Know Your Odds: Which Games Have the Best Payouts at Online Casinos

Which online casino games have the best odds? Knowing which games provide the best winning probability offer players a unique edge and incentive. After all, wouldn’t you rather gamble on a casino game that you have a better chance of winning? Let’s dive into odds and which games have the best payouts at online casinos.

Online casinos have skyrocketed in popularity in the last ten years as the technology has caught up with the desire to make them functional, authentic simulations of casino gambling experiences. The choices not only in terms of casinos but in the hundreds of games available to play can be daunting.

Since real money is on the line, though, daunting may not be your preference. This is a guide to online casino games by type so that you don’t have to enter the competitive online gambling space ignorant of your odds. We’ll go over the main types of casino games that you’ll be choosing between, what to look for in a game to have a higher chance of winning, and which common games have better (and worse) odds.

What Is House Edge?

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of the game types and your odds of winning big, the concept of the “house edge” is the most relevant to understanding how to choose casino games that will give you the best odds of success.

The house edge refers to how the casino’s profits are calculated as a percentage of the total bets by the players. In other words, it defines how players will always be at a statistical disadvantage in casino games because of the simple fact that casinos need to make money to stay open. This is important for a couple of reasons when evaluating different online games for the odds.

Firstly, knowing how the house edge works helps you understand the difference between the listed odds of playing a game and the practical or “true” odds that result when you factor in the house edge. In addition, since house edge places the game in favor of the casino, you stand more of a chance to lose the longer you play. 

Since there will always be fewer ways to win than to lose, you need to know your chances with each game so you stand the best chance of getting that coveted winning streak.

Remember that in the assessment below, the odds and house edge rates are determined by looking at the games using optimal basic strategies to play them. This means that it may be slightly different for you if you know you’re terrible at a certain card game. In other words, like the odds themselves, nothing is set in stone.

That doesn’t mean knowing the odds won’t help, however.

Blackjack

Of all the most common online casino games, blackjack gives players the most likely chance of winning money when playing with basic good strategy. The house edge for blackjack is around 1%, which is the lowest you’ll find without looking specifically for some games only played in foreign casinos.

This is true both in online and land-based casinos, however, keep in mind that the number of decks and rule variations could change the outcome of the odds. In general, however, blackjack is your best bet.

One reason is that online blackjack often permits you to split pairs as much as you want. It requires you to bet more money but it gives you more control over the game. 

However, the biggest player advantage in blackjack is the rule that the dealer must draw on 17, which greatly increases the chance that the dealer will bust. The human player’s ability to control that draw is what gives them the edge in dealer games online and in land-based versions. As with any online casino game, make sure you read the specific rules for that game before you gamble. While we looked at the general rules and strategies of the game, there are variances from game to game and casino to casino.

Baccarat

Baccarat’s structure gives the player an edge. The house advantage in most variations of this game hovers around 1%.

The reason is that there are only three outcomes in baccarat based on the two hands drawn. Regardless of the number of players, the bet is simply on which hand is larger, meaning that there are three possibilities, including a tie. 

Bets on both the “player” and “banker” hand have similarly low house advantages, though the banker bet will cost you a commission to the casino of around 5% of your winnings. This is simply because the banker bet has an even lower house edge.

Three-Card Poker

As with most of the games that have the best payouts for players, three-card poker follows the pattern that fewer win and lose conditions are the player’s ticket to an advantage. Three-card poker is a game that most online casinos play constantly because it’s easy to program and train live dealers for. It’s also easily one of the most popular offerings.

The game is simply poker with three cards where the highest hand wins. You can see everything that’s going on so you can bet or fold accordingly and you have the added bonus of the rule that says that the dealer’s hand is disqualified if it doesn’t have a Queen high card or better. Though this only pays back the ante, it’s still a rule in the player’s favor.

The house edge for three-card poker is about 3.4%. While not the lowest on the list, as a game whose odds are easy to calculate and whose rules are simple to master, it provides a lot of astute gamblers with a great chance for a payout.

The Takeaway

Online casinos have become extremely popular now that live dealer streaming, the graphics of rendered games, and the loading speeds of the games have become so advanced and optimized. For many gamblers, online gambling is a great supplement (or even replacement) for land-based casino gaming, which often requires a lot more effort and resources than playing from your phone or home computer.

To play the games with the best chance of a payout, however, you have to know how the odds stack up in different online casino games. Some of the games on this list like blackjack have the casino’s odds at or less than 1%, making them easy choices for players that are seeking the most statistically likely chance of a payout.

It’s important to remember that most games with a low house edge also have a lower payout amount. However, for many gamblers, particularly novices, the low house edge gives them a perfect chance to gamble with a higher probability of winning.