POKER CRUISE: Which casino game has the best odds-Poker Cruise

Cruisecritic Editor

Our new Ask the Editor series offers in-depth answers to questions submitted by our readers. Asks this questioner: "Are there any casino games that have better odds than others -- and if so, which ones and how much better?"Have a question for the editor? Drop us a note at feedback@cruisecritic.com.

Yes, There is One Absolutely Certain Bet in a Casino......and that bet is that if you play long enough you will definitely wind up on the losing side of the equation. (Unless, of course, you win one of those multi-bazillion-dollar slot jackpots, one so huge that the universe is likely to end before you run out of money.)

Sorting Out the Odds (Other Than Winning a Bazillion Dollars on a Single Slot Pull)The best choices for casino wagering are not necessarily those closest to even money vs. long shots; what matters is the difference between the actual odds and the odds the casino pays to winners. This differential is called the "house edge," and is expressed as a percentage.

For example, if a particular game has a house edge of 2.5 percent that means for every $100 wagered the player's average loss will be $2.50. We will list popular cruise casino games sorted by house edge.The Hit Parade of Wagers from Best to Worst -- and a CaveatAll casinos may not have the exact same house rules, and this can inject a variation in the house percentages listed below.

For example, in blackjack, some casinos require the house to stand on any 17, while others require the dealer to hit a "soft" 17. The odds listed are for typical Las Vegas rules, and though there may be variations in the odds you find in your onboard casino, the relative rankings of the wagers should still hold.

Texas Hold 'Em (House edge: none). We're talking about traditional poker, not video poker or games played against the house like Caribbean Stud and Let It Ride. This is a format familiar to patrons of land-based casinos, but relatively new to those on ships, where the house provides a dealer who deals the cards, makes payouts and rules on winners. The reason it's at the top of our list is that there is no house edge whatsoever, because players contest with each other, not against the house.The dealer does "rake" a percentage of each pot (often 5 percent). But since the experience and capability of each player raises or lowers their chances, skill becomes a significant factor in winning, and a highly skilled player usually will have a sizeable advantage over some or all of his tablemates. This may not always be the case for land-based poker lounges where it's not uncommon to encounter poker professionals who play every day year-round, including on the tournament circuit. Even a skilled tourist at a poker table with three or four of these pros is likely to lose. But it's highly unlikely to run into professionals in a cruise ship casino.Even so, it still makes a lot of sense not to play unless you really know what you're doing. To that end there are a number of online training sites (such as http://www.texas-holdem-training.net/, or http://www.texasholdem-poker.com/, where you can also play live online), or educational and practice software such as "Poker Academy Pro," (widely available, including at Amazon.com).

Blackjack (House edge: 0.20 - 0.63 percent). The variation in percentages is due to the range of number of decks in play. The smallest edge relates to single deck blackjack (now all but extinct on cruise ships); the largest is for a game dealt out of an eight-deck shoe. But even at the worst end of the spectrum, players following the proper "hit/stand" strategy still get the best odds in the casino.In addition, blackjack is one of those games where the odds are variable; as cards are dealt out, the makeup of the deck(s) change(s), altering the ratio of big cards (9,10, jack, queen, king, ace) to small cards (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) -- and when that ratio is high, the odds are actually in favor of the player. This discovery is generally credited to mathematician Edward O. Thorp, who expanded it into the system known as card counting. Thorp's book "Beat the Dealer," published in 1966, is still the seminal work on the topic, and its publication sounded the death knell for single-deck blackjack. Casinos consider card counting to be dishonest -- or, put another way, they consider playing intelligently tantamount to cheating -- so we would never recommend following any card counting system. But Thorp's book, still in print, is a great resource for the casino gamer whose game of choice is blackjack, providing an excellent understanding of the dynamics and strategy of the game, and a complete statistically valid hit/stand/split/double-down strategy.

Craps (House edge: 1.41 percent). This percentage refers to Pass and Come bets. It can be improved significantly by betting the Pass Line and taking "Odds." This means placing an additional wager behind a Pass Line bet. In a casino that offers "Full Odds," this means that you are paid the exact same odds on the Odds bet as the actual odds. Put another way, there is no house edge on the Odds bet. That reduces the house edge on the combined wagers to 0.85 percent. Some casinos allow Odds wagers larger than the original bet. If you can put twice your original bet behind the line (2X Odds) the house edge drops to 0.61 percent; for 10X Odds it's a low 0.18 percent.

Three Card Poker (House edge: 1.46 - 2.32 percent, depending on form of the game played). Let It Ride (House edge: 3.51 percent).

Caribbean Stud Poker (House edge: 5.22 percent). This percentage is exclusive of the optional $1 progressive jackpot bet, which most experts agree drastically inflate the house edge.

Roulette (House edge: 5.26 percent). This edge is for the typical American Roulette wheel (one with a double zero). If you can find a European wheel -- which has a single zero -- the house edge drops to 2.70 percent.

Slot Machines (House edge: 5.50 - 15.20 percent). The variation is due both to machine settings and cost of play. The worst odds listed are for nickel slots; the best are for five dollar machines.