Have you ever wondered where the popular phrase “The House Always Wins” comes from? It always comes down to the number of losing players right? Well, that’s wrong. The truth is that casino operators always have an in-built advantage that always turns the odds in their favor. This advantage is formally known as the house edge and it differs in different casino games. Here’s how popular casino games compare in their house edge.
Slots (2-15%)
Unlike other casino games where skill and strategy can shift the tide of your profitability, online casino slots are purely based on luck. All you need to do is choose the number of pay lines you want to bet and spin the reels. However, the return-to-player ratio in online casino slots at Betway differs, which explains the difference in the house edge from one game to another.
The return to player (RTP) ratio represents the percentage of money that a specific slot machine has paid out throughout its lifespan compared to the amount that players have bet. The percentage needed to make it to 100% is considered as the house edge. For instance, if a particular online slot machine pays out a 96% return-to-player ratio, the remaining 4% will be the house edge.
Roulette
The house edge in roulette differs with the type of game you choose and which bets you place. European and French roulette typically offer better odds than its American counterpart since they typically feature a lower house edge. Let’s help you understand:
American roulette (5.26-7.89%)
American roulette comes with 38 numbers, including 0 and 00. However, the house edge and payout ratio differ on the possible bets as indicated on the table below.
| Your Bet | The Payout | House Edge |
| Odd or Even | 1:1 | 5.26% |
| Red or Black | 1:1 | 5.26% |
| 1-18 | 1:1 | 5.26% |
| 19-36 | 1:1 | 5.26% |
| 1-12 | 2:1 | 5.26% |
| 13-24 | 2:1 | 5.26% |
| 25-36 | 2:1 | 5.26% |
| First 5 (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) | 6:1 | 7.89% |
| 6 line | 5:1 | 5.26% |
| Four Numbers | 8:1 | 5.26% |
| Three Number | 11:1 | 5.26% |
| Two Numbers | 17:1 | 5.26% |
| Single number | 35:1 | 5.26% |
European Roulette (2.7%)
European roulette features the same basic principles as American roulette but without the 00 number pocket. Its absence significantly affects the odds by lowering the house’s edge. To help you understand, here is a preview of European roulette house edge for different bets:
| Your Bet | Payout Ratio | House Edge |
| Odd or even | 1:1 | 2.7% |
| Red or Black | 1:1 | 2.7% |
| 1-18 | 1:1 | 2.7% |
| 19-36 | 1:1 | 2.7% |
| 1-12 | 2:1 | 2.7% |
| 13-24 | 2:1 | 2.7% |
| 25-36 | 2:1 | 2.7% |
| 6 line | 5:1 | 2.7% |
| Four Numbers | 8:1 | 2.7% |
| Three Numbers | 11:1 | 2.7% |
| Two Numbers | 17:1 | 2.7% |
| Single Number | 35:1 | 2.7% |
Blackjack (0.5-2%)
The house edge in blackjack games ranges from 0.5% to 2% depending on the table you choose and how you leverage different classic betting strategies. If you play blackjack poorly without applying the right strategies to get an edge, then the casino operator will have a bigger advantage over you. However, there’s no reason to let that happen since you can reduce the house edge to 0.5% with basic betting strategies.
Baccarat (1.01-15.75%)
While baccarat might be as popular as slots, roulette, or blackjack, the game is simple and presents a low house edge of up to 1.01%. That means that players have a good chance to get almost a 100% return-to-player ratio. However, the tie bet has the highest house edge of up to 15.75%.