Price of an hour
What an hour of play costs on average: your bet, times rounds an hour, times the house edge. The same $10 bet costs about $4.31 an hour at 3:2 blackjack dealt from a continuous shuffler and $20 at double-zero roulette.
Work it out
Pick a game, set your bet and how long you plan to play. The pace of a table game is an example pace, not a measured one (for craps, the pace casino rating systems are set to; for slots, as fast as the machine allows); change it to match your table.
The same bet, game by game
An hour at $10 a round, at an example pace for each table game (craps: the pace casino rating systems are set to; slots: as fast as the machine allows). How every house edge is worked out, and where each pace comes from, is further down.
| Game | House edge | Pace | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| BlackjackPays 3:2, six decks, dealer hits soft 17 | 0.62% | 70 hands | $4.31 |
| BlackjackPays 3:2, six decks, dealer stands on soft 17 | 0.40% | 70 hands | $2.83 |
| BlackjackPays 6:5, six decks, dealer hits soft 17 | 1.98% | 70 hands | $14 |
| BlackjackPays 6:5, six decks, dealer stands on soft 17 | 1.76% | 70 hands | $12 |
| RouletteSingle zero (European; English at Loto-Québec) | 2.70% | 35 spins | $9.46 |
| RouletteDouble zero (American) | 5.26% | 38 spins | $20 |
| RouletteTriple zero | 7.69% | 38 spins | $29 |
| BaccaratBanker bet, 5% commission | 1.06% | 72 hands | $7.63 |
| BaccaratPlayer bet | 1.24% | 72 hands | $8.93 |
| BaccaratTie bet | 14.36% | 72 hands | $103 |
| CrapsPass line | 1.41% | 18 decisions | $2.54 |
| Sic BoSmall or Big | 2.78% | 45 rounds | $13 |
| Pai Gow PokerAgainst the dealer, house way, 5% commission | 2.80% | 34 hands | $9.52 |
| Three Card PokerAnte and Play, Ante bonus 5-4-1 | 3.37% | 50 hands | $17 |
| Three Card PokerPairplus, the 40-30-6-3-1 pay table PlaySmart prints | 7.28% | 50 hands | $36 |
| Ultimate Texas Hold’emAnte and Blind, optimal strategy | 2.185% | 50 hands | $11 |
| Slot machineReturns 92% (average at B.C. casinos) | 8% | 600 spins | $480 |
| Slot machineReturns 85% (lowest allowed in Ontario) | 15% | 600 spins | $900 |
At the minimum bet, venue by venue
3 games at 3 venues: the venue’s own page states the minimum bet, and the name of the game tells its rules. Electronic tables are left out: the pace here is for tables with a live dealer. Blackjack is left out: its cost depends on the payout, the number of decks and the soft-17 rule, we do not have all three for any venue yet, and among the four blackjack rule sets on this page the dearest costs 4.9 times the cheapest. The minimum bet and its quote are on each venue’s page.
| Venue | Game | Minimum bet | House edge | Pace | ≈ An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Villa Casino BurnabyBurnaby | BaccaratPlayer bet — the same in standard and EZ Baccarat$50 minimum | $50 | 1.24% | 72 hands | $45 |
| Grey Eagle Resort & CasinoCalgary | BaccaratPlayer bet — the same in standard and EZ Baccarat$10 minimum | $10 | 1.24% | 72 hands | $8.93 |
| Parq CasinoVancouver | Squeeze BaccaratPlayer bet — the same in standard and EZ Baccarat$25 minimum | $25 | 1.24% | 72 hands | $22 |
How to read the number
It is an average over a long run. Over many hours, what you lose per hour tends towards this figure. Over one evening, luck swings far wider than the house edge, in both directions.
The house edge is measured against your first bet of a round. Doubling down in blackjack or the Play bet in poker games is not counted in it, so enter the bet you place before the cards come out: the Ante in poker games, the pass line in craps.
The pace is an example. None of the Canadian documents we read publishes how many rounds a table deals in an hour, so table games use an example pace, not a measured one. Craps uses the pace casino rating systems are set to; slot machines use as fast as the machine allows, timed by researchers. A table runs faster or slower with the number of players and the dealer, and electronic tables keep their own pace. Fewer rounds an hour means a cheaper hour at the same bet.
Craps odds cost nothing extra. The odds bet behind the pass line has no house edge, so it makes the swings bigger without raising the hourly cost.
The range of an evening
How far one evening can land from the average, for bets with two or three results a round.
Every possible evening is counted, not estimated. For each round the bet wins, loses or, in baccarat, stays on a tie, with the probabilities below. Over the rounds of your session we add up the chance of every total exactly, then take the range between the 10th and the 90th percentile: at least 8 evenings in 10 end inside it, the rest above or below.
