I recently was asked a question in general conversation. “What’s a sure thing?” Turns out this guy needed to parlay about a hundred bucks into thousands to pay off some mounting bills.

Let’s all get the laughs out of the way and focus not on the absurdity of the question (obviously, if there were a sure thing, it wouldn’t be called gambling), but the topic that it spawned. That being, what really are the best odds in the casino? What games give you the best chance, statistically, to hold your own against the house.

Blackjack Online, while it has some of the most favorable odds at the casino, is surely not the game for this guy’s situation. Why? Because it takes money to make money, even in a casino. For game’s like blackjack, the trade-off to decent odds is the need for around half what you think you’re going to win. So if you want to walk out with, say, a $3,000 profit, you’re going to need at least $1,500 to get yourself going. Even seasoned card counters will tell you that.

Now, that’s going to be true of most games, but with craps or roulette, you can man up and put it all in play in one hand if you want. Dropping that roll on the “come” bet in craps isn’t a half bad idea if you’re desperate. If it hits, you’re walking away with your winnings. You can start off on the pass line for a few hundred, and then hope you get reasonably lucky 5 or 6 times in a row. I’d rather take my chances there than betting a color on roulette any day.

Avoid three card poker, though, as the payoff just isn’t worth it. Same with Caribbean Stud. On three-card, the most you’ll see on a payoff is about 40:1, and that’s with a three-card straight, which you’re not likely to see nearly enough to make it even worth your time, not to mention your money. Caribbean Stud is a trap, I won’t say more. If you really need to hit the jackpot, you can just as easily play your local lottery, you don’t need to Caribbean progressive to do that.

The safest option, but one that requires the most time, is to continue to bet on near sure-things of sports matches. The payoffs will be like nickel and dime-ing your way up the ladder, but it’s better odds than any casino game you’ll find across the way.