Top 10 3 Card Poker Tips, casino games 3 card poker.

Casino games 3 card poker

Online casino sites to play on real money

If the casino at which you are playing at has awarded you with some bonus credits and you can play 3 card poker games with that bonus then you will often find it is the ante game which gives you the best chance of meeting the play through requirements of that bonus, the pairs plus bet can be high variance some time and this can often result in you losing your bonus way too quickly and may never get near completing the play through requirements of that bonus! If you do not follow the correct strategy you will often find you blow all of your tournaments credits way too quickly and as such will never make it onto a prize paying position on the 3 card poker tournaments leader board!

Top 10 3 card poker tips

To give all of our casino card game playing website visitors a range of playing tips we would like to present to you our guide to the top 10 3 card poker game playing hints and tips which you will find listed below.

Feel free to check out these playing tips and put them into play when you next sit down to play this game online.

Lowest house edge bet

You are going to find that it is the ante bet that returns the lowest house edge on the game of 3 card poker and as such maybe you are best sticking to placing only those wagers and avoiding the pairs plus betting options to ensure the maximum winning opportunities when playing this game.

When to raise your ante bet

When playing the ante bet option offered on the card game of 3 card poker then the best playing strategy calls for you to only raise your ante bet when you have been dealt out a queen, six and a four or any higher valued hand, and fold any hand combinations with a lower value.

The “pairs plus” bet payouts

You need to be aware that depending at just which online casino you are playing at you can often find a completely different set of payouts attached to the game of 3 card poker, more so in regards to the highest payout attached to the pairs plus bet option. Microgaming for example offer a payout of 40 to 1 on the straight flush hand combination on this wager but other sites can and do offer much lower payouts, and those other sites are therefore offering very poor value on that bet option and their version of this game should be avoided!

Watch your stakes!

Be aware then often when you first launch the game of 3 card poker it will automatically bet set to the highest possible stake option, and as such if you inadvertently place those wagers onto the table and set the game into live play then you may end up playing for much higher stakes than you intended, so whenever you launch the game of 3 card poker always set the stake levels and chips values to your own preferences and never be too eager to simply set the game into play!

Have enough cash in reserve

Be aware that when you play the ante bet option when playing 3 card poker you need to have enough cash in your online casino account should you then go on to play that hand, if you do not have enough cash in your account then you will have to fold that hand which will result in your losing your ante wager on what may just be a winning hand combination!

Playing with a bonus

If the casino at which you are playing at has awarded you with some bonus credits and you can play 3 card poker games with that bonus then you will often find it is the ante game which gives you the best chance of meeting the play through requirements of that bonus, the pairs plus bet can be high variance some time and this can often result in you losing your bonus way too quickly and may never get near completing the play through requirements of that bonus!

Tied hands

When playing the ante bet if you and the dealer get the exact same valued hand combination then this is classed as a tie, but many casinos will look at this result in different ways, some will simply class this hand as a push, but if you do find a casino that looks at tied ant bet hands as a winning hand for the player then those games are the best variants to play, as long as the payouts available on that bet are the highest ones available also!

Compare comps!

Much like every other casino game you should always be getting comp points awarded to you when playing 3 card poker, and as the number of comp points you can earn will vary from site to site do a little shopping around and seek out and only play at the sits offering you the highest number of comps points but also with the most beneficial redemption rates for turning those comps into casino credits!

3 card poker tournament strategies

Be advised that the aim of a 3 card poker tournament entry is for you to win as much as you can in the shortest amount of time, and whilst many people tend to play in a very high risk strategy when playing in such a casino game tournament, the best strategy that you can play is for you to work out how many hands you can play in the allocated time based on your tournament credits and then stick to place ante bets only.

If you do not follow the correct strategy you will often find you blow all of your tournaments credits way too quickly and as such will never make it onto a prize paying position on the 3 card poker tournaments leader board!

Get some playing experience at no risk

One final 3 card poker playing tip if you have never played this casino card game before is that you should give it some play time for free and at no risk at any of our listed online casino sites for by doing to you can then get a good understand for how to play this game and can practise playing perfect strategy and then move over to the real money options when you have truly mastered playing it!

HOW TO PLAY 3 CARD POKER

Invented by derek webb of the united kingdom in 1994, three card poker has become the most successful of relatively new, trademarked table games.

An initial trial run in las vegas brought mixed results, but three card poker then broke through as a popular favorite in the U.S. State of mississippi. Today, three card poker is a standard offering in live casinos and online casinos alike.

There are several reasons players like three card poker:

• It’s easy to play.


• It has a moderate house edge that gives players a shot to win.


• It has two ways to play, and you can choose a wager with frequent payoffs, a wager on which you can win up to 40 times your bet, or make both bets.


• You can improve your results through a simple, easy to learn basic strategy.

In this chapter, you’ll learn the basics of how to play three card poker.

THREE CARD POKER RULES

EQUIPMENT

Three card poker is played with a single deck of cards, shuffled for every hand. That’s true regardless of whether you’re playing in a live casino or online casino. In live casinos, the shuffling usually is done with an automatic shuffling machine. Standard blackjack-sized, seven-player tables are used in live casinos.

The table layout includes:

• The three card poker logo


• Three card-shaped spaces in front of the dealer to place his cards.


• A circular betting spot marked “pair plus.”


• A diamond-shaped betting spot marked “ante”


• A card-shaped betting spot marked “play.”


• Pay tables for the pair plus bet and for ante bonus payoffs


• A brief explanation of three card poker rules.

One corner of the table next to the dealer will have a placard that tells you the minimum and maximum bet. If it says “minimum ante: $5. Minimum pair plus bet: $5. Maximum $100,” for instance, your initial wagers may not be less than $5 or more than $100 on either option.

RANKING OF HANDS

Three card poker is based on stud poker, but odds are different when hands consist of three cards. Because the odds are different, the hand rankings are slightly different. In three card poker, straights are rarer than flushes and outrank them. In five-card games, flushes outrank straights.

That leaves the following ranking of hands in three card poker:

• Straight flush


• Three of a kind


• Straight


• Flush


• Pair


• High card

There is no such thing as a full house in three card poker, nor, of course, can you get four of a kind.

PROCEDURES

All three card poker tables offer two basic ways to play: ante-play and pair plus. Some tables also offer optional side bets. This guide will explore those in chapter four: three card poker options. You may choose whether to play ante-play, pair plus or both.

To play ante-play, you must start by placing a wager in the triangular ante space. To play pair plus, you must start by placing a wager in the circular pair plus space. The dealer then deals each player and himself three cards, face down. After all cards have been dealt, you may look at your cards.

If you are only playing pair plus, you need do nothing else. There is no additional wager or decision to make. If you are playing ante-play, you must decide whether to play or fold. If you play, you must make a play bet equal to your ante. The bet cannot be either larger or smaller than the ante.

They must be equal size. If you make the bet, or if you are playing pair plus and have a winner, place the cards face down next to your bet. If you do not make the play bet and you do not have a pair plus winner, place the cards in front of your bets to signal the dealer you are folding.

