- Blackjack with basic strategy runs about 0.4%-0.6% house edge
- Pick European or French roulette: 2.70% or less, vs 5.26% on American
- Rules matter: 6:5 blackjack adds 1.39% to the edge
- ⚠️ Tables count 0%-8% toward most bonus wagering
Why table games have the lowest edges
Every casino game has a house edge: the share of each bet the casino keeps on average over the long run. On slots it’s 100% minus the RTP. On table games it comes straight from the rules and the payouts, which is why it can be worked out to two decimal places and compared bet by bet.
Table games sit at the low end of the range because several of them let your decisions shape the result. Blackjack is the clearest case: play by basic strategy and the house edge drops to about 0.4%-0.6%. Copy the dealer’s strategy instead and it climbs to about 8%. Same cards, same table, twenty times the cost.
🧮 House edge by table game and bet
| Blackjack, liberal rules | 0.28% |
|---|---|
| Jacks or Better 9/6 | 0.46% |
| Blackjack, typical (midpoint) | ~0.5% |
| Baccarat banker | 1.06% |
| Baccarat player | 1.24% |
| French roulette, even-money | 1.35% |
| Craps don't pass | 1.36% |
| Craps pass line | 1.41% |
| European roulette | 2.70% |
| Casino War | 2.88% |
| Three Card Poker, ante & play | 3.37% |
| Caribbean Stud | 5.22% |
| American roulette | 5.26% |
| Baccarat tie (8:1) | 14.36% |
| Craps any seven | 16.67% |
The chart’s lesson: the game matters, but the bet inside the game matters as much. Baccarat holds both one of the best bets on the board and one of the worst.
Blackjack: the rules set the price
Blackjack’s edge depends on the table rules. Under liberal rules it’s 0.28%; with an infinite deck, dealer standing on soft 17, double after split and up to three splits, about 0.51%. Each house-friendly rule adds a slice:
| Rule change (player-friendly to house-friendly) | Added house edge |
|---|---|
| Blackjack pays 3:2 to 6:5 | +1.39% |
| 1 deck to 8 decks | +0.59% |
| Dealer stands on soft 17 to hits soft 17 | +0.22% |
| Double after split allowed to not allowed | +0.14% |
| Double on any two cards to 9-11 only | +0.09% |
| Late surrender allowed to not allowed | +0.08% |
| Re-split aces allowed to not allowed | +0.08% |
Sources: published blackjack odds tables, compiled October 2026.
The 6:5 payout is the one to walk away from: it costs more than the rest of the list together. Live tables have their own variants too. Lightning Blackjack runs about 1.0% and Free Bet Blackjack about 1.04%, as our live casino page covers.
The full breakdown is in our online blackjack guide.
Roulette: count the zeros
Roulette’s edge comes from the green pockets. The fewer there are, the less you pay.
| Variant | Wheel | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| French | Single zero, la partage or en prison | 1.35% on even-money bets; 2.70% on others |
| European | Single zero, 37 pockets | 2.70% on all bets |
| American | Double zero, 38 pockets | 5.26% on most bets |
| American five-number bet | 0-00-1-2-3 | 7.89% |
| Triple zero | Three zeros | 7.69% |
Sources: published roulette maths, compiled October 2026.
If a lobby offers French roulette, it’s the cheapest wheel for red/black players. European is the standard pick otherwise. American roulette roughly doubles the cost of every spin, and the five-number bet on that wheel is the worst bet on the layout.
Every variant and bet is covered in our online roulette guide.
Baccarat and craps: pick the right bet
Baccarat (8 decks) is three bets and nothing else. Banker, with its 5% commission, carries 1.06%; player 1.24%; the tie at 8:1 a punishing 14.36%, or 4.844% where it pays 9:1. Bet banker or player and leave the tie alone.
Craps spreads the widest. Pass and come carry 1.41%, don’t pass and don’t come 1.36%, and the odds bet behind the pass line carries no house edge at all. Place 6 or 8 runs 1.52% per bet resolved. The proposition bets in the middle of the table cost far more: any craps 11.11%, any seven 16.67%.
Banker, player and tie are compared in detail in our online baccarat guide.
