Further reading — Module 08
Where the House Takes More
Every popular casino table game carries a built-in mathematical advantage for the house. The table below lists the most common ones, ordered from the highest expected value for the player to the lowest. Figures assume standard rules and, where applicable, optimal strategy.
| # | Game | Bet | House edge | Player EV per £100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackjack Assumes correct basic strategy on a common multi-deck game. Deviations widen the edge quickly. | Basic strategy, standard rules | 0.5% | −£0.50 |
| 2 | Baccarat After the standard 5% commission on winning Banker bets. | Banker | 1.06% | −£1.06 |
| 3 | Baccarat | Player | 1.24% | −£1.24 |
| 4 | French Roulette Half your even-money stake is returned when the ball lands on zero. | Even-money with La Partage | 1.35% | −£1.35 |
| 5 | Craps | Pass / Don't Pass line | 1.36%–1.41% | −£1.36 to −£1.41 |
| 6 | Pai Gow Poker | Ante, banking the house | ≈1.5% | −£1.50 |
| 7 | Casino Hold'em | Ante + Call, optimal play | 2.16% | −£2.16 |
| 8 | European Roulette | Any bet, single zero | 2.70% | −£2.70 |
| 9 | Sic Bo Other Sic Bo bets carry edges from roughly 3% to over 30%. | Small / Big | 2.78% | −£2.78 |
| 10 | Three Card Poker | Ante & Play, optimal strategy | 3.37% | −£3.37 |
| 11 | Let It Ride | Base game, optimal strategy | 3.51% | −£3.51 |
| 12 | Caribbean Stud Poker | Ante & Raise, optimal strategy | 5.22% | −£5.22 |
| 13 | American Roulette | Any bet, double zero | 5.26% | −£5.26 |
| 14 | Big Six / Money Wheel | Any segment | ≈11%–24% | −£11 to −£24 |
| 15 | Keno | Standard tickets | ≈25%+ | −£25 or worse |
Final thought
Next time you scan a casino floor and feel yourself drawn toward the brightest, loudest game in the room, ask yourself where it sits on the list you just read. If the game shouting the loudest is also the one bleeding the fastest, whose evening is it really designed for?
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