Card games compared
This table compares the card games most new casinos launch with. House edge is the share of each stake the casino keeps over the long run. A lower house edge costs you less per bet. The last column shows whether your decisions can change that cost, which they can at blackjack and only a little at casino poker.
| Game | House edge | Your decisions matter? |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | about 0.5% with strategy | Yes |
| Baccarat, Banker | 1.06% | No |
| Casino Hold'em | about 2.2% | Yes, a little |
| Three Card Poker, ante | about 3.4% | Yes, a little |
| Dragon Tiger | about 3.7% | No |
Six tips
The six tips below apply to every card game at a new casino. Each tip lowers the cost of learning, protects your bankroll or helps you spot a weak table. Follow them in order, because the early tips make the later ones easier.
- Learn the basic rules and plays before you bet.
- Use demo modes on digital tables.
- Set a budget and a unit of 1% to 2% of it.
- Watch a few live rounds before you join.
- Keep records of each session.
- Bet flat; avoid systems that raise stakes after losses.
Common mistakes
- Taking insurance at blackjack.
- Playing the Tie at baccarat.
- Making side bets a large share of each stake.
- Chasing losses.
Blackjack basic strategy and the house edge
Blackjack is the card game where your decisions change the cost most. Blackjack with basic strategy carries a house edge of 0.46% in the six-deck game recorded in our knowledge base. That figure assumes blackjack pays 3:2 and the dealer hits soft 17.
Blackjack that pays 6:5 instead of 3:2 raises the house edge to 1.82%. The payout is printed on the table, so check it before your first hand. Insurance carries a house edge of 7.4%, which is why it sits on the common mistakes list. Players who want to practise these decisions can start with blackjack tables at new Nigerian casinos.
Baccarat bets: Banker, Player and Tie
Baccarat gives you one real decision, which is where to place the bet. Baccarat's Banker bet with 5% commission carries a house edge of 1.06%. Baccarat's Player bet carries 1.24%.
The Tie bet paying 8:1 carries a house edge of 14.36%. A Tie is rare, and the payout does not make up for that. Flat Banker bets are the simplest way to learn the game, and the baccarat rules and strategy page explains the third-card rules that decide each round.
Casino poker: when to raise and when to fold
Casino poker is played against the house, not against other players. Casino poker variants such as Three Card Poker and Casino Hold'em use a fixed pay table, so your only choice on most hands is to raise or fold. A simple written rule, such as raising with Q-6-4 or better at Three Card Poker, removes guesswork and keeps your results comparable between sessions. Players who later want to move to table poker can read about poker games at new online casinos.
Bankroll units and session limits
A card game bankroll is the money you set aside for card games only. A bankroll has to cover many hands, because the house edge only shows over volume. A unit of 1% to 2% of the bankroll keeps one bad run from ending the session early. For example, a bankroll of ₦50,000 with a 2% unit gives a unit of ₦1,000.
A learning budget kept apart from your main funds stops a new game's losses from spreading to the rest of your money. Stop when the session budget is gone, and do not raise your unit to win it back. Raising stakes after a loss is chasing losses, and it turns a small cost into a large one.
Practice mode and session records
Demo mode lets you play a table with no real money at stake. Demo mode is best used to learn the screen layout, the bet buttons and the order of play. It does not show how a live dealer table feels, so watch a few live rounds before you join one.
A session record is a short log of the game, your stake, your decisions and the result. A session record shows which decisions you repeat and which ones you regret. Review the log after every few sessions, and drop any habit that costs you more than it returns.