Casino table games are exciting to play, both online and off. They can also take a big bite out of your bank account. If you’re new to this, you probably wonder which table game allows you to beat the casino and win some money. You already know the answer if you’ve been around for a while—none of them.
When you play against the casino at a table game – or any casino game, really – the casino will win. Not always, or it would never make sense for a person to play. But for most players, the casino will beat you over a long period.
Every casino table game has a Return to Player (RTP) or payout percentage. This is the percent of a player’s wagers that, on average, the player earns back as winnings. For instance, depending on the rules of the table, blackjack tends to have an RTP as high as 98.5%. That means you can earn back 98.5 cents for every dollar you bet. That also means you can expect, on average, to lose 1.5 cents for every dollar you bet. That is called the house edge or house advantage.
A 98.5% payout percentage sounds good. Given average statistical variance – fancy talk for luck – you could beat the casino a decent plurality of the time. Even a majority of the time. With that always in mind, the first rule of thumb to beat the casino is to play the table games with the highest RTP. However, there’s more to the Return to Player percentage than meets the eye.
The Return to Player value is the average payout for the best players. The RTP is far lower if you aren’t skilled at a table game. For instance, if a player makes poor decisions at a blackjack table and keeps busting, the payout percentage can theoretically fall to around 8%. Ouch. Even the most generous payout percentage cannot compensate for inexperience, wrong strategies, or poor play. If you want to beat the casino, then the second rule of thumb is to master the game.
If you focus only on payout percentage, you won’t beat the casino at any table game. As you might guess, especially if you’ve spent some time and money at a casino table game, you don’t walk away with the payout percentage. Sometimes, you win a lot of money; sometimes, you lose a lot. Sometimes, you break even. Volatility, or variance, is the difference between the payout percentage and what you win – or lose – at the table each time.
This matters because the payout percentages at many table games differ for each type of wager you make.
The wagers with the most significant wins, such as a number bet on roulette, have the highest volatility and the lowest payout percentage. Admittedly, taking only 1:1 bets on a game table could be more exciting. It is, however, your most likely chance of beating the casino. And in the end, the point is to bring money home.
When you combine all the factors, these are the best games if you want to beat the casino. As a baseline, we stopped at 98% payout percentages. Why? Any table game or wager with a payout percentage lower than 98% is not worth playing for anything other than the excitement.
| GAME | WAGER / RULES | PAYOUT PERCENTAGE |
| Craps |
—Don’t Pass / Don’t Come —Take/Lay maximum odds |
99.727% |
| Craps |
—Pass / Come —Take / Lay maximum odds |
99.626% |
| Spanish 21 |
—Eight Spanish decks —Dealer stands on a soft 17 —The Player can double after splitting —The Player can split any two matching cards —Player can re-split —Player can re-split aces —Player can surrender after doubling down —Player blackjack always wins —3:2 blackjack payout —3:1 seven or more card 21 payout |
99.6% |
| Pai Gow |
—As banker —House way |
99.47% |
| Baccarat | As banker | 98.94% |
| Baccarat | As player | 98.76% |
| Craps | Don’t Pass / Don’t Come | 98.64% |
| Craps | Pass / Come | 98.59% |
| Blackjack |
—Four decks —Dealer stands on a soft 17 —The Player can double after splitting —Play can split any two matching cards —Player can re-split up to four hands —Player can re-split aces —3:2 blackjack payout |
98.5% |
| Pai Gow Poker |
—As player —With a hand-by-hand strategy |
98.4% |
| Blackjack |
—Four decks —Dealer hits a soft 17 —The Player can double after splitting —Play can split any two matching cards —Player can re-split up to four hands —Player can re-split aces —3:2 blackjack payout |
98.3% |
| Blackjack |
—Six decks —Dealer stands on a soft 17 —The Player can double after splitting —The Player can split any two matching cards —Player can re-split up to four hands —Player can re-split aces 3:2 blackjack payout |
98.2% |
| Blackjack |
—Eight decks —Dealer stands on a soft 17 —The Player can double after splitting —The Player can split any two matching cards —Player can re-split up to four hands —Player can re-split aces —3:2 blackjack payout |
98% |
Return to Player (RTP) is a term used to depict the ratio of all wagered money a casino table game will pay back to players over time. For example, a blackjack game with an RTP of 98.5% means for every dollar bet, the average return is 98.5 cents. This percentage indicates the game's house edge; in this case, it's 1.5%, the average amount you stand to lose per dollar wagered.
No, the RTP is an average value that assumes optimal play from the player. The RTP can deviate significantly if a player makes poor decisions, especially in skill-based games like blackjack. For instance, bad strategy and frequent busts could drastically reduce the effective payout percentage to much lower than the game's advertised RTP.
Volatility, or variance, refers to how consistent the game's payouts are relative to the RTP. Low-volatility games tend to pay out closer to the expected return more consistently, meaning smaller, more frequent wins. High-volatility games offer the chance for large payouts, but the risk of losing is correspondingly higher. Understanding volatility helps you manage your bankroll and betting strategy to match your risk tolerance.
Games with the highest RTP and lowest volatility, such as blackjack, craps (specifically Pass or Don't Pass bets), and specific bets in roulette (like color bets), generally offer the best chances to win. These games provide returns closer to the RTP and involve lower risk than high-volatility bets like a single number bet in roulette, which has a much higher payout but a much lower probability of winning.
To improve your odds at casino table games, focus on games where skill and strategy can reduce the house edge, and choose low-volatility bets that align closely with their RTP. Mastering the game through practice and strategic play is crucial, as poor decisions can significantly lower your effective payout rate. Additionally, understanding and selecting bets with the lowest house advantage and volatility can help maintain your bankroll and potentially lead to more consistent wins.
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