Best Casino Game Odds: The Definitive Answer

When choosing which casino game to play, one essential factor to consider is the odds of winning. Why? Because knowing which casino game has the best odds allows you to make informed decisions on what to play before you start diving into strategies and tactics. 

And as per guidelines on responsible gambling, the better informed you are, the higher your chances of winning or limiting your losses.

Best Odds for Casino Games: TLDR

• There are three main meanings of 'best odds' in gambling: probability of winning a bet, average statistical return (opposite of house edge), and payout rate. These lead to different results when evaluating casino games.
• The casino games with the highest odds of winning an individual bet are: roulette (48.64%–47.36%), baccarat (45.86%), and blackjack (42.43%). However, these can shift as the games progress.
• Roulette allows players to increase odds significantly through combined bets covering more numbers, achieving over 90% probability of winning. But profit margins drop sharply as more of the table is covered.  
• The games with the lowest house edge are: blackjack (0.5%), baccarat (1% for best bet), craps and roulette (1.35%–1.36% for best bets). Skill impacts blackjack odds the most.
• Payout odds just show how much a winning bet pays out relative to stake. They don't precisely reflect winning probability or expected return, so should not be used to compare best odds.
• Consider personal factors like entertainment value and bankroll when choosing casino games, not just odds. But knowing the odds helps make informed gambling decisions.

Best Casino Game Odds? It Depends What You Mean...

Answering the question of which casino game has the best odds is not easy, for two main reasons:

1. The concept of 'best odds' has different meanings in the gambling world. 
2. The odds may shift depending on how the game develops or the types of bets you want to make.

In this article, we look at these meanings in more detail and reveal which casino games offer the best odds for each category. This will help you understand what your chances of winning really are, and you can make more intelligent bets.

The Meanings of 'Odds' in Gambling

As I mentioned above, the term ‘odds’ has varying meanings in gambling, and these diverse meanings lead to different results when we evaluate which casino games have the ‘best odds’. Being clear about the exact meaning helps us determine where the true advantages lie across different games.

When comparing the best odds across casino games, there are three main meanings we need to understand:

• The probability of winning a bet
• The average statistical return (which determines the house edge)
• The payout rate.

Let’s look at each of these in turn. 

'Odds' Meaning 1: Probability of Winning a Bet

This is the most common meaning, as it refers to the mathematical chances or likelihood of a particular bet being successful. This probability can be precisely computed given the characteristics of the game and bet. It is typically expressed numerically as a fraction (e.g. 1/4), percentage (e.g. 25%), or in ratio format (e.g. 3:1).

But when evaluating casino games by the probability of winning individual wagers, it's important to note that this metric alone does not reflect the overall success. After all, a ‘win’ might refer to correctly predicting a particular outcome or turning an actual profit over time – which are two very different things. 

Plus, high winning probabilities come with a proportional disadvantage in the form of low payout rates. This trade-off is central to casino game design, allowing the house to maintain its predictable mathematical edge across all bets and situations.

'Odds' Meaning 2: Average Statistical Return

The house edge refers to the average percentage of money retained by the casino for a particular game or bet, while the average return is what is left for the players (average return = 1 - house edge). The average return is known as the ‘return to player’ (RTP) in the case of  slots. Mathematically, the average return and house edge are complementary, that is, the house edge is one (or 100%) minus the payback percentage returned to players, meaning that if a game pays out 90% of bets to players on average, the house edge is 10%. As such, the lower the house edge, the higher the expected long-term return.

'Odds' Meaning 3: Payout Rate

This is how much a winning bet pays out relative to the original stake wagered. It is represented as a multiplier "X to Y", e.g. a 35 to 1 payout means a winning £1 bet will pay out £35 net.

This doesn't apply to slots, though. As we saw above, RTP is the metric commonly used to judge the likelihood of being successful here, and this is how we can compare different titles to find the best payout online slots. 

So, now we’ve established our definitions, which casino games offer the best odds for the different meanings? Let’s look at each one in turn.

Games With the Best Odds of Winning a Base Bet

In a nutshell, the top three casino games with the highest odds of winning a base bet are: 

1. Roulette (48.64–47.36%) 

2. Baccarat (45.86%) 

3. Blackjack (42.43%) 

These are a priori odds (theoretical probabilities that are not influenced by any prior outcome), associated with the moment before the game starts.

However, these odds can quickly change when the game progresses and circumstances change (e.g. as cards are dealt in blackjack), or if multiple bets are placed at once (like in roulette). So let’s dive into each game in more detail.

Roulette: Base Bet Odds of 48.64–47.36%

In roulette, even-money bets such as red/black, odd/even, and high/low offer the highest probability of winning, ranging from 47.36% to 48.64% depending on the version. This makes roulette one of the best casino games in terms of raw winning odds on an individual bet.

But unlike other games, both real life and online roulette also offers the ability to significantly increase the odds by placing multiple bets to cover more numbers. For example, combining a colour bet with several straight-up bets on the opposite colour. As more numbers are covered, the probability of winning increases.

There are various categories of non-contradictory combined bets you can try, including:

• Red/black plus straight-up bets on opposite colour numbers, e.g. black bet plus straight-up bets on red numbers 13, 22, 29, 31, 33, and 35. This is equivalent to a high bet and six straight-up bets on low numbers and an even bet and six straight-up bets on odd numbers (and vice versa) 
• Street bets predominantly on one colour plus an opposite colour bet, e.g. a street bet on 25, 26, 27 plus a black bet
• Line bets predominantly on one colour plus an opposite colour bet, e.g. a line bet on the numbers 10 to 15 plus a red bet
• Romanosky bets, e.g. a combined bet consisting of two bets on the first and second dozen plus two square bets on numbers 27 to 29 and 33 to 35

These are known as ‘large-coverage bets’. By optimally combining inside and outside bets, the winning probability of a combined bet can exceed 90% – significantly higher than individual bets.

