Despite utilising various strategies to beat the casino, you should be aware that the casino will always win in the long run. Due to the house edge of every game, no matter how lucky you are, you will most likely end up losing on the casino games you choose to play. In addition to winning or losing your bets, you may also end up breaking even.
Whenever you win the same amount you have wagered, you are breaking even. As your balance is not higher than before the wager was placed, some players do not consider breaking even as a win. Meanwhile, others consider any case of avoiding a loss some type of a win. That leads to constant discussions about whether you can actually win casino games by breaking even or that is simply a way of saving your money.
Depending on your personal viewpoint, breaking even can be considered a win, a loss, or simply something to ignore and continue playing. To explain why there are mixed opinions on breaking even in casino games, we will try to cover all the important things to know about breaking even.
What is Considered a Break-Even Point on Casino Games
Simply put, breaking even is the point at which you win the same amount you have wagered before that. If we are talking about casino games, there are two types of breaking even. The first scenario of breaking even is when your single-round win covers the bet size you have placed for the same playing round. The other type of breaking even is when you win the same amount you have lost for the entire duration of the gaming session.
You can sit on a casino table with a budget of £100 and end up losing £30 over the course of a few rounds. If you win enough in the following round and you go back to having £100, you will be at the break-even point.
One important thing to remember is that sometimes people are just riding losing streaks and it is not worth it chasing a break-even point. While it is somewhat comforting that at least you have not lost any money, long gaming sessions for the sake of breaking even can be very dangerous for your budget. That is why it is crucial to know when to stop and walk away from the casino games.
When Breaking Even Can Be Considered as a Win
As already mentioned, some players believe breaking even is still some type of a win. There are several scenarios when breaking even can really be considered a win. While this is mostly applicable to those who play at land-based casinos and have rewards cards, there is also the chance to enjoy benefits from the rewards system of an online casino.
Whenever you break even on casino games, you can still earn comp points. That is some type of currency you can exchange for various casino benefits or even for real cash in some cases. That is definitely a win, even though you have simply reached a break-even point during your casino sessions.
In most offline and online casinos, collecting comp points will also allow you to upgrade to a VIP player. Usually, a higher status at a casino can ensure you better exclusive perks and benefits. Free drinks or meals are just a few of the advantages of being a VIP casino member. By playing casino games, even when breaking even, you will be able to earn comp points and enjoy more VIP perks.
One of the key elements of gambling entertainment is to enjoy some type of thrill. By simply risking some of your money, the chase for wins becomes more thrilling. Even if you do not end up with any significant profit, breaking even will allow you to enjoy exciting casino games without losing a significant amount.
Why Breaking Even May Not Count as Winning
To be able to reach a break-even point, you still need to land a win on the casino game you play. However, it is the amount that you are paid that makes such a win a simple break-even amount instead of a true win. While technically, you land a winnings combination, there are a few reasons why breaking even may not feel as winning.
You have probably heard the phrase the house always wins, which unfortunately is true, at least in the long run. As players are chasing losses and are trying to at least break even as they play numerous slot rounds, they fall into the so-called Law of Large Numbers. The more rounds you play, the more likely is for the fixed probability to be applied to your play and give the casino its guaranteed long-term win. Eventually, the casino wins tend to exceed its losses.
In most cases, even after you reach the break-even point while playing casino games, you did not restore all of your losses. Many online casinos may apply a fee to your withdrawals, which would mean that you can end up with less money than when you started playing. That means that you will need extra wins if you really want to break even when playing casino games. However, that may cost you the money you had already won to reach the break-even point.
Is It Possible to Break Even on Casino Games?
While there are different opinions on whether breaking even is a true win or not, other arguments include doubts about whether it is possible at all to break even in some casino games. Slot players are usually the most discouraged when it comes to breaking even as many believe there is no possible way to actually reach that point on slots.
