House Edge Calculator
Every casino game has a built-in edge. See exactly what it costs you.
Total wagered
$1,000.00
Expected loss
$4.00 – $20.00
best-case rules → worst-case rules
Expected return
$980.00 – $996.00
what you keep after the house edge
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House edge ranges are illustrative based on common rule sets and operator-published RTPs. Actual edge varies by specific table rules, slot variant, and your strategy. Verify with the operator before playing.
Last verified: 2026-05-04
What Is House Edge?
The house edge is the mathematical advantage a casino holds over players on every bet. Expressed as a percentage, it represents the average portion of each wager the casino expects to keep over the long run. A 2% house edge means that for every $100 wagered, the casino will statistically profit $2 and the player will receive $98 back.
This number is not a prediction for any single session — you can absolutely win in the short term. But across thousands of bets, the math converges. Understanding house edge lets you compare games objectively and choose the ones that give you the best chance of stretching your bankroll.
The flip side of house edge is Return to Player (RTP). If a slot machine has a 4% house edge, its RTP is 96% — meaning it returns 96 cents of every dollar wagered on average. When comparing games, look for higher RTP or lower house edge to get more value per bet.
Keep in mind that house edge assumes optimal play for skill-based games. A blackjack player using basic strategy faces an edge as low as 0.4% under favorable rules, but someone playing by gut instinct might face 2% or more. For games of pure chance like slots and roulette, the edge is fixed regardless of how you play.
House Edge by Game — Sorted Best to Worst
Lower house edge means more value per bet. This table covers the most common casino games ranked from player-friendliest to highest-cost.
| Game | House Edge | RTP | Cost per $100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | 0.40% – 2.00% | 98.00% – 99.60% | $0.40 – $2.00 |
| Video Poker | 0.46% – 5.00% | 95.00% – 99.54% | $0.46 – $5.00 |
| Craps | 0.60% – 16.67% | 83.33% – 99.40% | $0.60 – $16.67 |
| Crash games | 1.00% – 5.00% | 95.00% – 99.00% | $1.00 – $5.00 |
| Baccarat | 1.06% – 14.36% | 85.64% – 98.94% | $1.06 – $14.36 |
| Pai Gow Poker | 1.46% – 2.84% | 97.16% – 98.54% | $1.46 – $2.84 |
| Slots | 2.00% – 12.00% | 88.00% – 98.00% | $2.00 – $12.00 |
| European Roulette (single zero) | 2.70% | 97.30% | $2.70 |
| American Roulette (double zero) | 5.26% – 7.89% | 92.11% – 94.74% | $5.26 – $7.89 |
| Keno | 20.00% – 35.00% | 65.00% – 80.00% | $20.00 – $35.00 |