Online Casino Games with the Lowest House Edge

Written By Kevin Hargrove Published on 21.10.2019 Last Updated on 09.06.2024

Though there are many players who choose their entertainment based purely on surface qualities like graphics and soundtracks, more and more professionals and seasoned gambling experts choose the casino games with the lowest house edge. This page provides Canadian players with this mindset an easy-to-understand list of the best options based on these statistics, plus links to recommended sites at which to play them.

The table above is organised in order from the lowest house edge games to the highest house edge based on the lowest possible percentage. This means that a game type in this list may have a high place due to some variants with very low house edge but be warned – others may have a surprisingly high percentage. Always check before you begin playing at any one of the best online casinos in Canada.

We’ll count down through the games with the highest house edge down to the games with the lowest house edge, giving you an insight into how to find these statistics and which variants are the best options. Our advice is that you should check out the individual rates for any game you wish to play to find the casino games with the lowest house edge. Here are the 10 casino games with the lowest house edge:

• Blackjack – 0.13% – 0.70% House Edge
• Video Poker – 0.44% – 8.7% House Edge
• Craps – 0.46% – 5.50% House Edge
• Live Casino – 0.71% – 3.45% House Edge
• Slots – 1.00% – 23.10% House Edge
• Baccarat – 1.04% – 2.08% House Edge
• Keno – 1.25% – 25.00% House Edge
• Roulette – 1.35% – 6.22% House Edge
• Casino Poker – 2.16% – 6.34% House Edge
• Scratch Cards – 4.00% – 35.00% House Edge

Of course, looking at casino gambling by game category is helpful though, as it gives you a very good insight into which titles are more likely to be generous to their player bases. Read on to find out more about each type of online casino game and which casino games have the best odds. Let’s count down from worst to best.

10. Scratch Cards: 4.01% – 34.00%

Many of us had our first ever gambling experience with a scratch card, sent inside a birthday card from a distant aunt. It brought a sense of hopefulness that almost always turned into disappointment as we found no winnings, just a piece of paper and the scratchings left over. In this sense, the online casino versions of scratch cards are quite similar; they have one of the highest house edges of all casino games. They also have one of the most varied payout ranges around, with some of the lowest house edge at 4%, while others out there can have a house edge as terrible as 34%. This is by far the worst option out there, and hence placed in the lowest position in our table.

9. 3 Card Poker: 3.37% – 10.12%

Although three card poker is ideal for beginners, the house edge of the card game isn’t as forgiving. With a spread between 3.37% – 10.12%, the poker game isn’t one of the casino games with the lowest house edge. As you can see, it hugely depends on which variant you play as to the house edge. For experienced poker enthusiasts, there are better options like Caribbean Stud that have a lower house edge than all three card poker alternatives, and don’t add too much complexity. However, if you’re set on playing the three-card game, only play variants with an RTP of at least 96.63% and therefore a house edge of 3.37%.

8. Sic Bo: 2.78% – 4.08%

Online casino games involving dice, such as Sic Bo and craps aren’t commonly played by Canadians. For Sic Bo, at least, I imagine that the house edge might have something to do with its low popularity rating; at between 2.78% – 4.08%, this game comes in at eighth place in our list of the lowest house edge casino games. Again, it depends on which variant you choose to play as to where in the house edge spread your experience will fall, which is a bit ridiculous considering that there are hardly any differences between any of the titles, gameplay-wise.

7. Caribbean Stud: 1.81% – 2.00%

Perhaps closer to a traditional game of poker than, for example, its three card counterpart, Caribbean Stud is a hugely popular card game at online casinos in Canada thanks to its mix of strategy, skill, and one of the lowest house edge casino games going around. There are not many different variants of this game, which result in a small spread of house edge percentages between 1.81% – 2.00%. There is also a fantastic version of live Caribbean Stud that offers the same house edge, making it an exceptionally popular option for punters from Canada.

6. Roulette: 1.32% – 6.42%

Roulette is undoubtedly one of the most popular casino games among Canadians. Its spinning wheel mesmerises players who wait with mounting excitement for their wagers to pay off with a cheer. Simple to play and with lots of betting options, roulette‘s popularity is bolstered by its low house edge of as little as 1.32%. However, as you can see there are some betting options don’t offer the same edge. There are also variants of the games that change up the rules a bit by adding extra zero positions, extra balls or other features that raise the house edge. Sticking to the standard titles like European Roulette Pro will give you the best payouts.

