Some Not-so-good Wagers

You might imagine, particularly after our discussion of some of the popular table games like blackjack, craps or baccarat, that all table games are a good choice. Sadly, that is not true. There are lots of not-so-great choices on the felt surface. We can start with roulette. The best bet in this game is a simple even money wager on black or red and, with a few exceptions, it has a house edge of over 5%. That’s because of the presence of the 0 and 00 on the wheel. You may occasionally find a wheel with only a single zero but that is normally on tables with high bet minimums. If you can afford it, that drops the advantage to just under 3%, which is not terrible but not great. There are also a number of other games that have popped up in recent years like Let It Ride, Caribbean Stud, Ultimate Texas Hold Em and even War. These games all range between about 3 and 5% on the most basic bets, but most people end up making side bets, which typically have even worse odds. Of course nothing is worse than that giant wheel you see at the front of most casinos, frequently “manned” by a lovely young lady. The house edge here is over 10%! Of course, if you really enjoy playing one of these games, don’t let me stop you. Gambling is, first and foremost, about entertainment. Just keep in mind that the cost of that entertainment may be pretty high. Tomorrow, a few games that you can usually play for a long time on just a little cash and why they might be right for you!