GUIDE TO BETTING ODDS: MAXIMISE YOUR WINNING CHANCES

Each game has different odds and these odds vary from casino to casino. The odds will tell you your chances of winning and how much you’ll win in a payout on your wager amount. If you can learn to crack this code, you’ll know exactly which game to play and when to play it.

Read on to learn:

  • The different types of betting odds
  • Which games have the best odds
  • What exactly the house edge is
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Understanding the Odds

Whenever you see the odds displayed at an online casino, they’ll either be written as fractional odds or percentage odds.

  • Fractional odds are written like a fraction e.g. 10/1, 7/3 etc. and are simple to calculate. The second number is the figure you bet, whilst the first figure is what you win. So, if you bet $5 at 10/1, you’d win $50.
  • Percentage odds is just another way of displaying the fractional odds. 10/1 = 9% because 1 / (10-1) =9, meaning there is a 9% chance of the event taking place.

The House Edge Explained

The house always wins - but why? It’s all down to the house edge. The higher the house edge, the higher your chances of losing, which is how the casinos make money!

The house edge, as a percentage, is what the casino expects to make as a profit on each bet over time.

  • For example, with a 2% house edge, for every $100 dollars wagered, $98 will be paid out and the online casino will keep $2.

Which Popular Casino Game Has the Best Odds?

Online Blackjack Odds

Blackjack odds are the most favourable, though they change during the game. The blackjack house has the lowest advantage, growing by 0.02% whenever you add a new deck. Play strategically and you can drag it down to 0.12%.

Online Roulette Odds

Before playing roulette, understand you stand a better chance of winning at the European form than the American. The extra 00 box on the American wheel boosts the house edge from 2.7% in European to 5.26% in American!

Only play if the casino is paying the full 35 to 1 on a single number bet. This will minimise the house edge. For added security, French roulette has an insurance policy for when the ball lands on zero.

Online Slots Odds

It’s near-impossible to work out the odds for slot machines as the symbols are generated by random number generators (RGNs). Each spin is independent of the last. This is also the game with the highest house edge.

The return to player (RTP) will be listed on the rules or pay table screen as a percentage, which will give you a good idea of whether it’s worth playing. You can figure out the house edge by subtracting this number from 100.

Online Baccarat Odds

Baccarat has good odds so is popular with skilled gamblers and high rollers. There are only three betting possibilities - banker, player, and tie.

The chances of the banker winning are 0.4586% and for the player 0.4462%. There’s a 5% commission on a banker bet but it’s still your safest bet. Avoid betting on the tie. Its hefty 8/1 payout has a house edge of 14.36%, compared with the banker’s 1.06% and the player’s 1.24%.

Online Craps Odds

It’s difficult to nail the odds at craps because there are so many combinations. As a beginner, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the table layout or the number of betting areas. Below is a condensed guide:

  • Pass Line or Come pays 1 to 1 with a 1.41% house edge
  • Don’t Pass or Don’t Come pays 1 to 1 with a 1.36% house edge
  • Odds 4 or 10 pays 2 to 1 with no house edge
  • Odds 5 or 9 pays 3 to 2 with no house edge
  • Odds 6 or 8 pays 6 to 5 with no house edge
  • Odds against 4 or 10 pays 1 to 2 with no house edge
  • Odds against 5 or 9 pays 2 to 3 with no house edge
  • Odds against 6 or 8 pays 5 to 6 with no house edge
  • Place bet on 6 or 8 pays 7 to 6 with a 1.52% house edge