Most Profitable Casino Games You Can Play Online
“What’s the most profitable casino game online?”
It’s a deceptively simple question. The reality is layered — it depends on whether you’re talking about expected value (EV), variance and volatility, or the role of skill versus luck. Some games give the house a razor-thin advantage, meaning skilled players can grind a profit over the long run. Others dangle astronomical multipliers but eat bankrolls alive with variance.
So, to separate the myths from the math, tests were run with the help of online casino veteran Mark Taylor from Casino Whizz. He and his team helped us comb through house edge statistics and looked at how real players fare over thousands of rounds.
After weeks of analysis, they created a definitive ranking of the most profitable online casino games — and, just as importantly, a clear-eyed look at the pitfalls you’ll encounter along the way.
What is meant by “Profitable”
Before comparing blackjack to crash or roulette to poker, clear criteria were needed. In gambling, “profitable” doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.
- House Edge: The built-in mathematical advantage casinos hold. A lower house edge = better for the player.
- Skill Factor: Games like poker and blackjack reward skill. Others, like roulette, don’t.
- Volatility: High-volatility games like Crash or Plinko can pay huge rewards, but the swings are brutal.
- Bankroll Sustainability: A game may not have the absolute best odds, but if it lets you play longer without going broke, it’s “profitable” in entertainment value and longevity.
Poker (Online Poker Rooms)
If there’s one game where players can consistently beat the house, it’s poker. Unlike slots or roulette, you’re not playing against the casino itself, but against other players. The house only takes a rake — a small percentage of each pot.
- Skill Factor: Extremely high. Player decisions, bankroll management, and psychological edge define outcomes.
- Profitability: For skilled grinders, poker remains the most profitable online game, particularly in cash games and tournaments with relatively weak fields.
- Caveat: It requires dedication, study, and the ability to handle variance. Most casual players lose money long-term.
Verdict: The king of profitability — but only if you’re good enough.
Video Poker
Often overlooked, video poker (especially Jacks or Better with “full pay” tables) has one of the lowest house edges in the entire casino.
- House Edge: As low as 0.46% with optimal strategy.
- Skill Factor: Medium. You need to know proper hand rankings and play mathematically correctly.
- Profitability: With the right pay table and flawless strategy, it can approach break-even — and in rare promotions, even +EV.
- Caveat: Casinos have phased out many “full pay” machines online. Most versions now tilt the odds back in favour of the house.
Verdict: Quietly one of the best choices if you play smart.
Roulette
Roulette is the most glamorous casino game, but is it a profitable one? Not really.
- House Edge:
- European (single zero): 2.7%
- American (double zero): 5.26%
- Skill Factor: None. Pure luck.
- Profitability: Betting on red/black or odd/even yields the longest survival time, but no strategy outperforms the math.
- Caveat: Systems like Martingale appear appealing but collapse due to table limits and variance.
Verdict: Fun, but not profitable in the long term. European Roulette is better than American — always.
Baccarat
Baccarat has a reputation as a high-roller’s game, thanks to James Bond films and velvet-roped pits in Macau. But underneath the glamour, it’s surprisingly simple — and fairly player-friendly.
- House Edge:
- Banker bet: 1.06%
- Player bet: 1.24%
- Tie bet: 14.36% (avoid at all costs)
- Skill Factor: None. Decisions are automatic; your only real choice is which side to bet on.
- Profitability: Banker bets are statistically the most profitable wager in the house, outside of video poker and blackjack.
- Caveat: The game moves quickly, which can quickly deplete your bankroll if you’re not careful. Casinos also take a 5% commission on banker wins, which is where they claw back the edge.
Verdict: Quietly one of the sharpest games in the casino if you stick to Banker.
Blackjack
Blackjack is the benchmark for profitability in traditional casino play. The entire game revolves around house edge vs. player skill.
- House Edge: As low as 0.5% with perfect basic strategy.
- Skill Factor: High. Memorizing basic strategy cuts the house edge drastically; card counting (rarely possible online) can swing odds in the player’s favour.
- Profitability: Blackjack is one of the few games where skilled play can almost neutralize the house advantage. Live dealer blackjack online replicates this best.
- Caveat: Online RNG blackjack often has worse rules (6:5 payouts on naturals, continuous shuffling, etc.), which increases the house edge. Always check the rules.
Verdict: For disciplined players, blackjack remains one of the best “profit per dollar wagered” games online.
Crash
Crash is the poster child of modern crypto casinos. A multiplier climbs, players cash out before it “crashes.” Simple on paper, devastating in practice.
- House Edge: Typically around 1%–2%, built into the algorithm.
- Skill Factor: Low to medium. Some use cash-out strategies (e.g., always exit at 2x), but it’s still heavily variance-driven.
- Profitability: Potential for quick bankroll doubling, but long-term, the edge grinds you down.
- Caveat: Extremely high volatility. One mistimed “greed” click can wipe out sessions.
Verdict: Electrifying but dangerous. Not profitable in the long term — best treated as entertainment, not income.
Hi/Lo
Hi-Lo is essentially a fast-paced guessing game, where players predict whether the next card will be higher or lower.
- House Edge: Variable, but usually around 2%–3%.
- Skill Factor: Minimal. Some strategy exists in avoiding middling cards, but luck dominates.
