Start here · Essential guide
Side Bets in Table Games: Why They Cost More
Optional side bets on table games usually carry a much larger house edge than the main wager. Here is the arithmetic behind why they tend to cost more.
The Math
Bet Types and Game Comparisons
Side bets, even-money bets and how to compare games on equal terms.
Even-Money Bets and Why They Are Not Even
A one-to-one payout sounds fair, but the odds behind it are not equal. See why even-money bets still carry a house edge, with roulette and blackjack examples.
How to Compare Games by Cost per Hour
Learn how to combine house edge, average bet size and rounds per hour into one estimate of expected loss, with checked, clearly hypothetical examples.
Minimum Bets, Maximum Bets and Table Limits
Why casinos set minimum and maximum bets, how table limits shape a session, and why they stop progression betting systems from working as people imagine.
Number of Decks and Rule Variations in Blackjack
How the number of decks and common blackjack rule variations nudge the house edge up or down, explained in general terms with a checked payout example.
Payout Ratios Written as X to Y
How to read payout notation such as 3 to 2, 6 to 5 and 35 to 1, the difference between 'to' and 'for', and how to turn a ratio into a break-even probability.
Push, Tie and Draw Rules and Their Effect
How ties are handled in casino games, from returned stakes to losing ties, and why the rule changes the house edge. Includes a checked hypothetical example.
Speed of Play and Its Effect on Expected Loss
More rounds per hour means more total money wagered at the same house edge. Learn how speed of play scales expected loss, with checked, hypothetical figures.
Related topics
More in the math
Odds and House Edge How the built-in house edge, odds and probability shape every casino game. Slots Roulette and Baccarat The mechanics and math of individual casino games. Blackjack Math The mathematics, strategy and limits of blackjack. Variance and Volatility Why short-term results swing and what that does to the player experience. The Probability Toolkit The core math ideas behind every casino game, explained step by step.