Key facts
- The lowest house edge games we have calculated: the craps odds bet (0%, but only on top of a line bet), Australian pontoon (about 0.35%), 9/6 jacks or better (0.46%) and basic strategy blackjack (0.46% to 0.55%).
- Every one of those cheap figures needs either correct strategy or the right bet. Played badly, blackjack and video poker cost several times more.
- The best no-skill bets are the baccarat banker (1.06%), the craps line bets (1.36% to 1.41%) and even-money roulette with La Partage (1.35%).
- The worst value is in keno (about 24% kept nationally), scratchies (40%), the casino war tie (18.65%) and craps any 7 (16.67%).
- Best odds is not the same as winning most often: an even-money roulette bet wins 48.6% of spins but still costs 2.70%, while blackjack wins only 43.2% of rounds and costs about 0.5%.
The short answer
The best odds casino games are the ones that keep the smallest share of what you bet. Ranked that way, a handful of games cost about half a cent per dollar or less, a larger group cost one to three cents, and some popular bets cost twenty cents or more. Every figure below is the house edge, the long-run average share of each bet the game keeps, from our own calculations of the rules approved in Australian casinos or from published figures.
Two warnings before the list. First, the cheapest games only reach their figure if you play them correctly. Second, a low house edge is still a cost: nothing on this page pays you to play.
The 12 lowest house edge games, ranked
| Rank | Game and the bet or play to make | Cost per $100 bet | What it takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craps, odds bet behind a line bet | $0 on the odds; $0.33 overall with 5x odds | Must follow a pass or don't pass bet |
| 2 | Pontoon (Australian rules, 6 decks) | about $0.35 | Pontoon strategy, not the blackjack chart |
| 3 | Jacks or better video poker, 9/6 pay table | $0.46 | Perfect draw strategy |
| 4 | Blackjack with doubling on any two cards | $0.46 | Basic strategy |
| 5 | Blackjack on typical Australian casino rules | $0.55 | Basic strategy |
| 6 | Blackjack Switch | $0.58 | Good switching decisions |
| 7 | Baccarat, bet banker | $1.06 | None |
| 8 | Baccarat, bet player | $1.24 | None |
| 9 | French roulette, even-money bets with La Partage | $1.35 | None |
| 10 | Craps, don't pass (bar 2) or pass line | $1.36 to $1.41 | None |
| 11 | Free Bet Blackjack | $1.44 | Free bet strategy |
| 12 | Casino hold'em | $2.16 per $100 of antes | Fold the right hands |
In our calculations the Queensland Spanish blackjack schedule matches pontoon's figure, and the full pay version of deuces wild would even return 100.76% with flawless play, a reminder of how much a video poker pay table matters.
What each of the top games asks of you
- Craps odds. The odds bet pays true odds, so it has no edge at all, but you can only make it after a line bet. With odds at twice the line bet, the combined edge falls to 0.61%; at five times, 0.33%. See craps odds.
- Pontoon. Played with its own strategy, it is the cheapest complete card game we have solved, because your 21s are paid before the dealer takes a second card. See the pontoon card game guide.
- Video poker. 9/6 jacks or better returns 99.54% with perfect play, but cutting the flush to 5 drops it to 98.45%, and an 8/5 table to 97.30%. Our video poker guide explains the pay tables.
- Blackjack. 0.46% assumes doubling on any two cards; the Australian rule limiting doubles to 9, 10 and 11 makes it 0.55%. Learn the blackjack strategy chart, and check our online blackjack Australia guide for how each version compares.
- Blackjack Switch. Cheap only if you swap cards well; see Blackjack Switch.
- Baccarat. The banker bet beats the player bet even after the 5% commission. See how to play baccarat.
- French roulette. La Partage returns half of an even-money bet when zero lands, halving the 2.70% edge. See French roulette.
- Craps line bets. The win line costs 1.41% and the don't side 1.36%; see how to play craps.
- Free Bet Blackjack. Costs more than ordinary blackjack despite the free doubles, because a dealer 22 pushes; see Free Bet Blackjack.
- Casino hold'em. 2.16% of the ante, or 0.82% of all money bet, on the ACT table, if you fold the right hands; see casino holdem.
The next tier: about 2% to 4%
| Game and bet | House edge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Texas Hold'em | 2.19% of the ante | Raise 4x with the right hands before the flop |
| Casino war, going to war on ties | 2.33% | Never surrender a tie |
| European roulette, any standard bet | 2.70% | Same edge on every bet on the layout |
| Red dog | 2.75% to 3.16% | Raise only on a spread of 7 or more |
| Sic bo, big or small | 2.78% | The other sic bo bets cost much more |
| Crash games and mines at a listed 97% RTP | 3.00% | Online only, illegal to offer here |
| Three card poker, ante and play | 3.37% of the ante | Play Q-6-4 or better |
| An online pokie at a 96.50% RTP | 3.50% | See highest RTP pokies |
| Dragon tiger, tie costs half | 3.73% | Skip the tie bets |
Poker-style table games quote their edge on the ante. Because you often bet more than the ante in a hand, the share of all money bet is lower: three card poker's 3.37% on the ante is about 2.01% of everything bet, in our calculation.