- Profitability: Slightly worse than baccarat or blackjack, better than American roulette.
- Caveat: Because it’s so quick, it can burn through balance faster than you expect.
Verdict: Fun for a few hands, but the edge is too steep to rank among “profitable” games.
Plinko
Plinko, made famous by The Price is Right and reinvented on crypto casinos, is pure volatility wrapped in colourful lights.
- House Edge: Typically 1%–5%, depending on difficulty settings and payout tables.
- Skill Factor: None. Once you drop the ball, RNG physics take over.
- Profitability: Slim — edge is slight compared to slots, but variance makes sustained profit unlikely.
- Caveat: The psychological “near miss” effect is extreme; you’ll often land next to big multipliers, keeping you hooked.
Verdict: A modern slot by another name. Not profitable, but the edge is gentler than traditional reels.
Honorable Mentions
- Slots: House edge usually 4%–10%. Big jackpots are tempting, but the RTP (Return to Player) ensures that casinos win in the long term.
- Keno: One of the worst games in terms of profitability, with a house edge often over 20%. Avoid if profit is the goal.
- Live Game Shows (like Crazy Time, Monopoly Live): Entertaining, but house edge ranges from 3% to 8%: pure fun, not profit.
Comparative House Edge Table
| Game | House Edge (Best Conditions) | Skill Factor | Profitability Potential | Notes |
| Poker | None (vs. house) – rake only | Very High | ★★★★★ | Beat other players, not the casino |
| Blackjack | ~0.5% (basic strategy) | High | ★★★★☆ | Watch for 6:5 payout rules online |
| Video Poker | ~0.46% (full-pay Jacks/Better) | Medium | ★★★★☆ | Never play American if possible. |
| Baccarat | 1.06% (Banker) | Low | ★★★★ | Stick to Banker, avoid Tie |
| Roulette (EU) | 2.7% | None | ★★☆☆☆ | Never play American if possible |
| Crash | 1%–2% | Low | ★★☆☆☆ | Volatility dominates |
| Hi/Lo | 2%–3% | Low | ★★☆☆ | Quick but grindy |
| Plinko | 1%–5% | None | ★★☆☆ | Feels better than slots, but still EV- |
| Slots | 4%–10% | None | ★☆☆ | Pure entertainment |
| Keno | 20%+ | None | ☆ | Worst odds in the house |
Real-World Profitability Snapshot
10,000 simulated bets per game tests were run (using realistic rulesets and strategies) to illustrate how a $1,000 bankroll performs over time:
| Game | Starting Bankroll | End Bankroll (Median) | Variance (Swing) | Notes |
| Poker | $1,000 | $1,250 (skilled) / $600 (casual) | High | Skill gap dominates results |
| Blackjack | $1,000 | $990 | Low | Best chance to break even |
| Video Poker | $1,000 | $985 | Low | Big hits are rare, steady decline |
| Baccarat | $1,000 | $975 | Low | Commission erodes wins slowly |
| Roulette (EU) | $1,000 | $930 | Medium | Predictably downhill |
| Crash | $1,000 | $800 | Very High | Outliers skew averages |
| Plinko | $1,000 | $850 | Very High | Big hits rare, steady decline |
| Slots | $1,000 | $750 | Very High | Jackpot potential, but low probability |
| Keno | $1,000 | $600 | Very High | Worst-case scenario |
Note: Data is modelled based on standard rules, house edge assumptions, and variance patterns. Actual player results vary wildly, especially in skill-based games.
Bottom Line: Profitability Comes Down to Math
When you strip away the flashing lights, celebrity endorsements, and million-dollar jackpots, the question of profitability in online casinos reduces to one thing: expected value (EV).
- Positive EV: Poker (for skilled players only).
- Near-neutral EV: Blackjack, Video Poker, and Baccarat Banker bets — all offering house edges of less than 1.5%.
- Negative EV, High Volatility: Crash, Plinko, Hi/Lo. Entertaining, but long-term losers.
- Negative EV, High Edge: Slots, Roulette (especially American), and Keno. The worst choices if profit is the goal.
Quick Ranking by Profitability Potential
- Poker – Skill beats math.
- Blackjack – Low edge, strategy critical.
- Video Poker – Full-pay versions are nearly break-even.
- Baccarat (Banker) – Consistent low house edge, no skill required.
- Roulette (European) – Acceptable entertainment, but steady losses.
- Crash / Plinko / Hi-Lo – Small edge, high variance.
- Slots – Designed for entertainment, not profit.
- Keno – Mathematically, the worst.
Key Insights for Players
- Skill is Profit’s Best Ally: Only poker and, to a smaller extent, blackjack/video poker reward practice and discipline.
- House Edge Never Sleeps: Every “fun” game — roulette wheels, crash graphs, bouncing Plinko balls — is engineered to return long-term profit to the casino.
- Variance Masks Reality: Short-term winners always exist, but over thousands of rounds, math grinds everyone down.
Final Word
If your goal is entertainment, any game can be “worth it.” But if you’re asking which games are truly most profitable online, the data is clear:
- Poker rewards skill.
- Blackjack and video poker reward discipline.
- Baccarat rewards patience.
- Everything else rewards the casino.
