Table Games at VegaStars: Strategy Meets Chance

The table games collection at VegaStars covers every variant Australian players want without padding the library with obscure options nobody requests. Blackjack, roulette, baccarat, video poker, and other classics appear in multiple formats with varying rules, betting limits, and gameplay speeds.

Blackjack Variants and Optimal Play

Blackjack remains the most popular table game because strategy genuinely impacts results. Unlike pure luck-based games, correct decisions reduce the house edge to minimal levels, making blackjack attractive for players who prefer skill over chance.

European Blackjack represents the standard variant most players recognize. Dealer stands on all 17s, blackjack pays 3:2, insurance available when dealer shows ace, and doubling allowed on any two cards. The game uses two decks typically, shuffled after about 75% penetration.

The house edge in European Blackjack runs about 0.5% when playing basic strategy correctly. This makes it one of the best mathematical propositions in casino gaming, explaining why experienced players gravitate toward blackjack over higher-edge alternatives.

Atlantic City Blackjack modifies rules slightly from European versions. Uses eight decks instead of two, allows doubling after splits, and lets you surrender poor hands to forfeit half your bet and exit. These rule modifications slightly improve player odds compared to some other variants.

Vegas Strip Blackjack follows rules common at Las Vegas Strip casinos. Four decks, dealer stands on all 17s, doubling after splits allowed, and double down permitted on any two cards. This variant offers familiar rules for players accustomed to Las Vegas gaming.

Perfect Pairs Blackjack adds a side bet wagering on your first two cards forming a pair. Mixed pairs (different suits, different colors) pay lowest around 6:1, colored pairs (same color, different suit) pay middle around 12:1, and perfect pairs (identical cards) pay highest around 25:1.

The perfect pairs side bet carries higher house edge than the main blackjack game—typically around 4-6% depending on exact paytable. This makes it entertainment rather than optimal strategy, appealing to players who enjoy variety over mathematical advantage.

21+3 Blackjack introduces another popular side bet combining your two cards with the dealer's upcard to form poker hands. Flush, straight, three of a kind, straight flush, and suited three of a kind all pay different amounts, with suited three of a kind hitting the highest payout around 100:1.

Like perfect pairs, the 21+3 side bet runs higher house edge than main gameplay. It adds variety and big win potential but shouldn't form the foundation of your blackjack strategy if minimizing house edge matters to you.

Roulette Wheels and Betting Systems

Roulette offers pure chance with no strategy affecting outcomes, but understanding the mathematics and different variants helps you choose wheels offering better odds.

European Roulette features a single zero pocket, creating 37 total pockets (0-36). This single zero structure produces a house edge of 2.70% on most bets, making European roulette mathematically superior to American variants.

The wheel layout arranges numbers in specific sequences designed to distribute low/high and odd/even numbers evenly around the wheel. Red and black alternate consistently, creating the visual balance that makes roulette wheels aesthetically pleasing.

American Roulette adds a double zero (00) pocket alongside the single zero, creating 38 total pockets. This extra pocket increases the house edge to 5.26%—nearly double European roulette. The only advantage American roulette offers is authenticity for players wanting the traditional Vegas experience.

Mathematically, there's no reason to play American roulette when European is available. The extra zero doubles the house edge without providing any benefit to players. Unless you specifically want American roulette for nostalgic or atmospheric reasons, European wheels offer strictly better odds.

French Roulette uses the same single-zero wheel as European roulette but introduces La Partage and En Prison rules that further reduce the house edge on even-money bets.

La Partage returns half your stake on even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low) when zero hits. Instead of losing your entire bet, you get 50% back. This cuts the house edge on these specific bets to 1.35%—the best odds available in roulette.

En Prison gives you a second chance when zero hits on even-money bets. Your bet stays "imprisoned" for the next spin. If that spin wins, you get your original stake back without profit. If it loses, the bet is collected. This also reduces the house edge to 1.35% on even-money wagers.

