How do you choose which games to play in an online casino? Many factors are involved, including gameplay style, ease of play, and presentation, but if you’re serious about stretching your bankroll, you’ll want to pay close attention to casino game odds. The probability of winning can vary considerably between one game and the next, depending on the nature of the game. Continue reading to learn which casino games give you the best odds to win.
Blackjack
A great way to know whether you’re getting the best odds when you play casino games online is to check the return to player (RTP) percentage of the specific game you’re playing. This expresses the percentage return on your spend you can expect on average over time.
The casino game with the most player-friendly RTP — 99.50% — is blackjack. A classic card game of chance and skill, blackjack challenges you to beat the dealer. The dealer deals out two face-up cards to every player and themselves, one face-up and one face-down. If anyone is dealt a natural 21, it’s blackjack, and they win a 3:2 payout. Then players take turns to hit, meaning they ask for another card or stand. A hand that totals over 21 is bust.
A 99.50% RTP works out to a low house edge of 0.50%, provided you apply a basic blackjack strategy. This involves knowing when to hit and when to stand, based on the cards you’re dealt and the dealer’s up card. If you hit and your hand value goes over 21, you’re bust. If you stand too early and the dealer’s hand value is higher than yours, you lose your bet. Fortunately, it’s easy to access blackjack strategy charts containing all the relevant information online.
Many blackjack games also feature side bets. Perfect pairs, for example, pays out if your first two cards have the same rank, while a 21+3 bet wins if your starting hand and the dealer’s up card form a poker hand. However, the odds of winning side bets are significantly lower than the main bet.
Baccarat
For a fun, fast-paced game that doesn’t require any strategy at all, baccarat is the way to go. Simply place your bet on one of two positions the dealer deals to — player and banker — for approximately even chances to win on any round. To be precise, the house edge is 1.06% on the banker and 1.24% on the player bet. A third betting option is a tie, with a house edge of 14.36%.
Also known as Punto Banco, baccarat has its own range of side bets based on whether the player or banker’s initial cards form a pair or have a specific value. As with blackjack, the odds are not especially favourable to the player, although side bets can be great fun if you have an appetite for risk.
Craps
This casino game is based on the outcomes of a roll of a pair of dice, and it has some of the best odds around. A pass line bet, for instance, offers a house edge of 1.41%. You win if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the come-out roll and lose on 2, 3, or 12. A don’t pass line bet has an even lower house edge of 1.36%. Your bet wins on a come-out roll of 2 or 3, pushes on 12, and loses on 7 or 11.
Roulette
The classic casino game of the spinning wheel and little ball has entertained gamers since the 18th century. After players place their bets, the dealer, or croupier, spins the wheel in one direction and sends the ball spinning on the wheel in the opposite direction. Eventually, the wheel slows, and the ball drops into a slot numbered 1–36, zero (0) or double-zero (00).
A fun fact about roulette is that it has a broad range of bets with varying odds and payouts. So-called even money bets on numbers that are red or black, odd or even, high or low, offer the best odds. The probability of winning is 48.60% on a European wheel with a single zero pocket and 47.40% on an American wheel with two zero pockets. On the other end of the scale, you have straight-up bets on a specific number, with a probability of 2.60% (European wheel) or 2.70% (American wheel).
Slots
Online slot machines are powered by random number generators (RNGs) and have so many different potential winning combinations that it’s almost impossible to calculate the probability of making a win on any given spin. The only way to tell what odds you’re getting on average when you play is to look up the RTP on the paytable. The average slot RTP is around 95%, with some titles dipping below or rising above this number.
Play Casino Games Online at BetMGM Canada
To explore a broad range of online casino games — including online slots, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and craps — simply register at BetMGM Canada. The games listed above pay real money if you’re playing them from the legal Canadian casino province of Ontario, where BetMGM Canada is legally active.