Casino games are gambling activities in which customers use their skills or chance to win money. In most casino games, the house has a definite advantage, which is called the house edge or rake. In addition to winning money, customers may also win free items or comps. The payout percentage is the percentage of winnings returned to the player. There are also various types of gaming games offered in casinos. Below are some of the most common casino games.

One way that casinos make sure their games are fair and that there is no cheating is to install sophisticated surveillance systems. Casino security staff monitors every table, window, and doorway with video cameras. Casinos use “chip tracking,” which involves betting chips with built-in microcircuitry, which allows casinos to track wagers minute-by-minute. Roulette wheels are also regularly monitored to ensure statistical fairness. Slot machines, for instance, are often played without a dealer. The payouts are determined by computer chips inside the machines.

In order to make money, casinos have to know how to calculate the house edge and variance of each game they offer. These factors are used to determine the casino’s profit percentage and cash reserves. Casinos hire computer programmers and mathematicians to calculate these figures. This is one reason why casinos outsource the work to outside experts. However, it is still worth knowing that casinos do not have in-house experts to perform this important task. The experts in this field are called gaming mathematicians.