The house edge is the mathematical advantage the casino has on every bet you make. It's the single most important number for understanding how much a game costs you over time. Here's how slots and table games stack up:
| Game | Type | House Edge | RTP (Return to Player) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack (basic strategy) | Table | 0.5-1% | 99-99.5% |
| Craps (pass line) | Table | 1.41% | 98.59% |
| Baccarat (banker) | Table | 1.06% | 98.94% |
| Roulette (European) | Table | 2.7% | 97.3% |
| Roulette (American) | Table | 5.26% | 94.74% |
| Crypto Slots (provably fair) | Slots | 3-4% | 96-97% |
| Traditional Online Slots | Slots | 4-10% | 90-96% |
| Video Poker (Jacks or Better) | Hybrid | 0.5-2% | 98-99.5% |
| Crypto Dice | Crypto-native | 1% | 99% |
| Crash | Crypto-native | 1% | 99% |
Table games have a clear house edge advantage. Blackjack with basic strategy (0.5-1%) costs you roughly 5-10x less per bet than traditional slots (4-10%). However, crypto-native games like dice and crash offer table-game-level edges (1%) with slot-like speed. Provably fair crypto slots also run leaner at 3-4% versus the traditional 4-10% range.
House edge tells you the long-term cost. Variance tells you the short-term ride. Two games can have the exact same house edge but feel completely different because of variance.
| Game | Variance | Win Frequency | Win Size Range | Bankroll Behavior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | Low | ~49% of hands | 1x-2.5x bet | Slow grind up or down |
| Roulette (even bets) | Low-Medium | ~48.6% of spins | 1x bet | Steady decline with even results |
| Roulette (straight up) | High | ~2.7% of spins | 35x bet | Many losses, rare big hits |
| Crypto Dice (50%) | Low | ~49.5% | ~2x bet | Very slow grind |
| Crash (2x target) | Medium | ~49.5% | 2x bet | Moderate swings |
| Low Volatility Slots | Medium | ~30-35% | 1x-50x bet | Gradual decline with bonus spikes |
| High Volatility Slots | Very High | ~15-25% | 1x-5000x+ bet | Fast decline with rare massive spikes |
| Plinko (high risk) | Very High | ~15% | 0.2x-1000x bet | Steady bleeding with rare huge wins |
High variance games require a larger bankroll relative to your bet size. If you're playing high-volatility slots, you need at least 200-500x your bet size in your bankroll to have a reasonable chance of surviving long enough to hit a bonus round. For low-variance blackjack, 50-100x your bet size is usually sufficient for a solid session.
This is the number that truly matters for your bankroll. Expected hourly loss combines the house edge with how fast you play (bets per hour) and your bet size. A game with a low house edge but high speed can cost you more per hour than a slower game with a higher edge.
| Game | House Edge | Bets/Hour | Bet Size | Expected Hourly Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | 0.5% | 60 | 1,000 SPUNK | 300 SPUNK |
| Roulette | 2.7% | 40 | 1,000 SPUNK | 1,080 SPUNK |
| Crypto Dice | 1% | 200 | 1,000 SPUNK | 2,000 SPUNK |
| Crash | 1% | 120 | 1,000 SPUNK | 1,200 SPUNK |
| Crypto Slots | 3.5% | 300 | 1,000 SPUNK | 10,500 SPUNK |
| Traditional Slots | 7% | 500 | 1,000 SPUNK | 35,000 SPUNK |
| Plinko (medium) | 1% | 180 | 1,000 SPUNK | 1,800 SPUNK |
| Mines | 1% | 60 | 1,000 SPUNK | 600 SPUNK |
Notice how crypto dice has only a 1% house edge but an expected loss of 2,000 SPUNK/hour — almost double roulette's 1,080 despite roulette having a 2.7% edge. That's because dice plays at 200 bets/hour versus roulette's 40. Slots are the most dangerous for this reason: 300-500 spins per hour at a 3.5-7% edge creates an expected loss of 10,500-35,000 SPUNK per hour. The speed amplifies the edge.
