Every
casino game has a house edge.
This is how the casino makes
money and the edge always favours
the house – meaning the
casino. Actually the only
bet made at the casino where
no house edge is present is
the odds bet in Craps. The sad
reality is most players who
walk into the casino will lose
without giving it a second thought
as bets won receive less than
true odds. Understanding how
the house edge is calculated
will help you avoid making some
of the more unfortunate and
losing bets.
An easy way to think of the
house edge is every time a player
makes a bet, the house takes
their cut prior to the player
receiving their winnings. Of
course on a slot machine the
player receives the full payout
however it’s expected
that the player will gamble
their slot winnings right back.
Table games are slightly different.
Let’s suppose a game of
roulette has a 5% edge, for
every $1 a player wagers at
the table, the casino receives
$0.05 back. If this was to continue
and you gambled $1000 over a
session, the casino expects
to receive on average $50 of
that money assuming you break
even. The longer you play, the
more likely you are to meet
the casinos expectations. Even
if one player hits a lucky streak
while another appears to be
dwindling his life savings,
these numbers reflect the long
haul. It doesn’t reflect
just one person. This
is also why it’s vital
for players to understand some
of the more strategic plays
for any of the card games.
The
lower the house edge is, the
easier it is to manage your
bankroll and not fall victim
to the grind. A solid blackjack
strategy can reduce the house
edge from 1.5% to 0.5%. Likewise
the same is true for video poker
with a house edge averaging
0.5-5%. Below you will find
some tips to give you a bit
of an advantage however it’s
good to note that while many
of the games can be controlled
using strategy, there are some
games where you’re at
the mercy of the casino. Roulette
is one of them, since each bet
placed has the exact same odds
of winning as the other as well
as slot machines. Both games
are based entirely on luck and
whether the odds are with you.
Tips for Playing Casino
Games
- Play
Shorter Session – The
longer you play your game
the more likely you are to
fall in line with the house
edge. Keep your sessions short
in between games.
- Take
advantage of comps – Casinos
love to keep their players happy
so why shouldn’t you
be taking advantage of those
comp programs. Although these
are nice freebies, the value
can add up.
- Learn
the Best Strategy – Every
game, except for roulette and
slots has a strategy of some
sort – even Video Poker.
Learn the game not only in how
it’s played but how
to play to reduce the house
edge.
- Play
the games with smallest
house edge – Why increase
the odds. Stick to games like baccarat blackjack, craps
and pai gow.
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