Not all casino games offer the same odds, and knowing which have the lowest house edge helps you get the best value for your money. This guide explains which casino games have the best odds, and why even the best still favour the house. It is general information and not betting advice, so always gamble responsibly and only stake money you can comfortably afford to lose.
What "best odds" means
When we talk about the best odds, we mean the games and bets with the lowest house edge, where the casino keeps the smallest percentage over time. A lower house edge means better value for you. Our guide on the house edge explains the concept. Understanding that the best odds means the lowest house edge, not a way to win, is the key framing, as no casino game offers a positive expectation; the question is simply which lose you the least over time.
Blackjack with basic strategy
Blackjack, played with correct basic strategy, has one of the lowest house edges in the casino, often around 0.5 per cent in favourable games. This makes it one of the best-value games for players. Our guide on basic blackjack strategy explains how. Understanding that blackjack offers excellent odds when played correctly, but a much worse edge when played on instinct, shows that getting the best from it depends on learning the optimal strategy.
Baccarat's Banker bet
The Banker bet in baccarat has a low house edge of around 1.06 per cent, making it one of the best bets in the casino, and it requires no strategy. Our guide on baccarat odds covers the bets. Understanding that baccarat's Banker bet offers great value with no skill required, just a simple bet, makes it one of the easiest ways to play a low-edge game, as long as you stick to the Banker and avoid the high-edge tie.
Craps pass line and odds
In craps, the pass line and don't pass bets have a low house edge of around 1.4 per cent, and the odds bet behind them is paid at true odds with no house edge at all, lowering your overall edge. Our guide on how to play craps explains these. Understanding that craps offers some of the best value through its line and odds bets, while its other bets are much worse, shows that sticking to the simple bets is key to good odds.
European roulette
European roulette, with its single zero, has a house edge of around 2.7 per cent, much better than American roulette's 5.26 per cent. French roulette with la partage can be better still on even-money bets. Our guide on European vs American roulette compares them. Understanding that European roulette offers reasonable odds, and is far better value than the American version, helps you choose the better wheel, though its edge is higher than blackjack or baccarat.
Video poker
Some video poker games, played with correct strategy, offer very low house edges, sometimes well under one per cent on the best paytables. The odds depend heavily on the specific game and paytable. Understanding that video poker can offer excellent value, but only on good paytables and with correct play, shows that, like blackjack, it rewards knowledge and strategy, making it one of the better-value machine games for players who learn how to play it properly.
Games with worse odds
At the other end, many games have a higher house edge. Most slots range from around 2 to 10 per cent or more, side bets across games are often poor value, and American roulette and bets like keno can carry large edges. Understanding that slots and side bets generally offer worse odds than the best table games helps you see where your money goes furthest, though slots remain popular for their entertainment and big-win potential rather than their odds.
Why low edge still favours the house
Even the best-odds games still have a house edge, so they favour the casino over time; they simply lose you money more slowly. No casino game offers a long-term advantage to the player. Understanding that the best odds means the slowest losses, not winning, keeps your expectations realistic. Choosing low-edge games is about getting more entertainment for your money and losing less on average, not about turning a profit, which no game allows over time.
The role of strategy
For some games, like blackjack and video poker, achieving the best odds depends on playing correct strategy, while others, like baccarat's Banker bet, need none. Understanding that strategy matters for some low-edge games but not others helps you choose what suits you: if you prefer not to learn strategy, the Banker bet or European roulette give good odds simply, while blackjack and video poker reward the effort of learning optimal play with lower edges.
The role of bet selection
Within many games, the bet you choose hugely affects the odds. Craps, baccarat and others have both low-edge and high-edge bets on the same table. Our guide on the house edge compares them. Understanding that choosing the right bets within a game is as important as choosing the right game helps you get the best value, by sticking to the low-edge main bets and avoiding the tempting but poor-value side and proposition bets.
The long-term reality
Whatever game you choose, the long-term reality is that the house edge means you should expect to lose over time, so the goal is entertainment and getting good value, not profit. Understanding this reality keeps your expectations realistic and your gambling healthy. Choosing low-edge games and bets, and playing well, helps your money last longer and gives you more enjoyment, but it does not change the fact that gambling is designed to cost you over time.
Making your money last
Choosing low-edge games and bets is one of the best ways to make your gambling budget last longer, giving you more entertainment for your money. Combined with a sensible budget and modest stakes, playing the better-odds games means slower average losses and more playing time. Our guide on setting a gambling budget explains budgeting. Understanding that good game selection helps your money last, rather than win, keeps the focus where it should be: on enjoying the entertainment affordably, not on chasing a profit that the house edge makes impossible over time.
Betting responsibly
Even the best-odds games favour the house, so treat them as entertainment, not income. Set a budget, only stake what you can afford, and never chase losses. Our guide on how to gamble responsibly has practical tools. Understanding which games have the best odds helps you get more value, but keeping your gambling within your means matters far more than the house edge of any game.
In short
The casino games with the best odds (lowest house edge) include blackjack with basic strategy (around 0.5 per cent), baccarat's Banker bet (around 1.06 per cent), the craps pass line and odds bets, European roulette (around 2.7 per cent), and good video poker. Slots, side bets and American roulette generally offer worse odds. Even the best games favour the house, so the aim is value and entertainment, not profit. Choose low-edge games and bets, and gamble responsibly.
Explore more in our Casino Games guides.