Best Odds Casino Games: Complete Ranking

The Master Ranking Table

Every game. One table. Ranked from best to worst odds for the player. All house edge figures assume optimal play where applicable.

1 Blackjack — The Undisputed King

With perfect basic strategy at a 3:2 table, blackjack offers a house edge as low as 0.28% under the most favorable rules — and around 0.50% under standard conditions. No other common casino game comes close.

What makes blackjack special: it's the only table game where your decisions directly change the house edge, and the only game where a skilled player (card counter) can flip the edge positive. The gap between a smart player (0.5% edge) and a clueless one (4%+ edge) is enormous.

2 Video Poker — The Hidden Gem

Full-pay video poker is blackjack's closest competitor — and most players walk right past it. A 9/6 Jacks or Better machine (paying 9 credits for a full house, 6 for a flush) has a house edge of just 0.46% with optimal strategy. Some games with progressive jackpots can even go positive.

The catch: "full pay" machines are increasingly rare in live casinos. Many have been replaced with short-pay versions (8/5, 7/5) that cut the RTP by 1–2%. Always check the paytable before playing — the pay for Full House and Flush tells you everything.

3 Craps — The Best No-Skill Game

Craps intimidates new players with its complex layout, but the core bets are simple and offer some of the best odds in the casino.

The Odds bet is unique in all of gambling: it pays at true odds with zero house edge. No other bet in any casino game offers this. The catch: you must place a Pass or Come bet first (1.41% edge), then "back it up" with Odds. Always take maximum Odds — it dilutes the edge on your Pass bet to nearly nothing.

4 Baccarat — Simplest Good-Odds Game

Baccarat requires zero skill, zero decisions, and zero strategy — and still offers better odds than most games in the casino. Just bet Banker every hand.

The 5% commission on Banker wins is already factored into the 1.06% house edge — so don't let it scare you. Banker still wins about 50.68% of resolved hands. The Tie bet is one of the worst bets in the casino at 14.36% house edge — never touch it.

5 Roulette — Pick Your Zero

The version matters enormously. French roulette with La Partage (which returns half your even-money bet when the ball lands on 0) has only 1.35% house edge — competitive with baccarat. American roulette with its double zero nearly doubles that to 5.26%. Always choose European or French over American.

Other Games: Poker, Pai Gow, Three Card

Poker (Texas Hold'em, Omaha) — Unique because you play against other players, not the house. The casino takes a "rake" (typically 5% of each pot, capped). A skilled player can consistently profit over time. The house edge is zero in theory — you're paying for a seat, not fighting a mathematical disadvantage.

Pai Gow Poker — House edge around 2.5%. Extremely slow game (30+ hands/hour) with frequent pushes (~40%), making it the lowest hourly cost game in many casinos. Great for extending your session and earning comps.

Three Card Poker — The Ante bet has about 3.37% house edge with optimal play (play with Q-6-4 or better). The Pair Plus side bet varies from 2–7% depending on the paytable. Fun but not the best value.

The Worst Odds: Slots, Keno, Big Six

Slot machines are the most popular game in the casino — and generally the worst value. Land-based slots typically run 85–95% RTP (5–15% house edge). Online slots tend to be better: 94–98% RTP. The house edge is programmed into the machine and cannot be influenced by skill.

Keno is the worst common casino game, with house edges ranging from 20–40%. For every $1 wagered, the casino keeps $0.20–$0.40 on average. That's 40–80× worse than blackjack.

Big Six Wheel (Wheel of Fortune) has an 11–24% house edge depending on the bet. It looks fun, sounds exciting, and mathematically destroys your bankroll faster than almost anything else in the casino.

What It Actually Costs Per Hour

House edge alone doesn't tell the full story — speed matters. A 1% edge at 200 hands/hour costs more than 2% at 30 hands/hour. Here's the true hourly cost comparison:

Blackjack at $10/hand with basic strategy costs about $4/hour — cheaper than a cup of coffee per hour. Craps with proper odds bets is even cheaper. Slots? They can easily cost $30–$50/hour even at modest bet levels, simply because the game is so fast.