Casino Games: Rules, Odds and How to Play
Every casino game has a built-in house edge, and the size of that edge is the most useful number to know before you play. These guides explain the rules of the main table games and keno, give the published odds and payouts, and show where each game is played in New Zealand, from SkyCity and Christchurch Casino to Lotto NZ Keno and online tables.
House edge at a glance
The house edge is the share of each bet the game keeps over the long run. Lower is better for the player. These figures assume standard rules; the table or game screen shows the rules that apply.
| Game and bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| European roulette, any bet | 2.70% |
| French roulette, even-money bets with La Partage or En Prison | 1.35% |
| American roulette (0 and 00) | 5.26% |
| Baccarat, Banker bet (5% commission) | 1.06% |
| Baccarat, Player bet | 1.24% |
| Baccarat, Tie bet at 8:1 | 14.36% |
| Blackjack with basic strategy, 3:2 payout | around 0.5% |
| Blackjack at a 6:5 table | about 1.4 points higher |
Baccarat figures are for eight decks. Keno works differently: Lotto NZ publishes the odds and prize for each prize group instead of a single edge, and our keno guide has the full table.
Game guides
- How to play blackjack: rules, the basic strategy chart for 4-8 decks, and why 6:5 tables cost more.
- Roulette strategy: European, French and American wheels, payouts, and what Martingale, Fibonacci, D’Alembert, Paroli and James Bond can and cannot do.
- How to play baccarat: card values, the third-card tableau, commission and dealer procedures.
- How to play Keno in New Zealand: draw times, prize groups, the official odds table and Multiplier.
- Online pokies and pokie venues near you.
- Poker in New Zealand: rules, hand rankings, odds calculator and live poker.
- Live dealer casinos: how streamed tables work.
Skill or chance?
Safer Gambling Aotearoa separates games of pure chance, where nothing the player does changes the odds (roulette, baccarat, money wheel, keno and pokies), from games of partial skill such as blackjack and poker, where decisions matter but chance still drives the result. Past results never predict the next spin, hand or draw.
Where to play in New Zealand
Five casinos run table games in New Zealand: SkyCity Auckland, SkyCity Hamilton, SkyCity Queenstown, Christchurch Casino and Grand Casino Dunedin. You must be 20 or over to enter. Our guide to New Zealand casinos lists hours, entry rules and games for each. For online play, the rules are changing: see New Zealand gambling law.
Help
Free help is available 24/7 from the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or by free text to 8006; see our gambling help page for other services.