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House edge, vigorish, RTP, margin, cut, juice, take, rake, overround…It comes with many names but it means only one thing: the amount of money the casino will take when you play your favorite games.
Sportsbooks and casinos exist because of the edge. It’s their margin: the profit mathematically embedded into every single game at the casino. The edge is why you still lose money when you bet both sides of a football game.
Blackjack, craps, and baccarat are the three casino games with the lowest house edge – roughly 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% respectively. Always considered games for the ‘serious player’, this is where you can (theoretically) milk the margin and beat the house.
As for the slots, the perception is that they come with a high house edge. Easy money for the casino – but is this really the case? The truth is there is a gap and it’s called reality.
Take a look at the data and you might want to review that high and mighty opinion of slot games, as well as the ‘amateur gamblers’ who spin them. They might be the only players in the casino actually getting value for money.
So, before you double down and split those aces, take five and take note. We’ve worked the numbers so you don’t have to. Here’s what’s really happening on the house edge of reality.
Quick Insights
- The house edge is the casino’s mathematical profit margin embedded in every game, ensuring long-term profitability.
- Blackjack, craps, and baccarat have the lowest theoretical house edges at around 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%, respectively, but actual edges are much higher.
- Slot machines, despite perceptions, offer better value in reality, with actual house edges closely aligning with theoretical edges of 5% to 20%.
- Actual house edges in Las Vegas and Atlantic City significantly exceed theoretical values, with blackjack averaging 14.65%, baccarat 15.2%, and craps 17%.
- Roulette shows the largest discrepancy, with actual house edges reaching 16.28% to 21.4%, far above the theoretical 2.7% to 5.26%.
- Location matters, as Las Vegas generally offers better house edges on slots and roulette compared to Atlantic City.
What Is the House Edge in Vegas?
We used data from two different gambling destinations to compare the theoretical house edge with the actual house edge: Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
These are the two most popular gaming destinations in the US. Both regulated and monitored by the Nevada Gaming Commission and the Nevada Control Board, as well as the New Jersey Casino Control Commission and the Division of Gaming Enforcement respectively.
The data report from the August 2024 Nevada Gaming Control Board is split into county districts, subdivided into revenue ranges. To get the most detailed overall report, we are using data from every casino state-wide: a total of 439 reporting locations.
- The three-month time period is from June 1, 2024, to August 31, 2024.
- The 12-month time period is from September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2024.
Atlantic City has only nine casinos and the 2023 New Jersey Casino Control Commission report has the data from each of them.
We will look at the average for all casinos and highlight some of the interesting anomalies. The report is for the complete 2023 calendar year.
Which Games Have the Lowest House Edge?
Blackjack
Blackjack is the world’s most popular casino card game. If you play perfect strategy, with a single deck, the house edge can be as low as 0.28%; making it a great option for the cautious casino player.
However, when you look at the actual numbers, even the lowest house edge, at 10.6%, is lightyears away from the mathematical blackjack house edge average of 0.5%. The higher edge numbers are the equivalent of playing penny slots.
Judging from this data, perfect blackjack strategy was left at the coat check.
| BLACKJACK – THEORETICAL HOUSE EDGE 0.5% to 2% | ||||
| CASINO | WIN $ | DROP $ | WIN % – EDGE | |
| Las Vegas – 3 months | Statewide | 329,677,000 | N/A | 14.71% |
| Las Vegas – 12 months | Statewide | 1,342,624,000 | N/A | 14.36% |
| Atlantic City – 12 months | All | 213,468,740 | 1,542,878,943 | 13.8% |
| Atlantic City – Lowest Edge | Hard Rock | 34,888,314 | 329,492,060 | 10.6% |
| Atlantic City – Highest Edge | Harrah’s | 14,386,552 | 72,796,757 | 19.8% |
- Las Vegas dominates Atlantic City in overall revenue
- The Hard Rock and Bally’s AC are the two Atlantic City casinos with the lowest house edge
- Harrah’s and Ocean Resort are the two Atlantic City casinos with the highest house edge
Roulette
The roulette numbers are perhaps the most puzzling. There is no agreed correct roulette strategy. The single zero house edge should be 2.70%; the American double zero game 5.26%.
