By: Jay Adrianna - at February 15, 2015

Las Vegas is one town that everyone has to travel to at least one time in their life. The lights and the action are something that everyone can get a kick out of. In recent years, the gritty undertones have been replaced with an almost Disney feel. Everything is family friendly, and the hotels even have amusement park rides the whole family can enjoy. Of course, at its heart, Las Vegas will always be a gambling town. Even with all of the weddings and bachelor parties going on, it is still about the almighty buck at the various casinos throughout town. Every restaurant and every hotel has some way in which you can put your money on the line. These are the places with the best odds of you being able to win big when you are visiting Las Vegas.

15) The Venetian
This is one of the prettiest casinos that can be found in Las Vegas, or anywhere else for that matter. From the moment you walk in the door, it is nonstop opulence with gilded décor and ceilings that will certainly make you lose your footing. The massive size of the casino floor may seem off-putting at first, but you will soon get your bearings, and start to enjoy everything that the betting floor has to offer. You can find your niche very quickly with a slew of different games that you are able to get involved in. Everything from slots to blackjack to sports betting is available here. If you enjoy Spanish 21, the Venetian offers some of the best odds for winning at this game in Las Vegas.

The Venetian
By Ricky Barnard via Wikimedia Commons

One of the main draws is that you are able to take advantage of mobile betting. Simply download the app that allows you to bet on races and other games, and you are able to place a bet and check in on the status of your bet as you are walking throughout the hotel. It is not necessary to stay on the casino floor, but with all of the re-creations of art masterpieces, you may be inclined to stay and just take pictures even if you did not have any luck at the tables.

Outside of The Venetian
By ZooFari via Wikimedia Commons

14) Palms Casino Resort
When you are not trying to win your nest egg at the tables in the Palms casino resort, you can enjoy the movie theater or the nightclubs and bars. Once you are ready to sit down, you may not be shocked to find that you are elbow to elbow with Hollywood royalty. Many legends of the silver screen like to hang out at the Palms because of the great restaurants as well as the great gambling that is offered. Among the major casinos, this is one of the few that has some pretty decent odds of winning even if you are betting against some of the higher stakes players.

Palm's Place
By Marc Berry via Wikimedia Commons

CRAPS PASS LINE BET 1.41% HOUSE EDGE The craps table features some of the best bets in the casino. Put your chips on the pass line, and you will win if a seven or an 11 is rolled and lose if a two, three or 12 is rolled. If any other number is rolled, you will win if that number is rolled again before a seven is rolled but lose if it isn’t. Placing the six and eight at the craps table is one of the best bets in the game. The house edge is only 1.52 percent. The 6 and 8 are rolled more frequently than any number other than the 7.

The only real suggestion here is to stay away from the slot machines. These are the bread and butter of the casino since the odds are stacked against the players, even though state law requires that they pay out at least 75 percent of what they take. At the tables, there are several people betting against the house. If you find yourself at a table with people who are less skilled than you, you have just as much chance of beating the house as they do. Regular tournament play is on Wednesdays, so if you are just in town to have fun, and don’t feel like a tourney, you might want to skip this one in the middle of the week.

Palms Basketball Suite

13) Circus Circus
If you have the kids along with you, they will certainly get bored if you are at the tables gambling all night long. This is when you might want to consider taking them to Circus Circus. This casino is very family oriented and has décor your children will find highly engaging. They are able to take advantage of the amusement park and the video arcades while you are trying your luck at the tables. It is the best way to make sure you can turn a family vacation into a gambling vacation for you.

By Mutari via Wikimedia Commons

Best of all, since the atmosphere of this casino tends to ward off many of the high rollers, it allows beginning gamblers an advantage in the game. You will be able to play at the poker tables without having to worry about seasoned players taking all of your cash. Chances are that you will be playing against some other tired parents just looking for something fun to do rather than watching the kids for a change. If nothing else, you might just make some friends out your gambling foray.

Midway, Circus Circus

12) Aria Resort & Casino
If you are looking for luxury, it is hard to beat Aria. This is one of the newest casinos on the strip and it is the only casino that is located within the City Center development. The main thing that sets its gambling floor apart from the rest of the casinos' is that it has an open feel. The other casinos give you a kind of claustrophobic feeling with closed roofs and no way to see anything but gleaming lights and gamblers as far as the eye can see. The open construction of Aria is a welcome departure from the norm.

