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The term “house edge” is nothing new to avid casino players. But for those who don’t know, a house edge refers to the advantage a casino has over you. It is in percentage, and the higher the house edge percentage is, the greater the possibility that the casino will win over you. Due to that, some players look for casinos with a low house edge.
However, the question is whether or not a low house edge can be advantageous to players. Firstly, you have to understand that the house edge is a percentage assigned to every casino game. All casino games come with a unique house edge. Meaning, the house edge for baccarat is different from that of blackjack. That is why some players tend to avoid games with a higher house edge.
Understanding House Edge Basics
Casino gambling basics are pretty simple. While the rules of every game vary, the basic principle is essentially the same for all of them. Be it a dice roll at the craps table, a spin of the roulette wheel, a spin on the slot machine, or a hand of blackjack, players put up a stake and wager against the house.
When you lose, the casino takes your stake. But when you win, the house pays out your stake. Generally, that’s just about everything you should know to begin playing casino games. Sure, you’ll also need to understand the game rules, but they’re usually pretty easy to learn.
But have you ever wondered how casinos make a profit? Perhaps you’re thinking it’s all down to gamblers losing bets. Well, it’s not just that. Each casino game comes with an inbuilt advantage called the “house edge,” which works to the house’s favor. This advantage exists on every table game, slot, or lotto in a land-based or online casino.
Fundamentally, the house edge tells you which games have the best returns on your wagers as well as the average payout of each game. It is a product of the games themselves and not determined by the casino. Therefore, the house edge is present anywhere you choose to play.
Using Your House Edge Knowledge
What’s great about the house edge is that you may use it as a guide to see which games are the most profitable. Apparently, games with a high house edge pay out less on average over time compared to those with low casino advantage. With that in mind, you can avoid getting stung by games that are very favorable to the casino.
Another crucial thing to know when getting started with casino games is the Return to Player (RTP). In slots, this indicates the amount a particular machine has paid out throughout its life span in relation to how much money players have paid in. If you’re looking at RTP as a percentage, the house edge is the amount necessary to get up to 100%. Meaning, if a machine pays out a 90% RTP, then its house edge is 10%.
The reason online and physical casinos have a ton of slot games is that slots offer a relatively low RTP. That is where the casino stands to yield more profits. In other words, that is its vastest house advantage.
If you’re big on slot machines, here are three tips that you can use to your advantage. Firstly, find slots with the highest RTP. Playtech’s Ugga Bugga, Goblin’s Cave, and Ocean Princess all have over 99% RTPs. Hence, the house edge of these games is lower than 1%. Next, play the maximum number of pay lines to maximize your chances of landing a winning line. Lastly, play slots with bonus games as these are where you can make the most money.
Casino Games With the Lowest House Edge
As mentioned previously, some casino games have a high house edge while others have an incredibly low house edge. However, it is worth noting that not all house edges are the same. And it’s up to you to know how you can use it to your advantage by playing these games. But as a general rule, the following games are usually the ones with low house edges everywhere.
Blackjack
Many players love playing blackjack due to their higher winning chance. Card counting aside, a player has a higher chance of winning against the casino because it has the lowest house edge at .28%.
Baccarat
Baccarat is another casino card game well-loved for its relatively low house edge, which is dependent on whom you wager on. If you bet on the player, it’s about 1.24%, whereas if you wager on the banker, it’s 1.06%. You may also bet on a tie, which typically pays 8:1 and has a 14% house edge. Again, it’s up to you how to take advantage of the low house edge.
Video Poker
The house advantage in video poker is also incredibly low, usually ranging in the mid to low .30%. Also, rumor has it that this game can possibly be a 0% house edge with the right strategy. It’s debatable, however, considering that casinos are in the business of making money.
Three-Card Poker
Another equally exciting poker variant with a low house edge that you can take advantage of is three-card poker. The game is famous for its speed. Its house edge starts at 1.5%. Every player and the house are dealt three cards, and the payouts depend on the dealer cards.
Craps
Craps is a mainstay on the list of the most exciting games in any physical casino. But when it comes to online casinos, the many rules usually indicate that players are discouraged from trying their luck. Compared to other casino games, craps has one of the lowest house advantages at only around 1.4%. It is also an excellent way for newbies to wager.
Other casino games with low house edges include sic bo, pai gow, and pai gow poker, while those with higher house advantages are roulette, slot machines, and keno.
How to Use Low House Edge to Your Advantage
Sure, you may opt to play games with a low house edge to boost your winning chances. However, remember that it also comes with lower amounts you can win. For some casino games, you can only win the same amount that you wager.
On the other hand, casino games with higher house edges offer huge returns when you win. That is the reason many players still wager on them. But if you want to utilize the low house edge to your advantage, you have to play smart and be strategic. Most professional gamblers use the low house edge to profit from gambling. That is the reason baccarat, blackjack, and other similar games are so popular among them. These casino games guarantee better winning odds.
Moreover, professional gamblers consider the estimated loss per hour when they play. You can’t win all the time, so you must take into account the possible losses. When playing baccarat and blackjack, you need to consider the hourly number of bets as well as the number of players at your table. Here’s the formula for calculating average loss:
Rounds per hour x Amount Bet x House Edge x Number of Hours = Average Loss
How to Lower Casino House Edge
While it’s crucial to find casino games with a low house edge, it’s also smart to learn some maneuverings to minimize the advantage. For instance, using a basic strategy helps you lower the house edge at a blackjack table to ~0.4–0.5%.
An understanding of the “soft 17” rule helps shift odds in your favor. Grasping whether the casino asks the dealer to hit or stand when they reach 17 lets you make a smarter decision on when to stand yourself. Furthermore, you’ll know how many card decks the casino uses. Take note, a higher amount of decks means a higher house edge.
In craps, you also get to have a certain level of edge control. With so many different wagers to place, the house advantage differs drastically according to where you decide to place your money. For example, bets on “Place 6 or 8” offer a house edge of as low as 1.52%, whereas “Any 7” has a 16.67% casino advantage.
Mastering the basics and standard rules of the game is necessary if you want to use a low casino house edge to your advantage. Without the knowledge of basic strategy, you can’t expect yourself to do well in any game. While you can’t do much to improve your winning chances, you can do a lot to hurt your winning chances. And the house banks on that.