An Edge in Table Games
While most casino games are based on luck, some table games involve an element of skill or strategy that can improve your chances of winning. The goal of any strategy is to minimize the casino's inherent advantage by playing in a statistically sound way. Let's look at some simple ways to play smarter at these two classic casino games.

Improving Your Blackjack Game
Blackjack is one of the few casino games where player decisions directly impact the outcome. The foundation of skilled play is called "basic strategy." It's a complete guide to decision-making that has been perfected by computer simulations.

Key Principles of Basic Strategy:

Always Split Aces and 8s: Splitting two Aces gives you two chances to hit 21. Splitting two 8s turns a very weak hand (16) into two much better starting hands (8). Never Split 10s or 5s: Don't risk a strong hand of 20, and casino always use a pair of 5s as a starting point for a double down. Double Down on 11: You should almost always double down when your first two cards total 11. Know When to Stop: The odds of improving a hand of 17 without going over 21 are very low, so standing is the correct play.

Using a basic strategy chart is the single best thing you can do to improve your odds in Blackjack.

How to Bet in Roulette
Roulette is a game of pure chance, and no betting system can change the odds or predict the outcome. However, you can use betting strategies to manage your bankroll and influence your volatility.

Focus on Outside, Even-Money Bets: For the best odds of winning on any single spin, stick to the even-money outside bets.

Red or Black Odd or Even High (19-36) or Low (1-18)

These bets won't make you rich quickly, but they give you the best chance to have a longer playing session and walk away with a small profit.

Pro Tip: casino Play European Roulette: Always choose European (or French) Roulette over American Roulette if you have the choice. The single-zero European wheel has a much lower house edge than the double-zero American wheel.