Casino games range widely in how favorable their payouts are to players versus the casino. Understanding metrics like house edge and return to player (RTP) can help you determine which games give you the best chance at winning money. This guide explains what these statistics mean and how payouts work for popular casino games at Jet 4Bet Casino.
Key Statistics
Two key metrics indicate how good the payouts are in a casino game:
- House Edge – The mathematical advantage built into games that ensures the casino profits over time. Expressed as a percentage. The lower the house edge, the more favorable a game is to players.
- Return to Player (RTP) – The percentage of wagered money expected to be paid out to players over time. A higher RTP means more money paid back to gamblers overall. An RTP of 95% means for every $100 wagered, $95 is paid back to customers. The remainder is profit for the casino.
These statistics are calculated over hundreds of thousands if not millions of bets, so they reveal how well customers perform over the long run. Skillful play can sometimes increase your odds of winning in the short term, but the math inevitably works in the casino’s favor.
Game Payouts Compared
| Game | House Edge | RTP |
| Blackjack | 0.5% – 2% | 98% – 99.5% |
| Baccarat | 1.06% – 1.24% | 98.76% – 98.94% |
| Craps | 1.41% | 98.59% |
| Roulette | 2.7% (single 0 wheel) – 5.26% (double 0 wheel) | 94.74% – 97.3% |
| Slot Machines | 2% – 10%+ | 90% – 98% |
| Video Poker | <1% to 5%+ | >99% to 95% |
As shown, blackjack and baccarat offer some of the lowest house edges, while roulette and slots have a wider range but are generally less favorable to bettors. Video poker spans the spectrum depending on the specific machine and pay table.
Below we take a closer look at payouts across these major categories of casino games.
Table Games
Tight games like blackjack, baccarat, craps, and single-zero roulette offer some of the best odds in the casino and lower house edges for players.
Understanding the rules and basic strategies for these games provides players their best shot at walking away a winner.
Blackjack
The house edge in blackjack depends on the rules and number of decks used, but generally runs between 0.5% up to 2% against a basic strategy player. This means for every $100 wagered, the average player can expect to lose between 50 cents and $2.
However, blackjack also offers some of the best odds of winning in the short term with the right set of plays and a bit of luck. Blackjack typically offers RTPs of 98-99.5%, superior to most games.
Baccarat
In baccarat, the house edge on the basic “player” and “banker” bets ranges from about 1.06% to 1.24%, putting it close to even odds with blackjack. Like blackjack, understanding optimal strategy can help you shave the house edge down while playing.
The RTPs on baccarat generally fall between 98.76% and 98.94%, so casinos have a narrow long term advantage. Players have a reasonable shot at winning over hundreds or even thousands of hands.
Craps
Craps offers one of the lowest house edges at about 1.41%, if playing basic pass/come bets with full odds (taking max odds behind pass/come bets lowers house edge dramatically). However, craps also allows risky bets with house edges up over 10%, so discipline is required to keep your advantage high.
With optimal play, RTP reaches 98.59%, on par with blackjack and baccarat. Savvy players have a good chance of beating the house.
Roulette
In roulette, a single 0 wheel cuts the house edge down to 2.7%, while a double 0 wheel has a higher 5.26% advantage for the casino. Wagers cover a wide range, from even money red/black or odd/even bets with lower house edges, to risky single number bets where the house claims over a 5% edge.
RTPs can reach up to 97.3% with a single 0 wheel or dip as low as 94.74% on a double 0 layout. While not as bad as slots, roulette payouts still heavily favor the house in the long run.
Slots and Video Poker
These machine-based games are less forgiving to players, but can also offer life-changing prizes.
Slot Machines
The house edge on slot machines can vary tremendously, ranging from 2% on very loose slots designed to encourage play, up to 10% or higher on tighter machines where the casino profits faster.
Similarly, RTPs range from 90% at the low end up to 98% for some of the loosest slots. Compared to table games, even the best slot payouts still translate to players losing a couple of cents per dollar wagered.
Jackpots running into the millions can offset these poor odds, but most players come out behind over time.
Video Poker
Unlike slots, video poker offers skilled players a legitimate chance at beating the house if mastering optimal strategy. Jacks or Better and other common machines can have house edges under 1% with perfect play.
RTPs often reach over 99% on full pay machines that pay out fixed jackpot amounts. This encourages volume play while giving adept gamblers great odds of walking away winners.
However, video poker allows poorly skilled gamblers to make mistakes that drive up the house edge to 5% or worse, so education is key.
