When it comes to playing at casino, there are four casino games that offer pretty decent odds in spite of the ever present house edge. This means that in general for every hundred $1 wagers you place on them, these recommended games would yield an average loss of approximately $1.
While these odds may not be good enough to break the bank or allow you to retire , they will help you to stretch your bankroll and game play time at the casinos as much as possible, even if you have a limited budget.
That said though, there are never any guarantees in gambling, and your actual daily results may be considerably different than your projected theoretical losses, so always plan and play accordingly.
It is important to note that even casino games with the best odds need to played according to sound basic strategy and that even these games do offer some very unfavourable wagering options which should be avoided at all costs in order to maximize your returns.
Here we’ll take a look at the games you should be playing, tips on playing them well and the bets to avoid when doing so.
Blackjack
We all know that in order to win at the game of Blackjack one must get beat the dealer, so the objective is to have your cards add up to a maximum of 21 or end with a hand of higher value than the dealer. Here are a few winning blackjack tips:
- Always select the blackjack game with the least number of decks. This may require that you look around a little but it will be worth it as the fewer decks used, the better your chances of winning.
- For the most part, try to avoid gimmicky blackjack variants like Spanish 21, 6-5 and Super Fun blackjack as casinos have invented these games with varying rules to increase their house edge and profits.
- When playing the game, always double down on cards with values of ten or eleven when the dealer shows two to nine.
- When you’re holding cards valued between 13 and 16 stand when the dealer has two to six.
- Hit when you’re holding cards valued at 12 to 16 if the dealer has 7 or higher.
- Avoid the insurance option at all times. This side bet pays out at 2 to 1 when the dealer has blackjack, but the true odds are really more like 2.2 to 1, making this a losing wager over the long term. Keep in mind that you’re gambling and as such there will be risk, so forget about taking insurance.
Want to learn more? Click here for more winning blackjack tips
9/6 Jacks or Better Video Poker
We all know that Video Poker games offer some pretty decent returns. Of all the variants, the 9/6 Jacks or Better game is the best option to play. It is considered a full pay game as you get paid out at 9:1 for every full house and 6:1 for a Flush. This payout rate makes it far superior to the other video poker variants. When playing this game, keep these video poker tips in mind:
- Always ensure that you select the full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Poker game. Online casinos have a variety of games, often with the same names but different payouts, for example there is also a 6/5 Jacks or Better Game and if you don’t know that there is a difference you could very well end up playing it. You can check the payout by examining the paytable and returns on the Full House/Flush for a single coin.
- When playing this variant, due to the increased payouts offered on a Royal Flush, always ensure that you bet the maximum in order to get the best odds. If you’re working with a limited bankroll, find one with smaller denominations so that you can still afford to bet the maximum number of coins each time.
- Never retain a high card with a pair (also known as a kicker)
- Discard low value pairs (those with values of ten or lower) if you have four cards to a flush or three cards to a Royal Flush.
Craps
Craps is a game where two dice are rolled and the total of what they rest on is added in order to ascertain whether wagers on the Passline win or those on the Don’t Pass Line do. When a new player enters the game and rolls the dice, his/her first roll is called the come-out roll and the other players wager on what the “shooter” or player rolling the dice will roll. While craps is generally a game of chance, the best strategy is to stick to the following wagering options:
• Pass line bet with odds wager
• Come wager with odds
• Don’t pass wager with odds
• Don’t come wager with odds
Always avoid the Field and Proposition bets as they offer some of the highest house edges (up to 16%) and therefore the lowest returns in the game.
Learn more about winning at the game of craps with our expert Craps Tips
Baccarat
Baccarat is the game played in movies and in private rooms and is associated with glitz and glamour that is often intimidating to the novice player. Behind its stiff exterior however, lies a great game for the average player as the rules are relatively simple with only three possible results in each hand. A big plus for many players is that this game involves no skill as the results come down to the fall of the cards. Here are some Baccarat Tips to up your game:
- Always bet on the banker as the house advantage on this wager is a mere 1.06 percent, so if you place 100 wagers at $1, your average loss will be around $1.
- Another option is to wager on the Player hand – while the house edge is worse, the difference is marginal at 1.24%.
- No matter which of the above wagers you choose, always avoid the Tie Bet if you want to preserve your bankroll. The house edge is a massive 14.36%
As you can see from the above, there are some great game options and playing these at online casinos will enable you to learn and play for free until you feel ready to make real money deposits and wagers for the opportunity to win big.
