: What are the best and worst games in the casino and why?

Search
kyhawk

kyhawk

New member
Joined
Sep 20, 2004
Messages
1,474
Reaction score
1
From Anthony Curtis, www.lasvegasadvisor.com

: It depends on how you define best and worst. For example, while a game like video poker may offer the best odds when played perfectly, perfect strategy may not be one that the average player can implement. Additionally, the money-earning potential of a game can be impacted by the imposition of low limits or a slow rate of play. When it comes to gauging the worst, you can rate bets by their house edge alone or add in considerations of speed and minimum-bet size. The following looks at the question from the standpoint of a single bet only.


Worst Bet
Under the single-bet criterion, keno is the worst. Though rare games surface with house advantages below 10% (currently El Cortez on certain tickets), the average edge is 25%-30% and the worst cards routinely exceed a 30% player disadvantage. What’s more, these are fixed percentages that don’t improve. The casino advantage on certain table-game side bets, such as Let It Ride and Caribbean Stud, may exceed that of keno, but they usually include progressive payoffs that improve their returns rapidly. Sports-betting parlay cards (especially “ties-win” varieties), can have holds up there with keno, but not all cards are this way. Keno gets the nod.

Best Bet
The best bets for skilled players are found in blackjack and video poker. However, these games require study to master their strategies. Of the bets that anyone can make, the best is the banker bet in baccarat, which carries a low 1.06% house edge. Arguments will come in for craps’ pass and don’t pass with odds, but the line bet and odds bet are two separate (albeit, linked) wagers.

The real determinant of the best and worst bets, however, should take into account the factors mentioned at the top of this answer. Jean Scott does this via an incredible chart on page 33 of her book More Frugal Gambling. In ranking 40 bets in terms of their “dollar-per-hour cost to play,” she identifies the true best and worst wagers. At the bottom of the list is dollar slots, at a cost of $54 per hour. At the top is sports betting, with a cost of just 25¢ per hour. And landing in the fourth-best position, at $2 per hour, is $1-per-game keno, which was named worst single bet above. This demonstrates the powerful effect that speed of play and amount wagered has on how much it costs to gamble. Note: For an excellent reference of odds on all casino games, see the book Gambling 102 by Michael “The Wizard of Odds” Shackleford.
 
WildBill

WildBill

New member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
8,781
Reaction score
0
Sports definitely wins if you can enjoy betting $10 on a game. I think someone else did the math and figured $5 pai gow was the best game most people would play, because of the slow pace and all the ties. The few places you can play $1 craps are good choices too, since you can put a lot of money in action with little of it actually facing a house edge.
 
RobFunk

RobFunk

RX Senior
Joined
Apr 20, 2002
Messages
47,431
Reaction score
2
Keno is by far the worst. 2nd is not even close unless you are talking about a particular wager within a game, then you can discuss some of the ones on craps.


House edge on Keno 25% + !!
 
quantumleap

quantumleap

Oh boy!
Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
38,376
Reaction score
23
I've heard Roulette is pretty bad. Anyone have the house edge on that game?
 
WildBill

WildBill

New member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
8,781
Reaction score
0
Roulette: 5.3% on a double zero wheel for every bet except the 5 number bet, 2.7% on a single zero wheel. Sad thing is today most slots are even worse than that and players are cycling through spins far faster than in any table game.
 

TwoCard

New member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
516
Reaction score
0
The 1c slots (you can bet 500 coins on some) have a edge of about 10%.
From a slo tech at the Stardust.
 
WildBill

WildBill

New member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
8,781
Reaction score
0
That is true, most 1c and 5c slots hold between 8 to 12 percent now. The progressive slots, the ones with a large and growing jackpot, can hold up to 15 percent. And yet people play them like they are going out of style.
 

Journeyman

Banned
Joined
Sep 20, 2004
Messages
80,046
Reaction score
2
RobFunk said:
House edge on Keno 25% + !!

:lolBIG: don't forget lottery and bingo and unprotected sex
 
JimmyHoffa

JimmyHoffa

New member
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
1,728
Reaction score
0
Worst: Circus Circus Buffet.
 
quantumleap

quantumleap

Oh boy!
Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
38,376
Reaction score
23
WildBill said:
Roulette: 5.3% on a double zero wheel for every bet except the 5 number bet, 2.7% on a single zero wheel. Sad thing is today most slots are even worse than that and players are cycling through spins far faster than in any table game.

