Online casinos are some of the fastest-growing businesses in our day and age. People seem to flood these sites every day of the week to have a good time and in the hope of winning some amount of cash.
Players are often looking for ways to win or have the upper hand at casino games. One of the most popular questions that we hear from time to time could be considered the holy grail of online casino playing: how can I lower the house edge?
In this article, we answer all there is to know about the house edge and whether the player can lower it.
What is the house edge?
Generally speaking, casinos are profit-seeking businesses. Somehow, they will manage to find profits in what they do. One of the ways to do that is by putting a house edge on casino games. The house edge is an advantage that the casino has over players in terms of odds. For example, if your chosen slot has an RTP of 94% this means that the game is going to pay out around 94% of its’ lifetime bets while the casino will keep 6% of those bets as the edge. If you’re playing European Roulette, the house edge is estimated to be 2.6%. This is achieved through the addition of 0 to the roulette wheel: guessing an individual number correctly will pay you x36 times your bet, despite the fact that the 0 is the 37th number. Logically, you should be paid x37 times you bet, but the casino pays less. This advantage over players is the house edge in roulette.
Can you lower the house edge?
Unfortunately, the house edge is a fixed value that cannot be altered, be it in slots or in live casino games. The casino will always have a slight advantage over the odds of the player.
However, that doesn’t mean that you will not win. The house edge is a relatively small percentage in respectable casinos and the player can definitely beat it. Here are some tips on how to come closer to victory when playing casino games:
- Strategize – calculate your odds, count the cards in games like blackjack.
- Manage your money – one way of not paying into the house edge is to not spend more than is acceptable for you.
- Do not play low-return games such as slots with an RTP below 95%.
- Lower the stakes – the more spins/rounds you can play, the more chances to win.
- Learn to play skill-based games well. Games like this include poker, blackjack and baccarat.
- Avoid betting very large sums. When the risk is high, the potential reward is high, but remember the house edge. Placing your entire funds on a single bet quite literally puts you against the odds, even if it is a bet on “black” in roulette – what seems to be a 50% chance is actually a 48% chance due to the zero being not red nor black.
Conclusion
While no one can lower the house edge, players normally have good attempts at bypassing it through strategy and responsible playing.
We believe that anyone should be able to try the casino games out. They provide top-class entertainment and also offer a realistic opportunity of filling one’s pockets. Keep in mind though, that gambling is a form of entertainment and not a way to invest your money. As long as you know that and can stop when it is sensible to do so, we highly recommend having your shot at bypassing the casino house edge!
