When visiting a casino, table games offer some of the highest payout percentages compared to slots. Unlike slots where the house edge can be 10% or higher, certain table games give you an almost 50/50 chance against the house. This means if you use the right strategy, some table games offer the best odds to turn a profit.
Blackjack Tops the List for Best Odds
Of all casino table games, blackjack has the lowest house edge when following basic strategy. The house edge at RoyalReels can dip as low as 0.5% when playing with favorable rules and good blackjack strategy. This compares extremely favorably to slots where the built-in house advantage is usually 8-12%. Skilled blackjack players use card counting systems to tilt the odds further in their favor for a potential 1-2% player advantage over the casino.
Other factors that influence blackjack’s high payout potential:
- Blackjack pays 3:2 on natural blackjacks instead of the usual 1:1 payout on other 21 totals
- Allows players to double down and split hands for more ways to win
- Dealer stands on soft 17 which increases players’ chances to draw to 21
Because of the low house edge and expert strategies available, blackjack offers the overall best payout percentages out of all casino table games.
Craps Sees Huge Swings in Luck
Craps can have some of the best odds in the casino if you stick to good bets. The pass line bet only holds a low 1.41% house edge. If you take max odds behind your pass line the house edge dips even lower. Because craps sees so many rolls per hour, the law of averages says craps players see more winning sessions than table games with slower action.
The catch is you can make high-risk bets with huge house edges up to 16% for one roll proposition bets. Disciplined players avoid those sucker bets. But with all the excitement at the craps table, it’s easy to get caught up in the action and make bad bets. Within one craps session you can experience extreme winning highs and losing lows.
Baccarat Features Predictable Odds
Baccarat has a reputation as a sophisticated high-roller game, but it actually offers some of the best player odds aside from blackjack. The house edge ranges from 1.01% on the banker bet to 1.24% on the player bet. Unlike blackjack and craps where player decisions affect the odds, baccarat results are based strictly on chance like roulette.
The baccarat house edge only applies to the tie bet at 4.76% where the payout is 8:1. Because of the random nature of baccarat, short term results mostly come down to the luck of the draw. But like any casino game, over hundreds and thousands of hands the house edge kicks in to make the casino the long term winner. Of the options, betting banker gives you the best statistical chance to win.
Roulette Wheels Provide Plenty of Betting Variety
Due to the dizzying array of betting options on the roulette wheel, the house edge percentage varies wildly across the different bets. On one end, the American double zero roulette wheel gives the casino a huge 5.26% advantage on all bets except the banker. On the other end, betting a single number pays out 35:1 but carries a brutal house edge up to 7.9% on American wheels.
The key thing to note about roulette is that it’s not a predictive game. The odds stay the same with each spin of the wheel regardless of previous results. The payouts may be enticing for betting single numbers, rows, or corners. But from a purely statistical standpoint, you face extremely unfavorable odds compared to safer even money red/black or odd/even bets.
Which Table Game Should You Play?
While blackjack and craps can be intimidating for beginners, they offer the best statistical chance among casino games to grind out small but consistent profits over the long run. Baccarat and roulette feature easier gameplay focused strictly on luck rather than strategy. This makes short term wins and losses harder to predict. But the random nature of baccarat and roulette also means you avoid the high house edges attached to side bets in blackjack and craps.
Among first-time gamblers, playing baccarat and roulette require no learning curve before sitting down at a table with decent odds. However seasoned gamblers know blackjack gives you the best chance to use strategy card counting to take the house. Craps sees the most dramatic shifts between hot and cold streaks versus the other table games. Choose your favorite table game based on your tolerance of risk versus reward over both short and long term play.
