A Comparison of Card Games Odds

If you’re taking a break from online slots —where you know the average RTP is around 96% — to try your hand at casino card games, it’s worth knowing what you’re looking at odds-wise for each game. 

The most popular casino card games have varying odds, and you’ve got a better chance of winning at some than you are at others. So, if you can’t make up your mind about which game you’d like to play, it’s worth checking out what game has the best odds in the casino and try your hand at that.

Keep in mind that many of these games have several variations in an online casino, so these odds could differ according to the exact game you are playing and the particular bet you are playing.

Here are the best casino card games and their house edge, which dictates the overall odds.

Craps

The craps table can be super intimidating, and the payout odds can range from +3,000 to +100, so it’s understandable that many beginners give this game a wide berth. However, if you ignore all of that and simply focus on two bets, pass line and don’t pass, then the game’s got some decent odds for you.

You see, the house edge for the pass line bet is just 1.4%, while it’s 1.36% for the don’t pass bet. If you go into a craps game with a solid strategy to focus on these two bets, you have a better chance of increasing your bankroll.

Blackjack

If you’re looking for the best odds in casino table games, look no further than blackjack. The rules of blackjack are simple: Use your hand to create a number that is higher than the dealer’s but that doesn’t add up to more than 21. 

Now, if there were no other factors at play and you simply went off the outright odds of the game, there would be a house edge of around 8%, which isn’t very good for the player at all. However, blackjack gives you the biggest chance of improving your odds out of all card games, and if you approach it correctly, you could push the house edge so far down that you get the best odds at the casino.

With a solid strategy and a good understanding of the rules, you can reduce the house edge to less than 1%. Of course, the precise house edge will depend on several factors, like the house rules, how many decks are in play, and so on. With favorable rules, a couple of blackjack online casino games can have a house edge of 0.2% or lower.

Baccarat

Two hands are dealt in baccarat, and you’ll have three betting options: bet on the banker, the player, or a tie bet. If you bet on a player or banker, the tie will become a push. Rules are set up so that the banker will always win more than the player, with the banker winning 45.9% of hands and the player winning 44.6%. Tie bets are around 9.5%. 

Given that the banker wins more than it loses, there’s a 5% commission on winning banker bets, meaning a house edge of 1.06%. Winning player bets don’t pay commission and have an edge of 1.24%.

Tie bets have a massive 14.4% house edge and don’t offer good odds.

All decisions on drawing a third card to the two-card starting hands are automatic under set rules. You make no hit/stand decisions and can’t change the odds. Your impact on your chance to win comes from deciding whether to bet banker or player while ignoring the tie bet.

Then there are side bets. What are side bets in baccarat? They are simply bets that aren’t part of the usual three betting options, and they differ from game to game and in different casinos. These bets make the game a little more exciting and offer a much better payout than the even-money payouts of banker or player bets. However, the house edge on side bets is significantly larger, too, and playing these bets could burn through your bankroll in no time at all.

Poker

There are so many different poker variants that it’s not easy to nail down the odds in one sweeping statement. Look at one of the most popular poker variants — Texas Hold’em.

For any version of Hold ’em, you’ll start with an ante bet and make additional bets later down the line if you have a decent hand. Players who fold too often instead of following their ante with a bet or those who start aggressively and make a bet with weak cards can face a house edge of 3-4%. However, there are many ways to improve these odds.

You could improve your odds by counting combinations and learning the most effective poker strategies. In general, you should follow up your ante with a bet in all but around 18% of the worst hand combinations, like your first two cards being low and unpaired. 

By using the optimal strategy and staying in the hand when you can, you can reduce the house edge here to around 2.2%. 

Will You Find Better Odds Online?

Do online casinos have better odds? Many say that online casinos have better odds than live casinos, which is true in some cases. This is mainly because online casinos have much smaller overheads like rent, electricity, less staff to pay, etc. Online jackpot slots are an excellent example of having better odds. However, odds vary hugely according to the casino you’re in, the game you’re playing, and more. Some games, like poker, have odds that can be easily manipulated because they are also based on the skill of the player instead of relying on sheer luck.

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Whether you want to play online slot games, table games, live dealer games, or anything in between, BetMGM has exceptional odds to take advantage of. On top of this, the BetMGM blog has tips and tricks, like casino games odds charts, strategies, and advice that can help you improve your chances of winning.

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