A few lucky players who have swept the jackpot prizes on slots will most likely support the idea of breaking even on slots. However, as most players are enjoying simple gaming sessions with not-so-regular winning streaks, breaking even on slots seems like a rather difficult thing to do. Slots are games that do not require the use of any strategy or skill and the result always depends solely on luck.
Many players fall into the trap of compulsive gambling due to chasing the break-even point on slots. Some even believe there are hot and cold slots, using the excuse of certain slots being hot to continue chasing losses. The truth is that there is no correlation between previous and following spins, so there is no such thing as hot and cold slots.
If we are talking about table games, there is some chance to break even on casino gaming options that involve some type of skills. For example, professional blackjack players tend to use a basic strategy to ensure they are always making the optimal decision while playing. As your actions have a certain influence on the result of every round, it is possible to tilt the scales in your favour and reach a break-even point.
Despite playing with the right strategy may give you better odds of landing long-term winnings, you are still not guaranteed fruitful results. As casino games are chance-based, you can still end up on a losing streak even when using a perfect strategy. That is why, sometimes it may be impossible to reach a break-even point, no matter the type of casino game you play.
Why Breaking Even on Casino Games is Difficult?
If we take a proper look at casino games, we will soon realise that there is actually no chance for a win in the long run. That is just how these games of chance are designed, always giving the advantage to the house. While the house edge on every casino game is different, it is constantly there to guarantee the casino that it will eventually win over players.
If we trust maths, which is definitely more trustworthy than luck, the chance of breaking even in casino games is not very high, as your winning odds in the long run are just not that great. The casino always has an edge over gamblers, with every casino game having a different house advantage, with even every single bet giving the casino a different edge.
| House Edge on Casino Games | ||
|---|---|---|
| Game | Rule Variations/Bet Types | House Edge |
| Baccarat | Tie | 14.36% |
| Banker | 1.06% | |
| Player | 1.24% | |
| Blackjack (standard Vegas rules) | 0.28% | |
| Caribbean Stud Poker | 5.22% | |
| Heads Up Hold’em | 2.36% | |
| Pick’em Poker | 0% – 10% | |
| Roulette | European | 2.70% |
| American | 5.26% | |
| Sic-Bo | 2.78% – 33.33% | |
| Ultimate Texas Hold’em | Ante bet | 2.19% |
| Slot variations | 2% – 50% | |
| Video Poker | Full-pay Jacks or Better | 0.46% |
Things to Remember When You Are Trying to Break Even on Casino Games
One of the most important things to consider before you start playing any type of casino game for real money is that having fun should be your top priority. If you are playing to make some profit, you are embarking on this adventure for the wrong reasons. It is way too risky to rely on gambling to make a stable income as you can lose all of your wins in just a few seconds.
As you go through several lucky streaks and you enjoy some extra funds, you will be better off cashing out your wins and going back to your daily life. If you notice that the casino starts winning again, you should put an end to your gaming session while there is no serious damage.
Another thing to keep in mind is that it is not always possible to completely restore your original bankroll, no matter how many times you have won. That does not mean that you should continue playing. If you notice that your balance is suffering substantial losses, you should put an end to the gaming session and leave the casino endeavour for the next time you are feeling lucky.
Conclusion
Whenever you have landed a lucky streak that can compensate for your previous casino losses, then you have reached the break-even point. Although at that point, you will have no extra profit to enjoy, you will still be able to maintain the same budget you have started your gaming session with. As there are no additional funds one could enjoy, many players do not consider breaking even as a win.
Whether such an outcome qualifies as a win is entirely up to you. Some players believe that as long as there is no loss, they have been winning in casino games. No matter if you think of breaking even as a win or not, it is still a better option than suffering a loss. However, it should be noted that breaking even is not that easy, especially in certain casino games.
As the house always has an edge over players, the casino will always win in the long run. Some players tend to chase their losses and play numerous rounds in attempts to at least break even. However, the more rounds one plays, the higher the casino’s chances of winning. That is why it is important to know when to stop playing and walk away before you have exhausted your entire balance.
