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Most players view winning at casino games as pure luck. Casinos hold an obvious advantage when it comes to profit, and if you manage to win, it’s like a godsend, right? Well, while the house edge is a real factor to consider, the concept of “pure luck” may come as a result of applying some skill to gain an advantage over the casino.
The house edge in any casino game is the amount of built-in advantage the casino has over you, and it is always expressed as a percentage. The house edge is also affected by various factors such as the type of bets placed, the style of the game, the application of additional skill-related factors such as betting strategies, card counting systems, and so on.
Slots are often seen as the best game to play at online casinos based on how easy they are to get into. There is another myth floating around the internet that online slots are also the easiest games to beat and have the lowest house edge of any online casino game.
However, this is grossly inaccurate and misleading. The house edge in slots can vary by as much as 10%, depending on various built-in features such the number of reels and paylines, game volatility, minimum and maximum bet amount, requirements to hit a winning line, and other factors, too. Since slots require zero skill and are completely random, there really is no way to mitigate potential losses per spin; you either win or lose.
On the other hand, table games like roulette and blackjack (which are also based on random results) allow players to apply certain skills such as card counting or betting strategies to the game. Other in-game factors, such as the number of decks in play (blackjack) or betting options (inside/outside bets in roulette), can significantly affect the house edge in every round of betting, allowing you to control, at least to a certain extent, the house edge advantage against you.
With that said, there are many games well worth studying for a better chance at beating the casino’s house edge. Each game works differently and requires a unique set of rules. This won’t guarantee that you win all of the time, but it does provide an overall advantage.
Let’s take a look at some of them.
Roulette
To have an advantage in roulette, you’ll need to understand the different betting options and decide whether you prefer playing the outside of the table, which will yield low-risk even-money betting options, or inside the grid (inside bets), where the risk is considerably higher, but so is the payoff. It’s also important to understand the odds of each bet, as a common mistake of low-risk playing is betting more than you win.
Choosing your roulette game is a good place to start, as each version comes with its own specific house edge percentage.
European roulette is arguably the most common type of roulette found at online casinos and is the version most of us are already familiar with. European roulette is derived from the original French roulette and is essentially a trimmed-down version of it.
This includes the removal of certain traditional betting options such as La Partage and En Prison, which helps to push the house edge percentage up a bit to 2.70%. American roulette takes roulette a bit further along with the addition of another space of the wheel.
While the standard contains 37 spaces (36 numbers and a zero position), the American version adds an additional zero position, called the double zero, which effectively pushes the house edge up to 5.23%. Only madmen or those unaware of the odds play this version of roulette.
Of course, the original French version of roulette is the most desirable in terms of house edge advantage, with the aforementioned traditional betting options softening the house edge to a degree.
Some players hold to the notion that a betting strategy will allow you to at least take some of the house edge out of the game, while others argue that you either have a winning hand or a lucky spin or you don’t.
However, depending on the betting strategy in question, some players do find that betting strategies can help them organize their gameplay and help control their bankroll, betting patterns, and other essential tasks.
One of the most famous (or notorious, depending on your point of view) betting strategies is the Martingale betting system. This is a popular strategy used by beginners and casual roulette players. However, it is important to keep in mind that these sorts of betting strategies only really work on outside or even-money bets.
How to Beat Roulette?
Land-based roulette isn’t the most recommended game to use strategies with, as betting limits tend to be much tighter. A typical low-bet roulette game offers low limits, while high-limit tables require much bigger starting bets. Live dealer online roulette provides the benefit of seeing the dealer, along with table limits that suit everyone’s needs at a single table. It is also accessible 24 hours a day.
Outside bets are known for providing an edge in the game when applying a strategy, especially with French roulette variations. However, instead of simply doubling a losing bet, aim to increase your bet by a chip in different stages as you progress.
After losing a bet with 1 chip, double it to 2 chips. If you lose again, double it 4 chips and add 1 for a total bet of 5 chips. This way, your winning chances increases parallel to that of the risks involved.
This strategy works best with online and live dealer roulette games, as they provide higher table limits with low starting bet values. Therefore, these will allow more room to apply strategies such as the Martingale. Also, ensure your account balance has the sufficient amount to accommodate at least 10 losing hands, as well as room to increase your bets while progressing through the game.
