Casinos do not exist to hand out money. Every game carries a mathematical edge that favors the house over time. Yet the size of that edge varies wildly depending on what you play and how you play it. Some games take 14% of every dollar you wager. Others take less than 1%. A handful, under specific conditions, actually flip the odds in your favor.
The difference between a 95% return to player and a 99.5% return to player might seem small. It is not. Over thousands of hands or spins, that gap determines how fast your bankroll drains or holds steady. Picking the right games requires knowing which ones offer the thinnest house edges and which ones reward skill over luck.
Video Poker Offers the Highest Theoretical Returns
Full-pay Deuces Wild video poker has a return to player of 100.76% when played with perfect strategy, according to Vegas Insider. This means a skilled player has a mathematical advantage over the casino. Finding this variant online in its full-pay form is rare, as noted by Casino Guru, but other video poker versions still provide strong value.
Jacks or Better in its 9/6 configuration delivers an RTP of 99.54%, per data from Winstar Casino. Microgaming’s All Aces variant comes close at 99.92%, with Tens or Better at 99.14% and All American at 99.38%, according to Casinoz. These figures assume correct decision-making on every hand. Players who do not learn optimal strategy give up a larger edge to the house. Video poker rewards study. Memorizing which cards to hold and which to discard in each situation can reduce the house edge below 1%.
Blackjack Rewards Strategy Over Luck
A double-deck blackjack game with favorable rules can carry a house edge as low as 0.25%, according to Vegas Insider. The specific conditions matter. Dealer standing on all 17s and allowing doubles on any first two cards produces that number. Change the rules so the dealer hits soft 17 and restrict doubling to 10 and 11 only, and the house edge rises to 0.7%.
Winstar Casino estimates a winning chance of around 49% to 51% per hand. Basic strategy, the mathematically correct way to play each situation, brings the house edge down to approximately 0.5%. CoinPoker notes that optimal blackjack play yields an RTP near 99.5%, but poor decisions can drop that figure to 95%. The rules at each table matter, and so does knowing when to hit, stand, double, or split.
Where to Find These Games Online
Platforms offering casino-style games vary in structure and legal status across states. Some operate as licensed real-money casinos in regulated markets like New Jersey and Michigan. Others function as sweepstakes casinos or social gaming sites that use virtual currency systems with optional prize redemption. A third category includes offshore operators with looser oversight and less predictable payout practices.
The RTP figures cited by sources like Vegas Insider and Casino Guru apply most reliably to regulated platforms. Operators in licensed jurisdictions must report game configurations and undergo audits. Before selecting a site, check its licensing details and compare posted RTPs against industry data.
Craps Contains a Bet With Zero House Edge
The odds bet in craps has no house advantage. It pays at true odds, meaning a 100% RTP, according to Vegas Insider. This bet only becomes available after placing a Pass or Don’t Pass wager, which carry house edges of 1.41% and 1.36% respectively, per CasinoBeats.
The strategy involves minimizing the initial bet and maximizing the odds bet behind it. At 100x odds, the combined house edge drops to 0.02%, according to Atlantic City Weekly. At 10x odds, it sits at 0.2%. Most online platforms cap odds at lower multiples, but even 3x-4x-5x odds reduce the edge to 0.4%. DraftKings Craps, as cited by Vegas Insider, offers a house edge of 0.27% on Don’t Pass with full odds at 6x maximum.
The Wizard of Odds specifies that the odds bet pays 2 to 1 on points of 4 and 10, 3 to 2 on 5 and 9, and 6 to 5 on 6 and 8.
Baccarat Keeps It Simple With Low Edges
Baccarat requires no decisions beyond choosing where to bet. The banker bet carries a house edge of 1.06%, according to both CasinoBeats and Winstar Casino. After the standard 5% commission, this yields an RTP of 98.94%, per Vegas Insider. The player bet has a house edge of 1.24%. Both represent solid choices.
The tie bet does not. Its house edge reaches 14.36%, according to CasinoBeats. Betting on a tie burns money at a rate that makes the other options look generous by comparison. Stick to banker or player bets.
Roulette Variants Differ More Than You Think
French roulette delivers an RTP of 98.65%, per Vegas Insider and Money Reels. European roulette returns 97.3%, and American roulette returns 94.74%. The differences come down to wheel layout and rules.
American wheels have both a 0 and 00 pocket, doubling the house edge to 5.26%. European wheels use only a single 0, producing a 2.7% edge. French roulette uses the European wheel but adds two rules that help players. La Partage returns half your bet if the ball lands on 0. En Prison lets your bet stay on the table for another spin under the same conditions. Both rules cut the house edge to 1.35%.
Racing Post calculates that European roulette costs players £2.70 per £100 wagered on average, while American roulette costs £5.26. That gap adds up.
Online Slots Range From Terrible to Excellent
Land-based slots often run RTPs between 85% and 90%, according to Hard Rock Bet. Online slots frequently operate between 95% and 98%. The best options exceed even that range.
Book of 99 from Relax Gaming offers a 99% RTP, per Casinos.com. Mega Joker from NetEnt also returns 99%. Blood Suckers, another NetEnt title, runs at 98% with low volatility, meaning more frequent but smaller wins. Starmania from NextGen has an RTP of 97.87%, per Access News Wire.
CasinoBeats defines high RTP slots as those with at least 97% payout, exceeding the 96% industry standard. Checking the RTP before playing a slot takes seconds and can mean the difference between a 95% and 99% return.
Skill Matters More Than You Might Assume
Hard Rock Bet states that the strongest odds belong to skill-based games where player choices affect outcomes. Blackjack leads this category, followed by craps, baccarat, and video poker. These games reward players who learn basic strategies.
European Gaming Industry News notes that blackjack’s house edge stays between 0.5% and 1% only when players apply optimal strategy. Without correct decisions, the edge increases quickly. Video poker follows the same pattern. Perfect play can reduce the house edge below 1%, while uninformed play gives up a much larger percentage.
The games with the worst odds tend to be those requiring no skill at all. Side bets, tie bets, and slots with unreported RTPs often extract the highest house edges.
Conclusion
The math is public. Deuces Wild video poker can exceed 100% RTP with perfect strategy. Blackjack with favorable rules and basic strategy sits near 99.5%. Craps odds bets carry no house edge. French roulette with La Partage drops to a 1.35% edge. High RTP slots from reputable developers return 97% to 99%.
Choosing games with lower house edges does not guarantee winning sessions. It increases the likelihood of longer play and smaller losses over time. The information exists. Using it is a choice.