SETTLING ANTE-PLAY WAGERS

If you’ve seen your cards and fold, the dealer takes your ante and clears away your cards. Once all players have decided whether to play or fold, the dealer turns his cards face up. If the dealer’s hand is queen-high or better, the dealer plays. That means ante and play bets all are in action. In order to win, your hand must outrank the dealers. If you win, you are paid even money on both ante and play wagers. If you lose, the dealer takes both bets. If the dealer’s hand is jack-high or lower, the dealer does not play. In that situation, your hand does not have to beat the dealer. Antes are paid at even money. Play bets are not in action, and the players keep them. If the hands are exact ties, the hand is a push. No payoffs are made, but the player keeps ante and play bets.

Here are a few examples of how the hand could play out on ante-play wagers:

dealer hand	player hand	result
♦ Q ♠3 ♥ 2 queen-3-2 of different suits	♦ K ♠8 ♥ 6 king-8-6 of different suits	dealer qualifies; player has higher ranking hand and wins even money on both ante and play bet
♦ J ♠10 ♥ 8 jack-10-8 of different suits	♦ 9 ♠7 ♥ 3 9-7-3 of different suits	dealer does not qualify; player wins even money on ante and keeps play bet
♦ 2 ♠2 ♥ 3 2-2-3 of different suits	♦ A ♠K ♥ 5 ace-king-5 of different suits	dealer qualifies and has higher ranking hand, so takes player’s ante and play bet
♦ 2 ♠2 ♥ 3 2-2-3 of different suits	♥ J ♥ 9 ♥ 5 jack, 9 and 5 of hearts	dealer qualifies and player flush outranks dealer pair, so player wins even money on both ante and play bet

THE ANTE BONUS

Those who make the ante-play combination also have a chance at an ante bonus. You do not have to beat the dealer to win the ante bonus. It is paid anytime your three-card hand is on a pay table. The most common ante bonus payoffs are 5-1 on straight flushes, 4-1 on three of a kind and 1-1 on straights. There are other ante bonus pay tables, and those affect the house edge on the game. For details, see chapter 3-2, ante-play odds and strategies.

SETTLING PAIR PLUS WAGERS

You do not have to beat the dealer to win a pair plus bet. Any hand of a pair or better wins – that’s where the pair plus name comes from. There are many different pair plus pay tables.

Hand type	example	payoff
straight flush	♦ 10 ♦ 9 ♦ 8 10-9-8, all in diamonds	40-1
three of a kind	♣7 ♠7 ♥ 7 7 of clubs, 7 of spades, 7 of hearts	30-1
straight	♦ 10 ♥ 9 ♣8 10 of diamonds, 9 of hearts, 8 of clubs	6-1
flush	♥ K ♥ J ♥ 3 king of hearts, jack or hearts, 3 of hearts	3-1
pair	♠2 ♥ 2 ♣Q 2 of spades, 2 of hearts, queen of clubs	1-1

For other pay tables and a discussion of the house edge, see chapter 3-1. Pair plus odds if you have a pair plus winner, place the cards face down next to your bet. When the dealer turns cards face up after all players see their cards and ante-play players have bet or folded, he will pay you if you have a winner.

3 card poker rules: learn to play in less than 5 minutes

3 card poker rules:

Hot table game three card poker has gained popularity not only because it’s fun, but because it’s also easy to learn. Three card poker is like getting two las vegas casino games in one. Not only can you play against the dealer, you can also win based on how good your cards are.

The object of the game is to make the best poker hand possible with only three cards.

How to play 3 card poker

• To start, the player places an ante wager and/or a pair plus wager, betting that they will have a hand of at least a pair or better.


• Three cards are then dealt face down to each player and to the dealer. You are only playing the dealer and not other players at the table.


• The player will then look at his hand and determine to place a play wager (equal to the amount they put as the ante wager) to pit his hand against the dealer’s hand or not. Optimum strategy says the player should “play” all hands greater than queen, six and four and fold all hands worse.


• If a player folds, the hand is over and the dealer will collect the player's ante wager and pair plus wager. If the player places a play wager, the cards will be turned over to determine if the player has a better hand than the dealer.


• If the dealer has a hand of jack-high or worse, the play wager is returned to the player. If the dealer has a hand of queen-high or better, both the play wager and the ante are paid out at 1 to 1 if the player has a better hand than the dealer.


• If the dealer’s hand is superior, both the ante and play bets are collected. The pair plus bet is determined completely independent to what the dealer has.

3 card poker payouts:

The best thing about playing three card poker? The chance to win a $100,000 through the six card bonus paytable, which hits if the dealer’s and player’s cards combine nine through ace in a royal suit of diamonds.

Now that you're a three card poker pro, check out more "how to play" videos on texas hold 'em poker, blackjack, craps and roulette.

Three card poker

The three card poker is one of the oldest gambling entertainments in the world. It appeared at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. On our site, there is a free emulator of this game. It will be perfect even for those gamblers who do not have a lot of gambling experience. This can be explained by the maximum simplicity of the rules. In the classic version of this gambling entertainment, the user is required to guess the target card. A similar strategy is used here.

Rules of the three card poker slot

The main card in the three card poker game is an ace of hearts. The game starts with three aces appearing in front of the player. It is necessary to remember exactly where the card of the hearts suit is located. After that, the cards are turned over and moved around. If a player is attentive, it won’t be difficult for him to remember where the ace of hearts is.

When the cards stop, you have to determine which one of them is the ace of hearts. To do this, just click on the card. The round begins after you press the play button. In the upper right corner, there is a button using which you can turn on or turn off the soundtrack. The music playing during the game is nice, but if it distracts you, it won’t be difficult for you to create the suitable conditions.

At the bottom left part of the interface, there is a cell in which the best result is displayed. On the opposite side, there is an information block displaying the current winning. Once a player makes a mistake, the current points are canceled. The game begins anew.

Winning in the three card poker slot is incredibly easy. As already mentioned, the most important thing is being attentive. The user needs to monitor the movement of the cards. In this case, it will not be difficult to determine exactly where the ace of hearts is located.

Three card poker game

The three card poker game is a popular type of the legendary gambling entertainment. On our site, there is a three-card poker emulator, which will be appreciated by the most diverse categories of gamblers. The game is available for free and without registration. In it, the user can earn winnings with the multipliers of up to 40 to 1. The emulator is great thanks to its convenient management, a wide range of bets, and additional profitable features.

The user plays against the dealer. The game in poker traditionally begins with making bets. This emulator is no exception. Virtual chips are used to make bets. They are located at the bottom of the interface. The three card poker slot has chips of the following denomination:

• 0.01 credits;


• 1 credit;


• 5 credits;


• 10 credits;


• 25 credits;


• 100 credits.

The minimum bet is 1 credit. If a player makes a lower bet, it’s impossible to start the game. One of the bets is an ante. It is mandatory. An additional bet is pair plus. The player can decide whether he wants to make this bet or not. It involves increased payments for certain combinations.

