The house edge: As in many poker-based table games, in casino hold'em you start with an ante and later make an additional bet if you like your cards.

Your impact on your own chance to win comes from deciding whether to bet banker or player, while ignoring the tie bet. You make no hit/stand decisions and can’t change the odds. Opportunity to improve: All decisions on whether to draw a third card to the two-card starting hands are automatic under set rules. There is no commission on player bets, where there is a 1.24% edge.īoth of those are among the better bets in the house, but don’t bet on ties. Banker wins 45.9% of hands, player wins 44.6%, and 9.5% are ties.īecause banker wins more than it loses in baccarat, the house charges a 5% commission on winning banker bets. Rules are set so banker wins more than player, but it’s close. If you bet on banker or player, ties are pushes. The house edge: Two hands are dealt, and you have three options: Bet on the banker hand, bet on the player hand, or bet the hand will be a tie.

Skilled card counters can go a step farther and get an edge over the house, but counting cards usually is not possible online where it is common for every deal to come from a freshly shuffled deck. With favorable rules, some blackjack games have house edges of less that 0.2%. For example, in a six-deck game in which the dealer hits soft 17 and you are allowed to double down on any first two cards, including after splitting pairs, basic strategy players face a house edge of about 0.6%. With basic strategy, the house edge can be reduced to less than 1%, the precise edge depending on house rules such as how many decks are in use and whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17. You can find the optimal plays for hitting, standing, splitting pairs and doubling down on basic strategy charts. Opportunity to improve: Blackjack gives you the biggest chance to improve your shot to win of any casino card game. The rules give part of that back to players by paying 3-2 on blackjacks in the best games or 6-5 in games that are worse for you. Both dealer and player bust on about 8% of hands, and if there were no other factors, the house would have about an 8% edge. The house edge: The house had an edge because you have a chance to bust and lose before the dealer plays his hand. Which turn of the cards gives you the best odds to win? Let’s take a look at half a dozen games from two standpoints: the house edge and how much opportunity the games give players to improve their chances of beating the house. Card games have always been favorites among casino players, and blackjack has led the way as the most popular table game for more than 50 years.

Card games played at casinos