How to play Casino War
One card for you, one card for the dealer – here is every rule, every outcome of a war, and what each choice costs.
Casino War rules step by step
- Place your ante bet.
- You and the dealer each get one card face up. Aces are high, and suits do not matter.
- Your card is higher: you win even money.
- Dealer card is higher: you lose the ante.
- Same rank (a tie): you choose – surrender (lose half the ante) or go to war (add a raise equal to the ante).
Example: ante one chip, you get a King, the dealer gets a 7 – you win one chip.
What happens in a war
| Decks | Go to war, bonus | Go to war, no bonus | Surrender | Tie bet 10:1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.06% | 2.42% | 2.94% | 35.29% |
| 2 | 2.24% | 2.70% | 3.40% | 25.24% |
| 4 | 2.31% | 2.84% | 3.62% | 20.29% |
| 6 | 2.33% | 2.88% | 3.70% | 18.65% |
| 8 | 2.34% | 2.90% | 3.73% | 17.83% |
House edge, exact by deck composition. Bonus = an extra win equal to the ante on a tie after a tie.
The dealer burns three cards, then deals one new card to you and one to the dealer.
- You win the war: the raise pays even money, and the ante pushes (comes back to you).
- Tie again: counts as your win; tables with the bonus also pay a bonus equal to your raise.
- You lose the war: you lose both the ante and the raise.
Casino War house edge for each choice
- Always go to war, bonus on tie after tie: 2.33%
- Always go to war, no bonus: 2.88%
- Always surrender on a tie: 3.70%
- Tie side bet: 18.65%
The main-game edges are measured per ante, not per total money bet. They change slightly with the number of decks; these figures use the default shoe in the simulator.
A tie on the first deal comes up about 7.40% of the time – rare enough that the tie side bet stays a costly bet.
Casino War strategy: always go to war
The only decision in the game comes after a tie. Going to war costs 2.33% with the bonus, and surrendering costs 3.70% – so going to war is the cheaper choice.
No choice removes the house edge, and no betting system changes it. Over many hands the house tends to keep about that share of your ante bets.
Skip the tie side bet – its edge of 18.65% is many times higher than the main game.
Practice for free
Deal hands with no money at stake in the Casino War simulator and watch the house edge show up over many hands.
A long run of losses does not make a win more likely next – read about the gambler's fallacy.
Questions
What is the house edge in Casino War?
If you always go to war and the table pays a bonus on a tie after a tie, the house edge is 2.33% of your ante. Without the bonus it is 2.88%.
Should you surrender or go to war in Casino War?
Always go to war. Surrendering every tie raises the house edge to 3.70%, while going to war keeps it at 2.33% with the bonus.
Is the Casino War tie bet worth it?
No. A tie comes up only about 7.40% of the time, and the tie bet carries a house edge of 18.65%.
What happens if you tie again during a war?
A tie after a tie counts as your win. Tables that offer the bonus also pay a bonus equal to your raise.
Is there a strategy to win at Casino War?
No strategy beats the game. The only choice is to go to war on a tie, which lowers the house edge but never removes it.