Blackjack
Blackjack is by far the most popular of all casino table games and has been the subject of hundreds of books and movies over the years. There are plenty of blackjack variations to explore, particularly at online casinos. Some blackjack games feature a single deck of cards, while others will offer multiple decks, usually 6 to 8 decks per session. However, regardless of the type of blackjack game that is on the table, it is still possible to apply certain strategies such as card counting to them to help you reduce the house edge as much as possible.
Blackjack is a great game to play if you love the idea of applying betting strategies and systems to your game. Aside from a certain amount of skill (which can be enhanced through practice), applying strategies such as card counting or a basic blackjack strategy not only enhances your odds of beating the house, but they can also add a lot of interest to your overall game.
As with roulette, there are many strategy options, but to get the best out of the game, you’ll need to combine a system with a blackjack chart. These charts provide valuable mathematical information regarding the best move based on the dealer’s face-up card and your hand total. It also removes the biggest downfall of blackjack, which is making the wrong move.
In combination with a chart, it’s worth adding a progressive betting system, as it’s impossible to win each hand, even with charts. However, since charts tell you what the best move is, the progressive betting system will ensure you still gain a profit from losing hands.
So How Do You Beat Blackjack?
Since blackjack charts play an important role, it’s best to play blackjack in an online environment so you can refer to it at any time while playing. Choose a table that has low starting bets and high table limits (live dealer blackjack is a good choice). The live dealer game at online casinos is accessible at any time, allowing you to enjoy its HD video stream and fairness 24 hours a day.
Start small and refer to the chart’s recommendation before making any moves. If your hand results in a loss, double your bet and once again use the chart for the best results. Double up on each losing hand until you win a round, which provides a profit equal to the first betting value and includes all the bets you’ve lost up to that point. Once you win, return to the initial betting value and again apply the same strategy.
Slots
Those who try to find a slots strategy usually conclude that it simply doesn’t work. The main reason is due to random number generators that determine payouts and outcomes of each spin. Doubling up or trying to chase your wins usually ends up costing you a lot more than you would’ve spent just playing the game as per usual.
There’s a lot that comes into play with slots. Thinking about winning big usually brings up the idea of winning a progressive jackpot. However, progressive jackpot games tend to have the lowest payout percentages in both land-based and online casinos. You might have the opportunity to win big, but the rest of the time, you’ll end up losing more.
Again, when one considers the house edge, slots are much harder to pin down due to factors mentioned a little earlier in this article. However, setting aside the house edge and concentrating more on the RTP, or Return to Player percentages, can give you a better indication as to which slots to play and which to avoid.
It obviously makes more sense to look at the RTP percentages before putting your money into a slot and only go for the games with a higher RTP. This should then at least help mitigate the effects of RNGs and fluctuating house edge percentages to a degree.
Every online casino slot will provide you with all the information that you need pertaining to that specific game. Simply click on the game, find the information icon for that game, and open the info page. You should be able to see the game’s RTP info, along with average payout percentages, jackpot info, and so on. Reading reviews on slots will also give you more information regarding that slot’s variance or volatility, aka, how often you can expect that machine to pay out.
Can Slots be Beaten?
Unlike casino table games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and craps, slots really are down to the luck of each spin. Of course, there are a few basic things you can do to improve your chances of winning more often. These can include applying a basic bankroll management strategy, which can assist you to reduce the house edge percentage curve over a longer session. You can also pay attention to slots’ volatility stats, which are a good indicator of what sort of slot machine you are dealing with. RTP percentages can assist you in selecting the right sort of slot for your specific gaming objectives.
Picking slots based on volatility and RTP percentages is a great way to find the games that will satisfy your needs quickly and efficiently.
If you are the type of slots player that enjoys a nice steady win over the long game, picking slots with a high RTP and a medium or low volatility equates to more frequent payouts but in much smaller amounts per win. However, picking slots with higher volatility characteristics means much higher payouts, but less often.
Bankroll management strategies will allow you to control your game more accurately over longer sessions and help reduce the effects of the built-in house edge. For instance, setting a stop limit per session is a great way to avoid losses over a series of negative spins. Your stop limit will kick in by not allowing you to dip below your threshold, avoiding any potentially devastating losses which are always possible in a game where results over a series of even just 5 spins can vary drastically.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of the type of casino game you play, you will always be going up against certain built-in factors such as the house edge, random results, and in-game features that do not count in your favor. This is the nature of the beast and is something that has been associated with gambling since time immemorial. However, while you may not actually be able to “beat” casino games, you can implement some of the strategies and systems that we touched upon in this article to help you enjoy more long-term profitability and a more stress-free gambling experience as a whole.
