House Edge in Online Casino Games

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Updated on: May 12th, 2021

House EdgeEvery online casino has a built-in advantage over players in every casino game that they play. This advantage is called the house edge and it’s one of the ways in which casinos both online and land based ensure that they receive monetary returns from all its games.  This casino advantage is a product of the games themselves and not set by individual casinos. This means that, no matter where you choose to invest your money, if you’re betting on casino games, you can’t escape the house edge.

We now know that the house edge, which is a percentage figure, poses some great benefits for the casino, but knowing what house edge means and how it affects your play can be useful to players as well. For example, house edge can tell you how much a specific game pays out, as well as highlight the games that offer the best returns for placed bets. This is way it acts as a guide to show you which games are most profitable. Casino games with a high house edge will pay out less than those with a low house edge. It’s therefore best to opt for games that have a low house edge. If you take all this into consideration you can avoid getting beat by games that give the casino a massive advantage over the player.

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House Edge in RTP Explained

For those who don’t know, RTP stands for Return to Player. In slot games it shows how much an individual machine has or will pay out overtime, and is calculated in relation to how much cash players have deposited into the game. You’ll see that the RTP value is always less than 100%, and the amount needed to make 100% is the house edge. So, for example, if a slot machine pays an RTP of 90% then the remaining 10% is what makes up the machine’s house edge.

If you are a regular player, you would have noticed that most online casinos have a large collection of slot games which often exceeds the number of other available games at the casino. This is because slot machines have a low RTP, so this is where the gaming house stands to make more.

In slot games, players win by matching symbols on reels across a winning payline. Modern video slots offer anything between 20 to 100 paylines which is great because they offer more chances for players to win. Fact is, the more paylines a game has, the bigger the impact on house edge.

Let’s take the example of a machine with 20 paylines. If you play all 20 each time, chances will increase. But, if you only play 10 paylines or less, you’ll subsequently cut your odds by half. By doing this you are increasing your chances of losing while increasing the casino’s chances of winning.

Low House Edge Games

Popular Casino Games & Their House Edges

To an extent, we all play casino games for the fun of it. However, greater satisfaction comes from actually winning money from the game. Not every casino game is the same. There are differences between each, some big and others small. One of the major differences is the payout percentages inherent in each game. If you know the casino payout rate, you can use that to determine the casinos’ house edge.

Below we’ve shortlisted some of the most played casino games, each with its own house edge percentage.  Hopefully this will be helpful to you the next time you are indecisive about what casino game to play.

1.      Craps House Edge

House Edge Range 1.4% to 5%

Playing craps online can be confusing because of the many rules that exist in the game. But, the craps house edge range is one of the lowest out there. This game has a 1.4% house edge starting value.

2.      Baccarat

Baccarat House Edge 1.5%

Baccarat is one of the simpler casino games and is also known as a high rollers’ game due to its sophisticated nature. This game requires simple strategy and is played by betting on either the banker, the player or a tie. Visit any one of our casinos today to test out house edge while playing baccarat.

3.      Video Poker

Video Poker House Edge Range 0.5% to 5%

Some players speculate that video poker has a 0% house edge, but that is something to be sceptical about as any casino’s main aim is to make money. But, given the low house edge that the game has, there’s plenty opportunity for players to make returns if they use enough skill.

4.      Three Card Poker

Three Card Poker House Edge 1.5%

Three card poker is a variant of poker that’s enjoyed by many. In the game, both the player and the house will be handed three cards and the payouts vary according to the dealer’s cards. A King high pays the highest and you can use simple poker strategy here. However, we recommend that you play Queen high to better your chances of seeing some returns.

5.      Blackjack

Blackjack House Edge 1.5%

In blackjack, the best way to try and overcome house edge is to play a single deck game to increase your chances of winning. Add some basic strategy, and effective money management to that and your chances of winning back your bets as well as some profits is increased significantly.

6.      Roulette

Roulette House Edge Range From 2.5%

Roulette is without a doubt one of the most loved table casino games of all time. The house edge in roulette varies depending on the kind of game you are playing. Roulette wheels with a single zero pocket has a higher house edge than the double zero wheel.

7.      Slot Machines

Slot Machine House Edge Range 2% to 10%

And then there was slots, an all-time casino favourite. The payouts might not be as good as the payouts in table games, but slots still remain one of the popular casino games. There’s also lots of competition among software providers to produce the best slot games which means that suppliers are constantly offering extra features like free spins, bonuses and jackpots. We recommend that you stay on the lookout for the various features like bonuses as these may help you reduce the house’s advantage over you, even if it is in the smallest margin.

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