Front View of Aria Resort and Casino
By Sarah Nichols via Wikimedia Commons

If you are getting tired of rolling dice and hunching over the poker table, you can order up a chair massage right on the casino floor. This is a very unique service you will not find at any other casinos. While the massage may not make you a better gambler, you will at least feel like you got something out of money that you spent while on the casino floor.

Lobby of the Aria Hotel
By Colin Rose via Wikimedia Commons

One of the best bets if you are a poker player is that it has more poker tables and options than just about any other casino in town.

11) The Excalibur
Any expert in Las Vegas will tell you to start small and work your way up as you get more experience on the gambling floor. This is why the Excalibur is one of the best casinos to get started at. You will not be surrounded by all those professional gamblers that see the inside of a casino more often than they see their home. There are $5 minimums available, so you are able to start off small and see where things take you. Since the biggest opposition you are likely to face is the dealer, you will have a pretty good shot at winning at least a few hands. If nothing else, it is a good place to get your bearings on what you can expect at some of the larger casinos.

Excalibur During Daytime
By Brian Whitmarsh via Wikimedia Commons

The Excalibur is one of the older casinos in town, so do not expect a lot in the way of glitz and glamour. Also, do not expect a lot of comps. Unless you are willing to spend all your money at the slots (never a good idea) you are not likely to get much for free while you are gambling. Now, if you hit a big winning streak, you will certainly get some free drinks and maybe even a free meal, but you are better off getting your meal elsewhere.

Night View of Excalibur from Tropicana Avenue
By Josh Truelson via Wikimedia Commons

10) Mandalay Bay
After watching poker played on television and in the movies, everyone thinks that they are an expert. Las Vegas is a great town to put those feelings to the test. If you truly have the talent, you will find out. If you don’t, you will surely lighten your load while in town. If you just want to try your hand in a real setting, there is no better practice ground than at the Mandalay Bay. This is one of the casinos known for poker, and it is among the only places in town where the casino will actually teach you how to play for free. If you show up in the afternoon, there are lessons given to anyone who wants to take them. Just be careful who is watching you learn.

Mandalay Bay
By Kris1123 via Wikimedia Commons

While you are at the Mandalay Bay, take a little time to walk away from the table and experience the rest of the casino. It is one of the hotels in town that likes to put on a big water and lights show. Since there are so many people drawn to the casino for the entertainment, the odds are stacked pretty well in your favor. With so many different gambling options, you have the ability to choose something you have some talent for.

View from Pool at Mandalay Bay
By Erin Khoo via Wikimedia Commons

9) The Flamingo
This is the casino that many remember from the movie 'Swingers.' It is one of the older casinos in town, and as such, it does not draw a lot of the professional gamblers. Additionally, the tables allow you to place smaller bets and get your feet wet. While you are able to start small, you will also be able to move your way up to playing at some of the higher stakes tables if you feel so inclined. Just make sure that you are getting yourself a drink while you are on a winning streak. More than likely your drink will be for free, and that just makes a good time better.

The Flamingo
By Kvasir via Wikimedia Commons

While many may flock to the Flamingo for the low $5 betting available, they will stay for the inviting atmosphere of the staff and the décor. You are not distracted by a lot of lights and sound. Instead, there is a more subdued atmosphere, so that you are able to concentrate on what you are doing while you are at the table. It can help to bring the fun back for you.

Bugsy Siegel Memorial Outside the Wedding Chapel at the Flamingo Hotel
By Jarhed via Wikimedia Commons

8) Tropicana Las Vegas
If you are going to go to Tropicana, make sure that you join the Players Club first. This is a club that will allow you to have protection if you decide to play the machine-betting games. If you should lose $200, you are protected over the course of three days. This is reimbursed in the form of a “free play” rather than actually giving you your money back. You will at least be given the opportunity to win your money back. It is suggested that if you already have lost $200, don’t go beyond your free plays and lose $200 more. Switch to some other kind of gambling instead.

Tropicana Las Vegas North Tower
By Matthäus Wander via Wikimedia Commons

As some of the older hotels have been demolished or given in to lower rate tables, Tropicana has been able to hold on as one of the better casinos. This may be in large part due to the $200 million renovation that the casino went through. The new theme of Tropicana is to make it look like the casino is set in South Beach. You can find graphics from “Sex and the City”, “The Hangover”, and “Ghostbusters” on the different walls. You can still find low limits to bet on if you are not willing to risk some of the higher stakes.

