Using maths to boost your winning chances
If you are a regular player at an online casino in the United States you will know that the term ‘house edge’ is not your friend.
For people who are unfamiliar with house edge, it is essentially a percentage that is built into each casino game to ensure that the operator makes a profit.
That is not to say that you cannot win at a casino, but that popular games such as roulette, blackjack, poker, craps and slots are weighted in favor of the house.
There are plenty of gambling strategies you can use to reduce the house edge, many of which have their roots in mathematics. We look at some of the most popular ones.
Online slots
Online slots are powered by a random number generator (RNG), which effectively means that they are purely a game of chance.
On that basis, the probability of winning on slots is lower than most other casino games, but using simple maths can tip the odds in your favor.
All slots have a return to player (RTP) rate attached to them. This is displayed on the game as a percentage and determines how much you should win on average over a sustained period of play.
Playing games with an RTP as close to 100% as possible will automatically improve your chances of making a profit on slots.
Blackjack
The theory of probability can be applied to blackjack to significantly reduce the house edge and increase your hopes of winning.
Probability is the branch of maths that relates to numerical descriptions of how likely an event is to occur, or how likely it is that a proposition is true.
Taking the rules of probability and blending this with what is known as ‘basic strategy’ has been proven to virtually negate the house edge.
Basic strategy shows players the best move to make in every situation in blackjack – employed perfectly, it can reduce the house’s edge to just 0.5%.
The two most popular variants of roulette are European and American, and the odds in each one differs slightly due to the format of the wheel.
Roulette
The two most popular variants of roulette are European and American, and the odds in each one differs slightly due to the format of the wheel.
The European version features 37 numbers – 1-36 and a single zero – giving the house a 2.7% edge over each player.
By contrast, the American wheel contains 38 numbers – 1-36, 0 and 00 – thus increasing the house edge to 5.26%.
Based on percentages alone, playing roulette on the European wheel rather than the American one increases your chances of winning.
