When it comes to casino gaming, luck often gets all the attention. But, behind every spin or hand is a set of odds that determine your chances of winning. As a player, understanding how the games pay out and what is at stake can help you make smart gaming decisions. On this page, we’ll take a closer look at what casino odds are and how they can directly influence your gaming experience.
What Are Casino Odds?
Casino odds are what most players know as the house edge. This is the built-in mathematical advantage that the casino has in every wager. This rate is constant in every casino game, although the percentage varies in options like online slots and instant-win games.
Take European Roulette as an example. The house edge is 2.70%, which means that for every $100 you bet, the casino expects to keep about $2.70 in the long run. So if you wager $1,000, your average return would be about $973. You might win or lose more in the short term, but over time, this small percentage is what keeps the casino profitable.
What’s the difference between the house edge and RTP?
RTP (return to player) is another standard term used by the best online casinos in Canada. While RTP and house edge are closely related, they’re shown from different perspectives. Both are written as percentages, and both explain what players can expect to win or lose over time.
The difference is that house edge is casino-focused, while RTP is player-focused. Sticking with the earlier example, a European Roulette can give players a 97.30% RTP. That’s what you can win in the long term if things go your way.
Other Things That Can Affect Casino Odds
Okay, let’s say that we can all agree that RTP and house edge are the factors that impact casino winnings the most. However, several other factors can affect your odds too. Volatility is often another factor that impacts your game. Volatility is a measure of how frequently a slot game can form a winning combination. The volatility can be as follows:
- High: Games with high volatility ratings can pay out bigger amounts but less frequently.
- Low: A low volatility slot can pay out more often, although in smaller amounts.
- Medium: These games provide the sweet spot between low and high volatility ratings.
Rules and strategy can also affect payout odds, especially in table games. For instance, a blackjack table paying out at a rate of 3:2 instead of 6:5 has a lower house edge. You can also reduce the house edge by using strategies like counting cards and splitting aces. Understanding these features can help you increase your odds of winning.
Top 5 Casino Games with the Highest Odds
Casino games have varying payout odds, depending on factors like software providers and game variants. Here are five exciting titles with tantalizingly high payout odds.
Double Bonus Poker
- Game Type: Poker
- Game Provider: Tangente
- House Edge: -17%
- Where to Play: Only-Win Casino
Yes, you read that right; some casino games can provide negative house edge values. With an optimal strategy, you can increase the RTP to 100.17% in Double Bonus Poker. It’s a full-pay variant with 10x, 7x, and 5x payouts for the full house, flush, and straight hands, respectively. However, you can only achieve this number with a perfect strategy. Still, Double Bonus is worth a try if you’re an avid poker player.
Blackjack Neo
- Game Type: Blackjack
- Game Provider: Relax Gaming
- House Edge: 0.40%
- Where to Play: Wyns Casino
Blackjack Neo by Relax Gaming is a multi-hand game that lets you enjoy 99.60% RTP with an optimal strategy. This game pays out 3:2 for a blackjack, which already gives you a head start before you play. You can play with a blackjack strategy chart to know when to perform moves like hitting, standing, splitting, and doubling down. This game also has a “Best Move Indicator” to help avoid common pitfalls in Blackjack. It’s an excellent choice for beginners.
Book of 99
- Game Type: Slot
- Game Provider: Relax Gaming
- House Edge: 1%
- Where to Play: 1Red Casino
Slots often offer some of the lowest payout rates, with most titles struggling to go above 97%. However, Book of 99 gives the casino a mere 1% house edge, making it one of the best slots around. In this game, you’ll battle among the gods to receive a divine reward of up to 5,000x the stake. Collecting the book symbol can help you complete winning combinations and trigger the free spins rounds. It’s an excellent example of not judging a book by its cover.
Cleopatra Plus
- Game Type: Slot
- Game Provider: IGT
- House Edge: 3.46%
- Where to Play: Casumo Casino
The Cleopatra game by IGT really made a name for itself at land-based casinos in Vegas back in the day. Today, this game is available online with multiple respawns in circulation. Cleopatra Plus follows in the original installment’s footsteps while spicing up the action with a Level Up Plus game. You can gain followers by landing scatters and level up your status to unlock the free spins round. The variable RTP of this game can range between 92.8% and 96.54%.
Starburst
- Game Type: Slot
- Game Provider: NetEnt
- House Edge: 3.91%
- Where to Play: Vera&John Casino
Released in 2012, this classic 5-reeler is still topping casino charts to date. I must admit the 96.09% RTP isn’t the most reassuring payout rate, although it’s still above average. However, Starburst compensates for that with an extremely low volatility rating. This game also boasts several exciting features, including the Win-Both-Ways engine and Expanding Starburst Wilds. It’s one of the best mobile slots out there.
The Importance of Managing Your Expectations
Now that you know the casino games with some of the best odds in Canada, it’s important to keep your expectations realistic. Casinos calculate these odds based on millions of spins, hands, or rounds, not on a single session. This means luck plays a big role in the short term. You might win big on your first try, or you might lose several rounds in a row.
To avoid disappointments, you’ve got to plan your budget as you would for a dinner date or a movie night. That’s because casino game results can be pretty unpredictable. Set your gaming limits and know how much you can gamble away before you start playing. Nothing is certain in the world of online casinos.
Last Odds
You now understand how casino odds work and how they can affect your sessions. Understanding the odds can help you improve your experience by choosing the best gaming opportunities. However, always keep in mind that higher odds don’t guarantee success. Manage your bankroll accordingly and play for fun. Good luck!