CALCULATOR
What does an hour at the table cost?
The average cost of play is your total wagers multiplied by the house edge. Change the numbers to see yours.
These are long-run averages, not predictions. A real session can end far above or far below them. Your pace is an example; count your own bets per hour at the table you choose.
The house edge, from lowest to highest
| Bet | Pays | House edge | How it is calculated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craps: Odds bet behind the pass line | True odds (2:1, 3:2 or 6:5 by point) | 0.00% | Pays exactly the chance of winning, so the house keeps nothing on this part of the wager. |
| Baccarat: Banker bet, 5% commission | 1:1 minus 5% commission | 1.06% | Banker wins 45.86% of hands and Player 44.62% (8 decks). 0.4586 × 0.95 − 0.4462 = −0.0106. |
| Baccarat: Player bet | 1:1 | 1.24% | 0.4462 − 0.4586 = −0.0124. Ties push. |
| Craps: Pass line | 1:1 | 1.41% | The pass line wins 244 of every 495 decisions: 1 − 2 × 244/495 = 7/495. |
| Craps: Place 6 or 8 | 7:6 | 1.51% | A 6 rolls before a 7 with probability 5/11: 5/11 × 7/6 − 6/11 = −1/66. |
| Roulette: Any bet, single-zero wheel | 35:1 on one number | 2.70% | 37 pockets, paid as if there were 36: −1/37. |
| Roulette: Any bet, double-zero wheel | 35:1 on one number | 5.26% | 38 pockets, paid as if there were 36: −2/38. |
| Roulette: Any bet, triple-zero wheel | 35:1 on one number | 7.69% | 39 pockets, paid as if there were 36: −3/39. |
| Roulette: Five-number bet (0-00-1-2-3) | 6:1 | 7.89% | 5/38 × 6 − 33/38 = −3/38. The worst bet on a double-zero wheel. |
| Craps: Big 6 or Big 8 | 1:1 | 9.09% | Wins 5 times for every 6 losses to a 7: 5/11 − 6/11 = −1/11. The same number placed pays 7:6 instead. |
| Baccarat: Tie bet | 8:1 | 14.36% | Ties happen on 9.52% of hands: 0.0952 × 8 − 0.9048 = −0.1436. |
| Craps: Any seven | 4:1 | 16.67% | A 7 comes up 1 time in 6: 1/6 × 4 − 5/6 = −1/6. |
Calculated by TopCasinosRanked on October 2, 2026 from the standard payouts shown. A table that pays differently has a different edge. Baccarat figures come from a full enumeration of eight decks under the standard drawing rules.
What the house edge actually measures
The house edge is the share of each bet the casino expects to keep over a very large number of plays. On a double-zero roulette wheel it is 5.26%: across $1,000 in total bets, the average cost is about $52.60. That is an average across many players and many hours. Your own result in one evening can be a big win or a big loss.
It is the mirror image of return to player. A game that returns 97.3% to players over the long run has a 2.7% house edge. Read how RTP and payouts work.
Same table, very different prices
The biggest differences are often between bets on the same table, not between casinos.
- Craps: the pass line costs 1.41%, and the odds bet you can add behind it pays true odds, so the casino keeps nothing on that portion. A few feet away, “any seven” costs 16.67%.
- Baccarat: Banker (1.06%) and Player (1.24%) are among the cheapest bets in the building. The Tie bet at 8:1 costs 14.36%.
- Roulette: one zero costs 2.70%, two zeros cost 5.26% and three zeros cost 7.69%. Check the wheel before you sit down.
- Big 6 and Big 8: they pay even money. Placing the same number pays 7:6 instead, which cuts the edge from 9.09% to 1.52%.
Blackjack: the 6:5 sign matters
Blackjack has no single house edge: it depends on the number of decks, the dealer’s rules and how well you play each hand. One rule is easy to spot. A natural blackjack usually pays 3:2, so a $10 bet wins $15. At a 6:5 table it wins $12. With six decks you are dealt a natural about 4.75% of the time, and the smaller payout adds roughly 1.36 percentage points to the casino’s edge. Read the felt before you buy in.
Slots: no single number
Every slot machine has its own theoretical return, and machines that look alike can be set differently. In Nevada, Gaming Commission Regulation 14.040 requires each gaming device to theoretically pay out at least 75% of every wager. That is a legal floor, not a typical figure. Look for the return information in the game’s help or rules screen. Online, the game’s information panel is the place to check.
Why no betting system beats it
Every bet in the table above has a negative expected value, except the craps odds bet, which is zero and can only be made on top of a pass or come bet that costs 1.41%. Raising your bet after a loss, changing tables or following a pattern does not change the payout rules, so it cannot turn a series of losing-on-average bets into a winning one. A system changes how your results swing, not what the casino keeps on average.
Use the edge to set a budget, not to chase losses. Decide what an evening of entertainment is worth to you, use the calculator to see roughly how long that budget lasts, and stop when it is spent. Find limits and free support.
Next: see how wagering requirements interact with the house edge or plan your first casino visit.
Sources & verification
- Nevada Gaming Commission Regulation 14.040 (Rev. 12/24)
- Gambling Commission: RTP calculation (technical definition, not U.S. licensing advice)
Sources checked October 2, 2026. Published terms and official records can change.
Common questions
What is the house edge?
It is the average share of each bet the casino keeps over the long run. A 5.26% edge means about $5.26 of every $100 wagered, on average across many plays.
Which casino bet has the lowest house edge?
Among the bets we calculated, the craps odds bet has no house edge, but it can only be added to a pass or come bet. The baccarat Banker bet (1.06%) and Player bet (1.24%) come next, followed by the craps pass line at 1.41%.
Is triple-zero roulette worse than double-zero roulette?
Yes. The extra pocket raises the edge from 5.26% to 7.69% while the payouts stay the same. A single-zero wheel costs 2.70%.
How much worse is 6:5 blackjack?
With six decks, paying 6:5 instead of 3:2 on a natural adds about 1.36 percentage points to the casino’s edge, whatever else the rules are.
What is the minimum slot payout in Nevada?
Nevada Gaming Commission Regulation 14.040 requires each gaming device to theoretically pay out at least 75% of every wager. Individual machines can be set higher.
Can a betting system beat the house edge?
No. Every bet keeps its expected value no matter how you size or sequence your bets.