Bitcoin vs Ethereum vs USDT for Online Gambling: Which Is Best?

When I first started gambling with crypto almost 10 years ago, I began with Bitcoin, but after dealing with slow withdrawals and volatile network fees, I gave other cryptocurrencies a try, including Ethereum and USDT.

Each has its advantages and drawbacks depending on how you play. If you’re trying to figure out which crypto fits your gambling style best, here’s what I’ve discovered from betting with BTC, ETH, and USDT!

Crypto Gambling: How It Works

Crypto gambling has come a long way since the early days of Bitcoin dice sites. I remember betting satoshis on Primedice back in 2015, where the only option was rolling virtual dice with BTC. 

Fast forward to now, and you’ll find online casinos loaded with live blackjack and thousands of slots, top crypto sportsbooks that accept over 30 tokens, and decentralized P2P platforms where you wager directly from your wallet against fellow users.

Crypto gambling works just like traditional online betting, but faster and more private. You deposit with a cryptocurrency like BTC, ETH, or USDT, and your funds are instantly available. You then put your cryptocurrency to good use as you chase progressive jackpots, fly after crash game multipliers, or sit down at a private blackjack table with a human dealer.

The great thing about crypto gambling is it’s anonymous. You don’t have to worry about KYC, and you can cash out your winnings within seconds. Many crypto gambling sites also offer provably fair gaming, where results are recorded on the blockchain, and you can verify if they’re legit.

Gambling with Bitcoin (BTC)

Bitcoin is the first cryptocurrency, which was launched in 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on a decentralized blockchain network, meaning transactions are peer-to-peer and verified by miners, which bypasses the need for intermediaries like banks. The max number of Bitcoins is capped at 21 million and has a market cap of $2.13 trillion.

To gamble with Bitcoin, you first need to obtain it, usually through a cryptocurrency exchange, much like how you’d buy foreign currency from a forex provider. You then transfer your Bitcoin to your crypto casino account.

Bitcoin offers higher deposit and withdrawal limits, faster processing speed, and lower transaction fees compared to fiat currencies. However, it struggles to compete with ETH (when using a Layer-2) and USDT.

Both of these newer cryptocurrencies feature transaction fees below $0.02, and payments take under 5 minutes to clear. In comparison, the average Bitcoin fee is $0.80, and transactions are processed anywhere from 10 minutes to hours.

Bitcoin does have ETH and USDT beat when it comes to reputation. It’s akin to how when you think of a search engine, you think of Google. The first name that comes to mind when crypto is brought up is Bitcoin. BTC is far less likely to fade into oblivion and acts as investors’ gateway to the crypto world.

Bitcoin is also the top dog when it comes to decentralization. There are over 18,000 nodes located worldwide and more than 1,000,000 miners. BTC also doesn’t have a central authority, so rollbacks, seizures, or reversing transactions are not possible.

Gambling with Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain platform launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and co-founders Gavin Wood and Joseph Lubin. Unlike Bitcoin, which focuses on peer-to-peer transactions, Ethereum enables smart contracts coded directly onto the blockchain. 

Ethereum uses a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus model, where validators replace miners to secure the network. Unlike Bitcoin, you can stake your ETH and earn passive income. Your staked ETH is used to secure the blockchain and validate transactions.

Gambling with Ethereum and Bitcoin is very similar. Both of these cryptocurrencies are widely accepted at crypto casinos and are very volatile. Ethereum transactions are slow and costly if you use the standard ETH blockchain ($0.45 and can take hours). However, if you transact via a Layer-2 like Arbitrum, your average fee plummets to $0.02, and payments take around 5 minutes.

Thanks to Ethereum supporting smart contracts, you can enjoy decentralized and P2P betting. Smart contracts automatically carry out actions like processing bets, calculating odds, and distributing winnings without a third party.

The advantage of decentralized betting platforms is that you never have to give up custody of your tokens. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about a third-party casino refusing to process your withdrawal request.

Another benefit is that you can create your own betting markets, set odds, and wager on everything from presidential elections to crypto price movements!

Gambling with Tether (USDT)

Tether (USDT) is a stablecoin launched in 2014 by Tether Limited. It’s designed to maintain a 1:1 peg to the US dollar, so 1 USDT is always worth $1. Every USDT is meant to be backed by USD cash equivalents, eliminating the volatility that BTC and Ethereum suffer from.

USDT was initially issued on the Bitcoin blockchain via the Omni Layer but is now on multiple networks, including Solana, Ethereum (ERC-20), and Tron (TRC-20).

Tether casinos are ideal if you want to avoid price fluctuations while still taking advantage of cryptocurrency’s fast transaction speeds and low fees. Using USDT is great for predictable bankroll management, as your betting funds maintain a consistent value. No matter how well or poorly your session goes, you’ll always know how much you’ve won or lost in terms of USD.

Tether has the lowest transaction fee compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum. When I send Tether via Solana, I pay less than $0.0001. Based on my experience, Tether is also much faster than BTC and ETH, with the average transaction taking under 30 seconds to process.

This stablecoin is not without its issues. Tether Limited doesn’t publicly show its reserves, so there is a risk that one day, USDT will lose its peg and the company will be unable to save it. In this scenario, the stablecoin could collapse.

