Best Odds in Casino: Which Bet to Make at Every Table, Ranked by House Edge
Quick answer
The best odds in a casino come from specific bets, not specific casinos. In our data, blackjack with perfect basic strategy and good rules is lowest (about 0.47%), then 1% crypto dice and crash, the baccarat banker bet (1.06%) and the craps pass/don't pass lines (about 1.4%). Keno (5%–35%) and the baccarat tie (14.36%) are among the worst.
| Lowest edge in our data | Blackjack, basic strategy, 3:2 (about 0.47%) |
|---|---|
| Crypto dice and crash | 1% on every setting |
| Best baccarat bet | Banker, 1.06% (8 decks) |
| Best roulette bet | Any bet on a single-zero wheel, 2.70% |
| Worst common bets | Baccarat tie at 8 to 1 (14.36%); live keno (20%–35%) |
| Higher win chance = better odds? | No. Compare house edge, not win chance |
The best odds in a casino belong to particular bets, not to particular casinos. Every table offers a mix of good and bad bets, and the gap between them is often bigger than the gap between games. Blackjack played with basic strategy, 1% crypto dice and crash, the baccarat banker bet and the craps pass line all cost around 1% or less of what you bet. Keno, the baccarat tie and craps proposition bets cost about five times more or worse.
This guide ranks the bets we've calculated or simulated, explains why "best odds" means lowest house edge rather than highest win chance, and gives you the one bet to make at each table. For the general theory of odds and probability, see our odds and house edge section; this page is about choosing what to bet on.
What "best odds" actually means
Two numbers get called "odds" in casinos, and only one tells you what a bet costs.
- Win chance is how often a bet wins. A high win chance feels good.
- House edge is the average share of each bet you lose over time. It's what determines your cost.
A bet with a high win chance usually pays little, and one with a low win chance pays a lot. The house edge captures both:
house edge = 1 − (win chance × total return per unit bet)European roulette, red: 1 − (18/37 × 2) = 1/37 = 2.70%. Single number: 1 − (1/37 × 36) = 2.70%. Same edge, very different win chance.
Our dice data shows the same thing at a 1% edge:
| Dice win chance | Payout multiplier | Expected loss per 100 bets of 1 USDT |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0% | 49.5000x | 1.00 USDT |
| 10.0% | 9.9000x | 1.00 USDT |
| 90.0% | 1.1000x | 1.00 USDT |
So when people ask "what games at the casino have the best odds", the useful answer is the bets with the lowest house edge.
The ranking: house edge by bet
Here is every bet we have numbers for, from cheapest to most expensive. "Per 100 USDT" is the average loss on 100 USDT of total bets.
| Bet | House edge | Expected loss per 100 USDT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craps free odds (behind pass/don't pass) | 0% | 0 USDT | Wizard of Odds |
| Blackjack, basic strategy, 6 decks, S17, DAS, 3:2 | 0.47% | 0.47 USDT | Our 10M-hand simulation |
| Blackjack, basic strategy, 6 decks, H17, no DAS, 3:2 | 0.78% | 0.78 USDT | Our 10M-hand simulation |
| Crypto dice (any target), crash / limbo (any cash-out) | 1.00% | 1.00 USDT | Published 1% edge; our dice and crash data |
| Baccarat banker (5% commission, 8 decks) | 1.06% | 1.06 USDT | Our exact calculation |
| Baccarat player (8 decks) | 1.24% | 1.24 USDT | Our exact calculation |
| Craps don't pass | 1.36% | 1.36 USDT | Our exact calculation |
| Craps pass line | 1.41% | 1.41 USDT | Our exact calculation |
| Craps place 6 or 8 (per bet resolved) | 1.52% | 1.52 USDT | Wizard of Odds |
| Blackjack, basic strategy, 6 decks, S17, DAS, 6:5 | 1.83% | 1.83 USDT | Our 10M-hand simulation |
