Gambling terms, explained straight

Odds, Probability & Bankroll

Pai gow odds vs blackjack

A comparison of house edge, expected loss, or other probability measures between pai gow (tiles or poker) and blackjack.

Pai gow tiles house edge
1.50%–1.65% (standard), as low as 0.08% when banking with optimal strategy15
Pai gow poker house edge
1.46% (standard)1
Blackjack house edge
0.2%–0.8% depending on rules; 0.43% for Atlantic City rules34

Key points

  • Pai gow tiles and pai gow poker both have a higher house edge than blackjack under typical casino rules.1
  • In pai gow tiles, banking every other hand reduces the average house edge to about 1.03%.2
  • Blackjack's house edge varies widely with rule changes, from roughly 0.2% to 0.8%.3

Where this term is used

Not the same as

  • Odds — the underlying percentage measure being compared, not the comparison phrase itself
  • Odds — the player's average loss over time; this phrase compares games, not a single payout term
  • Pai gow poker payouts — a specific game; the phrase may refer to pai gow tiles, pai gow poker, or both depending on context
Odds & probability Odds Explains the general concept of odds in gambling. Odds & probability Betting odds Covers how betting odds are displayed and interpreted. Odds & probability Pai gow poker payouts Details the payout structure for pai gow poker. Odds & probability Pai gow progressive payouts Explains progressive jackpot payouts in pai gow. Odds & probability Pai gow payout chart Shows a standard payout chart for pai gow. Odds & probability Fractional odds to decimal Converts fractional odds to decimal format.

Sources

  1. House Edge of Casino Games Compared wizardofodds.com Provides the house edge figures for pai gow tiles, pai gow poker, and blackjack in a comparison table.
  2. Pai Gow Tiles - FAQ wizardofodds.com Gives the average house edge for pai gow tiles when banking every other hand.
  3. Table Games - FAQ wizardofodds.com Supplies the range of blackjack house edges and the Atlantic City figure.
  4. Pai Gow Tiles - Part 2 of 3 - Pai Gow Strategy wizardofodds.com Confirms the blackjack house edge range in a discussion of pai gow vs blackjack.
  5. Pai Gow Tiles wizardofodds.com Lists pai gow tiles house edge figures for different strategies and banking conditions.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.