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 edgeGame-specificUse 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
Blackjack
House edgeRule-specificRules 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
Roulette
House-edge examples2.70% / 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
Sports Betting
Break-even win rate52.38%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
Video Poker
House-edge example0.46%9/6 Jacks or Better, optimal play
In draw video poker, the cards you hold affect the distribution of final hands.
Read the guide
Baccarat
House-edge example1.06% BankerEight decks, 5% commission on Banker wins
In punto banco, you choose a bet and fixed dealing rules determine the hands.
Read the guide
Craps
House-edge example1.41% PassPer initial line wager, including pushes
Under the stated rules, Pass has 1.41% house edge per initial line wager.
Read the guide
Bingo
Fees and prize structureGame-specificSeparate participation fees from stakes
In bingo, you mark called numbers and try to complete the required pattern.
Read the guide
Lottery
Prize structure and oddsGame-specificSpecify the game, draw and prize terms
Lottery odds depend on the exact game.
Read the guide
Horse Racing
Pari-mutuel takeoutPool-specificA 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
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.
Scroll sideways for all columns. With a keyboard, focus this table area and use the left and right arrow keys. Tab moves to the next control.
| 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.
| Read Blackjack guide → |
| Baccarat · Banker | 1.06% | House edge | Eight decks; 5% commission on Banker wins; ties push.
| Read Baccarat guide → |
| Baccarat · Player | 1.24% | House edge | Eight decks; even-money wins; ties push.
| Read Baccarat guide → |
| Baccarat · Tie | 14.36% | House edge | Eight decks; Tie pays 8:1. Paying 9:1 changes this to 4.84%.
| Read Baccarat guide → |
| 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.
| Read Craps guide → |
| 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.
| Read Video Poker guide → |
| Roulette · single zero | 2.70% | House edge | 37 equally likely pockets, conventional payouts; no half-back or imprisonment concession.
| Read Roulette guide → |
| Roulette · double zero | 5.26% | House edge | 38 equally likely pockets and standard payouts; excludes the five-number basket and special zero concessions.
| Read Roulette guide → |
| 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.
| Read Roulette guide → |
| 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.
| Read Roulette guide → |
| 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. Calculated from the stated stake, payout and probability. | Read Sports Betting guide → |
| 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.
| Read Slots guide → |
| 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.
| – |
| 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.
| Read Bingo guide → |
| 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.
| Read Lottery guide → |
| 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.
| – |
| 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%.
| Read Horse Racing guide → |
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, the open, public-domain core for player education. You can copy, adapt, and publish these guides without permission or attribution under CC0.