| Roulette, any bet, single zero | 2.70% | 2.70 USDT | Our exact bet table |
| Craps place 5 or 9 | 4.00% | 4.00 USDT | Wizard of Odds |
| Baccarat tie paying 9 to 1 | 4.84% | 4.84 USDT | Our exact calculation |
| Roulette, any bet, double zero | 5.26% | 5.26 USDT | Our exact bet table |
| Video keno | 5%–16% | 5–16 USDT | Wizard of Odds |
| Craps place 4 or 10 | 6.67% | 6.67 USDT | Wizard of Odds |
| Roulette, any bet, triple zero | 7.69% | 7.69 USDT | Our exact bet table |
| Roulette five-number bet (double zero) | 7.89% | 7.89 USDT | Wizard of Odds; our bet table |
| Baccarat tie paying 8 to 1 | 14.36% | 14.36 USDT | Our exact calculation |
| Craps any seven | 16.67% | 16.67 USDT | Wizard of Odds |
| Live keno | 20%–35% | 20–35 USDT | Wizard of Odds |
How to read the blackjack rows
Our blackjack figures are Monte Carlo estimates from 10 million hands per rule set, with a standard error of about 0.036 percentage points, and they assume perfect basic strategy. As a check, switching from 3:2 to 6:5 added 1.36 points in our simulation, close to the 1.39 points Wizard of Odds lists for that rule change. A player who guesses instead of using basic strategy will face a higher edge than any blackjack row here.
The best bet at each table
If you've already chosen a game, this is the bet to make:
| Game | Best bet | House edge | Bet to avoid | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | Basic strategy at a 3:2, stand-on-soft-17 table | about 0.47% | Any 6:5 table | about 1.83% |
| Baccarat | Banker | 1.06% | Tie at 8 to 1 | 14.36% |
| Craps | Pass or don't pass, plus free odds | 1.41% / 1.36% (odds 0%) | Any seven | 16.67% |
| Roulette | Any bet on a single-zero wheel | 2.70% | Five-number bet, double zero | 7.89% |
| Crypto dice / crash | Any setting | 1.00% | (all settings cost the same) | 1.00% |
| Keno | The video keno paytable with the highest RTP | 5% at best | Live keno paytables | 20%–35% |
Three patterns stand out:
- Rules matter more than the game's name. Single-zero vs triple-zero roulette nearly triples the edge (2.70% vs 7.69%). 3:2 vs 6:5 blackjack nearly quadruples it.
- The simple bets are usually the good ones. The banker bet, the pass line and the basic roulette bets beat the exotic options at the same table.
- In roulette, where you put chips doesn't matter (except the five-number bet). On a given wheel, red and a single number have the same edge. Pick the wheel, not the bet.
What the edge means over a session
The house edge turns into money through the amount you bet in total:
expected loss = stake × number of bets × house edgeExample: 200 bets of 5 USDT = 1,000 USDT bet. At 1.06% (banker) that's about 10.60 USDT; at 14.36% (tie at 8 to 1) about 143.60 USDT.
Our roulette simulation shows how the edge plays out over 1,000 spins of 1 USDT on red, with 100,000 simulated players per wheel:
| Wheel | House edge | Expected loss over 1,000 spins | Players ahead after 1,000 spins |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (single zero) | 2.70% | 27.0 USDT | 18.68% |
| American (double zero) | 5.26% | 52.6 USDT | 4.35% |
| Triple zero | 7.69% | 76.9 USDT | 0.69% |
On the single-zero wheel, 18.7% of players were still ahead after 1,000 spins. On the triple-zero wheel it was 0.69%. The bet was identical; only the edge changed.
Strategy: what works and what doesn't
What works:
- Choose the bet before the game. A 1% bet in one game beats a 7% bet in another, whatever you prefer to play.
- Learn basic strategy if you play blackjack. Our blackjack calculator shows the right move for every hand and rule set.
- Read the table rules. Single zero, 3:2, banker commission and the tie payout are usually printed on the table or in the help screen.
