2019-06-28
If you take a trip down to the casino for a cheeky game or two, it can be a little tricky working out what to play. If you pick the right time or play online somewhere like Paddy Power Games then you have the entire catalogue at your fingertips at all times, so where do you want to start? Well, maybe you should sit back and let the mathematical side of your brain pick the game. There's a delicate balance between the odds of a game and the pay-out, so when you're making a choice maybe take into account how lucky you're feeling!

Slots


When you're playing slots, the important thing to remember is that there's a percentage called RTP, or 'return to player' which means even if you don't hit the jackpot you expect to see some wins come through every now and then. In terms of odds, slots is probably the longest in the casino for actually scoring the biggest prize-pot. But you're reasonably likely to win some smaller pay-outs as you go, so it's still worth having a punt. Especially since they tend to have the most entertaining designs and a few unique USPs per game to keep you interested. Due to the sheer number of games available, each with different jackpots and bonuses, it's not really possible to generalise the odds.

Roulette


One of the most iconic games to play, probably the best for actual socialising short of poker, roulette has quite a high level of variety in how you place your bets and this has an affect on both odds and pay-outs like you'd expect. With roulette, the house edge is about 2.5% provided you're playing the single zero game. If you bet red or black then the odds are slightly worse than 50:50 and your pay-out is suitably low while the big money is on doing a single number where the odds are 36:1. It's a good middle of the road option for someone looking to have a bit of fun with an OK chance at making it big.

Baccarat


Baccarat is a game for the high-rollers, it's not very complicated with only three potential bets but seems to attract gamblers looking to bet heavy and often. The house hdge for baccarat is about 1.5% but it's unique among table games as this is accountable for a vigorish applied to bets on the banker. Without the vig, the house doesn't actually have an edge on these bets as the player has a better than 50:50 chance. This is really a game for the high rollers but the odds are low enough that just about anyone could have a go at it.

Blackjack


Without a doubt, the game for the odds conscious - blackjack has a similar house edge to baccarat of 1.5% but unlike baccarat, you can employ basic strategy or even card counting if you're lucky in order to help yourself to have an advantage. If you're goal is to win (even if it won't be a massive pot) then blackjack is the game for you!