Casino Games Ranked by House Edge
Blackjack with basic strategy (~0.5%) and 9/6 video poker (~0.46%) are the best bets in the casino; keno, the big wheel, and slots are the worst. The catch: blackjack's 0.5% only applies if you play the chart.
Every casino game is a tax on your bankroll — the only question is the rate. That rate is the house edge: the share of each dollar wagered the casino keeps over the long run. The spread is enormous. The best bet in the building costs you about half a cent on the dollar; the worst costs you twenty-five cents. Here's the whole menu, best to worst, in one table.
The full ranking (best odds at the top)
| Game | House edge | Cost per $100 |
|---|---|---|
| Video poker (9/6 Jacks or Better, perfect play) | 0.46% | 46¢ |
| Blackjack (basic strategy, 3:2, liberal rules) | 0.5% | 50¢ |
| Baccarat (banker bet) | 1.06% | $1.06 |
| Baccarat (player bet) | 1.24% | $1.24 |
| Craps (pass / come, no odds) | 1.41% | $1.41 |
| Blackjack 6:5 (same game, worse payout) | ~2.0% | ~$2.00 |
| Ultimate Texas Hold'em (optimal) | ~2.2% | ~$2.20 |
| Pai Gow Poker | ~2.5% | ~$2.50 |
| European roulette (single zero) | 2.70% | $2.70 |
| Three Card Poker (ante, optimal) | ~3.4% | ~$3.40 |
| Let It Ride | ~3.5% | ~$3.50 |
| Caribbean Stud | ~5.2% | ~$5.20 |
| American roulette (double zero) | 5.26% | $5.26 |
| Slots (typical) | 5–10% | $5–$10 |
| Big Six / Wheel of Fortune | 11–24% | $11–$24 |
| Keno | 25%+ | $25+ |
Blackjack only earns the #2 spot if you play the chart
That ~0.5% is not a property of blackjack — it's a property of blackjack played correctly. The number assumes you make the mathematically best move on every hand: the right hits, stands, doubles, and splits, every time. A player who guesses — stands on 16 because it "feels" right, never doubles, splits on instinct — gives back another 2 to 4 percent. That drops a guessing player into roulette or even slot-machine territory while sitting at the best game on the floor.
The fix is free: the basic strategy chart is a single page of correct plays, and once you learn it the 0.5% is yours. If you've never played, start with how to play blackjack, then drill the chart on the trainer until the moves are automatic.
One rule turns the best game into a mediocre one
Look at the two blackjack rows. Same game, same strategy — but the 6:5 version pays you $6 for a $5 blackjack instead of the traditional $7.50, and that single payout change roughly quadruples the house edge from 0.5% to about 2%. A 6:5 table isn't blackjack with a worse trim; it's a different game wearing the same felt, costing you four times as much. Always check the payout printed on the table before you sit — the full breakdown is in 3:2 vs 6:5 payouts.
What the edge actually costs you
House edge is easiest to feel in dollars. Picture $100 across the table at each game. Blackjack by the book costs about 50¢ per $100 wagered. American roulette costs $5.26 — more than ten times as much for the same $100 of action. Keno costs $25+: a quarter of your money, gone on average, every time the numbers fall. To see how those costs compound over a session at your own bet size, run the numbers through the house edge calculator. And if you want the three-way head-to-head on the casino's most popular games, see blackjack vs roulette vs craps.
How to read this list as a player
- The top four are the only "fair-ish" bets. Video poker (perfect play), blackjack (chart play), baccarat banker, and craps pass line all sit under 1.5%. Everything below pays for the casino's chandeliers.
- Skill games reward skill — and punish guessing. Blackjack and video poker carry their low edges only at perfect play. The carnival games (Three Card, Caribbean Stud, Let It Ride) charge 3–5% even when you play them optimally.
- Flashy and simple costs the most. The games requiring zero decisions — slots, the big wheel, keno — have the highest edges in the house. The casino rewards thinking and taxes autopilot.
Frequently asked questions
What casino game has the best odds?
9/6 Jacks or Better video poker at perfect play is the slimmest at 0.46%, with blackjack basic strategy right behind at ~0.5% (3:2, liberal rules). Baccarat banker (1.06%) and craps pass line with no odds (1.41%) round out the best bets. Blackjack's edge only holds if you play every hand by the chart — guessing adds back 2–4%.
Is blackjack really better than slots?
By a wide margin. Blackjack by the book costs about 50¢ per $100; a typical slot costs $5–$10 per $100 — ten to twenty times more, and skill can't lower it because the result is fixed by the random number generator. The one condition is that you make the correct play every hand.
What's the worst bet in the casino?
Keno, with a house edge over 25% — you lose a quarter of every dollar on average. The big six wheel runs 11–24% and slots sit at 5–10%. American roulette's double zero (5.26%) is nearly double European roulette's 2.70%. As a rule, the flashier and simpler the game, the more it costs.