Betting systems like Martingale, Fibonacci, and D'Alembert attempt to overcome the house edge through wagering patterns. Martingale doubles bets after losses, theoretically recovering all losses plus one unit profit when you eventually win.

The problem with Martingale and all other betting systems is that they don't change the underlying mathematics. Each spin maintains the same house edge regardless of previous results or betting patterns. Systems might provide structured approaches that some players find helpful, but they cannot overcome the mathematical edge built into the game.

Baccarat Elegance and Simplicity

Baccarat combines simplicity with sophisticated atmosphere, making it accessible to beginners while appealing to high rollers who appreciate the game's elegant minimalism.

Punto Banco represents the standard baccarat variant found at most online casinos. Two hands receive cards—Player (Punto) and Banker (Banco). Third card rules determine whether hands draw additional cards, but players make no decisions beyond their initial wager.

Betting on Banker carries a house edge of 1.06%, making it the best mathematical proposition in baccarat. Winning Banker bets pay 0.95:1 instead of even money—the casino takes 5% commission to offset Banker's slight statistical advantage.

Betting on Player offers a house edge of 1.24%, marginally worse than Banker but still excellent compared to most casino games. Player bets pay even money (1:1) without commission, appealing to players who prefer straightforward payouts despite the slight mathematical disadvantage.

Tie bets carry a house edge around 14.4%, making them poor value despite their 8:1 or 9:1 payouts. Ties occur roughly once every 10-11 hands, and the payout doesn't adequately compensate for the low hit frequency.

No Commission Baccarat eliminates the 5% commission on winning Banker bets by modifying payouts when Banker wins with a total of 6. These specific wins pay 0.5:1 (half your bet) instead of 0.95:1. All other Banker wins pay even money.

The mathematics remain nearly identical to standard baccarat. The house edge on Banker bets in No Commission baccarat runs around 1.46%, slightly worse than the 1.06% edge with commission but appealing for the simplicity of no commission tracking.

Speed Baccarat maintains identical rules while compressing time between hands. Rounds complete in 25-30 seconds instead of 45-60 seconds, doubling the hands per hour. This appeals to players who find traditional baccarat too slow or want maximum hands in their session.

The faster pace means twice the wagering volume per hour. Your bankroll fluctuates more dramatically, and you need adequate funds to handle the increased action without tapping out during inevitable cold streaks.

Video Poker Strategy and Variants

Video poker bridges slots and poker, offering games where skill genuinely impacts results. Optimal strategies can reduce the house edge below 0.5% in some variants, making video poker attractive for mathematically-minded players.

Jacks or Better represents the foundational video poker variant. You need a pair of Jacks or better to win, with payouts scaling for two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush, and royal flush.

Full-pay Jacks or Better (9/6, meaning full house pays 9 and flush pays 6) offers 99.54% RTP with perfect strategy. This makes it one of the best mathematical propositions in casino gaming, rivaling blackjack for optimal odds.

Strategy charts for Jacks or Better show exactly which cards to hold in every possible situation. Following these charts reduces the house edge to its minimum. The strategy isn't overly complex—most decisions become intuitive with practice.

Deuces Wild makes all 2s wild, substituting for any other card. This dramatically changes hand frequencies and optimal strategy compared to Jacks or Better. Natural royal flushes pay massive amounts (often 800 coins on max bet), while four deuces also offer substantial payouts.

Full-pay Deuces Wild offers over 100% RTP with perfect strategy—meaning players have a mathematical edge over the house. However, finding full-pay Deuces Wild is rare. Most online versions use reduced paytables that restore house edge while maintaining the exciting gameplay.

Joker Poker adds one or two jokers to the deck, creating wild cards that substitute for other cards. Like Deuces Wild, this changes hand frequencies and strategy significantly. Five of a kind becomes possible (four of a kind plus a joker), and natural royal flushes pay premiums.

Bonus Poker and Double Bonus Poker modify Jacks or Better paytables to offer higher payouts for four of a kind, particularly four aces or other premium quads. These enhanced payouts come at the cost of reduced payouts for two pair and sometimes full houses, changing the volatility profile.