It assumes every round is played at the same bet, to the end of the time you set: it ignores stopping early or running out of money. Roulette is counted on red or black; a single number costs the same on average but swings far wider.
No range for blackjack, pai gow, poker games or slots. A blackjack round has many results once doubles and splits come in, and we do not have the probability of each from a source; a slot machine’s results depend on its pay table and weighting, which the machine does not publish.
| Game and bet | Result of a round | Probability | What it pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| RouletteSingle zero, bet on red or black Source
Roulette: one round on red or black Worked out: 18 of the 37 numbers are red, 18 black; the zero loses a colour bet. The average result of a round, 48.65% / 51.35% against these pays, is a loss of 2.70% of the bet, the house edge above. | A colour winspays 1 to 1 | 48.65% | pays 1 to 1 |
| Zero or the other colourloses the bet | 51.35% | loses the bet | |
| RouletteDouble zero, bet on red or black Source
Roulette: one round on red or black Worked out: 18 of the 38 numbers are red, 18 black; 0 and 00 lose a colour bet. The average result of a round, 47.37% / 52.63% against these pays, is a loss of 5.26% of the bet, the house edge above. | A colour winspays 1 to 1 | 47.37% | pays 1 to 1 |
| Zero or the other colourloses the bet | 52.63% | loses the bet | |
| RouletteTriple zero, bet on red or black Source
Roulette: one round on red or black Worked out: 18 of the 39 numbers are red, 18 black; 0, 00 and 000 lose a colour bet. The average result of a round, 46.15% / 53.85% against these pays, is a loss of 7.69% of the bet, the house edge above. | A colour winspays 1 to 1 | 46.15% | pays 1 to 1 |
| Zero or the other colourloses the bet | 53.85% | loses the bet | |
| CrapsPass line, bet on the pass line Source
Craps: one round on the pass line Worked out: all 36 rolls of two dice: 7 or 11 wins at once, 2, 3 or 12 loses, any other total is the point, which must come again before a 7. The average result of a round, 49.29% / 50.71% against these pays, is a loss of 1.41% of the bet, the house edge above. | Pass line winspays 1 to 1 | 49.29% | pays 1 to 1 |
| Pass line losesloses the bet | 50.71% | loses the bet | |
| Sic BoSmall or Big, bet on Small or Big Source
Sic Bo: one round on Small or Big Worked out: all 216 rolls of three dice: a total of 4 to 10 wins Small unless all three dice match. The average result of a round, 48.61% / 51.39% against these pays, is a loss of 2.78% of the bet, the house edge above. | Small winspays 1 to 1 | 48.61% | pays 1 to 1 |
| Big total, or three of a kindloses the bet | 51.39% | loses the bet | |
| BaccaratBanker bet, 5% commission, bet on the Banker Source
Baccarat: one round on the Banker Worked out: every deal from eight decks, card by card, under the drawing rules. The average result of a round, 45.86% / 44.62% / 9.52% against these pays, is a loss of 1.06% of the bet, the house edge above. | Banker winspays 0.95 to 1 after the 5% commission | 45.86% | pays 0.95 to 1 after the 5% commission |
| Player winsloses the bet | 44.62% | loses the bet | |
| Tiethe bet stays | 9.52% | the bet stays | |
| BaccaratPlayer bet, bet on the Player Source
Baccarat: one round on the Player Worked out: every deal from eight decks, card by card, under the drawing rules. The average result of a round, 44.62% / 45.86% / 9.52% against these pays, is a loss of 1.24% of the bet, the house edge above. | Player winspays 1 to 1 | 44.62% | pays 1 to 1 |
| Banker winsloses the bet | 45.86% | loses the bet | |
| Tiethe bet stays | 9.52% | the bet stays | |
| BaccaratTie bet, bet on a Tie Source
Baccarat: one round on a Tie Worked out: every deal from eight decks, card by card, under the drawing rules. The average result of a round, 9.52% / 90.48% against these pays, is a loss of 14.36% of the bet, the house edge above. | Tiepays 8 to 1 | 9.52% | pays 8 to 1 |
| Banker or Player winsloses the bet | 90.48% | loses the bet |
House edge, game by game
Every figure is worked out by our own count. Tap to see how, and, where a Canadian publisher prints the same figure, the words it uses.
