Top 8 Table Games in American Casinos — Ranked
Ask most people what they picture when they think of a casino and they’ll describe a table game — the green felt, the cards, the chips, the dealer. Table games carry a particular energy that slots simply can’t replicate, and despite the dominance of slot machines in terms of revenue, table games remain central to the American casino experience both on the floor and on the app. Having spent years playing and reviewing casino platforms, I want to walk you through the most popular table games American players actually choose — why they’re popular, what the house edge looks like, and which casino apps offer the best versions on your phone.
1. Blackjack
Why Americans Love It
Blackjack is the most popular casino table game in the United States — and has been for decades. The reasons aren’t hard to understand. The rules are simple enough to learn in five minutes, the house edge is the lowest of any standard casino table game when played with basic strategy, and crucially, player decisions actually matter. Blackjack is one of the few casino games where skill — specifically knowledge of basic strategy — meaningfully reduces the house advantage. That combination of accessibility, low house edge, and genuine player agency makes blackjack uniquely compelling.
The Basics
The objective is simple: beat the dealer by getting a hand value closer to 21 without going over. Cards two through ten are worth their face value. Face cards — jack, queen, king — are worth ten. Aces count as either one or eleven, whichever is more beneficial to your hand. If your first two cards total 21 — an ace and a ten-value card — that’s a blackjack, which typically pays 3:2.
House Edge
With perfect basic strategy, the house edge in standard blackjack drops to approximately 0.5% — one of the lowest of any casino game. Without basic strategy, the house edge rises significantly. A basic strategy card — freely available online and permitted at most casinos — is genuinely worth memorising if you play blackjack regularly.
On Casino Apps
Every major US casino app offers multiple blackjack variants. Notable options include:
- Classic blackjack — standard rules, the best starting point
- Spanish 21 — played with a 48-card deck (all tens removed), with more liberal rules for players
- Blackjack Switch — two hands played simultaneously with the ability to switch the top cards
- Perfect Pairs — adds a side bet on whether your initial two cards are a pair
- Live dealer blackjack — the closest digital experience to sitting at a real table
DraftKings and BetMGM both offer extensive blackjack libraries. FanDuel leads the market on live dealer blackjack specifically, with 37+ live titles including multiple blackjack variants at different stake levels.
2. Roulette
Why Americans Love It
Roulette is the quintessential casino game — the spinning wheel, the bouncing ball, the anticipation as it settles. It requires no skill or strategy, which is either a selling point or a drawback depending on your perspective. For players who want pure excitement without having to think too hard, roulette delivers in a way few games match. Furthermore, the range of bet types — from even-money outside bets to single-number bets paying 35:1 — means players can dial the risk up or down to suit their bankroll and appetite.
American vs European Roulette
This is the single most important thing to understand about roulette, and I’ll be direct about it. American roulette — the most commonly found version in US land-based casinos — has two green pockets: 0 and 00. That double zero raises the house edge to 5.26%. European roulette has only a single zero, cutting the house edge almost in half to 2.7%. If you’re playing roulette on a casino app, always choose European roulette if it’s available. The difference in house edge is significant over any meaningful volume of play.
House Edge
- American roulette — 5.26%
- European roulette — 2.70%
- French roulette with La Partage rule — 1.35% on even-money bets
On Casino Apps
All major US casino apps offer both American and European roulette. Evolution Gaming’s Lightning Roulette — available at BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, and BetRivers — is one of the most popular live dealer titles in the entire US market, adding random multipliers of up to 500x on selected numbers to standard European roulette gameplay.
3. Baccarat
Why Americans Love It
Baccarat has an undeserved reputation as an intimidating, high-roller game. In reality it’s one of the simplest casino games you can play — you’re essentially just betting on which of two hands, the Player or the Banker, will have a value closest to nine. No decisions beyond your initial bet are required. The game’s association with James Bond films and VIP casino rooms has given it a certain mystique, but increasingly it’s attracting everyday American players who appreciate its simplicity and relatively low house edge on the Banker bet.
The Basics
Two hands are dealt — the Player hand and the Banker hand. You bet on which will be closer to nine, or whether they’ll tie. Card values are slightly unusual: aces count as one, cards two through nine are face value, and tens and face cards count as zero. If a hand’s total exceeds nine, only the second digit counts — so a seven and an eight totals 15, which counts as five.
House Edge
- Banker bet — 1.06% (the best bet at the table — always bet Banker)
- Player bet — 1.24%
- Tie bet — 14.36% (avoid this entirely)
On Casino Apps
Baccarat is well represented at all major US casino apps including Caesars Palace, to name on.. Evolution Gaming’s Speed Baccarat — available across the live dealer sections of most platforms — completes a full round in approximately 27 seconds, making it popular with players who want a faster pace. Mini Baccarat, with lower minimum bets, is also widely available for players who want to experience the game without committing to high stakes.
4. Craps
Why Americans Love It
Craps generates more noise and energy than any other casino game. The communal betting around the table — everyone winning or losing together on the shooter’s dice — creates a shared experience that is genuinely unique in the casino environment. Craps has an almost cult-like following among serious American casino players, and for good reason — the Pass Line bet, the most fundamental bet in the game, carries a house edge of just 1.41%, making it one of the better bets available at any casino.
