Which casino game has the best shot of winning

27 September 2025

By Jerry Stickman

From Stuart in Minnesota.

Hi Mr. Stickman,

I have read several of your articles on the Casino City website and like what I see.

I am quite new to casino play so I apologize in advance if this question has been covered before.

I am quite conservative in my approach to casino gambling. It appears that you are too. My question to you is, what games in a casino offer the best chance for a player to come home a winner? If I choose to play regularly, I want to make sure I give myself the best odds.

Thank you.

Stuart from Minnesota

Hi Stuart,

Ah, the age-old question – how can I be a winner at casino games. Believe it or not, many casino goers do not really care about going home as a winner. Sure, they want to, but the reason they play is the thrill of the hunt, the adrenaline rush that comes from the possibility of becoming a big winner. They are willing to spend a sometimes-significant amount in that pursuit. They are disappointed when they do not win, but do not really expect to.

They may research online for methods of winning. There are all sorts of ideas available as to how to win at any casino game regardless of the house edge. This type of gambler is willing to try them all.

It is good that you are asking the right question. You appear to be a cautious gambler (or prospective gambler) who wants to take the time and effort to have the best chance of winning – or more often, losing less. The first step in that journey is picking the right games.

It is impossible in this article to completely answer your question. I will highlight the major things to look for.

Here are my thoughts.

There are two types of casino games. Those where the gambler plays against the house and those where the gambler plays against other players.

Playing against the house:

These games include all machine-based games such as slots and video poker. They also include tables games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, and pai gow poker. Rarely, if at all, do these games give the player an edge.

As indicated previously, maximizing the return requires both knowledge and skill. The gambler must pick a low house edge game, and learn how to play it properly to get the best results.

Low house edge games include certain video poker games with favorable pay tables, blackjack with player favorable rules, certain bets at craps, and the bet on the bank in baccarat.

Video poker house edges go from almost zero (and in some very rare case can favor the player) to five percent and sometimes higher. Blackjack house edges can run from about one-half percent to over two percent. Craps bets have house edges from near zero to more than 25 percent. Betting on the bank at baccarat has a house edge on 1.06 percent.

For video poker, you need to know how to determine the house edge on the games and pay tables. You also need to know the proper strategy when playing these games.

This information can be found on this website as well as others. One caution, do not fall for schemes promoting betting schemes that claim to have you win almost every time.

For table games, the same applies. You need to know which blackjack rules, and craps bets have the lowest house edge. Again, search this website and others for information about the best blackjack rules. The lowest house edge craps bets are the pass-line, come, don’t pass, and don’t come with odds.

Playing against other players:

There are two major categories here – live poker and sports betting. With the proper mix of players and expert knowledge on how to play, players can get an edge. Playing in places like Las Vegas in games with mostly tourists offer the best opportunity in live poker.

Sports betting lines are set based on how gamblers are betting. The house wants to have roughly half betting on each side so no matter what the outcome is, they will extract their five percent edge. Proper handicapping sports bets and finding sport books where the line is unduly skewed offers opportunities for profits.

Additionally:
- In all cases, make sure you are playing with money you can afford to lose. It is called gambling for a reason.
- Understand not only the house edge, but also the variance of the games being played. High variance games cause large swings in player’s bankrolls.

I hope this helps, Stuart.

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and tiny.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines and 888casino.com. He authored the video poker section of Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker! You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com