28 advantage play opportunities from card counting to video poker to poker room promotions
Showing 28 of 28 table game strategies
Blackjack
The most popular and widely-used card counting system. Hi-Lo is a balanced, level-one count that's perfect for beginners while still being powerful enough for serious advantage play.
0.5-1.5%
2-4 weeks
Medium ($1,000-3,000)
Blackjack
An unbalanced counting system that eliminates the need for true count conversion. Simpler than Hi-Lo with nearly identical power, making it perfect for beginners.
0.5-1.2%
1-3 weeks
Medium ($1,000-3,000)
Blackjack
A powerful level-two counting system that offers superior betting efficiency. More complex than Hi-Lo but provides better accuracy for serious advantage players.
1.0-2.0%
2-3 months
High ($5,000+)
Blackjack
The 18 most valuable playing deviations from basic strategy based on the true count. These plays capture about 80% of the value of all possible deviations.
+0.1-0.3% additional
1-2 months (after learning basic counting)
Medium ($2,000-4,000)
Video Poker
The holy grail of video poker. Full pay Deuces Wild (9/5 or NSUD) returns over 100% with perfect strategy, offering a genuine player advantage without counting or tracking.
100.76% RTP
2-4 weeks
Medium ($1,000-2,000)
Video Poker
The most common and beginner-friendly video poker variant. While not positive EV on its own, 9/6 Jacks or Better becomes profitable with cashback, comps, and promotions.
99.54% RTP
1-2 weeks
Low ($500-1,000)
Video Poker
A high-variance video poker game that pays premium bonuses for four of a kind hands. Full pay version (10/7) offers positive expectation.
100.17% RTP (full pay)
3-4 weeks
High ($2,000-4,000)
Poker Room
Poker room promotions where a massive jackpot pays out when a very strong hand (usually quad eights or better) loses to an even stronger hand. Can create positive EV situations when jackpot is large.
Varies (can be +EV)
1-2 weeks
Medium ($1,000-3,000)
Poker Room
Cash prizes awarded for the highest qualifying hand made during specific time periods (usually hourly). Can significantly increase your earn rate during promotion hours.
Varies (+0.5 to +3 BB/100)
1 week
Low ($500-1,000)
Blackjack Variants
A blackjack variation where all 10s are removed, but player-friendly rules compensate. With optimal strategy and redouble rules, this can be very favorable.
0.40% house edge (0.76% with redouble)
3-4 weeks
Medium ($1,500-3,000)
Blackjack Variants
Players make two equal bets and can switch the second card dealt between hands. This powerful option requires modified basic strategy but offers excellent odds.
0.17% house edge (optimal)
4-6 weeks
Medium ($2,000-3,500)
Blackjack Variants
The casino pays for your doubles and splits on certain hands. While this sounds amazing, dealer push on 22 gives most of it back. Still, proper strategy makes this very playable.
1.04% house edge
1-2 weeks
Low ($500-1,500)
Specialty Games
A simple poker variant with an optional progressive jackpot that can reach positive EV when the meter gets high enough. Great for players who don't want to count cards.
Positive when jackpot > $13,822
3 days
Medium ($1,000-2,000)
Specialty Games
A poker variant with a high-paying progressive jackpot for royal flushes. The astronomical breakeven point makes this rarely worthwhile, but it does hit +EV occasionally.
Positive when jackpot > $263,205
1 week
High ($3,000-5,000)
Poker Variants
The most popular poker-based table game. Play against the dealer, not other players. With optimal strategy, the house edge is quite low making it playable for entertainment or comps.
0.53% house edge
2-3 weeks
Medium ($1,500-2,500)
Poker Variants
A poker game where you bet up to 3x on three separate streets trying to make a pair of 6s or better. Complex strategy with high variance but lower house edge than many carnival games.
1.37% house edge
4-6 weeks
High ($2,500-4,000)
Specialty Games
The slowest casino game with the lowest variance. You set two poker hands against the dealer. Lots of pushes, perfect for grinding comps and playing time without much risk.
1.46% house edge
1-2 weeks
Low ($500-1,000)
Craps
The best bets on the craps table (besides free odds). Betting against the shooter offers low house edge and accepts massive free odds bets that dilute the edge further.
1.36% house edge
1 week
Medium ($1,000-2,000)
Baccarat
The lowest house edge on a pure table game bet (no counting, no strategy). Simply bet Banker every time and enjoy one of the best odds in the casino.
1.06% house edge
1 day
High ($3,000-10,000)
Craps
The classic craps bet. While Don't Pass is slightly better, Pass Line is more social and still offers excellent odds, especially when backed with maximum free odds.
1.41% house edge
1 week
Medium ($1,000-2,000)
Baccarat
An advanced technique exploiting manufacturing defects on card backs to identify high cards. Famously used by Phil Ivey to win millions. Now largely impossible due to casino countermeasures.
6.76% when successful
3-6 months
Very High ($50,000+)
Blackjack
Exploiting dealer errors that expose their hole card. Legal in most jurisdictions since you're not manipulating the game, just observing. Extremely rare opportunities in modern casinos.
6-9% with full information
6-12 months
High ($5,000-10,000)
Blackjack
Tracking groups of high cards through the shuffle to predict when they'll appear. Far more powerful than counting but requires team play and extraordinary concentration.
2-3%
12+ months
Very High ($10,000+)
Blackjack
Memorizing cards around aces in discards, then predicting when aces will appear after shuffle. Powerful technique that doesn't look like counting.
2-5%
6-12 months
High ($5,000-15,000)
Craps
The theory that controlled dice throwing can influence outcomes. Highly controversial with no mathematical proof. Experts debate whether this is possible or pure superstition.
Disputed (if any)
Controversial/Unproven
High ($5,000-10,000)
Poker Room
When casinos guarantee a prize pool larger than the entry fees collected, creating immediate value. Combined with weak fields, these can be extremely profitable.
Varies (20-100% ROI possible)
2-4 weeks
Medium ($2,000-5,000)
Specialty Games
Let It Ride features an optional $1 side bet that can become positive EV when the progressive jackpot is high enough. Base game still has house edge but side bet can be +EV.
Positive when jackpot > $50,000
1 week
Medium ($1,500-3,000)
Video Poker
Video poker games where the royal flush jackpot increases with play. When the meter reaches certain thresholds, the game becomes positive expectation.
Varies (positive when meter high)
2-3 weeks
High ($3,000-5,000)