Formula: Expected Hourly Loss = House Edge x Bets Per Hour x Average Bet Size. Use this to calculate your own expected cost for any game and bet size combination.
One of the biggest differences between slots and table games is whether your decisions affect the outcome. This matters more than most players realize.
Slots have no decision-making component. You set your bet size, press spin, and the RNG determines the result. There is no "good" or "bad" way to play slots (beyond bankroll management). The house edge is fixed regardless of what you do. This isn't necessarily bad — it means you can relax and enjoy the game without worrying about making mistakes.
Most table games have an element of decision-making that affects the house edge:
| Game | Skill Impact | Perfect Play Edge | Average Player Edge | Bad Play Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | Very High | 0.5% | 2-3% | 5-8% |
| Video Poker | High | 0.5% | 2-4% | 5-10% |
| Crash (cashout timing) | Medium | 1% | 1% | 1% (but worse variance) |
| Mines (cashout timing) | Medium | 1% | 1% | 1% (but worse variance) |
| Roulette | None | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Slots | None | 3-7% | 3-7% | 3-7% |
In blackjack, a player using basic strategy faces a 0.5% house edge. An average player who goes with "gut feeling" faces 2-3%. A bad player (hitting on 18, standing on 12 against dealer 10) can face 5-8%. That's a 10-16x difference in how much the game costs per hour. If you're willing to learn basic strategy, table games offer significantly better value than slots.
Pure math aside, gambling is entertainment. Here's how each category delivers on the fun factor:
Games like Crash, Mines, and Plinko blend the best of both worlds. They have the low house edge of table games (1%) with the visual excitement and speed of slots. Crash gives you a decision point (when to cash out) that adds skill-like engagement. Mines gives you full control over risk level and cashout timing. Plinko is pure entertainment with adjustable volatility. These games have become the most popular category at crypto casinos for exactly this reason.
Play table games. Blackjack with basic strategy at 0.5% house edge is the mathematically best option. Your expected hourly loss is the lowest of any casino game. If making your money last is your top priority, table games win decisively.
Play crypto-native games. Crash, Mines, and Plinko offer 1% house edge (close to blackjack) with the visual excitement and variety of slots. You get the best of both worlds: low cost and high entertainment value.
Play high-variance slots or high-risk Plinko. If you want the chance to turn 1,000 SPUNK into 1,000,000 SPUNK on a single bet, high-volatility slots and high-risk Plinko (1000x edge multiplier) are the only options. Just understand that this comes at the cost of faster bankroll depletion.
Play slots or low-risk Plinko. No decisions to make, no strategy to learn, no mistakes possible. Pure entertainment with low stakes. Especially when playing with free SPUNK from the faucet, there's zero pressure and all fun.
There's no universally "better" choice. Table games are better for your bankroll mathematically. Slots are better for passive entertainment and jackpot dreams. Crypto-native games are the best hybrid option. The smartest approach is to mix games based on your mood: grind blackjack when you want to play seriously, spin slots when you want to zone out, and play crash or mines when you want excitement with good odds.
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Play Both FreeNot at provably fair crypto casinos. Provably fair slots use the same cryptographic verification as table games, and the exact RTP is published. At SPUNK.BET, slot RTP is 96-97% (3-4% house edge), which is transparent and verifiable. Traditional online slots at non-crypto casinos can have RTPs as low as 90%, and you can't verify the math. The key is playing at provably fair casinos where you can audit every result.
No. Even with perfect blackjack basic strategy, the house still has a 0.5% edge. Over time, the math is against you. Card counting can theoretically flip the edge in your favor (0.5-1.5% player advantage), but casinos actively detect and ban counters, and it doesn't apply to online/crypto casinos where decks are shuffled every hand. Treat all casino games as entertainment with a cost, not as income.
Crypto casinos have lower operating costs (no physical infrastructure, smaller teams, no payment processor fees) and face intense competition from other crypto platforms. This allows them to offer lower house edges (1% for dice, crash, mines) while still being profitable. Traditional casinos need higher margins to cover physical locations, staff, licensing, and payment processing. The 1% standard at crypto casinos is driven by market competition.