Is The House Edge in Roulette Less Than Other Games?

If you’ve been playing online casino games for any length of time, you’ve most likely already heard someone discuss a game’s ‘house edge,’ or ‘house advantage’. As its name suggests, this term describes the mathematical advantage that any casino has over its players, normally expressed as a percentage.

It can be helpful for players to understand the house edge percentages that go along with each game, especially if they are interested in engaging with more than one type of casino game.

The house edge in Roulette can change quite significantly depending on the variant. A standard European Roulette game has an edge of 2.7%, while the game’s American counterpart has one of 5.25% thanks to the presence of both a 0 and 00 pocket.

So, how do other casino games stack up against Roulette in terms of the house advantage? Here we explore the casino’s advantage in four of the most popular games available today.  

Blackjack House Edge

Understanding the house edge in Blackjack is a bit complex because it can be altered ever so slightly depending on certain factors. The difference here is that while Roulette’s house advantage changes due to the wheel’s format, Blackjack’s has the possibility of going up or down depending on the player’s strategy.

For rank beginners who have had little exposure to the game, the house edge is approximately 2%. This figure can decrease to around 0.5% if a player makes use of basic strategy. A Blackjack player who has years of experience and knows their way around a table quite well can reduce the edge even further towards zero – but they’ll never be able to overcome the edge entirely.

The house edge is present in both land-based casino games and those played online.

Slots House Edge

Unlike Blackjack, where some skill is involved in gameplay, Slots work more like Roulette and the player cannot impact the house advantage with their decisions. Here, the edge can be higher or lower depending on the type of slot machine and game that the player chooses.

A slot’s house advantage is generally expressed as a percentage called RTP, which stands for Return to Player, or the percentage win rate the player can expect from any individual title. For example, if a slot has an RTP of 90%, then the machine’s house edge is 10%. Generally speaking, the average RTP for an online slot game is anywhere between 95% and 98%.

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Baccarat House Edge

Baccarat is not as commonly played as Blackjack or Slots outside of Asia. Compared with Roulette, Baccarat has a lower house edge, but like Blackjack, this can vary depending on betting decisions and player experience.

Betting on the Banker means a house advantage of 1.06%, but the Player bet is a bit higher at 1.24%. The Tie bet that is offered in Baccarat raises the house advantage to 9.5%. Additionally, by altering some aspects of gameplay such as the number of decks being used, the edge can further fluctuate.

Craps House Edge

Keeping things simple, Craps is a game where players bet on the outcome of two dice rolls. In Craps, there are many types of bets players can make, with variations in the house advantage. Let’s take a look at Craps in a bit more detail to hopefully give you a better understanding of how the house edge can change based on the types of bets you place.

Pass Line & Come Bets

If a player is involved in a pass line bet, one of the more common gambles, the house advantage is 1.41%. To win a pass line bet the initial roll either needs to be a 7 or 11, but results in a loss if it’s a 2, 3 or 12. Any other number outside of those five becomes the point and you continue rolling until the point is hit again or a 7 is rolled (this results in an instant defeat for the player).

The come bet shares the same edge as a pass line one, the only difference between the bets is that a come bet can only be made after the first dice has been rolled but the rules of victory/defeat are the same.

Don’t Pass Line & Don’t Come Bets

The house advantage drops to 1.36%, and in a world where small margins can make all the difference, that 0.05% can go a long way in aiding players.

You’d be forgiven for thinking a don’t pass line bet is simply a reverse of the pass line bet, but although there are similarities it isn’t a complete copy. A player would now win if a 2 or 3 is shown on the initial (come-out) roll and lose if a 7 or 11 appears, however, the 12 isn’t a win or defeat, it’s known as a ‘push’, which means the players’ wagers are returned.

A don’t come bet also has an edge of 1.36% but is specifically made after the come-out roll rather than before it.

Moderate House Edge Bets

Now that you know there is always a house edge, this is where things go up a notch and although the odds increase in the casino’s favour, the rewards should a player be successful become more fruitful.

Place, Buy & Lay Bets

Place bets are when a player chooses an individual number that they believe will be shown before a 7 appears.

• 4 or 10 = 6.67% house edge
• 5 or 9 = 4% house edge
• 6 or 8 = 1.52% house edge

Buy bets work in the same way as a place bet, but offer a slightly better payout to the player as the rules see you pay a 5% commission to the casino:

• 4 or 10 = 4.76% house edge
• 5 or 9 = 4% house edge
• 6 or 8 = 1.52% house edge

Lay bets are different, and if a player is opting for this route then they are gambling that a 7 will appear before a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 does:

• 4 or 10 = 2.44% house edge
• 5 or 9 = 2.76% house edge
• 6 or 8 = 2.44% house edge

Field Bet

This feels like the equivalent of a Hail Mary pass in the NFL, with a field bet having high risk yet high reward if landed and not fumbled.

The excitement of this bet lays in the fact it is a one-roll bet, where a player gambles that the next roll is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 – a casino pays double (sometimes triple!) for a roll of a 12 which goes to show you how strong the house advantage is at 5.56%.

Final Thoughts

House edge is a useful way to compare the casino games on PokerStars, but it always depends on the variant and the type of bet. Roulette’s edge can shift sharply between European and American wheels, while games like blackjack, baccarat, and craps can change based on decisions.

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