The Built-In Advantage of the Casino
The old adage "the house always wins" is well-known for a reason. This saying describes the house edge, the core principle upon which all casinos operate. It is the casino's built-in mathematical advantage over the player in any given game. For any serious player, an understanding of the house edge is non-negotiable.

A Simple Explanation
It's calculated based on the payout odds being slightly less favorable than the true odds of an event happening. Consider an example from the game of Roulette:

On a European wheel, there are 37 possible outcomes. If you place a bet on a single number, your true odds of winning are 1 in 37. However, casino if you do win, casino the casino pays you out at 35 to 1, not 36 to 1. That small difference is where the casino gets its edge. The mathematical result is a house advantage of 2.7%.

A Comparison of Popular Games
It's important to know that the edge changes based on the game and the specific bet you make.

Game Typical House Edge Notes

Blackjack Around 0.5% This low edge is only achievable when playing with perfect basic strategy. Poor play can increase it significantly.

Baccarat (Banker Bet) Just over 1% The 'Banker' bet is one of the best bets in the entire casino due to its very low house edge.

Craps (Pass/Don't Pass) Around 1.4% The basic bets in Craps offer excellent odds. The "sucker bets" in the middle of the table have a much higher edge.

European Roulette Exactly 2.70% A fixed edge that applies to almost every bet on the table. Consistent and predictable.

American Roulette 5.26% The addition of the double zero ('00') pocket almost doubles the house edge, making it a much worse game for the player.

Slots 3% - 10% (or more) The house edge is programmed into the game and is often expressed as the Return to Player (RTP). An RTP of 96% means a 4% house edge.

Playing Smart
You can absolutely win in the short term