Worst Odds in the Casino: Bets to Avoid and Why

The worst odds in the casino belong to keno and the Big Six money wheel, where the house edge can climb past 20 percent. Close behind sit the baccarat tie bet, craps proposition bets, and most table game side bets, all in double digit territory. For comparison, blackjack with basic strategy holds a house edge of around half a percent, so the gap between the best and worst bets on the floor is enormous.

Knowing which bets sit at the bottom of that list is the cheapest strategy lesson in gambling.

The Worst Casino Bets Ranked by House Edge

House edge is the percentage of every wager the casino expects to keep over the long run. These are the bets that consistently rank at the bottom, with widely cited approximate figures.

• Keno: often 20 to 35 percent depending on the paytable, the worst widely available game in most casinos.
• Big Six or money wheel: roughly 11 to 24 percent depending on the segment you back.
• Craps any seven: about 16.7 percent, the worst standard bet on the craps layout.
• Baccarat tie bet: around 14 percent at the common 8 to 1 payout.
• Casino War tie bet: commonly cited near 18 percent.
• Most table side bets: frequently 5 to 15 percent, whatever the theme.
• American double zero roulette: about 5.26 percent on almost every bet, with the five number basket worse at roughly 7.9 percent.

Why Side Bets Are a Trap

Side bets sell excitement. They dangle a big max win, sometimes hundreds of times your stake, in exchange for a hit frequency so low that the math heavily favors the house. A blackjack hand pays even money often, while a themed side bet pays rarely and takes a far bigger cut on average.

The pattern holds everywhere. The flashier the payout table, the more suspicious you should be of the underlying return to player. Casinos do not print 100 to 1 on the felt out of generosity.

Keno works the same way at a bigger scale. Catching all your numbers pays life-changing amounts, but the probability is so remote that the game keeps a fifth or more of every dollar wagered.

House Edge vs RTP: Reading the Numbers Like a Pro

House edge and RTP are two views of the same number. A game with a 5 percent house edge has a 95 percent return to player, meaning the game pays back about 95 cents of every dollar across millions of wagers. Classic slots often sit around 95 percent RTP, while better online slots commonly reach 96 percent or more.

Volatility is the separate axis. A high volatility game pays rarely but big, a low volatility game pays small and often, and neither changes the underlying edge. Every legitimate game runs on a random number generator, so no streak, seat, or ritual moves the math.

Short sessions can beat the odds through pure variance. The house edge only describes the long run, which is exactly why chasing losses to get even is a losing plan. Set a budget before you play and treat it as the price of entertainment.

Better Bets to Make Instead

If you want your bankroll to last, steer toward the thin-edge bets that every serious player knows.

• Blackjack with basic strategy: roughly 0.5 percent house edge under good rules.
• Baccarat banker bet: about 1.06 percent even after the standard commission.
• Craps pass line: about 1.41 percent, and adding free odds lowers the combined edge further.
• European single zero roulette: about 2.7 percent, half the American wheel.
• Video poker with a strong paytable: often under 1 percent when played correctly.
• Higher RTP online slots: check the posted RTP and prefer titles at 96 percent or better.

FAQ

Fast answers on the worst odds in the casino.

• What casino game has the worst odds? Keno, with a house edge that often runs 20 to 35 percent.
• What is the worst bet at a craps table? Any seven, at about 16.7 percent house edge.
• Is the baccarat tie bet ever worth it? No, its roughly 14 percent edge dwarfs the banker bet's 1.06 percent.
• Are slots a bad bet? They vary, so check the RTP, since online slots at 96 percent or more beat many land-based machines.
• Does a betting system beat a bad game? No, no staking pattern changes the house edge of a negative expectation bet.