After the sufficient bets are made, the distribution process can begin. This is done with the deal key. Then the player and the dealer get three cards each. After analyzing the obtained combination, the user can give up. To do this, a gambler has to press the fold key. The play button allows you to continue the game. In this case, the player and the dealer reveal their cards. The winner is the one who has a stronger combination on his hands. In the money cell, the balance of funds on the gambler’s account is displayed.

Winnings in three card poker

On the right side of the screen, there are tables that show payouts for different combinations and types of bets. To the ante bonus bet:

• Straight flush – 5 to 1;


• Three cards – 4 to 1;


• Straight – 1 to 1.

• Straight flush – 40 to 1;


• Three cards – 30 to 1;


• Straight – 6 to 1;


• Flush – 4 to 1;


• Pair – 1 to 1.

How to win the three card poker slot

Thus, using the pair plus bet will increase the likelihood of winning a large sum.

Three card poker

Three card poker - instant play game

The three card poker game is relatively new compared to many other forms of the game, having been 'invented' only in 1994 and patented in 1997. It's a really fast paced and fun poker game that is very easy to play.

Free three card poker

If you would like to play this slot for real money (or similar games if this game is not available in your country), please visit our real money slots page.

Play with bonus - to play slots with a free bonus offer, please visit our bonus offer page.

More fabulous free casino games

3 card video poker

What is a 3 card video poker?

The 3 card video poker is a mixture of two games, presenting the player with a unique chance of playing against the machine and trying to form the best possible combination of cards on one side and placing a separate wager on an odd that a hand of pair or better will be dealt, on the other.

3 card video poker rules

The rules are quite simple and both the player and the “house” will receive 3 cards each. The players will have three betting options in front of them – ante, play and pair plus. Once the bet is placed on ante, the players will proceed by either folding or staying in the game, which will of course depend on their hand.

Folding means that the ante wager is lost, whereas placing a new bet on the play betting area will keep the players in the game. The amount of the bet is the same as the original, ante bet, and the dealer must now draw a queen or a higher ranked card to stay in the game. If the dealer is not able to compete, the players will take the winnings on ante and get the play bet back.

If the dealer happens to draw the queen and thus forming a combination of cards which will outweigh the player’s hand, both the ante and the play bets will be lost. In some rare cases, a tie may occur – when that happens, the player’s hand will always outweigh the dealer’s.

The ranking of hands and payouts in 3 card video poker

Payout will of course depend on how the hand is ranked, as shown below:

The pair plus is completely independent from other bets and the players are paid as soon as they land the necessary combination. The same will happen with the ante bonus payout – the player will receive the payout awarded for straight, three of a kind or straight flush even if the dealer’s hand is higher.

Where to play 3 card video poker?

Pretty much along the entire strip, but most people would recommend caesars palace and downtown vegas casinos, since the limits are much more favourable there.

If you are looking for a more challenging alternative, make sure to visit golden nugget and for those of you who are on a budget, online casino with video poker games are the best possible option as they offer variants with a wide range of betting limits, suitable for every pocket.

Live 3-card poker online

List of reviewed live 3-card poker casinos & games

Over the past couple of years many casino-like games have been created to offer some novelty to casino classics like roulette, blackjack and baccarat. One such new game is a casino-style poker version played with three cards or 3-card poker. The game has proven to be very successful and has become a big hit in both online and live dealer casinos. Live 3-card poker, in particular, attracts many casino players mainly because it offers something new and refreshing to the live casino game portfolio. The game of 3 card poker was invented by derek webb of the united kingdom in 1994 and it was patented in 1997. Initially, when it became available in las vegas, it received mixed reception. Afterwards, it became a popular favorite and is now a standard offering in many online and offline casinos.

Live 3-card poker is based on well-known poker action and it is aimed toward casino players that want to play this variation of poker in real time. The live version of the game has authentic characteristics and offers true-to-life casino gaming to players at home. The game has the potential to generate big payouts and it allows gamblers to use less strategy which means there is something for each and every type of casino player.

Quick jump

Best live 3-card poker casinos 2020

Mrgreen live casino

Up to £100

888 live casino

• #1 live casino for VIP players


• Private rooms available with high limits


• Best active live casino promos

Up to £100

Leovegas live casino

• 90+ live dealer games from 6 different providers


• Industry-leading mobile live dealer solution


• Excellent selection of VIP live dealer tables

Up to £500

* new eligible UK players only. Select live casino offer on sign-up and deposit. 2 deposits of £10, £50, £100, £250 matched with a bonus cash offer of the same value (14 day expiry). 75x real money cash wagering (within 30 days) on eligible games before bonus cash is credited. Play responsibly. 18+ begambleaware.Org. Click for full T&C’s.

Bet365 live casino

• Choose between asian & european dealers


• Outstanding playtech live casino brand


• Best app for ios live games

Up to -

Top live 3-card poker games

• Show all


• 


• 

More about live dealer 3-card poker

When playing 3 card poker online, you need to know that you have excellent live dealer games on offer, but before we dive into concrete examples, let’s do a quick overview of the 3 card poker rules.

While casino hold’em is played against the dealer and the object is to see who gets a better 5-card hand, 3 card poker live dealer games are played by comparing the player’s and the dealer’s 3-card hands. To start a round, the player needs to place the ‘ante’ wager. Then the dealer distributes three cards to the house/the casino and three cards to the player. The cards are dealt face-down, with the bettor only being able to examine his/her own cards. After receiving these cards, the player must decide to either fold or call.

Folding forfeits your ante wager, calling (in some cases it is called raising) means you must make an additional play bet that is equal to your ante. Most 3 card poker table options offer the following assortment of bets: ante bet, play bet, pair plus bet, both ante and pair plus bet. Providers may include other side bets. After the initial dealing is over, the dealer reveals his cards and according to game rules, the croupier must have a “qualifying” hand of queen or higher for the game to continue. If the dealer does not meet this condition, the players get paid their ante bets and their play bets are returned.

If the croupier’s hand qualifies, the comparison takes place. Since 3 card poker hands have only 3 cards, the ranking of the hands is not identical to standard poker rankings. Here, a straight flush contains 3 consecutive cards of the same suit. Three-of-a-kind is made by three cards of the same rank. Straight contains 3 consecutive cards of mixed suits, while flush is made with 3 cards of the same suit. Obviously, a pair is when you have 23 cards of the same rank, and the lowest ranking is high card.

The 3 card poker payouts may differ from one provider to another. While digital formats offer slightly conservative 3 card poker odds, 3 card poker live dealer modalities can be more than generous, especially if they come from proven providers, which they usually do.

If you’re interested in some sort of a 3 card poker strategy, there isn’t one that will magically unveil the secrets of how to win at 3 card poker. Following useful tips from experienced players and poker connoisseurs won’t hurt, though, as well as playing free 3 card poker online.

Which live casino software providers offer 3 card poker

Even though 3 card poker is not the go-to game of an average live casino software supplier, two of the leading companies in the field of real-time streamed casino games offer interesting takes on the original which saw the light of day in the late 90s. Evolution gaming currently offer two games based on 3 card poker and playtech has a version called 3 card brag which follows the same principles as the typical 3-card poker game although its name is inspired by a 16th-century british card game. The game did serve as base for modern poker, so no complaints there.