Bets with the worst odds
| Bet | House edge | Average cost of $100 bet |
|---|---|---|
| Instant scratch tickets (prize pools of 60% of sales) | 40% | $40 |
| Keno, Australian average 2024-25 | about 24% | about $24 |
| Casino war tie bet at 10 to 1 | 18.65% | $18.65 |
| Craps any 7 at 4 to 1 | 16.67% | $16.67 |
| Sic bo specific triple at 180 to 1 | 16.20% | $16.20 |
| Buster Blackjack side bet, pay table F | 16.05% | $16.05 |
| Baccarat tie at 8 to 1 | 14.36% | $14.36 |
| Club and hotel pokies, Australian average 2024-25 | about 7.9% | about $7.89 |
| American roulette, double zero | 5.26% | $5.26 |
The keno, scratchie and pokie lines are national averages of what was kept, not the edge of one game; see online keno and online scratch cards. Many side bets sit in this zone too, which our blackjack side bets guide prices one by one. The money wheel game ranges from 4% on Queensland's 50 segment wheel to over 19% on some symbols of Victoria's newest pay table, and plinko from 1% to 11.8% depending on the version a site runs.
Best odds versus winning most often
The game you win most often is not the cheapest one. Compare:
| Bet | Chance of winning one bet or round | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Even-money bet, single zero roulette | 48.6% | 2.70% |
| Baccarat banker | 45.9% (a tie is a push) | 1.06% |
| Blackjack round, basic strategy, 6 decks | 43.2% ahead, 9.2% level | about 0.5% |
| Mines, first safe pick on 25 tiles with 3 mines | 88% | 3.00% |
Blackjack wins fewer rounds than red at roulette but costs a fifth as much, because blackjacks pay 3 to 2 and doubles pay twice. Mines wins most picks but pays very little each time. What matters for your money is the price per dollar bet, which is why the ranking above uses house edge.
Pundit tip: the best odds you can control are the bet size and the number of bets. $5 hands of the cheapest game here cost less than $1 hands of keno.
Getting the best odds in practice
- Choose the bet inside the game. Baccarat banker against the tie is 1.06% against 14.36%. Craps line bets against any 7 is about 1.4% against 16.67%.
- Learn the strategy for low edge skill games, or play a no-skill bet instead. Blackjack played on hunches is no longer a 0.5% game.
- Read the table sign. Six to five blackjack, a cut video poker pay table or a no-commission baccarat table each raise the price.
- Count the speed. A fast game costs more per hour at the same edge; our house edge guide shows how to compare.
- Remember the law. These games are legal in person at Australian casinos. Online casino games cannot legally be offered to people in Australia, and ACMA blocks the offshore sites that offer them.
If the cost of any game is more than you planned to spend, gambling help is free and confidential on 1800 858 858.
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Frequently asked questions
What casino game has the best odds?
On house edge, the craps odds bet has none, but you can only place it after a pass or don't pass bet. Of complete games, Australian casino pontoon played correctly (about 0.35%), 9/6 jacks or better (0.46%) and basic strategy blackjack (0.46% to 0.55%) are the cheapest we have calculated.
What is the best casino game for beginners?
Baccarat, betting banker, needs no decisions and costs 1.06% of each bet in our calculation. Single zero roulette is simple too, at 2.70%. Blackjack is cheaper but only if you learn basic strategy.
Which casino games have the lowest house edge with no skill?
The baccarat banker bet at 1.06%, the craps don't pass and pass line bets at 1.36% and 1.41%, and even-money roulette bets with La Partage at 1.35%. Each costs about $1 to $1.50 per $100 bet on average.
What are the worst odds in a casino?
Keno, which kept about 24% of money bet in Australia in 2024-25, instant scratch tickets at about 40%, the casino war tie bet at 18.65% and the craps any 7 bet at 16.67% are among the worst we have calculated.
Do the best odds games mean you will win?
No. Every game here has a house edge or a commission, so the longer you play the more likely you are to be behind. Lower edge games simply cost less per dollar bet.
Related reading
Casino games House edge The house edge is the price tag on every bet in a casino: the share of each dollar the game keeps on average. Here is how it works, how to work it out yourself, and the figure for every game and bet we have calculated. Read more 
Casino games Roulette odds A straight-up number pays 35 to 1, but the true odds are 36 to 1 against. That single missing unit is the casino's edge. Here is the full roulette odds and payouts table, worked out for both wheels. Read more 
Casino games Sic bo Sic bo is three dice and a table full of bets. Two or three of them cost under 3%. Most cost more than 10%. The Australian pay table has one quirk worth knowing about. Read more 
Casino games Three card poker Three card poker asks one question per hand: play or fold. Answer it with Q-6-4 and the ante game costs about 3.4% of your ante. The pair plus bet costs anywhere from 3.5% to 7.3%, depending on the state. Read more 
Casino games Side bets The main blackjack bet costs about half a cent per dollar. Most side bets cost between 4 and 16 cents. Here is each one we could find in Australian rule books, with its odds and its price. Read more 
Casino games American roulette American roulette adds a second zero and keeps the same payouts, nearly doubling the house edge. Here is what that pocket costs, the one bet worse than the rest, and the triple zero wheel now approved in Victoria. Read more Sources
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