Casino and Leaded-Glass Ceiling

7) Paris Las Vegas
Those who live close to the strip will tell you that you have to go to Paris, if for no other reason than to try out the Le Village Buffet. It is renowned as being one of the best on the strip. Of course, you may go for the buffet, but you will stay for the gambling, and the gambling floor will not disappoint you. Keep in mind that the casino floor is pretty big, but you will not have to worry about getting lost. There are definitely larger and more confusing casino floors on the strip. The staff has been rated well and will be more than happy to help you should you not be able to find what it is you are looking for.

Paris Las Vegas
By thinboyfatter via Wikimedia Commons

If you are worried about getting hooked by the professional gamblers, simply stay out of the high stakes rooms. This is where all of the high rollers go to play on a daily basis. The sports bet areas are among the favorite spots for locals and tourists alike to find a fun place to relax. Just settle in and lean back in front of one of the large TVs, and watch the game. Even if you are losing money, you will still be able to enjoy watching the game and having a drink.

Paris Las Vegas Lit up at Night
By ZooFari via Wikimedia Commons

6) Binion’s Gambling Hall & Hotel
While you are in Las Vegas, you are supposed to check out the Fremont Street Experience, and when you go to Binion’s, you are able to do just that. This is the casino where the World Series of Poker got its start. Beginning in 1970, the now famous series brought together some of the best in poker to try their hand at winning a truly huge pot. Do not let this intimidate you from trying to play poker at these tables. There are many novices that want to play in this historic location, and you will be among them, which puts you at good odds of winning whenever you are playing. Just make sure to stay away from the high limit tables if you are unsure of your skills.

Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel

You will not be able to stay the night at Binion’s since the hotel closed in 2009, but you can still get a bite to eat in between hands at the blackjack and poker tables. If you do not want to worry about coins when playing slots, this is the place for you since you will be using a “ticket-in ticket-out” system while you are playing the machines.

Fremont Street Showcasing Golden Nugget and Binion's
By Johnwalton via Wikimedia Commons

5) The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
The Cosmopolitan is another of the casinos where you can take advantage of the Players Club and get a $100 rebate for machine losses. This is another of the newer casinos in town, and it offers a lot for the whole family. You will be able to check out the bars while the kids are enjoying themselves. The restaurants will have something for everyone, so you can have a nice family dinner before sending the kids to bed and seeing what you can do with their college funds.

Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino
By Allen McGregor via Wikimedia Commons

You may want to consider staying at the Cosmopolitan while you are in town. Like several other hotel-casinos, there is a good chance that if you start winning, they will comp your room rate for the duration of your stay.

Night View of the Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino
By Cygnusloop99 via Wikimedia Commons

4) El Cortez Hotel & Casino
Almost everyone will tell you to check out El Cortez while you are in Las Vegas. This is for a few different reasons. For one thing, the casino is not on the strip. Instead, it is downtown, and you are able to have better luck with the odds because the casino is not one of the ones where many of the locals will try to prey on tourists. If you are going to be there on the weekend, even better. You will be able to check out the food truck festival that is held there every Saturday. This will allow you to experience all of the different foods that these vendors have to offer.

El Cortez Hotel & Casino

On top of being one of the better places to eat on the weekends, the casino is on Fremont Street, which is a destination that every tourist needs to check out at least once while they are in Las Vegas. This is because the whole Las Vegas scene would not exist if it were not for the downtown area. El Cortez is just one of the last stalwarts left from this bygone era and is a must see. It does not hurt that the odds of you winning are in favor while you are gambling here.

Inside of El Cortez

3) Caesar’s Palace
It is hard to imagine a trip to Las Vegas without going to Caesar’s Palace. There are very few places that can be described as truly Las Vegas in style, but this is one of them. The entire scene is all out opulence. Built as if it was built for Caesar himself, the entire casino and hotel resembles something out of ancient Rome, with a hefty dose of mythology. It is no wonder that just about all of the boxing matches occur at this location. If you just want to be entertained, you can find what you are looking for at Cleopatra’s Barge, including some great drinks and dancing.

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Caesars Palace View from Across Bellagio Lake

Of course you are in Las Vegas for the gambling, so you will want to mosey on down to the poker tables. Steer clear of them during the tournament schedules. You will know when these are going on because they are highly publicized within the casino. Keno and sports book, along with tons of slots, give you the choice of how you want to play the odds. Staying with card games will give you the best odds of winning.

