🔵 Fan Tan: the real odds & smartest way to play
YOUR SHOT: FAIR
✅ Best bet
The basic single-number or 'Nim' bets played with the standard 5% commission on wins. Fan Tan is an ancient Chinese bead-counting game — a dealer divides a pile of beads into groups of four and you bet on the remainder (1, 2, 3, or 4).
🚫 Sucker bet to avoid
There's no single trap bet, but the commission is where the house gets paid, and the higher-combination bets don't improve your odds. As with all such games, the long-shot-style wagers are no better.
How the edge is computed
A pile of beads is divided into groups of four; you bet on the remainder (1–4), each with true probability ~25%. A correct single-number bet would pay 3:1 fair, but the casino pays slightly less or takes a ~5% commission on wins, producing a house edge of roughly 3.1% on the standard bet. Combination bets carry similar or higher edges.
Optimal strategy
No skill — the remainder when the bead pile is divided by four is effectively random. The 'strategy' is simply knowing the ~3% edge and treating it as a cultural/novelty game (mostly found in Macau-style or Asian gaming areas, rare on the modern Strip). Bet selection barely changes the edge.
What to expect
A traditional, slow, almost ceremonial game rarely seen on the modern Las Vegas Strip — more a relic and a cultural offering. With the standard commission the edge is around 3%, in the same neighborhood as the carnival table games.
Compare other games
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