Understanding Casino Math And The House Edge

Casinos are incredibly profitable businesses, and their success relies entirely on cold, hard mathematics.


This guaranteed profit margin is known universally throughout the industry as the "house edge."

The Secret of the House Edge

The house edge is created by paying winning bets at slightly less than the true mathematical odds.


However, if you win a straight-up number bet, the casino only pays you 35 to 1.

The edge is an average calculation over millions of roundsIt cannot be defeated by betting systemsShort-term luck can temporarily overcome the edge
What is RTP in Casino Games?

If a slot machine has a 5% house edge, its theoretical RTP is exactly 95%.


This means that over millions of spins, the machine will pay back $95 for every $100 wagered.

Games with the Lowest House Edge

Blackjack, when played with perfect basic strategy, offers a house edge of roughly 0.5%.


Video poker can also offer an edge below 1%, and sometimes even dips into negative territory with perfect play.

Bet TypeCasino AdvantageRecommendationBaccarat (Banker)1.06%Highly RecommendedKeno20.00%+Avoid Completely

You cannot defeat the math, but you can choose the games that give you the fairest possible fight.