People gamble online for many reasons. Some enjoy the entertainment value and prospect of hitting the "big jackpot", while others gamble to strictly minimize losses and earn profit. If you fall into the latter group, your choices will be limited regarding what casino games you should be playing. In other words, if you want the best odds possible in the online casino, you will have to give up playing the slot machines and Keno, and instead turn your attention to learn the strategies of casino games that deliver lower house edges.

Taking a closer look at the numbers - because numbers are the one thing that cannot be refuted in terms of  odds - the casino games of Blackjack, Video Poker and Craps deliver the best odds, or rather, lowest casino edge. Of course, these odds aren't just going to be handed to you on a silver platter. As with all casino games, the potential for incurring a higher casinos edge still exists. Only through the skillful and consistent application of perfect mathematical strategy, can you reap the best odds possible in the online casino.

Immediately below are descriptions of the aforementioned casino games delivering the best odds available, including tips and pointers to help you get started on the right foot. Of course, some of these strategies, such as the basic Blackjack strategy (which really isn't so basic), will require more research and certainly more practice on your part.

Blackjack

The classic game of "21" can deliver some of the best odds in the casino. In fact, the game of Blackjack can actually return a player's advantage! Of course, the casinos have gotten smarter over the years, implementing tactics to mitigate card counting. However, the nature of the game itself still offers the potential of receiving a casino edge as low as 0.5%.

To get the edge down this low requires perfect implementation of the basic Blackjack strategy, not to mention playing Blackjack games with the most favorable rules. You might have wondered why there are so many different versions of Blackjack - Vegas Strip, Perfect Pairs, European Blackjack, Spanish 21, etc. One reason is that casinos can slightly raise the edge by imposing slightly different rules on games that are still essentially Blackjack.

Not to get too bogged down with every rule and type of Blackjack game, the key thing to know is that  the most frequent variations (having an impact on the house edge) pertain to the number of decks, whether the dealer stands or hits on a soft 17 and whether or not doubling down is allowed after taking a split. That said, keep the following in mind when choosing a Blackjack game to play:

1) Never settle for any game of Blackjack that pays less than 3 to 2 odds.

2) Play games with as few decks as possible.

3) Never take insurance.

4) Use a Blackjack odds calculator chart. This will show the various rule options and its overall effect on the house edge - either raising or lowering value. After adding all of the individual rule values, this will give the overall casino edge.

Video Poker

Using perfect strategy at the proper video poker game can actually negate the casino edge entirely and deliver a player's advantage. In the case of full pay Deuces Wild, the return can rise to 100.77%. Of course, you probably won't find a full pay Deuces Wild machine online. In order to bring the advantage back in their court, online casinos, or rather, the software developers powering the online casinos, offer a partial pay table.

In the case of Deuces Wild, a full pay table is 9 coins for a Straight Flush and 5 coins for a Four-of-a-Kind. The next best thing, which you can find online at RTG, Playtech and Cryptologic-powered online casinos, are 9 coins for the Straight Flush and 4 coins for the Four-of-a-Kind. This pay table still offers great odds similar to what you will find at a full pay Jacks or Better video poker game. Using optimized strategy at Jacks or Better delivers a house edge of 99.54%, which is definitely in range of the best odds you can get in the online casino.

Keep the following in mind when choosing/playing video poker:

1) Play Deuces Wild or Jacks or Better with the best pay tables possible.

2) Use optimized strategy for the best odds. For new players, start off by implementing "intermediate" strategy and later incorporating optimized strategy.

3) Always play the maximum number of coins to capitalize on a bonus for hitting the highest hand. If you can't afford to play the maximum coins/wager, seek out a machine with a lower maximum value.

Craps

Craps is one of the most exciting games in the world of gambling. Even in the online casino, sans the hovering crowds and hot shooter streaks, craps can offer an exciting virtual experience with great odds of winning. Yet, there are many bets on the craps table that can raise the house edge considerably. In other words, craps strategy begins with knowing what bets to avoid. Couple this with making the best odds bets and craps can deliver a house edge as low at .02% - although it is more likely to find odds ranging 0.2 to 0.6%. This all depends on how many times over the casino allows players to "taking the odds," which can range from 2x to 100x.

Taking the odds is actually one of only two bets in the online casino without any house edge - the other being the double-up feature offered on some video poker machines. The funny thing about "taking the odds" at craps is that this bet is not even listed on the craps table! The reason being is that in order to "take the odds", you must first make a pass line wager - the only bet you need to make at the craps table. Thus, here are the two basic rules for using optimized craps strategy to get the best odds possible in the online casino:

1) Stay away from "sucker bets". This would be the proposition bets, which offer only 1 way to win and 35 ways to lose. These bets also offer the highest casino edge on the craps table.

2) "Take the odds" on pass line wagers whenever possible. A pass line bet is one which is made on the come-out roll, and wins if a 7 or 11 is rolled and loses if a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled. All other numbers establish the point, which must be rolled a second time before rolling a seven, in order to win. Once the "point" is established, you are permitted to "take the odds", which is making an additional wager on top of your original pass line bet, ranging from 1x to 100x. The greater the "x", the lower the casino edge goes.

In conclusion, strategy-based games like Blackjack, Video Poker and Craps are your best bet in the online casino. While other casino games like Poker, Roulette and Baccarat still offer reasonable chances of winning, the three aforementioned casino games offer the best odds possible. Learn their strategy and put it to practice to minimize losses and increase your chances of profiting.