Evolution gaming is the ultimate live dealer games producer out there and if one had to choose a company to develop a live dealer 3 card poker version this is definitely the address everyone would turn to. Instead of sticking with the basics, evolution revolutionaries the conventional 3 card poker game and made it into a potent mix of 3, 5 or 7-card poker. This particular version is called live side bet city and it is one of the recent additions to the ever-growing evolution portfolio. Alternatively, evolution’s live 3 card poker is the standard you want if you don’t want to go too far from the authentic gameplay brought by the main model.

Best live 3 card poker games

Introducing the top 3 live dealer 3 card poker games, available at well-supplied casino websites:

1. Evolution gaming live side bet city was released in 2019, really pushing the limits of what live dealer casinos can offer. This unique version of poker takes place in a magnificent studio setting themes around the 80s and includes a set of unconventional rules that make the game refreshing for most gamblers. It is played with one deck of cards, shuffled between rounds. Participants can wager on one or more bet, and they have four of them to choose from – 3, 5 or 7-card hand, or the ‘all lose’ option. Players must take note that there are three sets of odds for each bet: any pair, pair JJ-AA, two pairs, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush and royal flush. For the royal flush, the odds are 100:1 (3-card hand), 1000-1 (5-card hand) and 500:1 (7-card hand).

2. Evolution gaming live 3 card poker is broadcasted from a studio in latvia which is made to look like a proper casino floor. Apart from bets like ante and play stake, users may introduce dynamics into their gameplay by taking advantage of the pair plus and 6 card bonus side bets. Pair plus side bet awards payouts between 1:1 and 100:1 for a hand of pair or better, while the 6 card bonus side wager pays from 7:1 to 1,000:1 for three-of-a-kind or better. The table limits on this one can get quite high, so it’s a good pick for high rollers. Another great thing about evolution’s live 3 card poker is the use of “traffic lights”. They inform you of when you can bet (green light), when the betting time is nearly over (yellow light), and when betting time has expired (red light).

3. Playtech live 3 card brag requires the player to place an ante bet or a pair plus wager and then receive three cards. One of the main advantages of this game is exceptional video and audio quality, which enhances the gameplay experience. The studio setting is really clean and polished and english-speaking dealers are willing to chat all through the round. The interface shows the results of previously dealt hands and the odds for each bet are displayed across the table, so you always know what you’re getting for your money.

Where to play 3 card poker in live casinos

Players who wish to experience the best 3 card poker live casino sites need to pursue trustworthy venues where they can play evolution gaming and/or playtech. Since these are the leading brands in terms of 3 card poker with real dealers, you better pay a visit to casinos such as betfair, william hill, 888 casino, mr green or leo vegas.

3 CARD POKER STRATEGY

As easy as three card poker is to play, getting the most out of the game requires understanding the odds and learning a simple strategy. In this chapter, you’ll learn the frequency of winning hands, pay tables and odds for pair plus, and basic strategy for the ante-play combination.

PAIR PLUS ODDS

When you bet on pair plus in online casinos or live casinos, you win any time your three cards include a pair, flush, straight, three of a kind or straight flush.

There are 22,100 possible three-card combinations in which card order doesn’t matter.

Here are the numbers of combinations for each hand rank:

Hand	example	number of hands
straight flush	♦ 7 ♦ 8 ♦ 9 7, 8, 9 of diamonds	48
three of a kind	♥ 10 ♣ 10 ♠10 10 of hearts, 10 of clubs, 10 of spades	52
straight	♦ 6 ♠7 ♥ 8 6 of diamonds, 7 of spades, 8 of hearts	720
flush	♥ K ♥ 9 ♥ 3 king of hearts, 9 of hearts, 3 of hearts	1,096
pair	♠2 ♣2 ♥ 8 2 of spades, 2 of clubs, 8 of hearts	3,744
no pair or better (losing hands in pair plus)	♣Q ♥ 9 ♦ 3 queen of clubs, 9 of hearts, 3 of diamonds	16,440

Note that flushes occur more often than straights. That’s why in pair plus, straights pay more than flushes, as you’ll see below. Some casinos add a mini-royal to the top of the pay table. Mini-royals consist of ace, king and queen of the same suit. There are four mini-royals – one for each suit. Paying the mini-royals separately subtracts four combinations from the straight flush total.

In casinos that pay mini-royals separately, the frequency of pair plus hands looks like this:

Mini-royal	♠A ♠K ♠Q ace, king, queen of spades	4
straight flush	♦ 7 ♦ 8 ♦ 9 7, 8, 9 of diamonds	44
three of a kind	♥ 10 ♣10 ♠10 10 of hearts, 10 of clubs, 10 of spades	52
straight	♦ 6 ♠7 ♥ 8 6 of diamonds, 7 of spades, 8 of hearts	720
flush	♥ K ♥ 9 ♥ 3 king of hearts, 9 of hearts, 3 of hearts	1,096
pair	♠2 ♣2 ♥ 8 2 of spades, 2 of clubs, 8 of hearts	3,744
no pair or better (losing hands in pair plus)	♣Q ♥ 9 ♦ 3 queen of clubs, 9 of hearts, 3 of diamonds	16,440

Regardless of whether the casino where you play pays mini-royals separately, winning hands make up 25.6 percent of the total.

You wouldn’t play a game that you won only a quarter of the time if there wasn’t the possibility of the big rewards.

In pair plus, the big rewards come when you’re dealt a straight flush or three of a kind, or in some casinos, a mini-royal.Payoffs may vary in different casinos, but all start at 1-1 on a pair. At the top of the pay table, a straight flush usually brings a 40-1 payoff and three of a kind brings 30-1. Mini-royals can pay 50-1, 100-1 or even 200-1.

A 40-1 payoff means that if you bet $5 and are dealt a straight flush, you collect $200 in winnings and keep your $5 wager. A 100-1 mini-royal would pay a $5 bettor $500, plus the bettor would keep his wager. The big-paying hands don’t pay as much as those in five-card games, but they occur more often. Five-card royal flushes occur once per 649,740 hands.

Here’s the frequency of paying hands in pair plus:

Paying hand	frequency
mini-royal	1 in 5,525
straight flush in game with mini-royal	1 in 502
straight flush in game without mini-royal	1 in 460
three of a kind	1 in 425
straight	1 in 31
flush	1 in 20
pair	1 in 6

When three card poker was invented, there was one available pay table for pair plus. You’d get 40-1 on a straight flush, 30-1 on three of a kind, 6-1 on a straight, 4-`1 on a flush and 1-1 on a pair for a house edge of 2.32 percent.

