Can you beat casino games with math?

Some games, yes - card counting, full-pay video poker with cashback, advantage-play slots, and positive-EV sports betting.

Resource partner · wizardofodds.com

The math behind every advantage.

Q: What casino game has the lowest house edge?

With correct strategy, blackjack (~0.5%) and full-pay video poker (~0.46%) typically have the lowest house edges.

Q: Are the Wizard of Odds calculators free?

Yes, the calculators and strategy tools are free at wizardofodds.com.

Q: Does basic strategy guarantee I win at blackjack?

No. Basic strategy minimizes the house edge but does not create a player edge; an advantage technique like card counting is required.

Before you can beat a game, you need to know its true odds. For more than 25 years, Wizard of Odds has been the internet's most trusted source for gambling mathematics — the reference advantage players turn to for house edges, optimal strategy, and honest game analysis.

Explore the Wizard → See the tools

Game selection starts here

Lower house edge = more of your money survives. The Wizard quantifies it precisely.

Blackjack (good rules)

With basic strategy

~0.5%

Full-pay video poker

Optimal play

~0.5%

Typical slot

Fixed RNG

5–10%

The man behind it

Who is the Wizard of Odds?

The Wizard of Odds is Michael Shackleford, a trained actuary who turned a hobby into the gambling world's most respected math resource. He holds a degree in math and economics from UC Santa Barbara, became an Associate of the Society of Actuaries in 1995, and spent the 1990s as an actuary in the Office of the Chief Actuary at the Social Security Administration.

He launched the site in 1997, left government work in 2000, and moved to Las Vegas in 2001 to work full-time in gaming. His 2002 study ranking Las Vegas slot payout percentages drew international attention. He authored Gambling 102, has taught casino math at UNLV, and built sister sites including Wizard of Vegas. He sold the website in 2014 but continues to write for it and consult on game design.

Why advantage players trust it

Mathematically rigorous — figures are calculated, not guessed or copied.
Game selection — find the lowest house edges and the best bets in any casino.
Exact rule sets — calculators adapt to the specific rules and paytables in front of you.
Independent — built on a reputation for telling players the unvarnished math.

The toolbox

Calculators & resources for every game

The Wizard's calculator hub and game library cover virtually every casino game. A few of the essentials:

Blackjack calculators

The House Edge Calculator returns the exact edge for any rule set, while the Basic Strategy and Hand Calculators give the mathematically correct play for any situation.

Video Poker Strategy Maker

Generate optimal or simplified strategy for any video poker game and paytable — essential for finding and beating full-pay machines.

House Edge tables

Comprehensive reference tables of the house edge for every game and bet, so you always know what each wager really costs.

Ask the Wizard

A vast Q&A archive, organized by game, answering decades of player questions with real math behind every answer.

Risk of Ruin & session tools

Calculate your probability of busting and model session outcomes — core bankroll math for any advantage player.

Game guides & side bets

Detailed strategy and odds for blackjack, craps, baccarat, roulette, poker variants, keno, and hundreds of side bets and novelty games.

In practice

How advantage players use Wizard of Odds

Vet a game before you play

Found a new blackjack table or video poker machine? Plug the rules or paytable into the calculator and know the exact edge before you sit down.

Choose the best bets

Within any game, the house edge varies wildly by bet. The Wizard's tables steer you to the lowest-edge options and away from sucker bets.

Learn the correct play

Memorize basic strategy and key deviations from charts that are mathematically derived — the baseline every advantage method builds on.

Run the bankroll math

Use the risk-of-ruin and Kelly resources to size your play so variance never knocks you out before your edge pays off.

Note: Wizard of Odds is independently owned and includes some sponsored casino listings and promotions. Its strategy data and calculators remain a gold-standard reference; treat advertising and editorial content distinctly.

Quick reference

Casino house edge by game

The house edge is the casino's long-run mathematical advantage on each bet — the lower it is, the more of your money survives. These approximate figures (assuming correct basic/optimal strategy) show why game selection is the first skill of any advantage player. For exact numbers on any rule set, use the Wizard's calculators.

Game	Approx. house edge	Notes
Blackjack	~0.5%	Liberal rules with basic strategy; lower still with card counting
Video poker (9/6 Jacks or Better)	~0.46%	Optimal play; full-pay machines plus cashback can exceed 100% return
Baccarat (banker bet)	~1.06%	One of the lowest-edge bets in the casino
Craps (pass / don't pass)	~1.4%	Drops sharply when backed with free odds
Roulette (single zero)	~2.70%	Always prefer single-zero over double-zero wheels
Roulette (double zero)	~5.26%	The extra pocket nearly doubles the edge
Three Card Poker	~3.4%	Ante-play; side bets carry a higher edge
Slots	~5%–10%+	Fixed RNG — but advantage-play slots can flip positive under the right state
Keno	~25%–30%	Among the worst bets on the floor

Figures are approximate and vary by specific rules and paytables. Source framework: Wizard of Odds house-edge analysis. Verify exact numbers with the Wizard's game calculators before you play.

FAQ

Gambling odds & house edge — common questions

What is the house edge?

The house edge is the casino's average long-run profit on a bet, expressed as a percentage of the amount wagered. A 1% house edge means you lose, on average, $1 for every $100 bet over the long run. Advantage players seek games and situations where that edge shrinks, disappears, or flips in the player's favor.

What casino game has the lowest house edge?

Played with correct strategy, blackjack (~0.5%) and full-pay video poker (~0.46%) typically have the lowest house edges, followed by the baccarat banker bet (~1.06%) and craps pass/don't-pass with odds. Wizard of Odds publishes exact figures for every rule set.

Are the Wizard of Odds calculators free?

Yes. The house-edge calculator, blackjack basic-strategy and hand calculators, video poker strategy maker, and game analyzers are free to use at wizardofodds.com — a core reason advantage players rely on the site for game selection.

Can you actually beat casino games with math?

Some, yes. Card counting in blackjack, full-pay video poker with cashback, certain advantage-play slots, and +EV sports betting can all produce a long-run player edge. Most casino games remain negative-EV no matter how you play — which is exactly why knowing the math matters.

Does basic strategy guarantee I win at blackjack?

No. Basic strategy only minimizes the house edge to around half a percent; it does not create a player edge on its own. To actually turn the odds in your favor you need an advantage technique such as card counting, layered on top of perfect basic strategy.