House edge by game
Wizard of Odds, the game-maths reference every figure in the table comes from, defines the house edge as “the ratio of the average loss to the initial bet”, with every figure “based on optimal or near-optimal player strategy”. On A$100 staked on single-zero roulette, a 2.70% edge means the game is built to keep A$2.70 on average.
| Game and bet | House edge | RTP (our arithmetic) | Rules behind the figure | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | 0.28% | 99.72% | Liberal Vegas Strip rules: dealer stands on soft 17, double after split, resplit aces, late surrender; optimal strategy. Online tables can run other rules, and then this figure does not apply | Wizard of Odds, house edge table | 11 October 2026 |
| Baccarat: Banker | 1.06% | 98.94% | Standard game as set out in the source table | Wizard of Odds, house edge table | 11 October 2026 |
| Baccarat: Player | 1.24% | 98.76% | Standard game as set out in the source table | Wizard of Odds, house edge table | 11 October 2026 |
| Baccarat: Tie | 14.36% | 85.64% | Tie pays 8 to 1 | Wizard of Odds, house edge table | 11 October 2026 |
| Craps: Don’t pass | 1.36% | 98.64% | Line bet against the shooter | Wizard of Odds, house edge table | 11 October 2026 |
| Craps: Pass / Come | 1.41% | 98.59% | Line bet with the shooter | Wizard of Odds, house edge table | 11 October 2026 |
| Roulette: single zero | 2.70% | 97.30% | Wheel with one zero | Wizard of Odds, house edge table | 11 October 2026 |
| Roulette: double zero | 5.26% | 94.74% | Wheel with zero and double zero | Wizard of Odds, house edge table | 11 October 2026 |
| Casino war: go to war on ties | 2.88% | 97.12% | Six decks; on a tie you go to war | Wizard of Odds, casino war | 11 October 2026 |
| Casino war: surrender on ties | 3.70% | 96.30% | Six decks; on a tie you give up half the bet | Wizard of Odds, casino war | 11 October 2026 |
| Casino war: tie bet | 18.65% | 81.35% | Six decks; tie pays 10 to 1 | Wizard of Odds, casino war | 11 October 2026 |
The RTP column is our subtraction, 100% minus the house edge, not a figure Wizard of Odds publishes. Wizard of Odds is a mathematical source, not a regulator, and the figures are calculations, not results measured at any casino.
Under these rules, blackjack has the lowest edge among the games in the table. Among bets that need no decisions from the player, the lowest is the baccarat Banker bet at 1.06%. The two tie bets, in baccarat and in casino war, cost at least five times as much as the main bets of the same game.
Casino war odds
Casino war is played with six decks: you and the dealer each get one card, and the higher card wins. On a tie you choose between surrendering half your bet and going to war. Wizard of Odds puts the edge at 2.88% if you always go to war, 3.70% if you always surrender and 18.65% on the separate tie bet, which pays 10 to 1.
On these figures, going to war costs less than surrendering: 2.88% against 3.70% of the initial bet. Wizard of Odds explains the structure: “if there is a war you either win one unit or lose two.” Surrender locks in a loss of half a unit on every tie; war risks two units to win one, and on average loses less.
The number of decks changes the edge, most of all on the tie bet:
| Decks | Go to war | Surrender | Tie bet (10 to 1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.42% | 2.94% | 35.29% |
| 6 | 2.88% | 3.70% | 18.65% |
| 8 | Not given here | Not given here | About 18% |
The tie bet figures can be checked by hand. With six decks, once your card is dealt, 23 of the remaining 311 cards match its rank, a 7.4% chance of a tie. A bet that pays 10 to 1 on that chance returns 11 × 23 ÷ 311 = 81.35% of the stake, an edge of 18.65%. With one deck only 3 of 51 cards match, which is why the edge there nearly doubles. This is our arithmetic; it gives the same results as Wizard of Odds.
Some tables pay the tie at 11 to 1, which according to Wizard of Odds “lowers the house edge to 11.25%”. Check the payout printed on the table or in the game rules before reading any figure from this page.
Pokies: no single house edge
Pokies have no house edge that can go in a table, because the return is set game by game by the studio that makes it. Pragmatic Play’s own pages, checked 11 October 2026, give Sweet Bonanza 96.48%, Sweet Bonanza Super Scatter 96.51% and Sweet Bonanza 1000 96.53%: three games of one series, three figures.
One game can also exist in several versions. Hacksaw Gaming lists seven RTP versions of its Plinko game, from 88.20% to 98.98%, and does not say which one a given casino runs. Plinko is an instant-win game, not a pokie; we cite it because we have not read a studio page that lists versions of a pokie. The figure that applies is the one in the game’s info or rules screen at the casino.