5. Baccarat: 1.09% – 2.18%

A beloved, yet overwhelmingly confusing card game available at many of the best casinos in Canada is baccarat. Yes, the way the cards are dealt, to whom, and when, can all be a little confusing, which we’ve explained in our baccarat rules article, but the wagering is very simple; just choose if the winner will be the Player, the Banker, or a Tie. Now that you’ve got a handle on how to play, you can take advantage of the low house edge of only 1.09% – 2.18%. This means that the return to player percentage of a baccarat variant you choose to play should be at around 98.01%.

4. Slots: 0.99% – 20.10%

There are thousands of different slot games from dozens of different software developers that are available to players in Canada. This variety is fantastic, but it also means that the house edge options vary wildly. For example, Mega Joker from NetEnt has only 1% house edge. Typically, you should expect the house edge for slots to be at around 4%. However, some dodgy slots have up to 20.10% house edge. Due to the lack of regulation in the Canadian online casino industry, there is nothing stopping crooked operators from offering these unfair slots, so always stick to casinos and slots that are licenced by the UKGC.

3. Craps: 0.44% – 16.67%

One part of the game that held true to its physical origins is the extensive number of bets you can make in a game of craps, and all the bets have a different house edge. The lowest house edge bet you can make in a craps game is to play the odds in a pass/don’t pass bet, which pays out the real odds on your initial wager. However, you must play a pass bet in order to make the odds bet, so there is still a very low house edge of around 0.44%. Many of the other bets on the table have far worse odds, like a place bet, which has a house edge of 16.67%.

2. Video Poker: 0.45% – 9.00%

Video poker games remain as popular as ever online, with numerous variants that each offer something slightly different from the other, and therefore present a wide range of house edge percentages. Although the gameplay in each title looks pretty much the same, they all follow different rules on how they payout. It’s well worth the 8% difference from one game to the next that you could be dealing with to just have a look in the variant’s rules and make sure you’ve found a fair video poker game to enjoy.

1. Blackjack: 0.13% – 0.30%

The best online casino game to play based purely on the statistics is blackjack. Regardless of the variant you choose to play, the house edge of the main gameplay is much lower than any other option. The lowest house edge blackjack variants can have a statistic as low as only 0.13% for the main gameplay. However, the very important thing to understand about this statistic is that it is reliant on you playing the perfect blackjack strategy. Misplaying a hand will drastically alter the house edge into the casino’s favour.

What is a House Edge?

The house edge is a number, expressed as a percentage, that explains to player how much of your wagered money the casino stands to keep with every bet. The lower the number is, the better for the player, and can form an important part of a gambling and budgeting strategy.

These numbers are decided by the casino software developer that produces the game, and therefore has very little to do with the actual casino at which you play the game. There are exceptions to this, of course, so always check the rules for the exact odds before playing.

The percentages are trustworthy figures, as the UK Gambling Commission forces all developers to test all games with third-party agencies for full transparency. Organisations like eCOGRA and iTechLabs are well known agencies that test the low house edge games and their statistics.

Interestingly, the games with the lowest house edge are the games with the highest RTP. In fact, the numbers are simply the inverse of one another. Therefore, you will find plenty games with the lowest house edge at any of the best payout casinos in Canada.

How to Find House Edge Information

When you’re trying to find out what casino games in Canada have the lowest house edge, you can look in a game’s information or help section. All reputable online casino software developers will design their games with an information section wherein you can find the house edge information. You need to look in the help and rules section for something called a return to player (RTP) percentage, which you then subtract from 100 to find the house edge. The two numbers effectively say the same thing, but one is referring to a player’s wins, and another to a player’s losses.

Even though we have outlined the lowest house edge casino games we recommend that players always check for this statistic before beginning to gamble, as different variants and side bets will not have the same house edge as the main gameplay. If you can’t find the information, steer clear and try another option that is certified by a third-party agency like eCOGRA or TST.

Conclusion – Use Strategies to Get the Lowest House Edge

For games like keno and scratch cards, where there is not a lot of player input, the house edge figures can be taken quite literally. However, for other casino games with the lowest house edge, the overall rate will depend on the strategy that you use to play the game.

For example, choosing to play a ‘Gamble’ feature in a slot game will drastically increase the house edge to something like 50% – as opposed to the usual 0.5% – 23% of the main game. For games like blackjack, if you choose to make a silly move like hitting on a hand of 20, no house edge will save you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Anything involving math and money will invite lots of questions, so gamblers in Canada understandably have many queries when wondering what casino games in Canada have the lowest house edge.