- Blackjack is a popular casino game that’s beatable with the right strategy.
- Video --poker machines offer some of the best odds in the casino.
- Roulette may not be perfectly predictable, but you can still come out ahead.
If you want to make money gambling in a casino, your best bet (so to speak) is to stick to games other than slots.
Slots are the biggest money-maker for U.S. casinos. According to a 2016 study by the American Gaming Association, slots accounted for 69.3% of total casino wins that year.
People love playing the slots because they’re simple, affordable, and everywhere. But did you know that most slot games are programmed to keep you losing?
The expected value of slot play is negative. In other words, you’ll eventually lose more money than you win, no matter what you do.
This shouldn’t discourage you from visiting the slot machine section, though. I mean, everyone has different goals when they gamble.
Some folks just want to play a game, hopefully win some cash, and move on with their lives.
But if your goal is to win as much money as possible and not look ridiculous while doing it, you should consider playing other types of casino games.
Games like blackjack, craps, baccarat and others can be beaten over the long run with the right strategy and bankroll.
Read on to learn more about the best casino games to play besides slots.
5. Roulette
Roulette Odds
- European Roulette
- House Edge: 2.70%
- Payout Ratio: 97.3%
- French Roulette
- House Edge: 1.35%
- Payout Ratio: 98.65%
- American Roulette
- House Edge: 5.26%
- Payout Ratio: 94.74%
Is roulette a good gamble? It depends on the version of the game and how smart you’re being.
American roulette gets a bad odds rating mostly because it uses a wheel with 38 slots – 0, 00, and 1 to 36.
That extra two numbers really throw off the house edge, increasing it to 5.26%. If you prefer to play roulette in America, I recommend using this house edge calculator to help you better understand the math behind each spin.
French roulette is basically the same game, except it uses a wheel without the 0. That version of the game has only 37 slots, which reduces your house edge to 1.35%.
Another thing that makes roulette one of the top casino games to play instead of slots is the way you can alter the house edge with betting options.
For instance, you can reduce the house edge to 2.70% by placing certain even money bets (known as “splpl splits”) in French or European roulette. And furthermore, you can place the Meski’s Dirty Dozen bet, which lowers the house edge to just 1.35%
Of course, just because the odds are in your favor doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to win. Casinos aren’t stupid for staying profitable; they simply tweak their odds to ensure they always come out ahead.
That’s why I wouldn’t recommend relying entirely on roulette if you’re trying to make real money at the casino. This game is unpredictable and can eat through your bankroll quickly.
Still, it’s certainly one of the more interesting gambling games that pay out more than they should.
4. Baccarat
Baccarat Odds
- Banker (-5.8%)
- Player (1.06%)
- Tie (14.36%)
Baccarat used to be considered a James Bond sorts of game, but its reputation has changed over the years. Now, it’s thought of as a game an elderly woman from Topeka might enjoy.
Obviously, that’s not entirely fair.
Yes, baccarat was once featured in a James Bond movie, but so was Las Vegas. That doesn’t mean either of them is exclusive to spies, millionaires, or old ladies from Kansas.
Anyway, the point I’m trying to make here is that baccarat is definitely one of the .
It’s often portrayed as a difficult game to understand, but all you really need to know is that there are three potential outcomes to every bet – player, banker, or tie.
Most bettors will alternate between banker and player bets, but the wise ones stick to the banker’s hand to increase their chances of winning.
You’ll lose a 5% commission on banker bets that win, but the overall house edge is still -5.8%, which is significantly lower than most casino games. The player’s hand also performs well, carrying a meager 1.06% house edge.
Even the tie bet isn’t too bad, carrying a 14.36% payout ratio/house edge. Ties only happen once every 9 bets, so don’t feel bad about betting on neither the banker nor player and walking away with a sweet 8 to 1 payout.
Can you make money playing baccarat? Absolutely. Is it the most exciting game on this list of casino games where you can’t lose? Probably not.
One unique feature of baccarat that makes it worth considering, however, is the ability to score relatively high despite having a small bankroll.
Unlike most table games, which have a minimum bet of $5 or $10, baccarat tables often start at $25. This means you can get several hands into the action before you go broke.
It won’t take you very long to double your money if you keep betting on the banker’s hand, too.
