount of money - such as 20 credits for a .25 or .50 credit machine - and see how it pays. If you are getting more back than you put in, you may have found a hot slot - or one set for higher payouts. Keep playing until it proves itself otherwise, and then try another machine. If the slot you picked is paying out next to nothing from the start, that could either be a cold machine or one set for lower payouts, which also means it's time to move on. There are many strategies slots players utilise, but a few rules of thumb will hold true regardless of where you play.

Average slots payout at land based casinos

When playing slots games at land casinos, you will likely have machines that offer .01, .05, .25, 1, 5, and 100 credit betting denominations. How do you know which ones offer the best return rates? The highest denomination ones of course. Casinos generate more revenue by getting a large monetary turnover. Operators know that less overall money will go in and out of a .05 credit slot machine during the course of a day than will in a 1 credit machine. Because more money turns over in the higher-denomination machines, casinos can afford to offer higher return rates for players. Your bankroll may not be able to support playing a five-credit machine for several hours a day, but with a 98.4% payout, it offers significantly better odds than a .25 credit slot. To take it a step further, although you would have to be a high roller, the one hundred credit slots usually offer a near-100% return rate. Even though the machines don't see nearly as much action as the .25 and 1 credit slots, so much is at stake on a single spin that allows the casino to offer a near even money return.

So how much bankroll do you need to play different denominations of slot machines? Based on a three-coin maximum bet averaging ten spins per minute, and matched against the according payout rates, to play for an hour you would need:

26.75 credits to play the .25 credit slots

74 credits to play the 1 credit slots

145 credits to play the 5 credit slots

Keep in mind that these bankroll figures are only estimates, based on the average payout across all slots. While playing, your actual return may vary a good bit from these numbers. To be conservative, you might try doubling the amounts listed above to ensure one hour's worth of play, if the length of your session is a concern. Lots of players have won giant jackpots with small bankrolls. In 2001, an arizona businessman on holiday at harrah's las vegas won the multi-million dollar megabucks jackpot after investing only 22 dollars. The simplicity of the games, and the high win potential is a big part of what fuels the popularity of slot machines.

Average slots payout at online casinos

God of wealth is an example of a video slot machine, which usually features five reels, anywhere from five to more than 200 paylines, various symbols, and is popular at both land-based and online casinos.
Learn more about god of wealth video slot or play at intertops casino.

Like their land-based counterparts, online casinos are capable of producing large slots wins. Not only have the number of online slots choices matched - and sometimes even exceeded - the variety found in land casinos, but their payout rates tend to be even higher. Depending on the frequency and size of jackpots, online casinos may occasionally even top the 100% mark for overall slots payouts in a given month. While it holds true that players benefit from higher return rates, playing slots online also offers some conveniences over land based play. Gone are the expenses and travel requirements of playing at a brick and mortar casino. Playing slots at home can also be much more informal. For example, a player can play in his or her pajamas, if they choose. For an idea of how well average online casino slot machines pay, the table below shows a recent ranking of top paying internet casinos for slots games: