Best Casino Card Games by Odds – Five Games with the Lowest House Edge

The biggest misconception about casino games is that they are all the same and that players end up losing in a casino no matter what they play. 

There are significant mathematical differences between different casino games that make some games significantly more or less favorable than others. 

We looked into the payout rates and the house edge of all major casino games in search of the best casino card games by odds. 

These are the five card games with the most favorable odds and lowest house advantage percentages. 

#1. Video Poker (Jacks or Better 9/6) – 0.46% House Edge

Video poker machines have been around for decades, and their popularity has faded with the introduction of video poker machines. Yet, they remain some of the most player-friendly games on the casino floor to this day. 

The main advantage of playing video poker instead of slots is that video poker games are the best casino card games by odds and payout rates in any casino. 

The house edge of a Jacks or Better Poker game can be as low as 0.46%, and some specialized video poker machines can even have a payout rate of over 100%. 

A typical Jacks or Better video poker machine pays back 99.54% of all bets made on it, which makes it the highest paying game on most casino floors. 

There are a couple of things to keep in mind that can impact video poker payout rates significantly. First of all, only Jacks or Better games with a 9/6 payout table have such a low house edge, while other paytables usually have a lower payout rate. 

The 9/6 payout table refers to 9 coins being paid for a full house and 6 coins for a flush, which is still the norm in most online Jacks or Better machines, as well as in many live casinos. 

Beyond that, you will need to play optimal strategy to maintain the 0.46% house edge. If you play sub-optimally, the house edge will rise with every mistake you make, and can be as high as 5% or more, depending on just how far you deviate from the best possible strategy. 

#2. Spanish 21 – 0.4 – 0.8% House Edge

Spanish 21 is one of the best and most profitable versions of the popular Card game of Blackjack. The main difference in the rules is that all 10s are removed from the deck. 

This interesting twist to the rules may seem like a disadvantage to the player, but the game features a variety of player-friendly rules to compensate for the lack of 10s in the deck. 

When all the rules are put together, the house edge of Spanish 21 can drop to as low as 0.4%, making it the best casino card game by odds that’s played with physical cards. 

Some of the extra rules that make Spanish 21 more profitable than traditional Blackjack include the fact that a player’s 21 beats the dealer’s 21, multiple double downs are available, and players can double down after splitting pairs. 

In Spanish 21, you can also usually use the late surrender rule to give up your hand when faced with a superior hand from the dealer.

Like in all Blackjack games, strategy is key, and Spanish 21 strategy differs from typical Blackjack strategy quite a bit. 

In order to optimize your returns and reduce house edge, you will have to study the unique strategy charts and make sure to always follow the optimal strategy. 

#3. Blackjack (3:2 Payout) – 0.5% House Edge

One of the most popular card games in the world, Blackjack consistently ranks as the best card game in terms of player odds and house edge. 

The house edge in Blackjack can be reduced to as low as 0.5% with an appropriate Blackjack strategy, making it the best game you can play in a casino. 

While one must rely purely on luck in the vast majority of casino games, Blackjack lets you impact the outcome of each hand by making decisions such as hit, stand, double down, split, and more. 

Unlike other casino games, Blackjack forces players to make correct decisions every time in order to minimize the house edge and maximize their winnings. 

Correct Blackjack strategy, known as basic strategy, is fairly simple, but it requires focus and determination. Deviating from the basic strategy can lead to significant increases in house edge. 

Another thing to note is that there are many versions of Blackjack out there, and the differences in the rules can also make the house edge go up significantly. 

The only Blackjack game that allows for the low house edge of 0.5% is Blackjack with 3:2 Blackjack payouts, and no trick rules in play. 

If you can find a 3:2 Blackjack table in a live or online casino, and stick to basic strategy, you will have a real chance of beating the house, as the house advantage will be negligible. 

#4. Baccarat (Banker) – 1.06%

Popular among the high rollers, Baccarat is another game that features high payouts and a low house advantage, and is one of the best casino card games by odds. 

When played properly, the house edge in Baccarat is just 1.06%, and this can be achieved by betting on the banker every single hand. 

The strategy of betting on the banker every hand may seem a bit odds, as players often assume they have to switch between banker and player, or even bet on a draw occasionally, to maintain the highest return. 

However, every hand of Baccarat is separate from all others, and the payout rate of the banker bet is 98.94%, while all deviations come with a lower return. 

For example, anytime you bet on the player to win, you are giving the house a 1.24% advantage, which is higher than the 1.06% optimum. 

Perhaps the best thing about Baccarat in terms of maintaining a low house edge is the fact that it requires no additional strategy. 

Regardless of what you may have seen in viral YouTube videos, Baccarat is purely a game of chance, and simply betting on the banker every single time will ensure you get a return of almost 99% of all your bets. 

#5. Ultimate Texas Hold’em – 2.2%

Ultimate Texas Hold’em is one of the most interactive and engaging card games, loosely based on the rules of Texas Hold’em Poker, the most popular poker variant in the world. 

Unlike Texas Hold’em Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em is played against the house, so you won’t have to deal with players staring you down or trying to bluff you off your hand. 

All it takes to achieve the optimal returns in Ultimate Texas Hold’em is that you follow the optimal strategy and never deviate from the best play possible. 

With optimal strategy, Ultimate Texas Hold’em can have a house edge of about 2.2%, which makes it less profitable than games like Blackjack and Baccarat, but significantly better than most Roulette games or slots. 

Playing Ultimate Texas Hold’em is much simpler than playing traditional poker games. All you need to do is ante up, check your hole cards, and decide if they are good enough for an extra bet. 

You can even see a flop and place your extra bets at that point, and making the right call on which cards to bet and which to fold is the only real advantage you can have in this game. 

Study the simple Ultimate Texas Hold’em strategy, and you are looking at one of the best casino card games by odds out there. 

More Card Games with a Low House Edge

We’ve gone over the five casino card games with the lowest house edge, but there are even more card games out there that have favorable odds. 

Check out this detailed guide to the best casino card games for even more thrilling card games that offer a low house edge and high returns. 

Just remember, most of these games require you to study optimal strategy and always stick to it, as every mistake increases the casino’s advantage over you.