One of the biggest mistakes made by online casino players is playing games without understanding the odds. Online casino game odds are generally driven by RTP or house edge. Understanding these concepts can help you find the best games to play with the best odds.
Understanding House Edge
You’ll often hear people talk about the house edge in relation to many online casino games. The house edge is the percentage the casino is expected to win from a player. It could also be considered how much you can expect to lose playing certain casino games.
For example, the Ante & Play bets in Three Card Poker has a house edge of 3.37%. That is how much the house expects to make of all bets at the casino. A simpler way to look at it is that a player will lose 3.37% of each bet over time. If you bet $100 in Three Card Poker, you can expect to lose at least $3.37.
This percentage is theoretical and applies to the game as a whole, not to an individual’s session. You could win or lose much more in any given session.
Understanding RTP
Next, let’s discuss RTP in casino games. RTP is short for Return to Player. It is the theoretical percentage that online casino games will pay out. Generally, when players refer to RTP, they are referring to slots.
For example, if a slot game has an RTP of 95%, then $95 out of every $100 will theoretically return to the player. Again, this is a theoretical percentage, and individual sessions can vary wildly.
As you’ve probably already guessed, RTP is another way to look at the house edge. An RTP of 95% is effectively a 5% house edge.
Additional Considerations for Slots
There are a couple of additional considerations when playing slots. First, always consider the variance of a slot game. Variance is the likelihood that a slot game will hit a winning combination. This can significantly impact individual sessions.
For example, low variance slots will have a lot of small payouts but few larger ones. Medium variance slots will have a mix of small and medium wins with the occasional big win. High variance slots will have very few small wins, but the chances of hitting a big win increases.
When you play high-variance games, your individual session wins, or losses could vary dramatically. The long-term RTP of the game will be the same. If you don’t like a lot of fluctuation in your wins, stick with low to medium-variance games.
Next, if you play progressive jackpot slots, pay attention to the percentage of RTP contributed by the jackpot. Often, a progressive jackpot game will have a base RTP and a percentage contributed by a jackpot.
For example, a game that has an RTP of 96% may have 1.6% of that RTP contributed by the jackpot. This would make the base game RTP 94.4%.
How to Find the House Edge or RTP of Casino Games
There are a couple of ways to find the house edge or RTP of a game. Many standard casino games like Blackjack, Craps, and Roulette have static house edges that are universally known. You can find this information in any good search.
For the house edge or RTP of online casino games, you can usually find this data in the information screens of the game. For slots, you may have to go to the end of the screen to get the data. Casino games may list the RTP or house edge in the rules section of the game.
Understand The Odds for the Best Chance to Win
Now that you have a handle on RTP and house edge, it is time to use that knowledge to find online casino games with the best odds. Before playing any game, take the time to look up the RTP or odds for the game. When applicable, check to see if there are any strategies you can use to improve your RTP or lower the house edge.
For slots, you want to stick with games with an RTP above 95%. The best online casino games have a house edge of around 3% or less. Blackjack has the lowest house edge of just 0.5% when you use an advanced strategy.
By knowing the odds and being selective about what games you play, you can reduce your losses and give yourself a better chance at winning at online casinos.
