If you are a better blackjack player than you are a poker player, it is still possible you have a higher EV playing poker than blackjack. Given the increase in casino management's disdain for card counters and the increase in bad poker players enjoying the current fad, it may be beneficial for blackjack players to think about playing poker.

Many people will be visiting a casino this summer, whether on a trip to Vegas, on a cruise ship, or just at a local casino during a 'staycation.'

But before you go, you may want to know which games give you the best chance of winning.

So we went behind the scene at two casinos, and spoke with the game managers, to find out which games give you an edge.

1. There will be some aberrations in this poker vs. Blackjack battle, which means blackjack might actually be better for some people. I’ll get to that, but first let’s start with blackjack and your odds of winning, then we’ll get to poker vs blackjack as well as some more specifics for poker and poker tournaments. Odds of Winning in Blackjack.
2. However, because the game is played against other players, not the House itself, the odds in poker are already more in your favour than they would be in a game of blackjack. In order to be profitable the house takes a cut of the poker winnings, known as the ‘rake’. The Strategy of Blackjack.
3. That’s still a lot close to $2.50 than it was, but blackjack still has better odds. What About Blackjack Rules Variations? The hold percentage – the amount the casino actually makes on blackjack – is significantly higher than 0.5%. It’s closer to 2.5% — 4% at some casinos.

Table Games Your Best Bet

Jay Bean, a Caesar's floor manager, agreed to sit down with us and talk about the games with the best odds.

He said many people don't realize that table games have much better odds than slots. They are intimidated by thoughts of card sharks taking their money, with images of an intense Texas Hold 'Em tournament in their minds, and so they stick with the safe games: the slots.

But they are doing themselves a disservice, he said.

Bean's advice? After you've spent some time on the slot machines, move on to the Blackjack table, and start by just observing.

1. Blackjack

Blackjack has the best odds of winning, with a house edge of just 1 percent in most casinos, Bean said.

Plus, you are playing against only the dealer, not hooded poker champions.

'Blackjack is one of our easiest games to play,' Bean said. 'You're just looking for a number that beats the dealer's number without going over 21.'

If you're a novice, Bean said to sit down during a less busy time, such as the afternoon, and the dealer will walk you through the game.

But the same is not true with poker: You should practice the game with your friends first, at home, Bean said, until you are comfortable with it. Bean said novices are best off passing on the poker tables, where yes, the competition can be tough.

You can find out more information about the game of blackjack at the following link:
http://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/

2. Craps

So from the Blackjack table, he suggests moving on to the dice game Craps, the game with the second best odds, also nearly 50-50.

The Craps table can be a bit intimidating for the beginner with all the boxes on the table, Bean admitted. But it's really not tough, and it has one of your best chances of winning. In the end, all you are really doing is betting on a dice roll.

Better Odds 3 Card Poker Or Blackjack

For more information on craps, visit:
http://wizardofodds.com/games/craps/

3. Roulette

Bean said your next stop should be the Roulette wheel. It's simple, and pays fairly well.

'So you bet on your favorite numbers,' Bean said. 'The dealer spins, and if your number comes in you win.'

If you stick to betting on just Reds or Blacks, you have nearly a 50-50 chance of walking away a winner. If it lands on red when you choose red, you will double your bet, Bean explained.

While it may seem you have an even chance of winning by simply choosing a color, there is one catch that gives the house its edge: the extra green 0 and 00 position on the wheel. It's on all American roulette wheels.

Or, if you feel lucky, play just one number. It's hard to win, but if you do it pays out 36 to 1.

For more information on roulette, visit:
http://wizardofodds.com/games/roulette/

Worst Odds

Your worst odds? The casinos, understandably, did not want to talk about games with poor odds.

So we turned to Forbes Magazine, which in a report about Best Bets at the Casino, said two popular games -- the Wheel of Fortune and the ever-popular slot machines -- have the lowest odds of winning, with a house edge of 10 percent or more.

The Experts Agree

Professor of Analytics Michael Magazine has crunched the numbers, and agreed that blackjack is the best way to go home with money in your pockets. He said if you take a little time to learn the game, you have the best odds of winning.

