The definition
House edge is the percentage of every bet the operator keeps, on average, over infinite play. A 1% house edge means for every $100 you bet, the house expects to keep $1.
Why "every bet" is the trap
Players think in deposits ("I deposited $100"). The house edge applies to volume ("I bet $100 fifty times"). $100 deposit × 50 rolls × 1% edge = $50 expected loss. Your $100 deposit, gone, with mathematically perfect play.
Compounding math
- 1% edge × 100 bets ≈ 63% chance you're down at the end.
- 2% edge × 100 bets ≈ 87% chance you're down.
- 3% edge × 100 bets ≈ 95% chance you're down.
How PvP rake math differs
On Rollit, there's no edge baked into the roll itself. The rake (5%) is taken only from winnings. If you play 100 rounds and win 50, you pay rake on 50 pots — not 100 bets. Over time, that's dramatically cheaper for the same volume.
The plain-English rule
Lower house edge = your bankroll survives more rounds. More rounds = more entertainment per dollar, and a higher chance variance breaks in your favor. Pick games with low edge, and pick formats (like PvP) where the take comes off the top only when you win.
House edge by game
- Slider dice (Stake/BC): ~1%
- Craps pass line: ~1.4%
- European roulette: ~2.7%
- American roulette: ~5.3%
- Most slots: 2–15%
- Sic Bo prop bets: up to 16%
- Rollit PvP dice: 0% edge per roll, 5% rake on wins only