The Learning Curve
Of all the table games in this list, craps has the steepest learning curve. The table layout looks complicated at first glance, and the range of available bets — from simple Pass Line wagers to Proposition bets with enormous house edges — can be overwhelming for newcomers. However, the core of the game is straightforward: bet on whether the shooter will make their Point or seven out. The complexity is optional. Start with Pass Line bets only and add sophistication as you gain familiarity.
House Edge — Key Bets
- Pass Line — 1.41%
- Don’t Pass — 1.36%
- Pass Line with full Odds — as low as 0.02% depending on odds multiple
- Proposition bets (Any Seven, Any Craps etc.) — up to 16.67% — avoid
On Casino Apps
Craps is available at most major US casino apps in RNG format, though the live dealer version — which genuinely replicates the social energy of the physical game — is less widely available in the US regulated market than in European casinos. DraftKings and BetMGM both offer digital craps across their platforms.
5. Three Card Poker
Why Americans Love It
Three Card Poker is one of the most successful casino game inventions of the modern era — and it was invented relatively recently, in 1994, by British poker player Derek Webb. Its genius lies in simplicity: you’re dealt three cards, the dealer is dealt three cards, and you decide whether your hand can beat the dealer’s. The game also includes a Pair Plus side bet that pays regardless of whether you beat the dealer, based purely on the strength of your hand. That combination of competitive play and independent side bet gives Three Card Poker a pace and simplicity that genuinely suits the digital format.
House Edge
- Ante and Play bet combined — approximately 2.01%
- Pair Plus — approximately 2.32%
On Casino Apps
Three Card Poker is widely available at US casino apps, both in RNG format and as a live dealer title. It’s particularly well suited to mobile play given its fast pace and simple decision structure — you’re making one decision per round rather than the multiple decisions required in blackjack.
6. Casino Hold’em Poker
Why Americans Love It
Casino Hold’em brings the familiar Texas Hold’em format to a table game structure — you play against the dealer rather than other players, using two hole cards and five community cards to make the best five-card poker hand. For players who know Texas Hold’em from home games or online poker but want a simpler, lower-variance version of the experience, Casino Hold’em is a natural bridge. It’s less intimidating than full poker, requires no reading of other players, and moves at a consistently comfortable pace.
House Edge
Approximately 2.16% on the Ante bet with optimal play — competitive with other popular table game options.
On Casino Apps
Casino Hold’em is available in both RNG and live dealer formats at most major US casino apps. Evolution Gaming’s live Casino Hold’em — available across BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, and BetRivers — is one of the more popular live dealer titles beyond the standard blackjack and roulette options.
7. Mississippi Stud
Why Americans Love It
Mississippi Stud is a genuinely American invention — created by Scientific Games and first introduced in US casinos in the mid-2000s. It’s a five-card poker-style game where players build a hand over three rounds of betting without competing directly against the dealer. The game’s appeal lies in its flexible betting structure — players can increase their stake as their hand develops, creating a sense of progressive investment in each round. The potential for large payouts on strong hands also drives its popularity, with Royal Flushes paying 500:1 in standard versions of the game.
House Edge
Approximately 4.91% with optimal strategy — higher than blackjack or baccarat, but the entertainment value and payout potential justify the trade-off for many players.
On Casino Apps
Mississippi Stud is less universally available than blackjack or roulette, but DraftKings in particular offers it as part of a notably deep table game library. If you enjoy poker-style games and want something beyond standard Casino Hold’em or Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud is well worth exploring.
8. Video Poker
Why Americans Love It
Video poker occupies an interesting middle ground between slots and table games. It’s played on a screen — either a physical machine in a casino or a digital version on a casino app — but it requires genuine skill in the form of optimal hold decisions. The best versions of video poker, such as Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, offer some of the highest RTPs of any casino game — full-pay Jacks or Better returns 99.54% with optimal play, which is extraordinary in the casino context.
Key Variants
- Jacks or Better — the most common variant, requires a pair of jacks or better to win
- Deuces Wild — all twos act as wild cards, enabling more hand possibilities
- Double Bonus Poker — enhanced payouts for four-of-a-kind hands
- Double Double Bonus Poker — further enhanced payouts with specific kickers
On Casino Apps
Video poker is available at all major US casino apps. BetMGM and BetRivers both offer strong video poker libraries with multiple variants at a range of stake levels. If you play video poker and you’re not using optimal strategy, I strongly recommend looking up a strategy chart for your preferred variant — the difference in RTP between optimal and suboptimal play is significant.
A Note on House Edge and Why It Matters
Every game on this list carries a house edge — a mathematical advantage built into the rules that ensures the casino profits over time. That doesn’t mean you can’t win in any individual session, and it doesn’t mean all games are equally stacked against you. Understanding house edge helps you make informed choices about where to spend your casino budget. Blackjack with basic strategy, baccarat’s Banker bet, and Pass Line craps all offer house edges below 1.5% — making them among the best bets in any casino. Tie bets in baccarat and Proposition bets in craps carry house edges above 14% — and are simply not worth placing.
Play what you enjoy. But play informed.
Always gamble responsibly. Casino gaming is entertainment, not a source of income. If you need support, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline on 1-800-522-4700, available 24/7.