Games and product

House edge: the casino's advantage in plain words

House edge (casino advantage) is the mathematical share of bets a game keeps for the casino over the long run. It equals 100% minus RTP: a slot with 96% RTP has a 4% edge.

Yevhen SychovOctober 2026

Formula and examples

House edge = 100% minus RTPSlot with 96% RTP: 4%. European roulette: 2.7%. Blackjack with optimal player strategy: about 0.5%.

Theoretical win

Theoretical win = turnover x house edgeA player bet €50,000 on slots with a 3% edge: the casino's theoretical win is €1,500.

Theoretical win removes luck: it shows how much a player brings in on average, even if they won this month. Rakeback, VIP rewards and player value estimates are built on it.

House edge and hold

House edge is the theory built into the game. Hold is the fact: what share of turnover the casino kept over your period. On large turnover they converge, while on small turnover hold jumps around because of big wins.

Why it matters for bonuses

The lower a game's house edge, the cheaper it is to clear a bonus on it. That is why tables and high-RTP games count less towards wagering: this is exactly what game weighting is.

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