For that reason we give no “typical” RTP for online pokies. How to read a pokie’s RTP, and how online returns compare with club machines, is covered in our guide to best paying online pokies.
Minimum return on pub and club machines
Australian states set a floor on what gaming machines in venues must pay back, and the three rules we read range from 85% to 90%.
- New South Wales. A machine in a hotel or club must pay out “not less than 85% of the total money paid by the players”: Gaming Machines Regulation 2019, clause 12(2), as made on 30 August 2019. We have not compared it with the current consolidated version.
- Victoria. From 14 May 2014 the minimum for hotels and clubs fell “from 87 per cent to 85 per cent”, measured over a calendar year (Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, archived copy of 18 October 2024).
- Western Australia. Machines at Crown Perth must have a “minimum return to player of at least 90%” (Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries).
These are rules for machines in Australian venues; they say nothing about offshore online pokies. ACMA lists online “slots (pokies)” and “casino-style games (like poker, blackjack and roulette)” among services that are illegal to offer to people in Australia. Our page on Australian online gambling law covers the detail.
What the edge does and does not tell you
The edge tells you the average cost of a bet over a very large number of rounds; it does not tell you how a single session will end. A session can finish well above or below the average in either direction.
It is measured against the initial bet. In casino war, 2.88% is a share of the original stake, not of the total on the table after a war.
It assumes optimal or near-optimal strategy. In blackjack and in the casino war choice, a player who departs from that strategy pays more than the table shows.
It is a cost per bet, not per hour. Ten A$10 spins of double-zero roulette are built to cost about A$5.26 on average; the same spins on a single-zero wheel, about A$2.70 (our arithmetic). How the number of bets per hour turns the edge into a cost per hour is shown on our mobile casino games page.
Safer play. ACMA gives the national gambling helpline as 1800 858 858. You can self-exclude from all licensed Australian online and phone wagering at betstop.gov.au; it does not cover offshore casinos. You must be 18 or over. More contacts are on our support resources page.
House edge FAQ
What is the house edge?
It is the share of each bet a casino game is built to keep over the long run. Wizard of Odds defines it as “the ratio of the average loss to the initial bet”, assuming optimal or near-optimal strategy. A 2.70% edge at single-zero roulette means an average loss of A$2.70 per A$100 staked.
Is RTP the same as house edge?
They describe the same number from opposite sides: for a game with fixed maths, RTP is 100% minus the house edge. A 2.70% edge is a 97.30% RTP. The RTP column in our table is that subtraction, our arithmetic, not a published figure.
What are the odds in casino war?
With six decks, Wizard of Odds puts the house edge at 2.88% if you go to war on ties, 3.70% if you surrender and 18.65% on the tie bet, which pays 10 to 1. Where the tie pays 11 to 1, the tie bet’s edge falls to 11.25%.
Should you go to war or surrender in casino war?
On the numbers, going to war costs less: 2.88% of the initial bet against 3.70% for surrendering, with six decks. Surrender loses half a unit on every tie; war either wins one unit or loses two, and on average loses less.
Which casino game has the lowest house edge?
Among the games in our table, blackjack at 0.28%, but only under liberal Vegas Strip rules with optimal strategy; online tables can run other rules, and then the figure does not apply. Among bets that need no decisions, the baccarat Banker bet at 1.06% is the lowest in the table.
Sources and method
- Wizard of Odds, House edge (definition; baccarat, blackjack and its rules, craps, roulette), checked 11 October 2026
- Wizard of Odds, Casino war (rules, edge by option and by number of decks, tie at 11 to 1), checked 11 October 2026
- Pragmatic Play, game pages for Sweet Bonanza 1000, Sweet Bonanza Super Scatter and Sweet Bonanza (RTP), checked 11 October 2026
- Hacksaw Gaming, Plinko (seven RTP versions), checked 11 October 2026
- NSW legislation, Gaming Machines Regulation 2019, as made, clause 12(2), read from an archived copy on 11 October 2026
- Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, change to the minimum return to players, archived copy of 18 October 2024, read 11 October 2026
- WA Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, Electronic gaming machines return to player (RTP) policy, checked 11 October 2026
- Australian Communications and Media Authority, Protect yourself from illegal gambling operators (illegal online services) and BetStop (helpline 1800 858 858, licensed wagering only), checked 11 October 2026
- RTP column, money examples and the tie-bet check are our arithmetic from the published house edge figures
- The deal in casino war (one card each, higher card wins) is the general description of the game, not a quote from the pages above; check the rules of the table you play
Written by: Helene Berner · First published: 11 October 2026 · Last updated: 11 October 2026