That pay table is rare today, both in live casinos and online casinos. Here’s a sampling of available pay tables and house edges:

Hand	A	B	C	D	E	F
mini-royal	100-1	50-1	50-1	---	---	---
straight flush	40-1	40-1	40-1	40-1	40-1	35-1
three of a kind	30-1	30-1	30-1	30-1	30-1	25-1
straight	5-1	5-1	6-1	6-1	5-1	6-1
flush	4-1	4-1	3-1	3-1	4-1	4-1
pair	1-1	1-1	1-1	1-1	1-1	1-1
house edge	4.49%	5.39%	7.10%	7.28%	5.57%	4.58%

In live casinos, the most common pay table is D, with a 6-1 payoff on straights and 3-1 on flushes. In online casinos, you’ll find some casinos with that 6-3 table, and others that pay 5-1 on straights and 4-1 on flushes.

If you have a choice, you’d rather have the 5-4 pay table. That’s because flushes occur more often with straights. You gain more with a 4-1 payoff instead of 3-1 on flushes than you would with a 6-1 pay instead of 5-1 on straights.

You don’t have to beat the dealer in pair plus, and there’s nothing you can do to change the cards you are dealt.

That means the primary skill in pair plus is seeking out the most favorable pay tables.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• About 25.6 percent of hands are winning combinations of a pair or better.


• Pay tables vary in different casinos, but all start at 1-1 payoffs on a pair.


• When comparing pay table, you gain more with bigger payoffs on more frequent hands, so games that pay 5-4 on straights and 4-1 on flushes have lower house edges than games that pay 6-1 on straights and 3-1 on flushes.

ANTE-PLAY ODDS AND STRATEGY

The ante-play combination is a bet that your hand will beat the dealer’s.

As you’ll remember from chapter 1, you begin with an ante. After you’ve seen your cards, you may either fold or make a play bet equal to your ante. If you bet and the dealer does not have queen or better, the dealer does not play. You win a 1-1 payoff on your ante and your bet pushes, regardless of whether your hand beats the dealer. If the dealer has queen or better, he plays. Then you must beat the dealer to win. If you win, you’re paid 1-1 on both ante and play bet. If you lose, the dealer takes both your ante and bet. Ranking of most hands is the same as in three card poker, with mini-royal and straight flush at the top of the list, followed by three of a kind, straight, flush and pair.

However, for purposes of beating the dealer, hands that do not include a pair or better are ranked first by the highest card in the hand.

If your highest card and the dealer’s highest card the same, the tie is broken by the second-highest card.

If your highest and second-highest cards are the same, the tie is broken by the third-highest card.

If all three cards are the same, the hand is a tie and your bets are returned to you.

Here are some sample hands:

♣A ♥ 7 ♠3
ace of clubs, 7 of hearts, 3 of spades

♣K ♠8 ♣ 7
king of clubs, 8 of spades, 7 of clubs

♠Q ♣10 ♥ 3
queen of spades, 10 of clubs, 3 of hearts

♠A ♦ 8 ♥ 5
ace of spades, 8 of diamonds, 5 of hearts

Dealer hand	player hand	winner
♦ K ♠Q ♣9 king of diamonds, queen of spades, 9 of clubs	♣Q ♥ 9 ♦ 6 queen of clubs, 9 of hearts, 6 of diamonds	dealer, because queens are tied but 10 beats 9
♣A ♥ 8 ♦ 4 ace of clubs, 8 of hearts, 4 of diamonds	Player, because ace-8s are tied but 5 beats 4
♥ K ♣7 ♦ 2 king of hearts, 7 of clubs, 2 of diamonds	♦ K ♠7 ♥ 2 king of diamonds, 7 of spades, 2 of hearts	tie; bets push

ANTE-PLAY STRATEGY

Basic strategy for the ante-play combination is to bet whenever you have queen-6-4 or better. Fold if your hand is not at least that high. That means you bet on any pair or better – if it’s a winner on the pair plus pay table, make the bet in the ante-play combo. If you don’t have a pair or better, make the play bet any time your high card is an ace or a king, no matter how high your other two cards are.

If your high card is a jack or lower, fold, no matter how high your other two cards are.

The dividing line comes when you do not have a pair or better and your highest card is a queen. In that case the decision depends on your second card, and sometimes on your third.

Here are the basic strategy guidelines for making the play bet if you have no pair or better and your high card is a queen.

• Bet on a queen-high hand if your second highest card is a 7 or higher, no matter what your third card is.


• Bet on a queen-high hand if your second-highest card is a 6 only if your third card is a 4 or a 5.


• Fold a queen-high hand if your second-highest card is a 6 if your third card is a 2 or a 3.


• Fold a queen-high hand if your second-highest card is a 5 or lower, no matter what your third card is.

Here are a few sample hands near the dividing line:

THE ANTE BONUS AND THE HOUSE EDGE

In order to calculate the house edge, one more piece of the game needs to be taken into account. There is an ante bonus paid any time your hand has a straight, three of a kind or straight flush.

The bonuses are paid on your ante, and the play bet does not figure into the bonuses. If you hand is good enough, you win the ante bonus even if you don’t beat the dealer.

The table below includes common pay tables for the ante bonus and the overall house edge for the ante-play combination.

Hand	A	B	C
straight flush	5	4	3
three of a kind	4	3	2
straight	1	1	1
house edge as percentage of ante	3.37%	3.83%	4.28%
house edge as percentage of ante-bet total	2.01%	2.28%	5.26%

The most common pay table is the best, the 5-4-1 payoffs that were originally designed into the game.

The two house edges tell you different things about the game.

House edge as a percentage of the ante sets a baseline for average losses. If you were always to ante $5 a hand, your losses would average a little less than 17 cents per hand. In 100 hands with $5 antes, if you played the queen-6-4 basic strategy, you would expect an average loss of $16.85. However, that strategy includes making a play bet equal to your ante about two-thirds of the time. If you start with $5 antes, then in 100 hands you still will average $16.85 in losses, but your ante-play wagering total will be a little more than $840. The 2.01 percent house edge is the percentage of that wagering total that the house expects to keep. That makes the three card poker ante-play combination one of the better casino bets. Blackjack basic strategy players face a house edge of less than 1 percent, and so do craps players who bet the pass-plus-odds combination. The house edge of 1.06 percent on banker and 1.24 percent on player in baccarat also is lower.

However, three card poker ante-play has a lower house edge than double-zero roulette (5.26 percent), single-zero roulette (2.7 percent), caribbean stud (5.22 percent of ante, 2.6 percent of total action), craps one-roll bets (2.78 percent-16.67 percent) and many other games.

Three card poker is a game that gives you a reasonable shot to win and the chance at some big payoffs that can lead to a nice winning session.

Three card poker

Oops. We can't offer you free slots right now due to UKGC regulations.

But you can still play three card poker here.

Let me know by email when free slots are available again and gain access to exclusive promotions.

Ready to play three card poker for real?

