When playing casino games, sometimes it is more important to know what not to do. We cannot tell you how much money you should spend at an online casino, but we can tell you that you should not spend more than you can afford. This applies to betting options you choose to play as well. While we cannot tell you which bets will secure a win, we can tell you which ones you should avoid. Casino Bloke brings you a list of the worst casino bets you can play at online or brick-and-mortar casinos.
Insurance in Blackjack
Blackjack is a game that comes in many variants with different side bets. Some of them offer Insurance, a side bet that can be played when the dealer’s up card is an Ace. Basically, this bet offers you an opportunity to insure your hand in case the dealer wins with a Blackjack hand. To play an Insurance bet, you have to wager half of your original bet right after you have received your first two cards.
What makes this bet one of the worst you can play at a casino is the fact that if the dealer wins with a Blackjack, you win 2:1 on the Insurance bet while you lose the main wager. That means that you will end the game with nothing more than the original bet in your pockets. In case the dealer is not dealt a Blackjack, you lose the Insurance bet. Since it is not granted that you will win with the Ante bet, you can easily lose both wagers.
Any 7 in Craps
Being a dice game, Craps provides you with multiple betting options. However, the majority of them come with a high house edge, meaning that they are risky to play. One of these bets is Any 7. Despite its simplicity, this is a high-risk single-roll bet with a house edge of 16.67%. Unlike its soaring house edge, the payout you can win with this bet stands at 4 to 1 only.
When you play Any 7, you predict that the total rolled on two dice will be 7. There are six possible combinations you can win with when playing this bet. So, you can win in 6 out of 36 situations. With a high house edge and a low payout, Any 7 is the least profitable wager in Craps.
Betting on 2 or 12 in Craps
If we have to single out two bets you should totally avoid at a Craps table that would be 2 and 12. Since Craps is played with two dice, you can easily get that there is a single situation in which these bets win. When betting on 2, you win only when the dice show 1-1, while a bet on 12 wins only when both dice show 6. These two bets have a house edge of 13.89%, which is lower than Any 7’s house edge. This is due to the fact that when you win with these two highly risky bets, you are granted a 30:1 payout.
Specific Triple in Sic Bo
There are certain bets that you can’t get off your mind easily. They are so tempting that you almost can’t control your hand reaching to play them. However, you should gamble with your mind and think carefully about each betting option you want to go for. One of the most tempting bets is a Specific Triple in Sic Bo.
The amount you can win with a Specific Triple bet stands at staggering 180 to 1. While this may seem alluring enough, another thing you should consider is its house edge sitting at 16.2%. Do you really believe that you can roll three dice showing the same number at the same time? If your answer is yes, you must be an optimist as the probability of winning with this Sic Bo bet is only 0.46%. Other two Sic Bo bets with an extremely high house edge are Specific Dice Combinations (29.2%) and Specific Double (18.5%).
Basket Bet in American Roulette
American Roulette is generally known as a game variant you should avoid because of two zero pockets on the wheel. Now, we have a so-called Basket bet allowing you place a single unit bet on a string of five numbers – zero, double zero, 1, 2 and 3. This bet comes with a house edge of 7.89% and it pays 6 to 1. Although it is a nice prize for the game of Roulette, you should not go for it or any other bet at an American Roulette table.
Live Keno
Live Keno is a lottery-like game that probably comes with the highest house edge. While other games have different betting options with higher odds of winning, Keno has a house edge that can be from 25% up to 40%. Practically, it depends on the value of payouts while odds remain the same. What makes this game particularly attractive is the fact that you don’t have to learn any rules. All you have to do is pick the numbers and wait for them to be drawn. Another thing players love about Keno is that it is a cheap game. So, despite the fact that it has one of the most outrageous house edges in the industry, Keno is a popular game you can take a chance on at online casinos.
Closing Thoughts
We hope that we have provided you with information you will consider the next time you play casino games. These are not the only bad bets you can play at the casino, but they are probably the worst ones. Keep in mind that getting to know the available betting options in the game you want to play is a step closer to your casino success.