- Keep the number of bets in check. Even the best bet costs money in proportion to how much you bet.
What doesn't work:
- Betting systems. Progressions like Martingale change your bet sizes, not the edge on each bet. Our roulette strategy tests show every system losing close to the wheel's edge per unit wagered.
- Chasing high win chances. A 90% bet with a 1% edge costs exactly as much on average as a 10% bet with a 1% edge.
- Choosing a casino for "better odds" in general. Compare the specific table or game instead.
Crypto games and the best odds
Crypto-native games are unusual in publishing their edge in code. Stake's provably fair documentation shows its limbo game using a house edge factor of 0.99, which is where the 1% comes from. Our crash gambling guide tests auto-cashout targets against that 1%, and our dice odds calculator shows the payout and expected loss for any win chance. With a USDT bankroll, the house edge is the main thing moving your balance over time; a volatile coin would add price swings on top.
Common mistakes
- Judging a bet by how often it wins instead of by its house edge.
- Sitting at a 6:5 blackjack table or a double-zero wheel without noticing.
- Betting the baccarat tie or craps proposition bets because they pay more.
- Assuming live and RNG versions of a game have different odds. Our live casino guide explains why they don't.
- Forgetting that a low edge still adds up over many bets.
For more beginner explainers, visit our casino basics hub.
Frequently asked questions
What casino game has the best odds?
Blackjack, if you play perfect basic strategy at a table that pays 3:2. Our 10-million-hand simulation of six-deck blackjack with the dealer standing on soft 17 and doubling after splits allowed gave a house edge of about 0.47%. Without basic strategy, or at a 6:5 table, the edge is much higher.
What is the worst bet in a casino?
Among the bets we've calculated or cited, live keno is the costliest (Wizard of Odds reports a 20% to 35% house edge), followed by the craps any-seven bet (16.67%) and the baccarat tie paying 8 to 1 (14.36%). Each costs more than ten times as much per bet as the cheapest bets in this ranking.
Does a higher chance of winning mean better odds?
No. A bet that wins often usually pays little. A 90% dice bet and a 2% dice bet both have a 1% house edge; red and a single number on a European wheel both have a 2.70% edge. To compare value, use the house edge: the average share of each bet you lose.
Do some casinos have better odds than others?
The odds come from each game's rules and payouts, so they differ between tables, not brands. One casino may offer a single-zero wheel and 3:2 blackjack while another offers double zero and 6:5. Check the rules and stated RTP of the specific game you plan to play.
Is there any casino bet with no house edge?
The craps free odds bet pays true odds, so Wizard of Odds lists its edge as 0%. You can only make it after a pass or don't pass bet, which carry about 1.4%, so the combined bet still has an edge, just a smaller one per unit staked.
Sources
- Roulette Basics — Wizard of Odds. House edge: double-zero 5.26%, five-number bet 7.89%; single-zero 2.70%; triple-zero 7.69%; la partage about 1.35% on even-money bets
- Baccarat Basics — Wizard of Odds. 8 decks: banker 0.458597, player 0.446247, tie 0.095156; edge banker 1.06%, player 1.24%, tie 14.36% at 8 to 1; drawing rules
- Craps Basics — Wizard of Odds. Pass 1.41%; don't pass 1.36%; odds 0%; place 6/8 1.52% per bet resolved; place 5/9 4.00%; place 4/10 6.67%; any seven 16.67%
- Keno — Wizard of Odds. Live keno returns 65%-80% (house edge 20%-35%); video keno 84%-95%
- Blackjack Rule Variations — Wizard of Odds. 6:5 -1.39%; H17 -0.22%; no DAS -0.14%; single deck +0.48%; double deck +0.19%; 4 decks +0.06%; 6 decks +0.02% (vs 8-deck S17 baseline); late surrender +0.07%
- Provably Fair: Game Events — Stake.com. Limbo uses houseEdge 0.99 (1%), so P(result >= x) = 0.99/x; Plinko path per row; Mines on 5x5 grid