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Description: Explore plain-language guides to casino and betting games, with examples, diagrams, and myth explanations. Free to read and adapt under CC0.

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# Game guides

Plain-language guides to how each game works: the odds, the house edge, and common myths. Written for players at a sixth-to-eighth-grade reading level, they are free to read and reuse.

## The guides

Each guide covers the same ground: a 30-second version, how the game works, the bets, the underlying math, key terms, and common myths. Start anywhere.

- [### Slots House edge Game-specific Use the actual game's published RTP If a game's theoretical RTP is 95%, its corresponding house edge is 5.00% under that defined model. Read the guide](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/slots/>)
- [### Blackjack House edge Rule-specific Rules and strategy both matter In the conventional game described here, a hand that has not busted wins by beating the dealer's total or surviving... Read the guide](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/blackjack/>)
- [### Roulette House-edge examples 2.70% / 5.26% Single / double zero, standard payouts Your choice of bet changes the chance of a payout, its size and the amount at risk. Read the guide](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/roulette/>)
- [### Sports Betting Break-even win rate 52.38% A −110 bet with no pushes At −110, risking $110 to win $100 requires a 52.38% win rate to break even in a no-push, equal-stake model. Read the guide](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/sports-betting/>)
- [### Video Poker House-edge example 0.46% 9/6 Jacks or Better, optimal play In draw video poker, the cards you hold affect the distribution of final hands. Read the guide](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/video-poker/>)
- [### Baccarat House-edge example 1.06% Banker Eight decks, 5% commission on Banker wins In punto banco, you choose a bet and fixed dealing rules determine the hands. Read the guide](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/baccarat/>)
- [### Craps House-edge example 1.41% Pass Per initial line wager, including pushes Under the stated rules, Pass has 1.41% house edge per initial line wager. Read the guide](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/craps/>)
- [### Bingo Fees and prize structure Game-specific Separate participation fees from stakes In bingo, you mark called numbers and try to complete the required pattern. Read the guide](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/bingo/>)
- [### Lottery Prize structure and odds Game-specific Specify the game, draw and prize terms Lottery odds depend on the exact game. Read the guide](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/lottery/>)
- [### Horse Racing Pari-mutuel takeout Pool-specific A deduction from the wagering pool In pari-mutuel racing, wagers of the same type enter the relevant pool, a takeout is deducted and the available... Read the guide](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/horse-racing/>)

Compare

## Odds at a glance

Compare a figure only with the rules and denominator that produce it. These are scoped examples, not a ranking of every available game or bet.