Thanks WildBill.
 
TTinCO

TTinCO

.
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
28,775
Reaction score
2
Let It Ride is by far the greatest casino game ever created

:party: :anichamp4 :anichamp4
 
Fishhead

Fishhead

Active member
Joined
Oct 20, 1999
Messages
75,444
Reaction score
12
Video poker/Slots--100%+ paybacks on full-pay machines and/or through promos/slot cards.

Blackjack--Counting cards using expert strategy and/or promos(matchplays, free Aces, etc.,etc)

The above mentioned two are your best oppurtunities to make a substantial profit year in and year out with through dedication, hard work, and proper knowledge.

**Sports wagering, parimutial racing, and live poker not considered a "casino" game in the above analogy.
 
chanman83

chanman83

Stone Cold Stunning Bookies
Joined
Oct 11, 2004
Messages
3,251
Reaction score
0
I forgot where I read this but the BEST odds for the player is craps. I need to double check this stat.
 
Fishhead

Fishhead

Active member
Joined
Oct 20, 1999
Messages
75,444
Reaction score
12
chanman83 said:
I forgot where I read this but the BEST odds for the player is craps. I need to double check this stat.

One cannot win at craps longterm.....no advantage.

Unlike video poker, slots, or blackjack.

-Fish-

ps- One could win at craps if they were to play matchplay coupons(or other rare promo offered), but that is the only way.
 
tooran

tooran

New member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
1,312
Reaction score
2
You're right chanman. I've heard that craps (if played correctly) gives a 49% payback and is the best odds out of traditional casino games.

This explains why the casinos in my former home of Saskatchewan don't carry craps -- they don't like to pay customers.
 
Fishhead

Fishhead

Active member
Joined
Oct 20, 1999
Messages
75,444
Reaction score
12
tooran said:
You're right chanman. I've heard that craps (if played correctly) gives a 49% payback and is the best odds out of traditional casino games.

This explains why the casinos in my former home of Saskatchewan don't carry craps -- they don't like to pay customers.

BACCARET has a lower house edge than CRAPS by a slight margin...........and neither is beatable longterm.

Again, the only LONGTERM beatable games are video poker, slots, and blackjack.
 
tooran

tooran

New member
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
1,312
Reaction score
2
Slots? I'm not saying you're wrong, but I find it difficult to believe. Any particular type of slots?
 
Fishhead

Fishhead

Active member
Joined
Oct 20, 1999
Messages
75,444
Reaction score
12
tooran said:
Slots? I'm not saying you're wrong, but I find it difficult to believe. Any particular type of slots?

Yes

Progressives and bonus banking slots.
 
Insiders

Insiders

New member
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Messages
7,267
Reaction score
1
The best game is CRAPS, no comparison. Craps is the ONLY game where you can get a 50-50 gamble, and that by being "takeing" your odds. Yes you have to take the worst of the prop to get to where you can take your odds.

The worst game. Keno.
 

jestein

Banned
Joined
Sep 15, 2005
Messages
350
Reaction score
0
Craps:

<TABLE class=data cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=datatitle colSpan=2>Combined house edge on the
pass line and taking odds</TD></TR><TR class=datahead><TD align=middle width=100>Odds</TD><TD align=middle width=100>House Edge</TD></TR><TR><TD align=left>1X

</TD><TD align=right>0.848%

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=left>2X

</TD><TD align=right>0.606%

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=left>Full double odds

</TD><TD align=right>0.572%

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=left>3X

</TD><TD align=right>0.471%

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=left>3-4-5X

</TD><TD align=right>0.374%

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=left>5X

</TD><TD align=right>0.326%

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=left>10X

</TD><TD align=right>0.184%

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=left>20X

</TD><TD align=right>0.099%

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=left>100X

</TD><TD align=right>0.021%

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Baccarat:

Banker 1.06%
Player 1.24%
 

Forum statistics

Threads
1,141,234
Messages
13,917,134
Members
104,795
Latest member
urnsforsale
The RX is the sports betting industry's leading information portal for bonuses, picks, and sportsbook reviews. Find the best deals offered by a sportsbook in your state and browse our free picks section.FacebookTwitterInstagramContact Usforum@therx.com