How much does it cost to gamble per hour?

Your expected hourly cost equals your average bet multiplied by the number of bets per hour multiplied by the game's house edge. For example, betting 10 per spin at 40 spins per hour on European roulette (2.70% edge) costs about 10.80 per hour on average, regardless of short-term luck.

What is theoretical loss?

Theoretical loss (or 'theo') is the amount you are mathematically expected to lose over time: total amount wagered times the house edge. It's what casinos use to value players and hand out comps. Your actual result swings around it, but over enough play it converges to the theoretical loss.

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How much does gambling actually cost?

Forget the wins and losses you remember — over time, what the casino keeps is simple arithmetic: your bet, times how fast you play, times the house edge. This is your "theoretical loss" — the number casinos use to value you. Set yours below and see the real hourly price. Free, no signup, no real money.

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How the cost is calculated

The math is one line: expected loss = amount wagered × house edge. Amount wagered is your average bet times the number of bets, and bets pile up fast — a roulette table runs ~40-60 spins an hour, online games far more. So the hidden meter isn't your win/loss for the night; it's the steady drip of bet × speed × edge. Your actual result bounces around this line (that's variance), but the more you play, the closer reality hugs the theoretical loss. Slowing down, betting less, and picking a lower-edge game all cut the cost — but none make it zero.

FAQ

How much does it cost to gamble per hour?: Average bet × bets per hour × house edge. E.g. 10 per spin × 40 spins × 2.70% (European roulette) ≈ 10.80/hour expected, before luck. Higher-edge games and faster play cost more.
What is "theoretical loss" or "theo"?: The amount you're mathematically expected to lose: total wagered × house edge. Casinos use it to value players and set comps. Your real result varies around it but converges over time.
Does a winning night mean the cost was zero?: No. A winning night is variance — you beat the expected loss that time. The theoretical cost was still incurred; you just got lucky relative to it. Over many sessions the luck averages out and the edge remains.

How much does gambling actually cost?

Same play, different game (expected loss per hour)

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