Why Does the House Always Win?

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If you have ever read a casino gambling guide, then you will probably have come across the saying that “the house always wins.” If you are unsure of what this phrase means, it states that it doesn’t matter what you do; the casino will always land up winning one way or another.

Taken at face value, it can seem like a very confusing idea. After all, why would people visit casinos if there was no possible chance to win?

Well, let’s explore the idea below, and maybe that will clear things up for you if you’re feeling confused.

the house always wins

House Edge Always Favors Casinos

Casinos are businesses, and thus they need to run at a profit to continue operating. Casinos aren’t guaranteed a profit margin if games provide players a straight 50/50 chance of winning. A slight edge is baked into all casino games and their betting options to ensure that the house always gets a return.

However, this doesn’t mean that you do not have a chance to win while visiting a casino. The probability of the house winning is just higher. This is even more true if you consistently place riskier bets – which can also be referred to as bets with a higher house edge.

RTP Can Be Misleading

Usually, casinos cover the big wins of a handful of players with the many losses made by the majority of players. This is where concepts such as return to player (RTP) and volatility in slot games become essential.

Casino game RTP percentages are almost always below 100%, showing that casinos profit on games. For example, an RTP percentage of 97% suggests that a casino pays out $97 for every $100 wagered by players.

However, RTP percentages can sometimes be misleading. You could nab yourself a big win, which could skew the ratio for the period in which the money won is being compared against money wagered.

This is particularly true in high volatility games where some players can earn thousands of dollars on a single bet. If a jackpot is won, bets could even payout in millions. And, the game may still have an RTP of 97%.

why the house always wins

Greed is Bad

Many players aren’t aware that it is good practice to set a winning limit when playing casino games. Sometimes, casinos get lucky too, and players land up spending all of their winnings before requesting a payout.

As such, the only way to ensure that you beat a casino is to walk away from a game while you are still on the up. Don’t get greedy; chasing down more money often leads to you losing more. Understand that the longer you play, the greater the chance of the house winning in the end.

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