Get £500 + 50 bonus spins

18+. New players only. 1 bonus offer per player. Min. Deposit £20. Max. Bonus bet is £5. Bonus spins on selected games only and must be used within 72 hours. Bonus funds expire in 30 days, unused bonus funds will be removed. Bonus funds are 100% match up to £500 on your 1st deposit, 25% match up to £1000 on your 2nd deposit, and 50% match up to £500 on your 3rd deposit. Bonus funds are separate to cash funds, and are subject to 35x wagering the total bonus & cash. Only bonus funds count towards wagering contribution. Terms apply. Begambleaware.Org

Get 100% up to £50 + 50 free spins

Play mobile slots for real money

18+. New players only. 1 bonus offer per player. Min. Deposit £20. Max. Bonus bet is £5. Bonus spins on selected games only and must be used within 72 hours. Bonus funds expire in 30 days, unused bonus funds will be removed. Bonus funds are 100% match up to £500 on your 1st deposit, 25% match up to £1000 on your 2nd deposit, and 50% match up to £500 on your 3rd deposit. Bonus funds are separate to cash funds, and are subject to 35x wagering the total bonus & cash. Only bonus funds count towards wagering contribution. Terms apply. Begambleaware.Org

New players only. Deposit match bonus: min 50x wagering (% game weightings apply), play restrictions apply. Max bonus bet of £5, 15 days to accept, 30 days to complete wagering. Deposited funds locked to casino until wagering met and can be withdrawn at any time. Real money funds used first. Free spins: after deposit bonus is redeemed/lost, credited as £2 casino bonus. MONOPOLY live only. 1x wagering. Max bonus bet £5 applies to winnings, 7 days to accept, 7 days to complete wagering, max withdrawal from winnings is £200. Bonus funds used first. Full T&C’s apply.

Welcome bonus for new players only | maximum bonus is 100% up to £100 | min. Deposit is £20 | no max cash out | wagering is 35x bonus | maximum bet while playing with a bonus is £5 | eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse | cashback is cash with no restrictions. Further T&cs apply.

18+ terms & conditions apply.New players only. £10 min deposit. £5 max bet using bonus. 40 x wagering applies. Bonus valid for 14 days. 30 spins on starburst games will be credited instantly + then 30 per day for 9 days. Free spins valid for 72 hours from credit. Max free spins winnings £100. Skrill + neteller excluded. Always refer to bonus terms - www.Begambleaware.Org

Play mobile slots for real money

18+. New players only. 1 bonus offer per player. Min. Deposit £20. Max. Bonus bet is £5. Bonus spins on selected games only and must be used within 72 hours. Bonus funds expire in 30 days, unused bonus funds will be removed. Bonus funds are 100% match up to £500 on your 1st deposit, 25% match up to £1000 on your 2nd deposit, and 50% match up to £500 on your 3rd deposit. Bonus funds are separate to cash funds, and are subject to 35x wagering the total bonus & cash. Only bonus funds count towards wagering contribution. Terms apply. Begambleaware.Org

New players only. Deposit match bonus: min 50x wagering (% game weightings apply), play restrictions apply. Max bonus bet of £5, 15 days to accept, 30 days to complete wagering. Deposited funds locked to casino until wagering met and can be withdrawn at any time. Real money funds used first. Free spins: after deposit bonus is redeemed/lost, credited as £2 casino bonus. MONOPOLY live only. 1x wagering. Max bonus bet £5 applies to winnings, 7 days to accept, 7 days to complete wagering, max withdrawal from winnings is £200. Bonus funds used first. Full T&C’s apply.

Welcome bonus for new players only | maximum bonus is 100% up to £100 | min. Deposit is £20 | no max cash out | wagering is 35x bonus | maximum bet while playing with a bonus is £5 | eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse | cashback is cash with no restrictions. Further T&cs apply.

18+ terms & conditions apply.New players only. £10 min deposit. £5 max bet using bonus. 40 x wagering applies. Bonus valid for 14 days. 30 spins on starburst games will be credited instantly + then 30 per day for 9 days. Free spins valid for 72 hours from credit. Max free spins winnings £100. Skrill + neteller excluded. Always refer to bonus terms - www.Begambleaware.Org

Most popular games

Best casinos that offer table games games:

Play 3 card poker online

A comprehensive guide to free and real money games in 2019

When compared to casino staples such as blackjack and roulette, 3 card poker is a relative newcomer to the world of gambling games. However, in spite of this, it has quickly become one of the most played table games in both land-based and online casinos around the world. It's easy to play, has a relatively low house edge and most importantly, allows for big wins and fast action.

This page covers everything you need to know about this player favorite. To get started simply click the links below to jump straight to the section you want to visit.

3 card poker for real money

Three card poker is a fixture at every online casino, with more than 500 different sites offering the game. We have tested and compared a huge number of casinos in order to separate the good from the bad. After our extensive search, we have shortlisted the sites below. At each of these you can expect:

• Highly regarded companies with excellent online reputations.


• Easy sign up process with lots of quick and easy deposit and cash out options.


• Large selection of games and top notch customer support.

Try our free 3 card poker game

If you're not quite ready to get your feet wet at the real money tables, then there's no better way to start than by using our free game. It's completely free to play and best of all you can start right away. We don't need you to sign up, register or download anything. Just click and play. Furthermore, if you bust your free bankroll, you can refresh the page to reload your chip balance. So you can get unlimited reloads for as long as you want. Could life get any better? Try it out now and enjoy.

History of the game

The original three card poker game was first created by derek webb in 1994. Webb had a vision for the game that combined the speed of regular casino games with the excitement that poker elicited. It was important for him to get threee factors correct for the game to be successful: large enough payouts to attract players, easy to understand game rules, and a good house edge that would attract casino owners. The game was first played in the US and later introduced to the UK by shuffle masters in 2002.

Three card poker is also known as poker three, trey poker, or tri card poker. The game started out as a licensed casino game that fast became so popular among casino players that some casinos began offering it under a different name to avoid paying the royalties. So, if you run into either of the aforementioned names, just know the optimal playing strategy is more or less the same, and the rules are similar across the board.

Three card poker is played with a single 52-card deck and is actually two games in one. First, the pair plus game allows players to wager on whether they will be dealt a pair or better, or not. Secondly, the play/ante game allows players to wager against the house (dealer) to see who has the highest hand. Some casinos will allow you to bet on either game, while others require that you place an ante bet before you place a bet on the pair plus portion of the game.

The play

There are three circles on the table per each participating player. The pair plus is the top circle where you can place bets for the pair plus game. Below it are two more circles for the base game, one labeled "ante" and another labeled "play." the game begins when players have placed a wager on the ante and/or the pair plus circle equal to the table minimum.

The dealer will give each participating player a three-card hand after all players have placed their wagers. Play will start with the player seated at the left most corner of the dealer and will continue clockwise around the table. Both the dealer and the players are dealt three cards each.

Ante/play

If a player has placed a bet on the ante, after viewing his hand, can decide to fold or play on. If he's not happy with his hand, he can decide to fold and lose his ante wager. However, if he chooses to continue, he must place an additional bet, equivalent to the ante wager on the play circle.

The dealer will then reveal his three cards after all players have made decisions on their hands. If the dealer has a queen or better, he automatically "qualifies." however, if the dealer's hand does not contain a queen or better, then all players who are still active in play will have their play bet returned to them, and they will also receive even money for their ante wager.