Sports Book Betting Area at Caesars Palace
By Blane via Wikimedia Commons

World Famous Forum Shops at Caesars Palace

2) MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
MGM Grand puts the grand back into the casino. It is actually the biggest in Las Vegas. Heck, it is the biggest resort complex in the world. There is simply nothing that can compare with the absolute magnitude of the MGM Grand. As such, the odds are in your favor. If you walk up to a table and you notice that the dealer knows every single person there, just walk on to find a table at which you are not the only stranger. The more people from out of town you can find at a table, the better your chances are of winning because they are not career local gamblers.

MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
By Bobak Ha'Eri via Wikimedia Commons

You do not always have to play poker whenever you want to play a table game. You can also get involved in Casino War, roulette, Pai Gow and more. If you are into poker and that is all you want to play, you will be able to find a multitude of poker games that you can play as well as the varying stakes that are available to you so your chances are even better of winning.

Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand
By Izx from Wikimedia Commons

1) Bellagio
If you are looking for sophistication, you cannot beat the Bellagio Casino. This is one of the ultimate luxury resorts. As such, you can expect that there are not going to be many low stake tables to get involved in. Of course, you can also expect that you will have a really easy time of winning. The locals tend to stay away from the tables, and big money players come in from out of town to try their luck, often with more money than knowledge of the game.

Bellagio Casino at Night
By Photographersnature via Wikimedia Commons

Expect to get free drinks as long as you are able to stay at the table. In fact, you can expect to get pretty much anything for free as long as you are not losing too much. If you go up and down, you may still be able to get a lot out of the experience. Just make sure that this is not your first stop, so you are able to get some experience under your belt before going for the big money. With some decent experience, the odds are stacked in your favor to win at Bellagio.

'Dancing' Fountains of the Bellagio
By Photographersnature via Wikimedia Commons

Conclusion
These Las Vegas casinos are just a handful of the hundreds of casinos you can try out. The locals will tell you that the best odds are at the casinos outside of town, but gambling experts will tell you to never bet with the locals. This is especially true if you are a novice at gambling. The locals that bet every day will smell you coming from a mile away and cozy right up to you until even your emergency backup money is gone. The best advice is to bet on what you are comfortable with, and above all else, have fun. Never gamble what you are not willing to lose, and never bet with the thought about what you might win. Approach your trip to Las Vegas with these 15 places in mind and bet with a level head, and you might still have some money for a drink on the plane.

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Introduction

The following list shows what I consider to be the 13 best bets in the casino. This started as a top ten list, but then I realized I forgot about three games. In my forum there was a lengthy debate about how a games value should be measured. The way I am measuring how good a bet is the ratio of average money lost to average money bet. In this scenario, the lower the better. This ratio is what I call the element of risk. It should not be confused with the house edge, which does not factor in supplemental wagers, like raising in poker-based games, in the average bet.

A good example of a game where the measurement matters is Mississippi Stud. The house edge, as defined as the ratio of money lost to the initial wager, is 2.64%. However, the average amount bet raising is 71.4% the amount of the Ante bet. That additional amount bet should be factored into the value of the game. Thus, the element of risk in Mississippi Stud is the expected money lost of 0.0264 units to the total amount bet of 1.714 units, which comes to 1.54%.

Some on my forum argued I should factor in the speed of a game, usually measured in hands per hour. This is a good point, but game speed varies. I do indicate the hands per hour of each game as well as the standard deviation. Others argued for games with a low volatility. Again, a good point, but some players like volatile games. If you enjoy a 'dribbler,' meaning a slow game with low volatility, you should mentally factor in games with a slow speed and low standard deviation. If you want something more exciting, then look for a game with a high speed and standard deviation.

Other factors that went into the list are the rules of the games, which often vary. I tried to go with the best available rules here in Las Vegas. In particular, I tend to use the MGM-Mirage properties, which generally offer more favorable games rules. Some of these rules are available only at high limits, which I shall comment on when that is the case. I also tried to stick to games that are easily found. This was sometimes a judgment call. I expect others may disagree about what games and rules I consider to be easily available, which is fine. Please take my choices with a grain of salt.