3. Craps
Craps Odds
- Pass Line/Don’t Pass Line
- House Edge: 1.41%
- Any 7
- House Edge: 16.67%
- Craps (2 Outs)
- House Edge: 13.89%
- Eleven
- House Edge: 11.11%
- 7 Out
- House Edge: 12.5%
- Snake Eyes
- House Edge: 9.19%
Next up on my list of the best casino games to play instead of slots is craps.
Craps are often feared by newbies, but the truth is that it’s not that complicated – especially if you stick to the basic bets.
Pass line and don’t pass line wagers both offer some of the best odds in the casino, carrying a meager 1.41% house edge. You just put your chips down on the pass line before the shooter rolls the dice, and then let luck do its thing.
Other craps bets, such as snake eyes (a bet on 2) and craps (a bet on 2 or 3), aren’t quite as good but still better than anything you’ll find in the slot machine section.
Now, I should note that lots of craps bets have incredibly high house edges. Betting on any seven or craps (2 out) fall into this category.
It’s up to you to decide whether the craps odds are good enough to warrant placing a risky bet. I prefer to stick with the basics and hope to hit a big roll rather than try to hit the jackpot.
Real Casino Secrets That Online Casinos Don't Want You to KnowIncidentally, the largest craps win in history came in at over $3.5 million. So, there’s that.
Hopefully, this piece has helped convince you of the benefits of craps versus slots. If you need more persuading, check out our guide to playing craps online to win real money.
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2. Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker Odds
- House – Edge 1.30% / Payout Ratio 98.70%
- Player – Edge 1.44% / Payout Ratio 98.56%
Video poker machines are great and everything, but they can’t match the excitement of playing pai gow poker against another person.
Unfortunately, it can be tough to find a pai gow poker table that doesn’t also feature a house seat. The dealer in pai gow poker doesn’t affect the outcome of the game, but they do give some people the heebie jeebies.
I suggest looking for a table with at least three players so that the dealer has to leave. Another option is to sit at a minium and wait for enough people to show up to play.
Once you’re seated around the table, the fun begins.
Pai gow poker works kind of like this – each player and the dealer are dealt six cards, and they must make two poker hands out of those six cards.
One hand consists of five cards, and the other consists of two cards. The five card hand must be stronger than the two card hand.
If you’ve never played pai gow poker before, I recommend fixing your two card hand to the strongest possible value.
That means putting your two highest cards in the high hand and your next four cards in the low hand if you’ve been dealt AAQQJ.
The bottom hand in ties, so this fix will help you win more ties than not.
When the house offers the promotion, you might even be able to get an additional payout when both of your hands beat the dealer’s hands. This bonus usually pays out according to the player’s hand rank (e.g. Straight bonus goes to people who make a straight, etc.).
Whether or not the promotions are available, pai gow poker is still one of the top casino games to play instead of slots.
With the proper strategy, you can expect to win about 98.56% of the money you wager.
1. Blackjack
Blackjack Odds
- Basic Strategy
- House Edge: 0.5 – 1.00%
- Counting (Vegas Style)
- House Edge: -1.5 – 1.00%
There’s a reason why blackjack remains the most popular casino game other than slots.
First off, blackjack is fun. It’s not as mindless as pulling a virtual arm on a fancy video machine. Instead, you get to participate actively in the game and use skill to beat the house.
Secondly, blackjack is one of the only casino games that actually pays better than it looks at first glance.
By using basic strategy and avoiding things like side bets and insurance, you can expect to win at least 98.5% of the money you wager. Essentially, blackjack offers casino gamblers the same odds they would find at online casinos.
Better yet, counting cards can tilt the odds in your favor and turn blackjack into one of the few casino games that pay you.
Of course, casino blackjack game rules can vary, which affects the house edge. In general, you’ll want to look for games offered with fewer than eight decks and a 3:2 payout for blackjack.
A table like that could carry a house edge as low as 0.5%, making it easier to win money in the casino than to lose. Here’s a closer look at the numbers.
Many casinos now offer blackjack tables with lower minimum bets. You can often find a table that starts at $5 or $10, which makes the game suitable for low rollers.
Here’s a helpful hint – you can use the betting optimization strategy to extend your bankroll even further.