If the dealer's hand is a queen or better, then all active players' hands will be compared to his. If any players have a hand that beats the dealer's hand, then those players will receive even money for their play and ante bets. If the dealer's hand is better than a player's hand, that player will lose all bets. More so, in the rare event of a draw, all hands will automatically qualify and ranked above the dealer's.

Hand rankings

The hand rankings in three card poker are a little different than normal since players are only dealt three cards, rather than the traditional five cards. Due to mathematical probabilities of making certain hands, the hands in three card poker game are ranked as follows:

• Straight flush: formed by three cards of the same suit appearing in sequence. For instance, 5-6-7 of clubs.


• Three of a kind: A hand with three cards of identical rank.


• Straight: A hand with three cards in sequence of mixed suits.


• Flush: A hand with three cards of the same suit.


• Pair: two cards of the same rank.


• High card: the highest card in your hand

Ante bonus

You will get a bonus payout for holding certain hands when playing the ante bet. You do not have to place an additional bet to participate. You will receive a bonus payout regardless of whether you beat the dealer or not when you have a 3 of a kind, a straight flush, or a straight. The bonus amount will depend on the paytable values for your specific table.

Basic strategy

The ante/play strategy is quite simple. Fold whenever you have a hand that is a lower than Q-6-4. If you have a higher hand, continue and place a play bet.

The simplest way to determine if you have a higher hand is to compare your highest card with the queen; if it is higher, continue play and ignore the other two cards. If your highest card is a queen and your second is higher than 6, continue to play and bet. However, if your second card is lower than a 6, you should fold.

Pair plus

Your pair plus bet is based on whether you have a pair or better, regardless of whether you beat the dealer or he beats you in the ante game. If you have a pair or better, you win; if not, you lose-it's that simple.

Three card poker summary

Three card poker is quite popular due to its simplicity, while still eliciting an exciting time for players. Remember you are betting against the dealer and not other players, so you can easily develop your own cheering squad from other players who would like to see you beat the dealer.

Three card poker

Three card poker - instant play game

The three card poker game is relatively new compared to many other forms of the game, having been 'invented' only in 1994 and patented in 1997. It's a really fast paced and fun poker game that is very easy to play.

Free three card poker

If you would like to play this slot for real money (or similar games if this game is not available in your country), please visit our real money slots page.

Play with bonus - to play slots with a free bonus offer, please visit our bonus offer page.

More fabulous free casino games

3 card video poker

What is a 3 card video poker?

The 3 card video poker is a mixture of two games, presenting the player with a unique chance of playing against the machine and trying to form the best possible combination of cards on one side and placing a separate wager on an odd that a hand of pair or better will be dealt, on the other.

3 card video poker rules

The rules are quite simple and both the player and the “house” will receive 3 cards each. The players will have three betting options in front of them – ante, play and pair plus. Once the bet is placed on ante, the players will proceed by either folding or staying in the game, which will of course depend on their hand.

Folding means that the ante wager is lost, whereas placing a new bet on the play betting area will keep the players in the game. The amount of the bet is the same as the original, ante bet, and the dealer must now draw a queen or a higher ranked card to stay in the game. If the dealer is not able to compete, the players will take the winnings on ante and get the play bet back.

If the dealer happens to draw the queen and thus forming a combination of cards which will outweigh the player’s hand, both the ante and the play bets will be lost. In some rare cases, a tie may occur – when that happens, the player’s hand will always outweigh the dealer’s.

The ranking of hands and payouts in 3 card video poker

Payout will of course depend on how the hand is ranked, as shown below:

The pair plus is completely independent from other bets and the players are paid as soon as they land the necessary combination. The same will happen with the ante bonus payout – the player will receive the payout awarded for straight, three of a kind or straight flush even if the dealer’s hand is higher.

Where to play 3 card video poker?

Pretty much along the entire strip, but most people would recommend caesars palace and downtown vegas casinos, since the limits are much more favourable there.

If you are looking for a more challenging alternative, make sure to visit golden nugget and for those of you who are on a budget, online casino with video poker games are the best possible option as they offer variants with a wide range of betting limits, suitable for every pocket.

3-card poker guide: A faster-paced alternative to traditional poker games

Traditional live poker – like texas hold’em cash games and tournaments – can be boring.

You can play only one table at a time. And unless you’re a bad player – a fish – you’re only going to play 15%-20% of hands you’re dealt. Basically a few hands every hour.

We’re not saying there’s anything wrong with live poker, just that sometimes we crave something faster paced. Something that takes elements of live poker and casino table games…and mashes them together.

True story – 3-card poker was invented by a poker player. Maybe he wanted something faster paced, too?

Anyway, if you’re a poker fan, you’re sure to like this game. It has elements of both poker and poker strategy.

However, even if you’re not a huge poker fan, you should still read our guide below and learn all about 3-card poker. Learn the rules and strategy at the very least, because you can never go wrong with knowing how to play more games.

You’ll only have more options when you hit the casino.

Where did 3-card poker come from?

3-card poker’s pretty new compared to other casino card games. A guy named derek webb invented the game in 1994.

Shortly after he invented it, he started shopping it around to different casinos to see if anyone would be willing to offer it in their casino on a trial basis.

After a few rejections, webb got a bite from a casino in mississippi. There, derek hustled; he helped integrate the game into the casino and train the dealers, all at no cost.

Webb later parlayed his initial success into trials with las vegas and reno casinos. Between pitching his game and training staff, he was kept busy. Life was looking good.

Then he was hit by a patent infringement lawsuit from progressive games.

Derek then met with joseph lahti, the president of shuffle master. Lahti offered to help webb defend the patent claims in court.

He also offered webb $3 million for partial rights to 3-card poker – which webb agreed to.

But there was a chance derek could have gotten a lot more. So, he countersued progressive games. He claimed their lawsuit against him forced him to sell his (intellectual) property at a lower price than it’d be worth otherwise.

Progressive games must have thought so, too. Or they didn’t want to see what a judge and jury would think. Because they settled out of court…

…and paid derek webb $20 million.

It sounds like we should be investing in games instead of writing about them, doesn’t it?

Anyway, that’s the short and sweet story about where 3-card poker comes from. Now let’s take a few minutes to learn how to play it.

How to play 3-card poker

3-card poker is a simple game. We’ll cover how to play it, but keep in mind that each casino may do things differently.

You’ll start by placing your mandatory ante bet. How much you can bet will depend on the casino. You can also make the optional “pairs plus” bet.

If you make both bets, they don’t need to be the same size. For example, you can make a $5 ante bet and $1 pairs plus bet (or whatever limits the casino lets you bet).

After you place your bet, you’ll be dealt cards. These are the only cards you’ll get – there’s no discarding or drawing new ones.

This is important because you need to decide if your 3-card poker hand is strong enough to beat the dealer’s hand as is. And the crazy part is that you don’t know because the dealer’s hand is face down.

(don’t worry. We share some basic advice to help you beat the dealer later on in this guide.)

You have two choices at this point; you can raise because you think your hand’s strong enough, or you can fold because you think your hand isn’t strong enough.

