Cheapest casino games per hour
What a game costs depends on how fast it is as well as its edge.
By Ryan Jessop. Last checked .
Key takeaways
- Cheapest: blackjack.
- Dearest: scratch cards.
- Cost = stake × pace × edge.
- Pace matters as much as edge.
AnswerAt typical stakes, blackjack is the cheapest casino game per hour and scratch cards the dearest. Speed moves games a long way from their place in the odds table.
Ranked on: Average cost per hour: typical stake × rounds an hour × house edge.
The ranking
- Average cost£0.3 an hour
Blackjack
£1 a round, about 60 rounds an hour, 0.5% edge.
- Average cost£0.53 an hour
Baccarat
£1 a round, about 50 rounds an hour, 1.06% edge.
- Average cost£0.56 an hour
Craps
£1 a round, about 40 rounds an hour, 1.41% edge.
- Average cost£0.88 an hour
Casino poker games
£1 a round, about 40 rounds an hour, 2.2% edge.
- Average cost£1.08 an hour
Roulette
£1 a round, about 40 rounds an hour, 2.7% edge.
- Average cost£1.39 an hour
Sic Bo
£1 a round, about 50 rounds an hour, 2.78% edge.
- Average cost£1.8 an hour
Live game shows
£1 a round, about 45 rounds an hour, 4.0% edge.
- Average cost£1.84 an hour
Video poker
£1 a round, about 400 rounds an hour, 0.46% edge.
- Average cost£3 an hour
Slingo
£0.5 a round, about 120 rounds an hour, 5.0% edge.
- Average cost£4.8 an hour
Slots
£0.2 a round, about 600 rounds an hour, 4.0% edge.
- Average cost£20 an hour
Scratch cards
£1 a round, about 200 rounds an hour, 10.0% edge.
The surprises
Video poker has one of the lowest edges and, at about 400 hands an hour, is far from the cheapest hour. Slots at 20p are fast but small-staked. Roulette is slow, which keeps a 2.70% edge affordable.
Your own numbers
Use the house edge calculator.
More rankings: Casino games of skill, Worst casino bets and Best odds casino games.
Games and casinos: Live game shows UK, Roulette UK, 10bet Casino games review and Best RTP slots UK.
Reading this ranking
The stakes used here are typical, not fixed. Halve the stake and the hourly cost halves; that is the simplest lever a player has. The second lever is pace: playing a live table instead of a software one cuts the rounds per hour by half or more at the same stake.
Go further: Megaways slots UK, How to play roulette and American roulette UK.
House edges and RTPs are standard published figures for common rules, and are long-run averages. Offer terms dated 5 October 2026. How we check. 18+. Free help: 0808 8020 133 or safer gambling.
Frequently asked questions
Which casino game is cheapest per hour?
Blackjack, at typical stakes.
Why does speed matter?
More rounds mean more stakes.
Are slots expensive?
Per hour, they can be, despite small stakes.
How do I lower the cost?
Lower the stake or slow down.