Game odds comparison: rules, house edge, and guides

| Game / example | Figure | What it measures | Rules and source | Guide |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blackjack | Rule-specific | House edge | Specify the full rules and playing strategy. The source's 0.28% example uses soft-17 stand, double after splitting, resplitting aces and late surrender; it is not a universal minimum.<br><br>- [Shackleford: house-edge analysis and rule notes](<https://wizardofodds.com/gambling/house-edge/>)Mathematical analysis | [Read Blackjack guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/blackjack/>) |
| Baccarat · Banker | 1.06% | House edge | Eight decks; 5% commission on Banker wins; ties push.<br><br>- [Shackleford: eight-deck baccarat analysis](<https://wizardofodds.com/games/baccarat/basics/>)Mathematical analysis | [Read Baccarat guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/baccarat/>) |
| Baccarat · Player | 1.24% | House edge | Eight decks; even-money wins; ties push.<br><br>- [Shackleford: eight-deck baccarat analysis](<https://wizardofodds.com/games/baccarat/basics/>)Mathematical analysis | [Read Baccarat guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/baccarat/>) |
| Baccarat · Tie | 14.36% | House edge | Eight decks; Tie pays 8:1. Paying 9:1 changes this to 4.84%.<br><br>- [Shackleford: eight-deck baccarat analysis](<https://wizardofodds.com/games/baccarat/basics/>)Mathematical analysis | [Read Baccarat guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/baccarat/>) |
| Craps · Pass | 1.41% | House edge | Per initial line wager. Don't Pass, with 12 barred, is 1.36% when pushes are included. True-odds portions are 0%, but require the base wager.<br><br>- [Shackleford: craps probability derivations](<https://wizardofodds.com/games/craps/appendix/1/>)Mathematical analysis | [Read Craps guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/craps/>) |
| Video poker · 9/6 Jacks or Better | 0.46% | House edge | Optimal play; royal 800, straight flush 50, quads 25, full house 9, flush 6, straight 4, trips 3, two pair 2, high pair 1, per unit wagered.<br><br>- [Shackleford: Jacks or Better paytables and return counts](<https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/tables/jacks-or-better/>)Mathematical analysis | [Read Video Poker guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/video-poker/>) |
| Roulette · single zero | 2.70% | House edge | 37 equally likely pockets, conventional payouts; no half-back or imprisonment concession.<br><br>- [Shackleford: roulette payouts and rule variants](<https://wizardofodds.com/games/roulette/basics/>)Mathematical analysis | [Read Roulette guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/roulette/>) |
| Roulette · double zero | 5.26% | House edge | 38 equally likely pockets and standard payouts; excludes the five-number basket and special zero concessions.<br><br>- [Shackleford: roulette payouts and rule variants](<https://wizardofodds.com/games/roulette/basics/>)Mathematical analysis | [Read Roulette guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/roulette/>) |
| Roulette · five-number basket | 7.89% | House edge | Double zero; 0–00–1–2–3; pays 6:1, with five winning pockets out of 38.<br><br>- [Shackleford: roulette payouts and rule variants](<https://wizardofodds.com/games/roulette/basics/>)Mathematical analysis | [Read Roulette guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/roulette/>) |
| Roulette · half back on zero | 1.35% | House edge | Single-zero even-money bets only; half the stake returned on zero (la partage). Other imprisonment rules can differ.<br><br>- [Shackleford: roulette payouts and rule variants](<https://wizardofodds.com/games/roulette/basics/>)Mathematical analysis | [Read Roulette guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/roulette/>) |
| Sports bet · −110 | 4.55% | Expected loss / stake | Hypothetical 50% true win probability, no pushes, $110 risked to win $100. Break-even is 52.38%. Two −110 quotes imply a 4.76% overround; this is not the same percentage.<br><br>Calculated from the stated stake, payout and probability. | [Read Sports Betting guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/sports-betting/>) |
| Slots · 95% RTP example | 5.00% | House edge | Illustrative theoretical RTP, not a particular available machine or a prediction of session losses. Actual game configurations differ.<br><br>- [Gambling Commission: RTP, random and compensated machines](<https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/guide/return-to-player-how-much-gaming-machines-payout>)Regulator explanation; Great Britain | [Read Slots guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/slots/>) |
| Peer-to-peer poker | Schedule-specific | Rake / fees | Rake, caps, stakes and player count affect the charge. An operator fee is not the same as a casino game's mathematical house edge; player results also depend on opponents and decisions.<br><br>- [PokerStars: rake schedules](<https://www.pokerstars.com/poker/room/rake/>)Operator fee schedule | – |
| Bingo | Game-specific | Fees and prizes | Inspect participation fees, stakes, prize funding and sharing rules. No universal 5–25% or 10–25% range is asserted here.<br><br>- [Gambling Commission: bingo stakes, fees and prizes](<https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/licensees-and-businesses/guide/how-bingo-is-defined>)Regulator explanation; Great Britain | [Read Bingo guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/bingo/>) |
| Lottery draw | Draw-specific | Expected return | Identify ticket price, prize probabilities, jackpot value and sharing/cash terms. A published sales allocation does not establish the expected return for every draw.<br><br>- [Powerball: prize structure and odds](<https://www.powerball.com/powerball-prize-chart>)Game operator | [Read Lottery guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/lottery/>) |
| Scratch cards | Game-specific | Prize structure | Use the individual game's ticket price, prize schedule and disclosed odds. The chance of any prize is not the same as the chance of profit or the return percentage.<br><br>- [California Lottery: individual Scratchers games](<https://www.calottery.com/en/scratchers>)Game operator | – |
| Horse racing · pari-mutuel | Pool-specific | Takeout | Use the named track, pool and applicable date. Aqueduct's FAQ lists 16% Win/Place/Show, 18.5% Exacta and 24% Trifecta. Pick 5/Pick 6 entries are 15%, with Pick 6 on carryover days listed separately at 24%.<br><br>- [NYRA: Aqueduct takeout by pool](<https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/betting-faq/>)Operator schedule; named venue | [Read Horse Racing guide →](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/content/games/horse-racing/>) |

House edge is expected loss divided by the stated wager amount. A hypothetical 5% edge means $5 expected loss per $100 wagered; actual results vary. Break-even win rate, sportsbook overround, poker rake and pool takeout measure different things. A smaller percentage alone does not establish a better result for a particular player.

Sources checked September 5, 2026. Check the rules and payouts supplied with your actual game before adapting these examples.

Part of the [Playbook Brand system](<https://www.playbookrg.com/brand/>), the open, public-domain core for player education. You can copy, adapt, and publish these guides without permission or attribution under CC0.

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