Video poker: read the pay table
Video poker’s return depends on the pay table and on playing optimal strategy. In Jacks or Better, “9/6” means a full house pays 9 and a flush pays 6 per coin. Each step down costs you:
🧮 Jacks or Better return by pay table
| 9/6 pay table | 99.54% |
|---|---|
| 8/5 pay table | 97.30% |
| 7/5 pay table | 96.15% |
| 6/5 pay table | 95.00% |
A 9/6 machine played well beats nearly every slot on return. A 6/5 machine sits below most of them.
The rest of the table, at a glance
Most lobbies carry a few more card and dice games. Their edges sit higher than the big four, and some climb steeply depending on the bet:
| Game / bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| Casino War, going to war on ties | 2.88% |
| Three Card Poker, ante and play | 3.37% |
| Caribbean Stud Poker | 5.22% |
| Three Card Poker, Pairplus | 7.28% |
| Sic Bo | 2.78%-33.33% by bet |
| Big Six wheel | 11.11%-24.07% by bet |
| Keno | 25%-29% |
Sources: published house-edge tables, compiled October 2026.
Sic Bo is the one to read carefully: its cheapest bet costs about what European roulette does, and its worst costs a third of every stake. Keno sits at the far end of the whole casino, well below any slot in return.
Table games and bonus wagering
Here’s the catch for bonus players. A low house edge doesn’t help if the game barely counts toward wagering. From four Canadian-facing casinos’ published terms:
| Game | Jackpot City | Grizzly’s Quest | Casino Classic | V.Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roulette | 8% | 8% | 2% | Excluded |
| Blackjack | 8% (Classic 2%) | 8% (Classic 2%) | 2% | Excluded |
| Video poker | 8% (two titles 2%) | 8% (two titles 2%) | 2% (All Aces 0%) | Excluded |
| Baccarat | 0% | 0% | 2% | Excluded |
| Craps, Sic Bo, Red Dog | 0% | 0% | 2% | Excluded |
Sources: each casino’s published bonus terms, read October 2026.
At 8%, a C$1,000 wagering target needs C$12,500 in blackjack bets. Even at a 0.5% edge that averages about C$62.50, more than the C$40 the same target costs on 96% RTP slots at full weighting. At 2%, it’s C$50,000 in bets.
The workable route: clear bonuses on our slots page picks, then play tables with cash. Run your numbers in the wagering calculator, and read the wagering requirements guide and RTP and volatility guide for the full maths. If you’d rather avoid wagering entirely, see wager-free bonuses or the low-stakes entry points on low deposit casinos.
🍁 Canada notes
Our casinos serve players aged 19 or over outside Ontario and Alberta, which run their own regulated markets. A low house edge still means you lose a little on average every hand; no betting system changes that. Set a deposit limit before you sit down, and see our responsible gambling page for every provincial helpline.
FAQ
Which casino table game has the lowest house edge?
Blackjack played with basic strategy, at about 0.4%-0.6% depending on the rules, and as low as 0.28% under liberal rules. Among simple bets, the craps odds bet carries no house edge, and baccarat's banker bet is 1.06%. Video poker at 9/6 Jacks or Better returns 99.54% with optimal play.
What is the difference between European and American roulette?
European roulette has one zero and 37 pockets, for a 2.70% house edge on every bet. American roulette adds a double zero, making 38 pockets and a 5.26% edge on most bets. French roulette uses the single-zero wheel and halves the edge on even-money bets to 1.35%.
Why does 6:5 blackjack matter?
A blackjack paying 6:5 instead of 3:2 adds about 1.39% to the house edge, more than every other common rule change combined. Check the table felt or the game rules before you sit down, and skip tables that pay 6:5.
Can I clear a bonus on blackjack or roulette?
Usually slowly. In the terms we read, roulette and blackjack count 8% at Jackpot City and Grizzly's Quest, 2% at Casino Classic, and are excluded at V.Vegas. Baccarat and craps often count 0%. Clear bonuses on slots and play tables with cash.
Is the tie bet in baccarat worth it?
Not at 8:1. A tie paying 8:1 carries a 14.36% house edge, against 1.06% on the banker bet and 1.24% on the player bet. Some tables pay 9:1 on the tie, which brings the edge down to 4.844%, still far above the main bets.