| Game and bet | House edge | Source |
|---|---|---|
| BlackjackPays 3:2, six decks, dealer hits soft 17All four blackjack rows are worked out by the same engine as our Blackjack strategy tool, with every hand played by the chart: the dealer checks for blackjack, you may double on any two cards and after splitting and split up to four hands, there is no surrender, and the cards are shuffled after every hand. | 0.62%worked out | Source
Blackjack: Pays 3:2, six decks, dealer hits soft 17 Worked out: our blackjack engine, the same as in our Blackjack strategy tool, with every hand played by the chart under these rules. |
| BlackjackPays 3:2, six decks, dealer stands on soft 17 | 0.40%worked out | Source
Blackjack: Pays 3:2, six decks, dealer stands on soft 17 Worked out: our blackjack engine, the same as in our Blackjack strategy tool, with every hand played by the chart under these rules. |
| BlackjackPays 6:5, six decks, dealer hits soft 17 | 1.98%worked out | Source
Blackjack: Pays 6:5, six decks, dealer hits soft 17 Worked out: our blackjack engine, the same as in our Blackjack strategy tool, with every hand played by the chart under these rules. |
| BlackjackPays 6:5, six decks, dealer stands on soft 17 | 1.76%worked out | Source
Blackjack: Pays 6:5, six decks, dealer stands on soft 17 Worked out: our blackjack engine, the same as in our Blackjack strategy tool, with every hand played by the chart under these rules. |
| RouletteSingle zero (European; English at Loto-Québec) | 2.70%worked out | Source
Roulette: Single zero (European; English at Loto-Québec) Worked out: a single number pays 35 to 1 and is paid on 1 of the 37 pockets, so it returns 36/37 of the bet; every other bet on the wheel works out the same, 1/37 of the bet. it significantly lowers the house edge: 2.7% compared to American Roulette’s 5.26%. The wheel contains the numbers 0 to 36 (English roulette), or 00 and 0 to 36 (American roulette). |
| RouletteDouble zero (American)The five-number bet 0-00-1-2-3 costs more: 7.89%. | 5.26%worked out | Source
Roulette: Double zero (American) Worked out: a single number pays 35 to 1 and is paid on 1 of the 38 pockets, so it returns 36/38 of the bet: 2/38 = 1/19 of every bet stays with the house, except on the five-number bet, which pays 6 to 1 on 5 of 38 pockets (7.89%). In American roulette it’s 5.26% averaged across all bets – relatively high compared with other games. |
| RouletteTriple zero | 7.69%worked out | Source
Roulette: Triple zero Worked out: a single number pays 35 to 1 and is paid on 1 of the 39 pockets, so it returns 36/39 of the bet: 3/39 = 1/13 of every bet stays with the house. |
| BaccaratBanker bet, 5% commission | 1.06%worked out | Source
Baccarat: Banker bet, 5% commission Worked out: every deal from eight decks, card by card, under the drawing rules; a Banker win pays 0.95 after the commission and a tie leaves the bet in place. At 1.06% for the Banker’s hand and 1.24% on the Player’s hand |
| BaccaratPlayer bet | 1.24%worked out | Source
Baccarat: Player bet Worked out: every deal from eight decks, card by card, under the drawing rules; a Player win pays 1 to 1 and a tie leaves the bet in place. At 1.06% for the Banker’s hand and 1.24% on the Player’s hand |
| BaccaratTie bet | 14.36%worked out | Source
Baccarat: Tie bet Worked out: every deal from eight decks, card by card, under the drawing rules; a tie pays 8 to 1. The difference between the payout and odds results in a very high house edge of 14.36% |
| CrapsPass lineOdds taken behind the pass line add nothing to this cost. | 1.41%worked out | Source
Craps: Pass line Worked out: all 36 rolls of two dice: 244 of every 495 pass-line bets win and 251 lose, and a win pays 1 to 1, so 7/495 of every bet stays with the house. Pass Line/Come Bet Actual or “True” Odds: 251 to 244 Odds Paid or Payout: 1 to 1 House Edge: 1.41% OLG PlaySmart · Craps — odds · read |
| CrapsOdds behind the pass line | 0%worked out | Source
Craps: Odds behind the pass line Worked out: the odds bet pays the true odds of the point coming before a 7 (2 to 1 on 4 or 10, 3 to 2 on 5 or 9, 6 to 5 on 6 or 8), so on average it returns exactly what is bet. they pay out at true odds, which means there is no house edge. |
| CrapsPass line plus full 3-4-5× odds, measured against all money betLower only because the free odds bet is counted in the total. In dollars an hour it costs the same as the pass line alone. | 0.374%worked out | Source
Craps: Pass line plus full 3-4-5× odds, measured against all money bet Worked out: the 7/495 the pass line keeps, divided by the average money on the table once odds of 3× on 4 or 10, 4× on 5 or 9 and 5× on 6 or 8 are taken behind a point. |
| Sic BoSmall or BigOther Sic Bo bets cost more. | 2.78%worked out | Source