However, the numbers from both Las Vegas and Atlantic City are four times the predicted house win. This indicates players just don’t know when to quit.
| ROULETTE – THEORETICAL HOUSE EDGE 2.70% to 5.26% | ||||
| CASINO | WIN $ | HANDLE $ | WIN % – EDGE | |
| Las Vegas – 3 months | Statewide | 119,965,000 | N/A | 16.28% |
| Las Vegas – 12 months | Statewide | 454,314,000 | N/A | 17.45% |
| Atlantic City – 12 months | All | 100,955,654 | 472,532,426 | 21.4% |
| Atlantic City – Low Edge | Bally’s AC | 3,389,254 | 18,917,603 | 17.9% |
| Atlantic City – High Edge | Ocean Resort | 3,389,254 | 18,917,603 | 27.9% |
- It’s better to play roulette in Las Vegas
- Give the Ocean Casino Resort a miss, if you’re in Atlantic City and you love roulette
Craps
Craps is renowned as a game with a low house edge. The Pass/Come bets have a house edge of just 1.41%. If you bet the odds, you get a true – no edge – bet. The only one in the casino.
In reality, the best house edge anyone is getting at the table is the equivalent of betting any seven (16.67%). Once again, adrenalin clearly tilts the odds at the craps table in the casino’s favor.
| CRAPS – THEORETICAL HOUSE EDGE 0% to 16.67% | ||||
| CASINO | WIN $ | DROP $ | WIN % – EDGE | |
| Las Vegas – 3 months | STATEWIDE | 116,666,000 | N/A | 16.75% |
| Las Vegas – 12 months | STATEWIDE | 466,513,000 | N/A | 16.78% |
| Atlantic City – 12 months | ALL | 70,917,802 | 419,905,407 | 16.9% |
| Atlantic City – Low Edge | BALLY’S AC | 3,161,920 | 22,132,425 | 14.3% |
| Atlantic City – High Edge | HARRAH’S | 7,934,179 | 38,657,437 | 20.5% |
- Head to Bally’s AC is you want the best of the bones
- Interesting to note that the Las Vegas house edge stay consistently at 16.75%
Baccarat
Popular with high rollers for its super low house edge, baccarat is a game of pure chance.
If you bet the tie, the house edge is 14.36%. The sensible money is playing either the banker (1.06%) or the player (1.24%).
| BACCARAT – THEORETICAL HOUSE EDGE 1.06% to 1.24% | ||||
| CASINO | WIN $ | DROP $ | WIN % – EDGE | |
| Las Vegas – 3 months | STATEWIDE | 288,572,000 | N/A | 12.80% |
| Las Vegas – 12 months | STATEWIDE | 1,525,626,000 | N/A | 16.52% |
| Atlantic City – 12 months | ALL | 1,584,374 | 10,141,469 | 15.6% |
| Atlantic City – Low Edge | CAESARS | 1,584,374 | 10,141,469 | 15.6% |
| Atlantic City – High Edge | CAESARS | 1,584,374 | 10,141,469 | 15.6% |
- Only Caesars in Atlantic City submitted data for baccarat suggesting it is much more popular in Las Vegas
- Even the best house edge here is ten times the theoretical
Slots – $1
The slots are subdivided into denominations from one cent a spin to $100.
The data indicates that the house edge is higher on low denomination slots. We selected the dollar slots and the multi-denominational games.
The house edge on real money slots varies from game to game and can be anything from 5% to 20%. In both the following datasets, the theoretical and actual numbers add up.
