How to Choose a Table Game: Rules, Odds and Payouts Compared

Modern online casinos offer hundreds of games you can play from the comfort of your home or on the go. However, not all of them provide players with the same odds of winning. While those based solely on luck come with a higher house edge, casino games that require certain skills allow players to get an advantage over the casino. In this article, we bring you an overview of table games with their rules, odds and payouts compared.

Blackjack

Blackjack is the most popular casino table game that comes in a plethora of variants. Its basics are quite simple, but if you want to beat the dealer, you have to learn a proper strategy for the game you want to play. Although this makes things more complicated, only by applying an effective strategy, one can take advantage of the house edge that goes as low as 0.28%.

Rules

The main goal in the game of Blackjack is to create a hand worth 21 or closer to 21 than the dealer. If you exceed 21, you go bust and lose your wager. This is the most important rule that applies to all Blackjack variants. Other rules may vary including how the cards are dealt, whether the dealer stands or hits on soft 17, when you can split or double down and so on. While the game’s basics can be learned quickly, it takes time to learn when you should hit, stand or make another move that can help you gain leverage.

Odds

There is no casino game designed in the player’s favour. Blackjack is no exception to this rule, but at the same time, this is a casino game with the lowest house edge when played according to the perfect Blackjack strategy. The lower house edge the higher the player’s odds, so if you want to make the most of the game, you must start learning now.

Payouts

When it comes to payouts, Blackjack offers lower prizes than slot machines, for instance. However, they are more likely to be won. In most cases, a Blackjack hand pays 3:2. At some tables, you can play side bets that involve more risk by pay more attractive prizes.

Baccarat

Baccarat is another popular table game, especially with high-rollers. You won’t find many Baccarat variants and those you can play online use the same rules with a few side bets added. Just like in Blackjack, your decisions can affect the house edge. For instance, playing a Banker bet reduces the house edge to 1.06% while opting for Tie increases the house edge to 14.36%.

Rules

The rules in Baccarat are simple. All you have to do is to place your bet on Banker, Player or Tie. By doing this, you predict whether the Banker, the Player or both of them will have a hand worth or closer to 9. When a total exceeds 10, the second digit is taken for the value of the hand. A total of 8 or 9 in the first hand is called a natural win and ends the round. In case the Player has a total worth between 0 and 5, the third card is drawn unless the Banker has a natural win. The third card rule for the Banker is a bit more complicated.

Odds

We have already mentioned the house edge that comes with some of the bets in Baccarat. The Banker bet comes with the lowest house edge as this hand wins 45.8% of the time, while the probability that the Player’s hand will win is 44.6%. As for Tie, the odds are drastically lower.

Payouts

Although the Banker’s hand wins most of the time, bets on it pay the lowest prizes of only 0.95:1. This is due to the 0.5% commission taken by the casino on the bet with best odds. The Player bet pays 1:1 while the Tie bet pays 8:1. If you are interested in the ways to avoid paying the commission, learn more about EZ Baccarat. Some Baccarat tables come with optional, side bets that award bigger payouts.

Roulette

A piece of equipment we cannot imagine a land-based casino without is definitely a Roulette wheel. Today you can enjoy its spinning at virtual and live tables offering different game variations. The basics of the game have remained the same over centuries with multiple betting options players can choose from. Regardless of the additional features these games offer, there is one thing you should keep in mind: the games based on European Roulette have a lower house edge than the American version of the game. While the former features a single zero, the letter has two zero pockets on the wheel which decreases your odds of winning while increasing the house edge from 2.70% to 5.26%.

Rules

The game starts with placing bets on a single number or predefined group of numbers. Players can choose from inside and outside bets, with the latter offering lower payouts and higher odds of winning. Inside bets include Straight Up, Split, Street, Corner, Five and Line Bets while outside bets include wagers on Even/Odd, Red/Black, Low/High, Columns and Dozens.

Odds

As we have previously stated, your odds will be best when playing outside bets. Some of them are also known as even-money bets as they pay 1:1. When it comes to inside bets, the probability of winning is much lower. For instance, the odds of winning with a Straight up bet are only 2.70% in European and 2.60% in American Roulette.

Payouts

The more you risk the more you can win. If you play a Straight Up bet, you can win 35:1 while other bets pay lower prizes. A Split bet can earn you 17:1, Street 11:1 while a Corner bet pays 8:1. Column and Dozen bets pay 2:1. Some game variants, like Lightning Roulette by Evolution Gaming offer additional prizes for the luckiest players.

Poker

When we talk about Poker, we talk about a type of card game that can come in multiple variants. Each of them has its own rules including the number of cards in play, moves you can make and so on. This is another casino game where your odds depend on the moves you make. Some of the most popular Poker variants include Casino Hold’Em, Three Card Poker and Caribbean Stud Poker.

Rules

Although rules vary for each of the Poker games, the basics are the same: you are dealt cards and you should make decisions to make the most valuable hand. Sometimes, you have to make the best possible combination with flop cards, like in Casino Hold’em. If you want to master the game of Poker, choose the variant you like best and be ready to learn a strategy that will help you beat the casino.

Odds

Each Poker game has a different house edge, which also varies depending on the bet you play. Caribbean Stud, for instance, has a house edge of 5.2% on an Ante bet and 2.6% when you play an Ante and Call bet. In Three Card Poker, the house edge varies between 2.1% and 3.37% depending on the bets you play. As you can see, your odds depend on the moves you make, so study the game you like and apply the perfect strategy to gain leverage.

Payouts

How much you can earn while playing Poker is based on the game variant you play. If you play an Ante bet in Three Card Poker, the biggest prize you can win is 9:1 with Straight Flush. The same hand pays 40:1 when you play a Pair Plus bet. Some Poker tables like Casino Hold’Em and Caribbean Stud by Evolution provide you with a chance to win a progressive jackpot on top of regular prizes.