Sic Bo: Small or Big Worked out: all 216 rolls of three dice: Small is paid on a total of 4 to 10 unless all three dice match, 105 rolls of 216 (48.61%), and pays 1 to 1. |
| Pai Gow PokerAgainst the dealer, house way, 5% commission | 2.80%worked out | Source
Pai Gow Poker: Against the dealer, house way, 5% commission Worked out: our simulation of 10,000,000 hands, both hands set by the BCLC house way, the dealer as banker and 5% off every win; the figure is good to about 0.05 of a percentage point either way. |
| Three Card PokerAnte and Play, Ante bonus 5-4-1Measured against the Ante; the Play bet is not counted. | 3.37%worked out | Source
Three Card Poker: Ante and Play, Ante bonus 5-4-1 Worked out: every hand of three cards against every dealer hand from the rest of the deck, playing each hand the way that costs least: an Ante bonus of 5 to 1 on a straight flush, 4 to 1 on three of a kind and 1 to 1 on a straight, and the dealer qualifying with a queen or better. |
| Three Card PokerPairplus, the 40-30-6-3-1 pay table PlaySmart prints | 7.28%worked out | Source
Three Card Poker: Pairplus, the 40-30-6-3-1 pay table PlaySmart prints Worked out: all 22,100 hands of three cards against the pay table: 40 to 1 on a straight flush, 30 on three of a kind, 6 on a straight, 3 on a flush and 1 on a pair. HAND PAYOUT Straight flush 40 to 1 Three of a kind 30 to 1 Straight 6 to 1 Flush 3 to 1 Pair 1 to 1 |
| Ultimate Texas Hold’emAnte and Blind, optimal strategyMeasured against the Ante alone, although the Blind is bet too. | 2.185%worked out | Source
Ultimate Texas Hold’em: Ante and Blind, optimal strategy Worked out: every pair of starting cards, every board and every dealer hand, with each decision made the way that costs least, and the BCLC Blind pay table. |
| Slot machineReturns 92% (average at B.C. casinos) | 8% | Source
Slot machine: Returns 92% (average at B.C. casinos) The average return to player at B.C. casinos is 92 percent. |
| Slot machineReturns 85% (lowest allowed in Ontario) | 15% | Source
Slot machine: Returns 85% (lowest allowed in Ontario) 11.9.1 The minimum theoretical payout percentage of a Game is eighty-five (85.000) percent. |
Rounds an hour
Table games: an example pace, not a measured one — none of the Canadian documents we read publishes how many rounds a table deals in an hour. Craps: the pace casino rating systems are set to, as a casino consultant describes them in Global Gaming Business. Slot machines: as fast as the machine allows, as timed at an Ontario casino. Your table or machine may be faster or slower.
| Game | Pace | Source |
|---|---|---|
| BlackjackAn example pace | 70 hands | |
| BaccaratAn example pace | 72 hands | |
| CrapsPace casino rating systems are set toAbout 60 rolls an hour, the pace player-rating systems are set to; a line bet is settled once in about 3.4 rolls, so that is about 18 pass-line decisions. | 18 decisions | Source
Pace: Craps Worked out: 60 rolls an hour ÷ 557/165 ≈ 3.376 rolls a decision ≈ 18 pass-line decisions an hour; 557/165 is the average number of rolls a line bet lasts, counted over every roll of two dice. Most systems have been pre-programed to reflect sixty (60) rolls per hour. … the pass/come wager (either “do” or “don’t) is subject to a win/loss decision, not every roll, but every 3.4 rolls. … The correct number of decisions in the player tracking computer for craps wagering should be closer to 15 to 18 decisions per hour. |
| Roulette, double zeroAn example pace | 38 spins | |
| Roulette, single zeroAn example pace | 35 spins | |
| Roulette, triple zeroAn example pace | 38 spins | |
| Sic BoAn example pace | 45 rounds | |
| Pai Gow PokerAn example pace | 34 hands | |
| Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’emAn example pace | 50 hands | |
| Slot machineAs fast as the machine allowsTimed on reel slots at an Ontario casino: about one spin every 6 seconds. Video slots in the same study allowed one about every 3 seconds, 1,200 an hour. This is the machine’s limit, not how fast people usually play. | 600 spins | Source
Pace: Slot machine We analyzed the PAR Sheets and played the four games for approximately 60 hr at an Ontario casino, Grand River Raceway, which has 200 slot machines. … We estimated the speed of play by using the second hand on a watch. … traditional mechanical reel slot machine games, the player can play approximately every 6 s, which is approximately 10 spins per minute, or 600 spins per hour. On the two video slots games, the player can play approximately every 3 s, which is 1,200 spins per hour. |
If it stops being fun
If gambling stops being entertainment, help is available. 19+ in most of Canada; 18+ in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. More on responsible gaming.
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