This list assumes the player is playing optimal to near optimal strategy. Most players do not know what they are doing at the tables and will pay a price for errors in games of skill. If you fly by the seat of your pants in decisions of strategy, then I would add about 3% to the element of risk. I also assume the player is playing only the base game and avoiding all side bets and any other bets that are not mentioned. Mixing in other bets will increase the casino's edge.

With the cavaets out of the way, I present my 13 best bets in the casino, from lowest to highest.

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13. High Card Flush

• House edge: 2.64%
• Element of risk: 1.54%
• Standard deviation: 1.63
• Hands per hour: Apx. 50

High Card Flush is a simple flush-based poker game that has risen in popularity in recent years. At the time of this writing, in April 2020, my table games survey showed 11 placements around Las Vegas.

The object is to have a longer run of cards in the same suit than the dealer. Like Three Card Poker, there is just a single raise or fold decision to be made. The basic strategy is simple, raise with a three-card 10-8-6 or higher.

More information:

12. Mississippi Stud

• House edge: 2.64%
• Element of risk: 1.54%
• Standard deviation: 9.84
• Hands per hour: Apx. 50

Mississippi Stud is one of the most successful poker variants in the last decade. The object is to get a high-ranking five-card poker hand. There is no dealer hand to beat. As the cards are revealed, the player must decide to raise small, raise big, or fold. The strategy can easily be fit on an index card.

At the time of this writing, it has 13 placements in Las Vegas. Beware that with a standard deviation of 9.84, it can be a feast or famine kind of game.

More information:

11. Roulette

• House edge: 1.35%
• Element of risk: 1.35%
• Standard deviation: 0.99
• Spins per hour: 35

Roulette makes the list but only under the liberal French rules and then on even money bets only. Here is a quick recap of the various forms of roulette rules, from worst to best:

• Triple-zero — House edge of 7.89% on every bet.
• Double-zero — House edge of 5.26% on most bets (the exception being 7.89% on the “first five' bet)
• Atlantic City Rules — Same as double-zero rules, except even money bets lose half only if the ball lands in either zero. The house edge is the same as double-zero rules, except on even money bets it drops to 2.64%.
• Single-zero — This is something referred to as European rules. The house edge on every bet is 2.70%.
• French Rules — Same as single-zero rules, except even money bets lose half only if the ball lands in zero. The house edge is the same, except it drops to 1.35% on even money bets.

Only even money bets in French roulette make my top ten. Unfortunately, for most, this game can be found at high-limit tables only. Many MGM-Mirage properties have tables with the French rules starting at a $50 minimum.

For more information, please see my roulette page.

10. Crazy 4 Poker

• House edge: 3.42%
• Element of risk: 1.09%
• Standard deviation: 3.13
• Hands per hour: Apx. 50

Crazy 4 Poker is another popular poker variant. At the time of this writing, there were 25 installments in Las Vegas. The object is to have a better four-card poker hand than the dealer. There is only one decision to fold, make a small raise, or (in some cases) make a big raise. The strategy is quite simple:

• Make large raise with pair of aces or better.
• Otherwise, make small raise with K-Q-8-4 or better.
• Otherwise, fold.

More information:

9. Baccarat

• House edge: 1.06%
• Element of risk: 1.06%
• Standard deviation: 0.93
• Hands per hour: Apx. 70

Baccarat is a very simple game with a house edge as low as 1.06%, assuming the player bets on the Banker only. If you must make other bets, here is the house edge of all the major bets, from best to worst:

• Banker: 1.06%
• Player: 1.24%
• Player pair, banker pair: 10.36%
• Tie: 14.36%

The number of times I've seen anyone follow the strategy of betting the Banker only is zero. Rather, baccarat players are a superstitious bunch who bounce between Player and Banker in a futile attempt to predict trends. If you stick to betting the Banker only, your house edge will be somewhere between 1.06% and 1.24%. Just don't bet on anything else! The enormous house edges on the tie, pairs, and all side bets will turn baccarat into a sucker game if you bet them.

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The figures above are based on conventional baccarat with a 5% commission on winning banker bets. There are a couple other versions that pay even money on the banker bet most of the time. The drawing rules are the same, so the odds on all the other bets are the same as conventional baccarat. Here is summary of them:

• EZ Baccarat — A winning Banker hand with three-card total of 7 is a push. The house edge on the Banker is surprisingly less at 1.02%.
• Nepal Baccarat — A winning Banker hand with any total of 6 pays 1 to 2. The house edge on the Banker is 1.46%

More information:

8. Free Bet Blackjack

• House edge: 1.04%
• Element of risk: Apx. 0.98%
• Standard deviation: Apx. 1.07
• Hands per hour: Apx. 70

Free Bet Blackjack is a blackjack variant that allows the player to make most double and split bets for free. In other words, the player freerolls on additional money bet after the initial wager. The catch is that if the dealer draws to 22, then any bets still standing will push.

