When it comes to choosing a great casino game to play, RTP, also known as Return to Player, is usually seen as one of the most important factors to consider. RTP is often in percentages, and it indicates how much of the money bet on a game is paid back as wins to players in the long run. This means that games with a higher RTP have better odds and give players more value for their money over time. What’s surprising is that not all games are equal, and it can be seen by observing RTPs. Some have a significant edge for the house, while others can be surprisingly close to breaking even. Next, we will go through some of the most popular casino games and compare their RTPs.
Video Poker – Skill-Based with Exceptional Returns
Poker, or more specifically, video poker, is a well-known game when it comes to RTP. This goes on especially for the Jacks or Better variation, since its RTP can reach 99.54% when played with a perfect strategy. What’s even more mind-blowing is that other versions, like Deuces Wild and Double Bonus Poker, can even exceed an RTP of 100% when played in rare full-pay machines. It’s no surprise that these machines are extremely hard to find and often come with higher variance.
As a game, poker mixes simplicity with deep strategic depth by requiring players to decide which cards to hold and which cards to discard. Because of this, skilled players have an edge, making the game much more engaging and rewarding for them. Additionally, this also means that players can boost their odds by understanding poker hand rankings and basic math.
On top of this classic game having extremely high RTP, there are platforms like Coin Poker AU, which offer different versions and variations of it. This platform is extremely popular among crypto users and players who value anonymity, since it offers cryptos as a payment method, making it secure and fast.
Blackjack – The Go-To Game for High RTP
Blackjack, a historical casino game that helped shape the whole industry, is known for its high RTP. Most of the game’s variations offer an RTP of 99.5% when an optimal strategy is used. This RTP would mean that the player will win back $99.50 from every $100 bet. To achieve this high RTP in blackjack, a player must understand and stick to basic strategy. Additionally, knowing when to hit, stand, double down, or split based on the player’s own cards and the dealer’s up card is a must.
Blackjack’s unique style of mixing simplicity with skill attracts players who like to mix entertainment with favourable odds. Unlike in basic slot games, in blackjack, the player can influence odds and the outcome with his own decisions. Some casinos even offer variations like blackjack switch or single deck, where odds are even better for experienced players who know what they are doing. When exploring these kinds of variations, checking the rules is important, since some of them reduce the RTP with tweaks like lower payouts.
Usually, online variations of blackjack offer the same RTP as land-based variations. This goes on especially when playing the game in a live casino. However, RNG blackjack games might offer worse RTP. To be sure, it’s recommended to check a specific variation’s RTP before playing.
Roulette – Classic Appeal with Varying RTP
Roulette is a stable casino game, which the global market was, according to these statistics, valued at $16,610 million in the year 2024. Its RTP, on the other hand, fluctuates a lot depending on the game’s variation. For example, European roulette, which only has only one zero, has an RTP of 97.3%, while American roulette, which has two zeros, has an RTP of 94.74%. While the difference is really small, it still makes a huge impact in the long run.
Roulette’s charm lies in its simplicity. The main point is to just choose numbers, colours, or sections and let the wheel spin and decide your fate. Even though the game itself relies purely on luck, players still use different strategies like Martingale or Fibonacci. While these strategies don’t change the house’s edge, they help to manage risk.
In order to minimise losses and maximise fun at European tables, players usually stick to even-money bets, where they bet on red/black or odd/even. While this strategy doesn’t provide high odds, it offers a way to play steadily and longer.
Baccarat – Surprisingly High RTP for a Luck-Based Game
Baccarat is a game that is unknown to many beginners. While this is the case, it’s still highly popular, especially among experienced players. From a beginner’s perspective, it might look and sound intimidating and complicated since it’s known for its high-stakes bets. Despite all this, it still has an impressively high RTP. The house edge on banker bets is just 1.06%, meaning that RTP is 98.94%. Player bets aren’t far behind at 98.76%, though the tie bet should be avoided since it has a massive house edge.
Just like roulette, baccarat’s charm lies in its simplicity. After understanding the game, it becomes quite easy. Players don’t need to make any deep strategic decisions; they only choose their bets. Since the game follows a fixed set of rules for drawing cards, everything else is automatic. Thanks to this, baccarat is an ideal game for new players who are looking for a high-RTP game without complex or complicated rules or strategies.
Currently, there are many online casinos that offer low-limit baccarat tables. This means that since the betting structure itself is so straightforward, it’s easy to stretch your bankroll while still enjoying favourable odds. To top this off, most casinos have their live dealers, which adds an elegant touch.
Craps – Excellent RTP on Select Bets
Craps is one of the casinos’ most exhilarating games. It’s full of energy, shouts, and quick rolls, making it a perfect game for absolutely everyone. While at first the game might look complex, after understanding the basics, it becomes quite easy. When sticking to the right bets like the pass line and don’t pass, the RTP can reach over 98%, making the house edge about 1.41% or 1.36%.
The whole idea when optimising playstyle and maximising returns in craps is to understand which bets to avoid, since some have incredibly bad RTPs. A great example is proposition bets, where the house edge can be as high as 16% or more. Because of this, players should always stick to pass/don’t pass and come/don’t come bets to get a much more favourable RTP.
Many online casinos offer different variations of craps, which can be fun to explore. For example, RNG variations have their own unique charm and twist that can make the game even more engaging and enjoyable. While the game itself is not as common as blackjack or roulette, it’s still worth learning since it has a high RTP when played correctly.
Slots – RTP Varies Wildly
And finally, we have slot games. They are the most popular casino games by far. In fact, only the physical machines market alone was estimated at $16.8 billion in 2024. Since there are thousands of different slot games, RTP values fluctuate a lot. Some have RTPs as low as 88%, while others offer RTPs up to 98% or even higher in some rarer cases. On average, a basic slot game’s RTP ranges from 94% to 96%. Thanks to this kind of variance, these games should be approached with entertainment in mind rather than reliable returns.
Slots are popular thanks to their accessibility, fast pace, diversity, and most importantly, the possibility of big wins from small bets. To add to all this, they usually have extra features like bonus rounds, multipliers, and progressive jackpots, which make the experience even more exciting. It’s important to note that while these features might be fun, they usually come at the cost of RTP and higher volatility.
Players who usually play slots but want to still get the best possible value always check the game’s RTP before playing. Usually, this can be found by looking at the game’s information before clicking the actual play button.
Which Game Has the Best RTP?
Now for the golden question. When it comes to maximising chances and getting the most value for bets, poker is the go-to choice, since it has an RTP of up to 99.54% when played correctly. In addition, on full-play variations, RTP can even exceed 100%. After poker comes blackjack, with an RTP around 99.5% when played optimally. Then come craps, baccarat, and European roulette, which all have respectable RTPs of over 95%. While some slots might offer better RTPs, most of them average 94% to 96%.
To conclude everything, the best RTP is usually offered by poker and blackjack. This goes on especially if the player is aware of basic rules and strategies. Luck-based games offer less control but can still provide solid value with the right choices.