The house edge is the mathematical advantage that a casino holds over players. It can range from 20% on keno to less than 0.5% on blackjack and video poker. Understanding what house edge is will help you choose the best games at a crypto casino.
We’ll explain how the house edge works, how it differs from RTP, and which games offer the best odds. You’ll also learn how to reduce the house edge when playing certain casino games.
What Does House Edge Mean?
The house edge is the casino’s built-in advantage. It’s designed to ensure the casino makes a profit in the long run. Every casino game has a house edge, but it can vary significantly from one game to the next.
Choosing a game with a low house edge can improve your theoretical returns. For example, French roulette has a 1.35% edge, European roulette has a 2.70% edge, and American roulette has a 5.26% edge, so it’s best to play the French version.
The casino house edge highlights the percentage of bets that the casino expects to keep in the long term. For example, if a game has a 3% house edge, the casino expects to retain $3 of every $100 wagered over a prolonged period.
It’s important to remember that the results are completely random. That means some players will enjoy winning sessions, and others will lose. However, your chances of having a winning session will increase if you stick to casino games with low house edges.
The house advantage allows the casino to pay its operating expenses – taxes, licensing fees, staff costs, software, and so on – and run a viable business.
House Edge vs. RTP
You can use a casino game’s return to player (RTP) rate to work out the house edge. The RTP tells you how much you can expect back if your luck is average.
For example, if a slot has a 96.72% RTP, you can expect $96.72 back for every $100 that you wager. As mentioned above, the RTP simply tells you the long-term average. Some players will win in the short term, and others will lose.
You simply need to subtract the RTP from 100 to calculate a game’s house edge. For example, if the slot has a 96.72% RTP, the house edge is 3.28%. If a slot has a 95% RTP, the house edge is 5%.
Choosing high RTP games means you’re selecting games with low house edges. That will improve your expected returns at a crypto casino.
House Edge vs. Short-Term Results
The house edge describes what happens over millions of bets, not what happens during your session. In the short term, results are driven by variance. That’s why players regularly walk away from the roulette table with a profit, despite the game’s built-in house edge.
If a coin is weighted 51/49 against you, it will still land in your favor plenty of times over 100 flips. The casino relies on volume to realize its edge, but any individual session can swing either way. That’s why people keep returning to casinos, as they want to be on the winning side.
It’s also why experienced players head to the games with a low house edge. This tips the math as close to 50/50 as possible, and variance does the rest.
How House Edge Works: Payout Odds vs. True Odds
The house edge is built into the gap between two numbers:
- True odds. The chances of something happening.
- Payout odds. The payout the casino will give you if the event happens.
True odds reflect the actual probability of an outcome – the roulette ball landing in a certain pocket, the result of a dice roll, and so on. The payout odds determine how much you’ll receive when you win. In every casino game, the payout odds are set slightly below the true odds, and that gap creates the house edge.
Here’s an example of the payout odds and the true odds when you play roulette:
| Bet |
True Odds |
Payout Odds |
House Edge |
| Single number on European roulette |
36/1 |
35/1 |
2.70% |
| Single number on American roulette |
37/1 |
35/1 |
5.26% |
The house edge is higher on American roulette, as the wheel has more pockets:
- American roulette. The wheel has 38 pockets: double zero, single zero, and the numbers 1-36. That means your chances of hitting a specific number are 1 in 38. Odds count losing outcomes against the single winning one, so a 1-in-38 chance is written as 37/1.
- European roulette. The wheel has 37 pockets: a single zero, and the numbers 1-36. The chances of the ball landing in a specific pocket are 1 in 37, which is written as odds of 36/1.
Both games pay 35/1 on individual number bets, despite the American roulette wheel having more pockets. That extra pocket creates a larger gap between the true odds and the payout odds, tipping the math further in the casino’s favor.
House Edge by Casino Game
The house edge varies significantly by casino game. It also depends on which bets you make. For example, there are three main betting options when you play baccarat:
- Banker bet: 1.06% house edge
- Player bet: 1.24% house edge
- Tie: 14.36% house edge
For that reason, it’s best to stick to the banker bet. In general, it’s also sensible to avoid side bets when playing games like baccarat and blackjack, as they tend to have a higher house edge than the base game.
This table highlights the house edge on some of the most popular games at crypto casinos:
| Game |
House Edge |
| Slots |
1% to 12% |
| Blackjack (when played with basic strategy) |
Around 0.5%, but can be lower |
| European Roulette |
2.70% |
| American Roulette |
5.26% |
| French Roulette |
1.35% on even-money bets |
| Baccarat |
1.06% (banker bet) to 14.36% (tie bet) |
| Video Poker (with basic strategy) |
Can be less than 0.5% |
| Craps |
1.36%* to 16.67% |
| Keno |
20% or more |
| Crypto games (Dice, Plinko, Crash) |
Often just 1% |
* You can cut the house edge to just 0.19% if you wager 6x your initial stake at true odds behind an open don’t pass or don’t come bet.