So, there you have it. Blackjack is definitely the best casino game to play besides slots. Whether you believe the house blackjack myth or not, it’s hard to argue against numbers this good.
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How to Win Money Gambling in a Casino
As you can see, there are plenty of good casino games that pay out better than slots.
That doesn’t guarantee you’ll leave the casino richer than you were when you arrived, of course. Here are a few more tips that should help you win money at the casino.
1. Set a Budget and Stick to It
Everyone has different financial circumstances, so it’s impossible to say exactly how much you should bring to the casino. I will say, however, that you shouldn’t plan on turning $20 into $200.
Sure, it can happen. But your odds of going bankrupt are almost twice as high as your odds of retiring a millionaire.
High 5 Casino Hacks & Secrets (Promo Code + More)Set a bankroll that you’re comfortable with and stick to it. Divide that bankroll into units based on the minimum bet for the game and the stakes you’re planning to use. For example, if you have a $400 bankroll and you’re going to bet $5 per hand of blackjack, then each unit would be worth $5.
When gambling in a casino, I recommend starting with one unit per bet. If you lose a bet, you keep playing as long as you still have more units left. Once you win a bet, you add another unit to your bankroll and keep climbing.
In other words, you’re not just playing to win back lost cash; you’re playing to profit.
2. Know the Rules Before Playing Casino Games Online or in Person
I’ve said it already, and I’ll say it again: know the rules before playing a new game. Every game has variations that could change the house edge, minimum bet size, and other important details.
Roulette is a perfect example of a game that can be found in many different forms. The house edge for American roulette is 5.26%, but it drops all the way down to 1.35% for French roulette games that don’t feature the 00.
It’s easy to look past the rules when you see colorful lights, shiny slots, and friendly dealers waiting to take your bets. I mean, who wants to read through a bunch of boring rules when they could be dropping quarters into a shiny machine with a picture of a volcano on the side?
Unfortunately, only the foolish prefer experience over knowledge.
Before you hit the town with your friends, take some time to research the casino games you’d like to play. You might realize the hard way that you didn’t know as much as you thought you did about roulette, craps, slots, and other games.
3. Use a Strategy
I’ve already mentioned the importance of blackjack strategy, but that’s not the only game that strategies exist for.
Baccarat strategies are largely based on streaks, although no amount of decision making can totally overcome the 1.06% house edge on the player’s bet. Craps strategies are more complex, but several solid resources are available online to help you make sense of it all.
virginia casino gamesVideo poker is another game that responds well to a solid strategy. You could even argue that a solid understanding of the game’s pay tables and the optimal way to use wild cards counts as a strategy.
Ultimately, strategies boil down to making the right decisions in any given situation. By making the mathematically correct choice hundreds or thousands of times per hour, you can save yourself enough mistakes to cover the casino’s house edge.
In other words, strategies allow you to beat the casino at his own game.
Best Live Poker Rooms in Las Vegas (2023 Update)4. Take Advantage of Casino Game Bonuses
Do you enjoy playing online casino games that pay off? If so, I suggest signing up for an account at .
The social casino lets you play for free, but some sites force you to play against other players to win prizes. No one knows when the next get’s social casino regulations off the ground, but until then, I prefer to play games where I know I’ll receive something for nothing sooner rather than later.
Real money casinos offer welcome bonuses, loyalty rewards, and other incentives that can pad your bankroll and boost your odds of winning. Check out our to see what I mean.
I should note that play money is available at most real money online casinos, too. You can practice playing casino games with a chance of winning real money without even leaving the house. That’s a combination that even Willy Wonka couldn’t concoct.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Walk Away
You didn’t go to the casino to lose hundreds of bucks, did you? Of course not. Everyone hopes to leave the casino with more money than they arrived with.
The key to achieving this lofty goal is knowing when to walk away.
I suggest setting a target for how much you want to win before you even arrive at the casino. Once you reach that target, it’s time to quit while you’re ahead.
You can use the same reasoning to determine when to cut your losses short. If an hour of play has passed and you haven’t come close to reaching your target, it might be time to conserve what little money you have left and hit the bricks.
Remember, the goal is to win money gambling in a casino – not to blow your life savings in the name of entertainment.
Beat the Casino With These Top Casino Games That Aren’t Slots
Slots are the worst games in the casino, and