Poker vs House Edge Games: Why The Former Isn’t ‘Pure Luck’

Every casino on the planet, physical and online alike, all share one thing in common – they all set the house rules. What that means is that every game you play has an in-built house edge that tilts the scales in favour of the casino and against you.

That goes for the best online casinos and the worst ones too. Of course, there are ways you can reduce this house edge and boost your own chances of winning, but there’s no way to totally eliminate – if there was, casinos wouldn’t be able to make profits and therefore, wouldn’t exist!

Poker however, is free from this house edge as you don’t ever play against the house, you play against other opponents. The casino is merely the facilitator when it comes to poker and isn’t the opponent, so there’s no in-built edge or mathematical probability that will see you giving your money hand over fist to the dealer.

This fact goes against prevalent common thinking that sees poker as a game of luck and chance, rather than one of skill, strategy, discipline and elite mathematical decision-making. In this article we take a deep dive into the world of house edges to disprove the myth that poker is a game of ‘pure luck’.

Did you know? Keno has the highest house edge of any casino table game at roughly 25%.

House Edge Misconceptions

Open up Facebook or the artist formerly known as Twitter on your phone, and within a couple of minutes you’ll realise something very sad – people are, in general, rather dumb. Complex issues that require even a small amount of critical thinking or nuance are beyond the average person.

They cannot comprehend why governments cannot simply click their fingers and make things happen. Nor can they understand that actions have positive as well as negative consequences, so expecting the majority of people to understand house edge is unreasonable. The concept of probabilities are, like fiscal responsibilities and spurious correlations, quite simply beyond the masses.

Which is why most people see house edge as a conspiracy. To these people it is something that the casino does, on a discretionary basis, to punish players. If the big bad casino sees someone on a winning streak, the house edge makes an appearance to gobble up all of the winnings for example, but none of that is true.

The house edge is a fixed statistical probability in-built into every single table game in a casino to ensure that the casino makes money. It is the equivalent of a profit margin and is traditionally, quite low. Blackjack for example, has a house edge of around 2%.

Contrary to popular thinking, it is in the best interests of casinos to keep their house edge relatively low, as high house edges are bad for business.

So in short, the house edge isn’t some big evil conspiracy. In fact, the best way to describe it is as a statistical probability to maintain a consistent profit margin for gambling providers (even if that is a bit of a wordy description…)

Did you know? There’s no way to eradicate house edge or turn it in your favour.

Why Poker is Not a Game of Luck

As mentioned above, poker is played against other people rather than the house. As such no house edge can exist as all players must be on a level playing field. In this regard, no such thing as luck can exist as both parties are equally as balanced as one another.

What success in poker comes down to, like in almost every other sport on the planet, is one player’s ability to overcome another’s using their skill, experience and nous. Of course, a player receiving a really good starting hand could count themselves as lucky. But no luckier than a soccer team that has to play their greatest rivals when they are suffering an injury crisis.

Online Casinos in Canada: Growth and Competition

Online casinos are growing rapidly in popularity in Canada, as more players seek the convenience of playing from home while enjoying a wide range of games. Unlike traditional casinos, online platforms must compete aggressively for players, which has a direct effect on house edges. The best online casinos in Canada keep their house edges relatively low to remain attractive to users, offering fair games, competitive bonuses, and transparent rules. This ensures players have a better experience while still allowing the casino to maintain a sustainable business model.

By understanding how house edge works and choosing platforms wisely, Canadian players can enjoy a more strategic and engaging gaming experience while navigating a highly competitive online casino market.

Can the House Edge in Other Table Games be Beaten?

No. If you play any casino game consistently, you will lose more than you win. That is a statistical probability. If you wager $1000 on one thousand individual hands of blackjack, you will, on average end up $20 out of pocket.

Likewise, if you wager $1000 on a 95% RTP slot machine, you will be $50 out of pocket. That’s not because of an evil conspiracy either, it’s just because of maths, oh, and capitalism! So the next time you encounter someone who tells you poker is a game of luck, you know exactly how to prove them wrong.

If you also encounter someone who tells you they have found a way to beat the odds at blackjack, roulette or any other casino game, you’ll also know that they’re either lying or deluding themselves!