Casino War: The Simplest Casino Card Game
What is Casino War?
Casino War is the casino adaptation of the classic childhood card game War. It holds the distinction of being the simplest table game in any casino—there are no complex rules to memorize, no strategy charts to study, and no decisions that require calculation. You bet, cards are dealt, and the higher card wins. That's it.
The game was first introduced to casinos in 1993 and has remained a fixture on casino floors ever since, particularly appealing to new gamblers, tourists seeking quick entertainment, and players who want a break from games requiring concentration. According to the American Gaming Association, Casino War generates substantial revenue despite its simplicity, demonstrating that not every casino player seeks complexity.
What Casino War lacks in strategic depth, it makes up for in accessibility. Anyone who has ever played the childhood version understands the core mechanic instantly. The transition from kitchen table to casino floor adds only the betting structure and the crucial tie-handling rules that give the house its edge.
Game Objective
The objective is straightforward: draw a card with a higher value than the dealer's card. Card rankings follow standard poker order, with Aces being the highest (not low as in some games), followed by King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 as the lowest. Suits have no value in Casino War—a 7 of Hearts ties with a 7 of Spades.
If your card beats the dealer's card, you win even money (1:1) on your bet. If the dealer's card beats yours, you lose your bet. The interesting twist occurs when both cards have equal value—a tie—which triggers the "war" mechanic that gives the game its name and creates the house edge.
How to Play Casino War
Place Your Bet
Place chips in the main betting area before cards are dealt. Table limits typically range from $5 to $500 at most casinos. You may also place an optional Tie bet, which pays 10:1 if both cards match.
Cards Are Dealt
The dealer gives one card face-up to each player and one card face-up to themselves. All cards are dealt from a shoe containing six shuffled standard decks.
Compare Cards
Higher card wins immediately. If you have 9 and dealer shows 7, you win even money. If dealer has King and you have Jack, you lose. Simple as that—unless there's a tie.
Handle Ties (Go to War or Surrender)
If both cards are equal, you choose: Go to War (place an additional bet equal to your original) or Surrender (forfeit half your original bet). Going to war is always the mathematically correct choice.
War Resolution
If you go to war, the dealer burns three cards, then deals one new card to you and one to themselves. If your new card beats or ties the dealer's, you win even money on your raise bet only (original bet pushes). If the dealer wins, you lose both bets.
Understanding the War Mechanic
The tie situation is where Casino War becomes interesting mathematically. When both you and the dealer draw cards of equal rank, the "war" begins. You have two choices, each with different expected values.
Option 1: Go to War
To go to war, you must place an additional bet equal to your original wager. The dealer then burns (discards) three cards face-down and deals one new card to you and one to themselves. If your new card is higher or equal to the dealer's, you win even money on your additional "war" bet only—your original bet pushes (is returned without profit). If the dealer's card is higher, you lose both your original and war bets.
The critical asymmetry here creates the house edge: winning pays only 1:1 on the war bet while losing costs you both bets. Despite this, going to war is the optimal strategy because the mathematical expectation is better than surrendering.
Option 2: Surrender
Surrendering means giving up immediately when a tie occurs. You forfeit exactly half of your original bet, and the hand ends. While this feels like "cutting your losses," it's actually the inferior choice mathematically. You're guaranteed to lose 50% of your bet, whereas going to war gives you roughly even odds at the cost of additional risk.
Going to war reduces the house edge from 3.70% (if you always surrender) to 2.88% (if you always go to war). Never surrender—it increases the casino's advantage by nearly one full percentage point.
The Tie Bet: A Sucker's Proposition
Before the deal, you can place an optional side bet predicting that both cards will tie. This bet pays 10:1 at most casinos, meaning a $10 tie bet wins $100 if both cards match. The payout sounds attractive, but the mathematics tell a different story.
In a six-deck shoe, the probability of a tie is approximately 7.41%. The fair payout for this probability would be roughly 12.5:1. By paying only 10:1, the casino maintains a house edge of approximately 18.65% on the tie bet—one of the worst bets available in any casino game. For comparison, even the worst bet in Baccarat (the Tie bet at 14.36%) is better than this.
The tie bet's 18.65% house edge makes it approximately 6.5 times worse than the main game. Mathematicians and gambling experts universally recommend avoiding this bet entirely, regardless of how appealing 10:1 payouts may seem.
Some casinos offer 11:1 on the tie bet, which reduces the house edge to approximately 11% - still terrible. The Wizard of Odds, a respected gambling mathematics resource, lists Casino War's tie bet among the worst side bets in casino gaming.
House Edge and Odds Analysis
Understanding the house edge helps contextualize Casino War among other casino offerings. The game's mathematics have been thoroughly analyzed by gambling researchers and probability experts at institutions like the UNLV International Gaming Institute.
| Bet Type | Payout | House Edge | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Bet (Always Go to War) | 1:1 | 2.88% | Best choice |
| Main Bet (Always Surrender) | 1:1 | 3.70% | Suboptimal |
| Tie Bet (10:1 payout) | 10:1 | 18.65% | Avoid |
| Tie Bet (11:1 payout) | 11:1 | 10.96% | Avoid |
At 2.88%, Casino War's house edge is higher than optimal Blackjack (0.5%), but lower than American Roulette (5.26%) and most slot machines (5-15%). It's comparable to some craps bets and certain video poker variants. For a game requiring zero skill, these odds are acceptable for casual entertainment.
The number of decks affects the house edge slightly. Six-deck games have a 2.88% edge, while eight-deck games edge up to approximately 2.90%. Single-deck Casino War (rare) would have an edge of about 2.42%. Most casinos use six or eight decks to speed up shuffling and prevent card counting (though card counting is impractical in Casino War due to minimal deck penetration).