Bonus variants increase volatility compared to standard Jacks or Better. You'll lose more frequently but hit bigger wins when four of a kind lands. This appeals to players who prefer chasing substantial payouts over steady small wins.

Other Table Games

Beyond the big three (blackjack, roulette, baccarat), VegaStars offers other table games that provide variety without padding the library with obscure options.

Craps brings dice gaming with betting complexity that intimidates newcomers but rewards players who learn the optimal bets. Pass line and don't pass bets carry house edges around 1.4%, making them mathematically sound. Odds bets pay true odds with zero house edge, making them the best bets in craps once you understand the mechanics.

Sic Bo offers simpler dice gaming than craps. Bet on totals, specific triples, combinations, or single numbers. The house edge varies dramatically by bet type—small/big bets carry about 2.8% edge while specific triple bets run over 30% edge.

Caribbean Stud Poker pits your five-card hand against the dealer's. The progressive jackpot side bet adds excitement with the potential for massive payouts on royal flushes, though the high house edge on the side bet makes it mathematically questionable.

Three Card Poker simplifies poker to three-card hands with a pair plus side bet. The main game carries about 3.4% house edge with optimal strategy, while pair plus offers around 2.3% edge depending on paytable.

Table Game Strategy Considerations

Table games reward players who understand optimal strategies and make mathematically sound decisions.

Blackjack strategy charts show the correct play for every possible hand versus every possible dealer upcard. Following these charts reduces the house edge to its minimum—typically around 0.5%. Memorizing basic strategy takes effort but pays dividends through improved results.

Roulette has no strategy that changes outcomes. Each spin maintains independent probabilities regardless of previous results. Betting systems provide structure but don't overcome the mathematical house edge. Understand the odds, choose European over American wheels when possible, and bet amounts you're comfortable losing.

Baccarat strategy is simple: bet Banker for the best odds, avoid Tie bets due to their high house edge, and accept that no betting pattern changes the underlying mathematics. The game's appeal comes from its simplicity and low house edge, not from strategic depth.

Video poker rewards strategy study. The correct holds for each situation aren't always intuitive, and deviating from optimal strategy costs you money over time. Strategy charts exist for all variants—study them, practice in demo mode, and implement them during real money play.

Mobile Table Games

Table games adapt well to mobile devices, though some work better than others depending on screen size and interface requirements.

Blackjack translates perfectly to mobile. Your cards display prominently, decision buttons sit easily reachable, and the game flow works smoothly on small screens. Portrait and landscape orientations both function well.

Roulette benefits from landscape orientation to display the full betting grid comfortably. The zoom functionality helps with precise bet placement on smaller screens. Mobile roulette feels natural once you adjust to touch controls instead of mouse-based betting.

Baccarat works excellently on mobile with its simple betting interface. Three main betting areas (Banker, Player, Tie) plus side bet options don't require complex controls or extensive screen real estate.

Video poker suits mobile play perfectly. The cards display clearly, hold buttons are easily accessible, and the straightforward interface doesn't suffer from screen size limitations. Many players actually prefer video poker on mobile for its simplicity.

Finding the Right Table Game

Choosing which table games to play depends on your priorities and preferences.

For best odds: Blackjack with perfect basic strategy offers the lowest house edge, typically around 0.5%. Video poker with optimal strategy rivals this in some variants.

For simplicity: Baccarat requires no strategy decisions beyond choosing which bet to make. Roulette also offers straightforward betting without complex rules to learn.

For fast action: Speed variants of blackjack and baccarat complete hands in roughly half the time of standard versions, appealing to players wanting maximum hands per session.

For strategic depth: Blackjack rewards study and correct decision-making. Video poker offers similar strategic appeal for players who enjoy optimizing every decision.

Whether you're perfecting blackjack basic strategy, exploring the mathematics of video poker, or simply enjoying the elegant simplicity of baccarat, VegaStars' table games provide the variety and quality serious players demand. The pokies library offers alternatives when you want chance over strategy, while the live casino brings human dealers to the table games you enjoy.