Tight Tables

Despite complaints from regular players on the Las Vegas Strip about new table game rules that give a greater edge to the house, the actual data shows that the table-game hold percentage—the portion of money gambled that the casino retains—has been declining over the past 20 years, sometimes precipitously in the case of baccarat. You would think 6-5 blackjack, triple-zero roulette and higher overall table limits would result in a higher hold percentage, but the opposite is true. Hold percentage declined between 1992 and 2010, but it seems to be making a modest comeback in recent years, perhaps as a result of those tighter table game rules.

This chart was produced by the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. For more information, visit gaming.unlv.edu.