That makes sense as it’s hard for the casinos to extract a bigger edge from slots players.
| SLOTS $1 – THEORETICAL HOUSE EDGE 5% to 20% | ||||
| CASINO | WIN $ | HANDLE $ | WIN % – EDGE | |
| Las Vegas – 3 months | STATEWIDE | 127,173,000 | N/A | 6.42% |
| Las Vegas – 12 months | STATEWIDE | 551,245,000 | N/A | 6.58% |
| Atlantic City – 12 months | ALL | 146,521,246 | 1,704,972,895 | 8.6% |
| Atlantic City – Low Edge | BALLY’S AC | 10,294,073 | 140,767,732 | 7.3% |
| Atlantic City – High Edge | CAESARS | 8,057,249 | 81,581,329 | 9.9 |
- Interesting to see that the slots in Atlantic City have a higher house edge. If you love a spin do it in Sin City
- Stick to baccarat at Caesars in Atlantic City
Slots – Multi Denominational
The multi denominational slots are the single biggest revenue drivers in both Las Vegas and Atlantic City, generating roughly four times the win of its nearest rival blackjack.
Once again, the theoretical house edge numbers sit within the theoretical house edge.
| SLOTS $MULTI – THEORETICAL HOUSE EDGE 5% to 20% | ||||
| CASINO | WIN $ | HANDLE $ | WIN % – EDGE | |
| Las Vegas – 3 months | STATEWIDE | 1,744,425,000 | N/A | 6.55% |
| Las Vegas – 12 months | STATEWIDE | 6,710,108,000 | N/A | 6.61% |
| Atlantic City – 12 months | ALL | 896,404,816 | 11,324,443,955 | 7.9% |
| Atlantic City – Low Edge | BORGATA | 221,890,145 | 3,357,824,394 | 6.6% |
| Atlantic City – High Edge | TROPICANA | 72,099,466 | 747,326,412 | 9.6% |
- Las Vegas casinos won nearly $7 billion on the multi-denominational slots – jackpot!
- Give the slots a swerve at the Atlantic City Tropicana
Theoretical Edge vs. Actual Edge
The math states that the three games at the casino with the lowest house edge are:
- Blackjack – 0.5% to 2%
- Baccarat – 1.06% to 1.24%
- Craps – Pass/Come bets at 1.41%
According to the data, the true – average – house edge is as follows:
- Blackjack – 14.65%
- Baccarat – 15.2%
- Craps – 17%
Quite an extraordinary discrepancy, especially for blackjack, a game where players can minimize house edge by playing better strategy.
Slots House Edge
The slots house edge is usually flipped and given as the Return to Player – RTP.
A typical slot will have an RTP of 95%. This is a house edge of 5%. It simply means that – over time – players will get 95 cents for every dollar gambled.
The RTP varies greatly from slot to slot. At some of the best payout online casinos you can find slots with an RTP as high as 99.07% – a house edge of just 0.93% – less than 1%.
Bricks and mortar slots tend to have a lower RTP (higher house edge). The average house edge for multi denominational slots is 7.4% – an RTP of 92.6%.
House Edge Home Truths
The data shows that there is a big gap between predicted outcome and actual outcome.
It could be a metaphor for life. More likely, it is simply an honest reflection of the fact that most people go to Las Vegas and Atlantic City to cut loose and have some fun.
There will be serious blackjack and craps players, players who know how to win at poker, playing sharp, and hitting the house edge.
However, most of us will try one last hand, watch the dealer hit a blackjack, and find ourselves looking for the last $10 buffet in town.
Meanwhile… over on the slots, the button bashers are the only players in Las Vegas getting true value for their action.
Wisdom comes with age and so does the best house edge in the casino. As a great philosopher once said: If you’re in Las Vegas and you want to win – just spin.
The Bottom Line
The house edge is the casino’s silent partner, ensuring profits while you chase the thrill, but the gap between theory and reality is glaring – games like blackjack, craps, and baccarat promise low edges but might deliver double-digit losses, thanks to human nature’s knack for defying perfect strategy.
So, if you’re rolling into Vegas or Atlantic City, remember: the house always wins, but where and how you play can tilt the scales.
