Best Casino Bets

"There is no such thing as luck. It is all mathematics." So goes an adage.

With a few notable exceptions, the house always wins - in the long run - because of the mathematical advantage the casino enjoys over the player.

That is what Mario Puzo was referring to in his famous novel "Fools Die" when his fictional casino boss character, Gronevelt, commented: "Percentages never lie. We built all these hotels on percentages. We stay rich on the percentage. You can lose faith in everything, religion and God, women and love, good and evil, war and peace. You name it. But the percentage will always stand fast."

Puzo is, of course, right on the money about casino gaming. Without the "edge," casinos would not exist. With this edge, and because of a famous mathematical result called the law of large numbers, a casino is guaranteed to win in the long run.

With casinos making their money because of the games' inherent house edge, it is therefore wise to play casino games with the lowest house edge where. Here's a list of the best casino bets and games.

• Casino Poker
  Poker is a game of skill which is a big factor in determining the winner. The players are competing against each other and not against the house. There is no house edge except for a small amount that the casino takes out of each pot. Leaning how to play the game properly will give you a big advantage over less knowledgeable players... read more

• Video Poker
  Video poker is another game of skill that has a small house edge if you make the correct playing decisions. Some video poker games offer over 100 percent payback to players utilizing perfect mathematical strategy. Many machines have a small house of less than ½ of a percent. The house edge is determined by the pay table and a player can determine the payback of the machine by reading the schedule... read more

• Blackjack with Perfect Basic Strategy
  Playing Blackjack using the perfect basic strategy will lower the house edge to less than one percent. The house edge is based on the number of decks used and the rules of the game. A player can determine the house edge from this information. With basic strategy you are basing your decisions to hit split or stand on set rules based the math of the game... read more

• Craps Don't Pass/Don't Come
  The Don't Pass and Don't come in the game of craps is just slightly better than the pass line bet. The house edge is 1.14 percent. You can lower this to .59 percent by laying double odds. Most players however like to bet with the shooter on the passline... read more

• Craps Passline Bet / Come Bet
  The Passline and Come bets in the game of craps offer a low house edge of 1.41 percent. You can lower it to less than one percent (.61) if you take double odds on your bet... read more

• Pai Gow Banker Bet
  When playing Pai Gow a player may choose to act as the Banker during the game. When you bank the game you pay a five percent commission to the house. You win the bet of any player you beat. Pai Gow requires skill in setting of the hands but a skilled player can gain the advantage over a less knowledgeable player... read more

• Baccarat Banker Bet
  The banker bet in Baccarat has a smaller house edge than the player bet but it requires you to pay a commission when you win. The house edge is 1.06 percent for the Banker bet... read more

• Baccarat Player
  The player bet is also a good bet with a house edge of only 1.24 percent. The Baccarat bet a player wants to avoid is the tie bet which is one of the worst bets you can make... read more

• Craps Place 6 and 8
  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... read more

Bet a lot now!!