Card Rankings in Casino War
Casino War uses simplified card rankings compared to poker. Only the card's rank matters—suits are irrelevant. From highest to lowest:
- Ace - Highest value card (unlike some games where Aces are low)
- King - Second highest
- Queen - Third highest
- Jack - Fourth highest
- 10 through 2 - Face value, with 10 higher than 9, etc.
- 2 (Deuce) - Lowest value card
This differs from games like Texas Hold'em where Aces can play both high and low in straights. In Casino War, Aces are always the most powerful cards. If you want to learn about more nuanced card valuations, explore our Poker Hand Rankings reference guide.
Why Do Casinos Offer Casino War?
Given the game's simplicity and relatively modest house edge compared to slots, you might wonder why casinos bother offering it. The answer lies in understanding different player segments and operational efficiency.
Accessibility attracts new players. Many first-time casino visitors feel intimidated by games like Three Card Poker or Blackjack, where incorrect decisions can be embarrassing. Casino War removes this barrier entirely—there's no wrong way to play the main game. This accessibility brings players onto the casino floor who might otherwise stick to slot machines.
Fast pace generates revenue. Casino War hands resolve in seconds. A dealer can complete 65-80 hands per hour, compared to 50-60 for Blackjack. More hands per hour means more betting cycles, which compounds the house edge. The Encyclopedia Britannica notes that casino game speed directly impacts revenue generation.
Nostalgic appeal. The connection to the childhood card game creates emotional engagement. Players may not consciously evaluate odds when enjoying a game that reminds them of simpler times. This psychological comfort can override purely rational gambling decisions.
Optimal Strategy Summary
Casino War strategy is refreshingly simple because there are almost no decisions to make. The entire optimal strategy can be summarized in two rules:
1. Always go to war on ties. Never surrender—it increases the house edge from 2.88% to 3.70%.
2. Never make the tie bet. Its 18.65% house edge is approximately 6.5 times worse than the main game.
That's the complete strategy. There's no basic strategy chart to memorize like in Blackjack, no hand reading like in poker, and no bet sizing optimization beyond table selection. Follow these two rules and you're playing as optimally as mathematically possible.
Unlike games where card counting or shuffle tracking can provide an edge, Casino War offers no viable advantage play techniques. The continuous shuffling machines (CSMs) used at most tables make tracking impossible, and even with traditional shoes, the potential edge from counting is negligible relative to the main game's house edge.
Casino War vs. Other Casino Card Games
How does Casino War stack up against other casino card games? The comparison depends on what you value—simplicity, odds, decision-making, or entertainment value.
Casino War vs. Blackjack: Blackjack offers significantly better odds (0.5% house edge with basic strategy) but requires memorizing a strategy chart with dozens of decisions. If you're unwilling to learn basic strategy, your Blackjack house edge can exceed Casino War's. For pure simplicity with reasonable odds, Casino War wins; for best odds with moderate effort, Blackjack dominates. Our Blackjack Strategy Calculator makes learning basic strategy easier by showing the optimal play for any hand situation.
Casino War vs. Baccarat: Baccarat offers better odds (1.06% on Banker) with similar simplicity—just bet Banker every hand. However, Baccarat has more complex rules even if you don't need to understand them to play. Casino War is easier to comprehend but has worse odds. Our Baccarat Odds Calculator shows exactly how the different bet types compare mathematically.
Casino War vs. Three Card Poker: Three Card Poker has a similar house edge (around 3.4%) but adds hand rankings and the play/fold decision. It offers more variety and bonus payouts for strong hands. If you want slightly more engagement, Three Card Poker is superior; if you want absolute simplicity, stick with Casino War.
Responsible Gaming Considerations
Casino War's simplicity creates a psychological trap: the fast pace and low decision-making can lead to rapid, thoughtless betting. Without the natural pauses that occur in games requiring strategy, players may lose track of time and money more quickly than they would at Blackjack or Poker.
The 2.88% house edge means that for every $1,000 wagered over time, you can expect to lose approximately $28.80 on average. At 70 hands per hour with $25 bets, that's $1,750 wagered per hour and an expected hourly loss of around $50. These numbers accumulate faster than many players realize.
If you choose to play Casino War, set strict time and loss limits before sitting down. The game's entertainment value comes from its nostalgic simplicity, not from the possibility of long-term profit. Resources for gambling concerns are available through the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the house edge in Casino War?
The house edge is approximately 2.88% when you always go to war on ties. If you surrender on ties, the house edge increases to about 3.70%. The tie bet has a massive house edge of around 18.65%, making it one of the worst bets in any casino.
Should I go to war or surrender on a tie?
Always go to war. Surrendering gives the casino a higher edge (3.70%) compared to going to war (2.88%). While going to war requires an additional bet equal to your original wager, it's the mathematically optimal choice in every situation.
Is the tie bet worth it in Casino War?
No, the tie bet should be avoided entirely. Despite paying 10:1 (or 11:1 at some casinos), it carries a house edge of approximately 18.65%, making it one of the worst bets available in any casino game. The fair payout would be around 12.5:1.
How many decks are used in Casino War?
Casino War is typically played with six standard 52-card decks shuffled together, totaling 312 cards. Some casinos use eight decks. The number of decks has a minimal impact on house edge (six decks: 2.88%, eight decks: approximately 2.90%).
Can you count cards in Casino War?
While theoretically possible, card counting in Casino War is impractical. Most tables use continuous shuffling machines (CSMs), and even with traditional shoes, the potential advantage is negligible. The game lacks the strategic complexity that makes card counting viable in Blackjack.
What happens if there's a tie during the war?
If you go to war and the second cards also tie, you win even money on both your original bet and your war bet. This bonus payout for a "double tie" is one of the few player-favorable rules in the game, though double ties are rare (approximately 0.55% of all hands).