Another problem is the lack of decentralization. With a private company in charge of Tether, they have the power to freeze and seize assets. This is not theoretical: in the first six months of 2025, Tether has frozen over $126 million worth of USDT due to suspected criminal activity.

Crypto Comparison: BTC vs ETH vs USDT for Gambling

Below is a head-to-head comparison of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether so you can see which crypto is best for your gambling needs.

Category	Bitcoin (BTC)	Ethereum (ETH)	Tether (USDT)
Transaction Speed	Slow (10-60 min)	Medium (30s-5 min)	Fast (seconds)
Fees	Medium to High	Variable (can spike with congestion)	Very Low (especially on Solana)
Price Volatility	High	High	Low (stablecoin pegged to USD)
Platform Support	Very High (widely accepted)	High (especially on Web3 platforms)	Medium-High (growing across major casinos)
Privacy	Moderate (pseudo-anonymous)	Moderate (depends on network)	Low (centralized, traceable)
Technical Complexity	Low (simple to use)	High (gas fees, smart contracts)	Low (user-friendly, especially on Solna)
Best For	Long-term storage and high-roller bets	Advanced users, decentralized gambling	Day-to-day betting and bankroll stability

How to Choose the Best Crypto to Gamble With

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether all have their strengths and weaknesses. Before you become a BTC maximalist or a stablecoin believer, consider these factors:

Understand Your Risk Tolerance

USDT is a stablecoin, which means it’s pegged to the USD. If it ever loses its peg, the company behind Tether steps in and defends the value. On the other hand, Bitcoin and Ethereum are very volatile, and 10% daily swings are not unheard of. In fact, Bitcoin has even lost over 40% of its value in a single month!

What I like to do is convert a small chunk of my Bitcoin to USDT and use it to gamble. After I’m done with my session, I convert it back to Bitcoin. This way, my session results are stable, but I get to enjoy the deflationary nature of BTC, which theoretically should keep increasing in value over time as governments continue to devalue fiat currencies by turning on the money printers.

Consider Your Gambling Style

If you’re a high roller and want to time the crypto market, gambling with volatile tokens like Bitcoin and Ethereum may be the best option. However, if you’re like me and value stability, USDT is more suitable. 

Evaluate Transaction Fees and Speed

Ethereum has the highest transaction fees if you deposit and withdraw via the foundational blockchain. However, you can slash the fees down to $0.02 and speed up transactions by using a Layer-2 like Arbitrum. The average Bitcoin fee is $0.80, and transactions take between 10 and 30 minutes. 

USDT is the clear winner when it comes to fees and speed. I always deposit and withdraw using the Solana network. My transactions are processed in under 30 seconds, and on average, I pay $0.0006 per transaction!

Check Platform Compatibility

BTC, ETH, and USDT are widely accepted at crypto casinos. However, there are still some Bitcoin-only gambling sites out there. In terms of smart contract betting and decentralized gambling platforms, ETH, USDT, and other stablecoins are the go-to cryptocurrencies.

Think about Privacy and Security

All USDT is issued by a company located in the British Virgin Islands called iFinex. This private organization has frozen USDT in the past. In June 2025, iFinex seized $12.3 million worth of USDT for alleged illicit activity.

On the flip side, it’s not possible for a third party to seize Bitcoin or Ethereum unless you hand over control of your tokens or your private keys are exposed. Bitcoin and Ethereum developers are adamant that the networks will never be rolled back and transactions will never be undone.

Tips for Gambling Safely With BTC, ETH, and USDT

I’ve been gambling with crypto for years. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way that’ll keep you safe:

1. Use a dedicated crypto wallet for gambling – Don’t store your crypto on a third-party exchange, as your account is far more likely to be hacked and your tokens stolen. I personally store my crypto portfolio in a Trezor hardware wallet and then use a software wallet just for gambling, keeping most of my tokens untouched and secure.
2. Play at licensed casinos – Don’t end up like me and get drawn into a shady site by a too-good-to-be-true welcome bonus. Before you sign up to a crypto casino, read reviews online, confirm they hold a valid iGaming license, check the providers powering the games, and test deposits/withdrawals with a small amount of USDT.
3. Always double-check wallet addresses – The last thing you want to do is hit a juicy win only to watch all your winnings vanish because you accidentally entered the wrong wallet address when withdrawing. I copy and paste addresses and check every letter and number at least 3 times to avoid any issues.
4. Gamble responsibly – The speed of crypto transactions can also make it tempting to reload your account balance over and over again. To stay in control, I always enable deposit and loss limits. I set them at a level that the loss won’t in any way affect my ability to pay bills or even ruin my mood.

Final Verdict: BTC, ETH, or USDT?

All in all, after trying all three, I can confidently say USDT is my choice for online gambling. Price stability means I’m not stressing about crypto crashes, and the low transaction cost ($0.0006) makes it ideal for withdrawing $10 or $10,000. Also, you can’t beat Tether when it comes to transaction speed. I typically receive my winnings in under 30 seconds!

USDT works seamlessly with decentralized and P2P betting platforms, which are the future of online betting. However, there are some risks. Tether’s reserves aren’t transparent, and the company has frozen wallets linked to illicit activity.

That’s why I gamble with USDT and then convert winnings back to Bitcoin. BTC’s scarcity and security make it a long-term hold for me and ensure I don’t miss out on the next bull run!