Every casino game is the same trade in different clothing: you accept a negative expected return in exchange for variance and entertainment. What changes between types is how large the edge is, how visible it is, and how fast it applies. Those differences are worth understanding, because they are the only part you actually choose.
Machine games
All of these run on a random number generator. There is no memory between rounds, no payout that is due, and no hot or cold state.
Video slots
Reels with paylines or ways to win, typically five reels and anywhere from 10 to 117,649 ways. RTP usually 94 to 97%. The published figure is a long-run average across millions of spins and says nothing about a session.
Megaways
A licensed mechanic where the number of symbols per reel changes each spin, producing up to 117,649 ways. Higher variance than a fixed-line slot at the same RTP: the same return arrives in fewer, larger pieces.
Progressive jackpot slots
A share of every bet feeds a shared pool. Base game RTP is lower than a comparable slot because part of the return is diverted into a prize almost nobody wins. The advertised total RTP includes that jackpot; the return you actually experience does not.
Classic and fruit slots
Three reels, one or few paylines, simple maths. Often higher RTP and lower volatility than modern video slots.
Bonus buy
Paying a fixed multiple of the stake to enter the feature directly, usually 60 to 100x. RTP on a bonus buy is typically a point or two higher than the base game, and the variance is enormous. Banned in several regulated markets.
Table games
The lowest house edges in a casino, and the only games where a decision you make changes the maths.
Blackjack
House edge under 1% with correct basic strategy, and above 2% without it. The rules matter more than the strategy: a 3:2 blackjack payout against 6:5 is a difference of more than a full percentage point.
Roulette
European single zero is a 2.7% edge; American double zero is 5.26%. The same game at nearly twice the cost. French roulette with la partage halves the edge again on even-money bets.
Baccarat
Banker 1.06%, player 1.24%, tie around 14%. Almost no decisions, one of the lowest edges available, and the tie bet is the trap.
Craps and poker variants
The edge varies hugely by which bet you take at the same table, from under 1% on a pass line with odds to over 10% on proposition bets.
Live dealer
Real dealers and real equipment streamed from a studio. The maths is identical to the RNG version of the same game; what changes is pace and presentation.
Live blackjack, roulette and baccarat
The same house edges as their table equivalents. Slower per round, which usually means less wagered per hour and therefore less expected loss per hour.
Game shows
Wheel-based formats with multipliers and bonus rounds. House edge typically 3 to 8%, considerably higher than table games, and highest on the segments that advertise the biggest multipliers.
Crash and instant win
Mostly crypto-native formats, and usually the only games where the fairness of each individual round can be verified by the player.
Crash
A multiplier climbs until it stops at a random point, and you cash out before it does or lose the bet. House edge around 1 to 4%, applied through a small chance of an instant bust.
Mines, plinko and dice
Simple, fast games where you often set your own risk level. The edge stays constant whatever you set it to.
Provably fair
A scheme where the casino commits to a hashed server seed in advance and you supply a client seed, so any round can be verified afterwards. It proves the round was not tampered with. It does not make the game positive expectation.
Scratch cards and instant lotteries
Fixed prize pools revealed instantly. RTP is often lower than slots.
Video poker, bingo and keno
Three formats that sit outside the usual categories, with returns at both extremes.
Video poker
The best RTP in most casinos — full-pay Jacks or Better reaches about 99.5% with perfect play — and the only machine game where your decisions change the return. The pay table on the machine tells you the RTP before you play.
Bingo
The prize pool is funded by ticket sales, so the return depends on how many tickets are sold rather than on a fixed RTP.
Keno
Among the worst returns on the floor, often 75 to 85%. Simple to play, and expensive to play often.