This game calls for a different strategy than regular blackjack. Following this strategy, that calls for more hitting, will sometimes cause tension at the table, from ignorant players who follow conventional blackjack strategy. However, following this strategy results in a fun game where the player will take the free double or split on anything.

Although it is a fairly recent game, it has exploded in popularity in the last couple years to 15 placements at the time of this writing.

For more information, please see my page on Free Bet Blackjack.

7. Blackjack Switch

• House edge: 0.58%
• Element of risk: Apx. 0.52%
• Standard deviation: Apx. 1.14
• Rounds per hour: Apx. 70

Blackjack Switch is a blackjack variant that allows the player to switch cards between two hands played at the same time. It employs the same Push 22 rule as Free Bet Blackjack, resulting in a modified strategy, which may annoy players incorrectly using conventional blackjack strategy. There is also a switching strategy that is rather complicated.

At the time of this writing, Las Vegas has 18 Blackjack Switch placements.

For more information, please see my page on Blackjack Switch.

6. Texas Hold 'Em Bonus

Texas Hold 'Em Bonus is yet another poker variant where the object is to have a better hand in Texas Hold 'Em than the dealer. This game offers three chances to raise your initial bet, so the final wager is often a large multiple of the initial wager.

The strategy is easy to explain for the initial two-card hand, as there are 169 only possible classes of them. However, after that the strategy is largely unknown, including by me. Beyond Counting Exhibit CAA (pages 367-371) by James Grosjean presents a long, complicated, and still incomplete strategy after the flop.

• House edge: 2.04%
• Element of risk: 0.534%
• Standard deviation: 3.51
• Hands per hour: Apx. 50

For more information, please see my page on Texas Hold 'em Bonus.

5. Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em

• House edge: 2.19%
• Element of risk: 0.526%
• Standard deviation: 4.94
• Hands per hour: Apx. 50

Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em offers a great value if you know how to play it properly. It is also one of my personal favorite games. Having played it for hundreds of hours, I can say that the vast majority of players butcher the strategy and consequently lose much more than they should.

The goal of the game is to beat the dealer. Where strategy comes in is opportunities to raise your Ante bet. The earlier you raise, the more you're allowed to raise. All things considered, if you play properly you can expect to lose only one half of one percent of everything you bet. Novelty games like this also tend to get comped well. However, I would not play unless you know what you're doing.

More information:

4. Video Poker

• House edge: 0.54%
• Element of risk: 0.54%
• Standard deviation: 4.42
• Hands per hour: Apx. 500

The house edge from video poker can range anywhere from 5% to slightly negative (meaning a player advantage), depending on the game and pay table. As a rule of thumb, the more difficult a game is to play well the better the odds are. Video poker is an illustrated example of that. The skilled player will know the return for all the common games and pay tables as well as how to play all 2.6 million possible hands correctly. The player who plops down at whatever machine seems lucky and then uses his best judgment is going to give his money away quickly (but not as quickly as on a reeled slot machine).

For purposes of this article, I am basing the house edge on 9-6 Jacks or Better. The MGM-Mirage properties will usually have this game in the high limit slot rooms. With correct strategy, the return to player on that game is 99.54%, which equates to a house edge of 0.46%.

There are some better games out there than 9-6 Jacks or Better, but most are worse. If you play correctly and target the casinos with good games, you can get more from the casinos in comps and mailers than you give them. However, video poker isn't easy. If it were, everybody would be playing it and the pay tables would get worse.

I have an enormous amount of resources on video poker, which I recommend you read for more information.

More information:

• Jacks or better demo game (there are many more)

3. Spanish 21

• House edge: 0.42%
• Element of risk: Apx. 0.38%
• Standard deviation: Apx 1.14
• Hands per hour: Apx. 70

Spanish 21 is an early variant of blackjack that had many placements in the 90's. While the number in Las Vegas today I believe is zero, the game is still popular in California and Washington. The thrust of the game is there are many rules that cut the player's way, like double or surrender with any number of cards, 21 points and blackjacks are an automatic winner, 6-7-8 and 7-7-7 bonuses, and sometimes re-doubling is allowed.