However, achieving very high winning probabilities through combined roulette bets comes with trade-offs. The profit margins on such bets are extremely thin, often less than 5%. Not only that, the maximum possible losses increase as more of the table is covered. 

So while the odds of winning rise, the reward potential drops sharply – you’re virtually guaranteed tiny returns in exchange for accepting low risks.

In fact, by cleverly combining a colour bet with 17 straight-up bets on the opposite shade, players can achieve over 90% winning odds. The maximums are 94.59% in European roulette and 92.09% in American roulette. However, the profit rate ranges between just 0.0014% and 0.043%, so while you can win pretty easily, you may not get the outcome you hoped for.

Baccarat: Base Bet Odds of 45.86%

After roulette, real life and online baccarat offers the next highest winning odds on its base bets. In eight-deck baccarat specifically:

• The Banker bet has a probability of winning of 45.86%
• The Player bet probability is slightly lower at 44.62%

These probabilities remain static throughout the game. No additional bets or strategies can influence them beyond the initial choice.

Unlike roulette, however, the payout odds are not proportional to the winning probabilities. Both bets offer even money – meaning a winning £1 bet returns £2 (the original £1 plus £1 profit). So the Banker bet offers both the highest probability and payout, making it the single best bet to place in the game.

Blackjack: Base Bet Odds of 42.43%

In blackjack, the probability of winning a hand is 42.43% before any cards are dealt or revealed. This figure represents complete uncertainty about what cards might emerge. But once the first card is revealed, the odds shift dynamically based on mathematical calculations.

Advanced players use ‘basic strategy’ reference charts to determine the mathematically optimal decision to make given the cards shown. By following these optimal decisions, they increase their expected win rate over hundreds and thousands of hands.

The following table shows the odds of winning with different totals. which you can use in a casino or if you're playing blackjack online. 

The left column shows the possible totals you can hold. For each one, you can see your odds of winning according to the first card the dealer has.

These intermediate winning probabilities conditioned on the state of the deal favour the player significantly in certain situations. For example, a player holding a hard 20 has a 50-86% chance of winning, depending on the dealer's shown card. Identifying and capitalising on high probability situations is the key to long-term gains.

Games with the Lowest House Edge

The house edge represents the statistical advantage in favour of the casino. It is the average percentage of each bet that the house will retain over infinite repetitions. A lower house edge therefore gives the player a higher expected return.

Here are the casino games offering players the best odds in terms of lowest house edge:

1. Blackjack (standard 0.5% house edge) 

2. Baccarat (around 1% for the most advantageous bet) 

3. Craps (1.36% for the lowest one) and roulette (1.35% for the lowest one) 

As above, let’s dive into the details a bit more.

Blackjack: House Edge of c.0.5%

If you play blackjack with a perfect basic strategy, you can enjoy the lowest house edge, ranging from just 0.13% in certain variants up to 0.94% depending on rules used. For classic blackjack under common rules, the edge is approximately 0.5%. This is significantly lower than other major games.

This edge can be reduced even further by card counting and advanced tactics. Blackjack is the only major casino game where skill impacts the house advantage so greatly, making it the most profitable in the long run.

Baccarat: House Edge of 1%

For the popular table game baccarat, the Banker bet offers the lowest edge at just 1.06%, edging out the Player bet at 1.24%. Careful bet selection gives returns close to even with the house.

Roulette/Craps: House Edge of 1.35–1.36%

Roulette and craps also offer some bets with incredibly low edges.

In roulette, betting on red/black or odd/even gives a house edge of 1.35% (European) or 2.70% (American).

In craps, betting ‘Don't Pass’ yields an astonishingly low 1.36% edge for players – this is one of the lowest of any bet offered in casinos.

So while blackjack requires skill to achieve its low edge, favourable bets also exist in games of pure chance.

Payout Odds

The payout odds represent how much a winning bet will return relative to the original stake wagered. They are expressed as a multiplier, for example 35 to 1.

But payout odds should not be used as a measure of ‘best odds’ when comparing casino games. There are two reasons for this:

First, the payout odds do not precisely reflect the mathematical probability of that bet winning. Bets with higher payouts generally have lower chances of success. The exact winning probability and payout rate combine to determine the house edge.

Secondly, payout rates vary widely within each game. In roulette, odds range from 1:1 up to 35:1 on a single number. Across all games, payouts reach hundreds and even thousands to one on side bets. So comparing ‘highest payout’ between games makes little sense.

The expected return, encapsulated in the house edge, is a far more useful metric for players to judge best odds and make informed decisions.

Best Casino Games Odds Conclusion

We must be careful when using the term ‘best odds’ as related to casino games. There are two statistical meanings of the term ‘odds’, namely winning probability and expected return. 

In the first meaning, the casino game offering the best odds of winning bets is roulette, with probabilities of winning of over 90% for specific types of large-coverage bets. However, there is a hefty price to pay from these odds in the form of a low profit rate. Next up are blackjack and baccarat, whose base bets have a winning probability of between 42%–46%. 

The casino game offering players the lowest house edge (and the highest expectation of winning) is blackjack, with a house edge ranging from 0.13% to 0.94% over all blackjack versions, but under 0.5% for optimal play.  

In contrast, the term ‘best odds’ is misleading when it refers to payout rate, so it’s probably best to avoid using it like that.

Roulette and blackjack are the most popular casino games, and this popularity seems to be related to our rankings with respect to odds.  

Finally, remember that gambling should be a form of entertainment too, so you shouldn’t choose a casino game based only on the odds of winning. Your personal tastes and particular style of playing, strategies, and other personal factors including your bankroll, should also play a part.