One big drawback of playing electronic table games is that the taxable threshold is the same $1200 as slots and video poker. Even worse is that your original bet is part of that. This means if you bet $1200 on a video blackjack hand and push, you would get a W2G, even though you did not win any money.
Nobody wants to be in a situation like that. The best way to avoid that is to place smaller bets. The list below shows the maximum bet you can make on common electronic table games to avoid the $1200 level. Values listed do not include optional side bets. Lower wagers are required when placing additional wagers like side bets.
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Blackjack
The maximum bet for video blackjack depends on the rules. If players can’t double down after splitting, and can only split once, the maximum is $299. That allows for a $598 win and a return of the same amount on a successful double down.
If the rules allow double down after splitting, the maximum safe bet is $149 if the maximum split is two hands. It goes to $99 on three split hands and $74 on four hands.
| Blackjack Game Rules | Original Wager (Total Maximum Bet*) | Winnings with Original Wager |
|---|---|---|
| No double down after splitting; only split once | $299 ($598) | $1,196 |
| Double down after splitting; split twice | $149 ($596) | $1,192 |
| Double down after splitting; split three times | $99 ($594) | $1,188 |
| Double down after splitting; split four times | $74 ($592) | $1,184 |
Baccarat
There are three standard bets at baccarat: Banker, Player, and Tie. The maximum player bet to avoid a W2G is $599. If the banker has a push hand instead of a commission, it is also $599. If there is a 5% commission, the maximum is $615. The tie pays 8/1. The maximum bet to stay under $1200 on a tie is $133.
| Baccarat Bet | Original Wager | Winnings with Original Wager |
|---|---|---|
| Player or Banker (No Commission) | $599 | $1,198 |
| Player or Banker (5% Commission) | $615 | $1,199.25 |
| Tie | $133 | $1,197 |
Roulette
Roulette is a bit more complicated than baccarat and blackjack. It has more bets. The even money bets are red, black, odd, even, high, and low. The list below shows the maximum for each to stay under a $1200 payout, assuming only one wager type is placed.
| 00 Roulette Bet* | Original Wager | Winnings with Original Wager |
|---|---|---|
| Even money bet (1:1) | $599 | $1,198 |
| Column and Dozen bets (2:1) | $399 | $1,197 |
| Line (5:1) | $199 | $1,194 |
| Basket (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) (6:1) | $171 | $1,197 |
| Corner (8:1) | $133 | $1,197 |
| Street (11:1) | $99 | $1,188 |
| Split (17:1) | $66 | $1,188 |
| Straight (35:1) | $33 | $1,188 |
The values noted above are significantly lower if a combination of winning bets is placed. For example, a player should wager less if betting on the number 17, odds, and black. This is because all three wagers win if the ball lands on 17. Using the numbers above on all three wagers would put the player way over the $1200 limit in this case.
Craps
There are many bets on a video craps machine. That makes it the most complicated electronic table game to break down for this purpose. Like roulette, the values calculated assume only one wager type. Wagers with correlating wins require lower original bet amounts.
The Pass Line, Come, Don’t Pass, and Don’t Come bets have optional odds. Most video craps games permit double odds. The table below shows the maximum bets to keep the payout under $1200 assuming that the player takes maximum odds. Since a player cannot determine what number a Pass/Come or Don’t Pass/Don’t Come bet will win on, the range of possible winnings is listed in the table below.
Field bets have two payout amounts possible. The maximum bet is based on rolling a twelve since other winning field rolls pay even money.
Every video craps machine we have played takes a 5% commission on buy bets. However, it is calculated differently than in a live game. The commission is taken on the win amount at video craps, not the bet. For example, a $25 Buy 4 bet pays $49 at a live table and $47.50 on a virtual one. The Buy 4 and 10 considers this calculation.
| Craps Bet | Original Wager (Total Max Bet*) | Winnings with Original Wager |
|---|---|---|
| Pass Line and Come with 2x odds | $149 ($447) | $954 to $1,192 |
| Don’t Pass and Don’t Come with 2x odds | $211 ($633) | $1,055 to $1,196 |
| Field if 12 pays double | $399 | $798 to $1,197 |
| Field if 12 pays triple | $299 | $598 to $1,196 |
| Place 6 or 8 | $552 | $1,196 |
| Place 5 or 9 | $499 | $1,198 |
| Buy 4 or 10 | $413 | $1,198 |
| Hop 2, 12, or other hard ways | $38 | $1,178 |
| Hop 3, 11, or other easy ways | $74 | $1,184 |
| Any craps | $149 | $1,192 |
| Any seven | $239 | $1,195 |
| Hard 6 or 8 | $119 | $1,190 |
| Hard 4 or 10 | $149 | $1,192 |
