Casino games by house edge — the honest league table
Best widely-available prices: blackjack with basic strategy (~0.5% under standard rules), baccarat banker (1.06%), craps pass line (1.41%), then French roulette even-money (1.35%) — our exactly-computed number. European roulette (2.70%) is mid-table; American (5.26%) and most slots (2–15%, unpublished per machine) sit at the expensive end. The pattern: games with decisions and published math are cheap; games with mystery paytables are not.⚙ computed
The table
| Game / bet | House edge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack, basic strategy | ~0.5% | Standard shoe rules; rises fast with player mistakes or 6:5 payouts |
| Baccarat — banker | 1.06% | After the 5% commission; player bet 1.24%; skip the tie |
| Craps — pass/come | 1.41% | Free odds behind reduce the blended price further |
| French roulette — even money | 1.35% | La partage; exact derivation |
| European roulette — any bet | 2.70% | every bet identical |
| Video poker 9/6 JoB | ~0.46% | Requires near-optimal play; paytable-dependent |
| American roulette | 5.26% | The 00 tax; basket hits 7.89% |
| Triple-zero roulette | 7.69% | the quiet rip-off |
| Slots | 2–15% | Per-machine, rarely disclosed — the widest and blindest range on the floor |
Method note: roulette figures are computed by our engine; other games’ edges are the standard published values for the stated rule sets — shown for honest comparison, with the caveat that rule variations move them. Roulette’s honest pitch in this company: zero decisions to get the published price — no strategy chart to memorize, no way to play it wrong except picking the wrong wheel.
Frequently asked
What casino game has the best odds?
Blackjack with correct basic strategy (~0.5%) and baccarat’s banker bet (1.06%) lead; craps pass line (1.41%) and French roulette even-money (1.35%) follow closely. The worst common choices: American/triple-zero roulette and undisclosed-RTP slots.
Is roulette a good game to play, odds-wise?
French roulette even-money at 1.35% is genuinely competitive — and uniquely, it needs zero skill to achieve. European at 2.70% is acceptable; American and triple-zero are the expensive seats for the identical experience.