Casino Games
Fourteen games run at Lucky's and they are not equally worth your time. This page ranks every one of them by what it actually costs to play, then points you at the full write-up.
By The Lucky's Desk · Published · Updated
The comparison table
House edge is the share of every dollar wagered that the game keeps in the long run. Pace is how many decisions an hour the game extracts from you. Multiply the two and you get the number that actually matters: cost per hour.
| Game | House edge | Volatility | Pace | Skill matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | 0.46% | Low | 60 hands/hr | High |
| Craps | 1.41% (0% on odds) | Medium | 30 rolls/hr | Low |
| Baccarat | 1.06% Banker | Low | 70 coups/hr | None |
| Video Poker | 0.46% (9/6) | High | 600 hands/hr | High |
| Texas Hold'em | Rake only | High | 35 hands/hr | Very high |
| Roulette | 5.26% | Medium–High | 40 spins/hr | None |
| Slots | 6–12% | Very high | 500 spins/hr | None |
| The Back Room | Varies wildly | Extreme | One decision | Mixed |
What the numbers mean in practice
Take a player pushing $1,500 across the table in an hour. At blackjack that costs about $7. At roulette it costs about $79. At slots it costs about $120. Same money, same hour, seventeen times the difference — and the only variable is which chair you chose.
Volatility is the second axis and it is not the same thing. A high-volatility game with a low edge (video poker) will still hand you a brutal session; a low-volatility game with a high edge (even-money roulette) will bleed you gently for a long time. Choose the edge for cost and the volatility for temperament.
Every game, in detail
The best straight bet in the building if you know basic strategy.
Pass line plus free odds is the cheapest money on the floor.
Highest limits, no decisions, avoid the tie.
Great return, but most of it lives in a rare royal flush.
You play the room, not the house. Skill compounds here.
Every bet costs the same except the five-number line, which is worse.
Highest cost per hour on the floor by a wide margin.
Three Doors favours you. The rest can end the run.
The games without their own page
Six more venues run inside the building and are covered elsewhere:
- Sports betting — boxing, MMA and pro wrestling cards, priced with a standard vigorish on both sides.
- Horse and dog racing — win, place, show and exotics on a parimutuel board.
- The Pit — an eight-car demolition derby with three separate betting markets and a parlay.
- The high-limit room — the same games at stakes that change what a single hand means.
- The underground private game — invitation only, consequences included.
- The Million Dollar Tournament — a $100,000 freezeout, covered on the hold'em page.
Where to start
If you have never played casino games before, start at blackjack with the basic strategy chart open in another tab. If you want to understand why the numbers above look the way they do, read the house edge explainer. If you want to survive the night rather than win one hand, read the bankroll guide first.