Here are some tips to help you choose the games with the lowest house edge:
- Slots. The average online slot has a house edge of around 4%, so choose slots with an edge of 3% or less. Standout games include Goblin’s Cave (0.68%), Ugga Bugga (0.93%), Book of 99 (1%), Mega Joker (1%), and Ooh Ah Dracula (1%).
- Roulette. Choose the French version. It has a rule called la partage (50% rebate if the ball lands on zero) or en prison (a chance to win your money back on the next spin if the ball lands on zero). Either way, it cuts the house edge in half to 1.35% on even money bets. Avoid American roulette, which has the highest edge.
- Baccarat. Stick to the banker bet. Avoid the tie bet, which has a huge house edge.
- Blackjack. Choose single deck or double deck games with as many player-friendly rules as possible. This can cut the house edge to less than 0.5%.
- Video poker. Stick to games like Jacks or Better by Playtech, which has a 0.46% house edge. You can also play Game King by IGT, which has nine video poker games in one. They include Deuces Wild (0.28% edge), Bonus Poker (0.36%), Triple Bonus Poker (0.43%), and Jacks or Better (0.46%).
- Crypto games. Play games like Plinko, Crash, and Mines from BGaming, as they only have a 1% house edge.
- Craps. Avoid sucker bets like Big 6, Big 8, or Any 7. Stick to simple pass/don’t pass and come/don’t come bets. Choose a game that lets you wager at least 6x your initial stake at “true odds” behind an open pass/don’t pass and come/don’t come bet.
Can You Reduce the House Edge?
Yes, you can reduce the house edge when playing casino games. Here’s how:
- Master basic strategy. You’ll only benefit from the low house edge on blackjack if you know when to hit, stand, split cards, and double down. The same is true of video poker, as you’ll only unlock the low house edge if you know which cards to hold and which to discard when building your hand.
- Play in demo mode. The best crypto casino apps let you play games like blackjack and video poker for free in demo mode. You can consult a blackjack or video poker strategy chart when playing for free, which will tell you the optimal decision to make with each hand. When you’ve mastered basic strategy, switch to playing for real money.
- Stick to the highest RTP bets. Avoid side bets and sucker bets. Choose the betting options that inherently carry a lower house edge. When playing craps, remember to wager at “true odds” behind open pass line and come line bets, as that will significantly reduce the overall house edge.
- Activate certain features. The house edge can change when you activate certain features on online slots. For example, it goes from 2.76% down to 2.28% if you activate the buy bonus feature on White Rabbit Megaways. You can also cut the house edge to 1% on Monopoly Big Event if you activate the Big Bet feature. Selecting the “Supermeter” mode on Mega Joker can lead to a 1% house edge too.
- Claim bonuses. Claiming crypto casino bonuses can effectively reduce the house edge that the site builds into its games. However, this only works if the bonuses have fair wagering requirements. Avoid bonuses that tie you down to unrealistic rollover requirements.
Conclusion
Choosing a game with a low house edge is the best way to increase your theoretical returns at a crypto casino. Just delve into the game’s information panel to find the RTP, and then subtract it from 100 to calculate the house edge. Remember to stick to the betting options with the best RTP rates, and master basic strategy if you’re planning to play card games like blackjack or video poker.
Frequently Asked Questions
A good house edge is 3% or lower on slots, 0.5% on blackjack, 1.06% on baccarat, and 1.35% on roulette. If you’re playing video poker, you should find games with a house edge of less than 1% if you know which cards to hold and discard. A good house edge is 1% if you’re playing crypto games like Plinko or Dice.
Blackjack is normally the casino game with the lowest house edge, but only if you know when to hit, stand, double down, and split. You can also reduce the house edge to just 0.19% on certain craps bets if you’re allowed to wager 6x your initial stake at “true odds.” Some video poker games also have a very low house edge if you follow the optimal strategy.
Lottery-style games like keno and online scratchers tend to have the highest house edge at online casinos. The house edge is often 20% or more when you play those games. Jackpot slots, Sic Bo, and American roulette also have a high edge, as do certain craps bets.
House edge is the flip side of RTP. You simply subtract a game’s RTP from 100 to calculate the house edge. For example, if a slot has a 96.4% RTP, the house edge is 3.6%.
You can’t beat the inherent house edge on games like roulette, baccarat, and slots. It’s possible to beat the house edge on blackjack if you’re an expert card counter, but that only applies to land-based casinos. Online casinos take various steps to make card counting all but impossible.
Yes, crypto casinos often feature games with a lower house edge than traditional online casinos. They include crypto games like Plinko, Dice, Crash, and Mines, which often have a house edge of just 1%. Crypto casinos host a huge range of slots too, so you’re more likely to find games with high RTP rates, like Book of 99 and 1429 Uncharted Seas.
Ilija is a CCN writer with 7 years of experience covering all things crypto. Ever since a fateful run-in with Litecoin in 2013, he's been an avid investor and writer in the space. When he's not maniacally hacking away at his keyboard, Ilija spends his time either hiking in nature or holed up in his apartment gaming.
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