'You are somewhere between 44 percent to 48 percent in every single hand of winning,' he said, noting that no other casino game gives you odds that good.

But Magazine cautioned that he's not promoting gambling, because he said even games with the best odds still favor the house.

'Play it long enough and you will lose. In the long term the house doesn't lose,' Magazine said.

If You Love The Slots....

Finally, if you really enjoy playing the slots, here is some good information to know, from state casino reports we examined.

With slots, the more money you put in per bet, the higher your chance of winning. If you put the max in a penny machine, which is usually around 50 cents, you have much better odds than if you put in 2 cents.

In addition, penny slots have the lowest odds, with $1 and $5 slots paying much better.

Always gamble responsibly, and don't waste your money.
__________________________

You can learn more about specific odds of slots machines in each state that has casino gambling by visiting the American Casino Guide.

Don't Waste Your Money is a registered trademark of the EW Scripps Co.

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Slots	2 votes (50%)
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4 members have voted

thanks for the info - how do i tell if they are class II or class III slots?

If the sign on the front of the place says it's a Class II gaming facility, that's a good indicator that it's Class II.
If there's a bingo card and/or bingo ball animation, that's Class II.
If there's a sticker on the machine that says 'Prizes awarded based on Bingo results', that's Class II.
If the play button says 'Play/Daub', that's Class II.
If you have to double-tap the play button, that's Class II. (Once to play, once to daub... often followed by a congratulatory message like 'You daubed in time!')
You can ask. (Try asking at the players club.)
Otherwise, it might be Class III.
Note that to the casual player, there's very little difference overall - In either case, you stick in money, you smack the button, you might get some money back. The difference is in how the win is determined. In Class III, it's you vs the machine's internal RNG. In Class II, it's you vs a few other players, with the winner(s) determined by a central RNG.
Seriously... sweet talk the old ladies. Figure out what they're doing, and do that. If they're able to play for hours on $5, you might be able to, too.

If the sign on the front of the place says it's a Class II gaming facility, that's a good indicator that it's Class II.
If there's a bingo card and/or bingo ball animation, that's Class II.
If there's a sticker on the machine that says 'Prizes awarded based on Bingo results', that's Class II.
If the play button says 'Play/Daub', that's Class II.
If you have to double-tap the play button, that's Class II. (Once to play, once to daub... often followed by a congratulatory message like 'You daubed in time!')
You can ask. (Try asking at the players club.)
Otherwise, it might be Class III.
Note that to the casual player, there's very little difference overall - In either case, you stick in money, you smack the button, you might get some money back. The difference is in how the win is determined. In Class III, it's you vs the machine's internal RNG. In Class II, it's you vs a few other players, with the winner(s) determined by a central RNG.
Seriously... sweet talk the old ladies. Figure out what they're doing, and do that. If they're able to play for hours on $5, you might be able to, too.

Great job Dieter, I have never seen it broken down that way for someone.

Poker Or Blackjack Better Odds Against

The biggest difference as far as I am concerned is that there is no way to provide real video poker with a Class II machine.

I disagree. My business partner and I came up with a method for bingo based class II that would provide a 'real' video poker experience with the exact same paytables, paybacks, and probabilities. We even pitched it to the major manufacturers but with Class II slowly going away they didn't believe it was worth implementing (and paying for). The sad fact is that most people playing in that space don't know or care that it is different than traditional video poker. They are just gamblers and will get the same winning or losing experience either way.

It doesn't sound very fun and very likely would have a much higher house advantage than traditional video poker with moderate to good pay tables.

Poker Or Blackjack Better Odds Genesis Open

That entirely depends on the bingo paytable.
As for the fun part... there's no skill involved. You smack the button, and you win or lose. You can smack other buttons, but that has no effect on the game outcome - it's strictly part of the 'entertainment portion of the game'.
If the bingo paytable is structured to be comparable to card hand frequencies, your overall RTP should be very close to video poker with correct strategy. If the bingo paytable is structured otherwise... well, it won't approximate the same RTP.

Poker Or Blackjack Better Odds Poker