The house edge quoted of 0.42% is based on re-doubling being allowed. About half the tables out there allow this. Otherwise, the house edge goes up to 0.76%.

More information:

2. Craps

• House edge: 1.41%
• Element of risk: 0.27%
• Standard deviation: 4.91
• Hands per hour: Apx. 48 rolls per hour. On average, it takes 3.38 rolls to resolve a pass line bet. Thus, about 14.22 pass line bets resolved per hour.

Craps offers an outstanding value if the player can stay away from the many sucker bets on the table, which lure in a majority of players. However, the patient player with a strong backbone can get the house edge down to a very low 0.27% by betting the don't pass and/or don't come and taking the maximum allowed odds. This 0.27% figure assumes 3-4-5x odds are allowed, which is not hard to find in Las Vegas.

For those players who don't like to play the “dark side,' the house edge betting the pass and come with 3-4-5x odds is only 0.1% higher at 0.37%. Don't worry, if I seeing you doing that at the table, you won't get the Wizard's finger wagging of shame, but maybe a slight raising of the eyebrow. If you want that contact high at the table, betting with the shooter is the way to go and probably worth the additional 0.1%, unless you enjoy a sense of schadenfreude in seeing other players lose.

• Video with Angela (part one of five)

1. Blackjack

• House edge: 0.19%
• Element of risk: 0.17%
• Standard deviation: 1.14
• Hands per hour: Apx. 70

Much like video poker, the house edge in blackjack can range all over the place, depending on the rules. The house edge of 0.19% quoted above is based on a two-deck game, where the dealer stands on a soft 17, and double after a split is allowed. These rules can be found the Mirage, Aria, Bellagio, MGM, and Treasure Island, usually at a $50 to $100 minimum. If that is not available, the “liberal Vegas Strip' rules of six decks, dealer stands on soft 17, double after split allowed, surrender allowed, re-splitting aces allowed is easier to find and has a house edge only a little higher at 0.26%. Beware that the house edge can get as high as 2% if a blackjack pays 6 to 5, which is slowly becoming the norm.

Besides playing good rules it is also important to play correct basic strategy. I have found most players think they know basic strategy but fail miserably when I test them. Here is a quick quiz to test your blackjack strategy:

Assuming the liberal strip rules above, what is the correct play with:

1. Ace-7 against a 9?
2. Ace-2 against a 5?
3. 4-4 against a 6?
4. Total of 16 against a 10?
5. Total of 12 against a 2?
6. 9-9 against a 9?
7. 8-8 against a 10?
8. Total of 9 against a 3?
9. 6-6 against a 4?
10. Do you accept 'even money' with a blackjack against a dealer ace?

Please see this post at Wizard of Vegas for the answers.

Like video poker, blackjack rewards skill and will punish the player who doesn't have it.

Honorable Mentions

I seriously considered adding pai gow (tiles) to the list. That game offers a house edge of 1.98% when the dealer banks and 0.08% when the player does. Assuming the player can bank every other hand, the average house edge is 1.03%, which is definitely top 10. However, other players may impede your ability to alternate banking.

A case could be made for betting underdogs in the NFL and MLB. In particular, against the spread in the NFL and against a 10-cent money line in MLB. Based on my on historical data, such a strategy has a house edge of 0.57% in the NFL and a player advantage of 0.06% in MLB. However, take these figures with a grain of salt due to a limited sample size (3,220 games in the NFL and 21,569 in MLB).

Finally, DJ Wild has a very respectably low element of risk at 1.02%, making it a better bet than many of the games on this list. However, it has only several placements that I'm aware of, so doesn't meet the condition of being easily available to play.

Conclusion

Although I scrape the surface only of these games, I hope this article will help you choose what to play in the casinos. Please remember that the order in any given casino will be shuffled around because rules for many of these games vary significantly. As stated at the beginning, you must make the right bets and in games of skill, make mathematically correct decisions to obtain the odds quoted in this article. I'd like to finish with some closing words of advice that apply to all games:

• Avoid all side bets (the house edge can get as high as 25%).
• In games of skill, do your homework before you play.
• Bet in moderation.
• Do not trust in betting systems.
• Quit playing when you're no longer having fun.

Written by: Michael Shackleford