Fold and you’re done. The dealer automatically wins and gets to keep your ante bet.

However, if you raise, you’ll need to make another bet. Your “raise” must match your ante bet. For example, if your ante bet is $5, your raise must be $5. You’ll have $10 in total in play.

After you make your raise bet, the dealer will flip his hand over. Then both hands will be compared to see who has the strongest 3-card poker hand – you or the dealer.

Here are the three possible outcomes:

• The dealer’s hand doesn’t qualify. He must have a Q-high hand or stronger to qualify.

If the dealer doesn’t qualify, you’ll get 1:1 on your ante bet. But you push on the raise bet. You’ll get your original wager bet back.

For example, if you bet $5 on the ante and raise and the dealer didn’t qualify, you’d get $10 total for the ante and $5 for the raise. You’ll get $15 total.

• The dealer qualifies, but your hand is stronger. You win (and get paid on) both bets.

In this case, you’d get even money on both the ante and raise. If you bet $5 on the ante and raise – $10 total – you’d get an additional $10 for winning, which makes $20 total.

There are two exceptions. You’ll receive a higher payout for making one of the following hands:

• A straight flush pays 5:1.


• A three of a kind pays 4:1.

It’s also important to note exactly how you beat the dealer. 3-card poker uses a slightly different hand ranking chart to determine hand strength.

In order from strongest to weakest:

• Straight flush


• Three of a kind


• Straight


• Flush


• Pair


• High card

You might be asking yourself why a three of a kind pays better than a straight, or why a flush pays less than a straight. This is totally backwards compared to traditional poker.

The answer’s simple – it’s much easier to make a 3-card flush than it is a 5-card flush. The same goes for a 3-card straight. But it’s still difficult to make a three of a kind, especially when you’re only given three cards to begin with.

• The dealer qualifies, and his hand beats yours.

Pretty simple – here you’ll lose both your ante and raise bet.

If you made a pairs plus bet, that’s also taken care of now. It pays only if you make a pair or better. Anything less than a pair, and you lose this bet.

• A straight flush pays 40:1.


• A three of a kind pays 30:1.


• A straight pays 6:1.


• A flush pays 4:1.


• A pair pays 1:1.

Those are the common payouts. But keep in mind that they vary from casino to casino.

Once the hands have been compared and the bets paid or collected, the round is over. The cards are shuffled and you make your bet for the next round.

3-card poker variations and side bets

There are quite a few 3-card poker variations and side bets. What’s available will depend on where you play it.

The following are the known variations and side bets and any information about them, including house edge, payouts, and where you can find it.

They call this the “millionaire maker.” if you make a 6-card royal flush in diamonds, you’ll go home a millionaire. A royal flush in any other suit will pay out $100,000.

All this on a $5 side bet and a whole lot of luck. You’ll find this offered at caesars entertainment casinos in las vegas and atlantic city. You’ll find this online, too, at evolution gaming live dealer games. The caesars version has an 18.10% house edge.

This was mentioned in the last section. This pays on any pair or better hand. Some casinos also offer a mini (3-card) royal flush bonus, which pays 50:1 for a suited AKQ.

A progressive that pays on a mini royal flush in spades. These are the payouts:

• Royal flush in spades pays 100% of jackpot.


• Royal flush in other suits pays $50.


• Straight flush pays $100.


• Three of a kind pays $50.

This is an indian version of 3-card poker. The biggest difference is that teen patti is played against other players instead of the dealer/casino.

Also called face up. The dealer reveals only one card in a head-to-head game, rather than all three. You also make an additional blind bet equal to your ante. There’s the optional pairs plus side bet, too.

If you show at least a pair, you can make an additional bet up to 3x the ante. Any other hand is only double (the ante). The blind bet’s a loser if your hand is lower than the dealer’s, a winner if it’s higher, and a push if it’s lower than a flush.

A slot variation found at william hill. This offers a hold/nudge option. Each reel is made up of symbols showing all fifty-two cards in a deck. The goal is to line up a winning 3-card poker hand on the winning line.

New to nevada casinos. This is part blackjack and part 3-card poker. Each round begins with placing two bets – one for your 3-card hand and another for the 21 bonus game. Then three cards are dealt to each player. These are the payouts for the 21 bonus:

• A 21 (total) pays 1:1.


• A pair pays 1:1.


• A flush pays 3:2.


• A straight pays 2:1.


• A three of a kind pays 5:1.


• A straight flush pays 15:1.


• A 3-card royal flush pays 50:1.


• A 3-card royal flush in diamonds pays 200:1.

If the dealer shows an ace, you can buy insurance. It pays 2:1 like in traditional blackjack.

And if you have a total of more than 21, you can surrender or make two additional bets. This splits your 3-card hand into three different hands.

There are more rules, which you can find here.

This is (reportedly) offered at the red hawk casino near sacramento. This is a $1 side bet. This is on a ‘for one’ basis, which means you never get your original bet back, even if you win. You can win based on your own hand AND other players’ hands. This has a house edge of 38.57% to 42.53%, depending on how many players (1-6) are playing.

The most optimal way to play

There’s not a ton of strategy for 3-card poker. You only have two choices you can make:

• Do I play the pairs plus bet?


• Do I raise or do I fold?

That said, there are a couple of optimal decisions or plays you can make. These are choices that will reduce the house edge as much as possible.

The most optimal way to play is this:

• Always raise with Q-6-4 or better. Fold everything else.

Here are a couple examples:

• A-A-3 – raise


• Q-5-4 – fold


• Q-6-5 – raise


• 9-4-2 – fold


• J-T-3 – fold


• J-T-9 – raise (because this is a 3-card straight.)


• 9c-4c-2c – raise (because this is a 3-card flush.)

This strategy reduces the house edge to 3.37%. But it can be higher depending on where you play and that casino’s payouts.

If you don’t use this strategy, the house edge will be between 7.5%-8%. That’s a big difference for failing to use such a simple strategy.

That’s it. That’s all the strategy you need.

But that’s not all. If you’re playing live and happen to see one of the dealer’s cards, then follow this advice:

• Raise if you saw a (dealer) 2 through jack.


• Raise if you have Q-9-2 or better if the dealer has a queen.


• Raise if you have K-9-2 or better if the dealer has a king.


• Raise if you have A-9-2 or better if the dealer has an ace.

If the dealer’s sloppy enough, you can have as much as a 3.48% advantage over the house.

Last – there’s no strategy for the pairs plus bet. You either make it or you don’t. If you’re concerned about the house edge and making your money last, don’t make it. You’re better off betting 100% of your money on the ante bet.

That said, the house edge is relatively low for a side bet – around 2%-3% – which, when combined with the game’s house edge, makes this a low-risk game all around.

Playing tri-card poker online: 5 things you should know

There’s nothing particularly special about playing 3-card poker online. At least, no more than any other game.

But there are a few things you might want to know.

• You’ll find 3-card poker at most casinos. But because of trademark rights, you might not find it under the name 3-card poker. You might have to look for tri-card poker instead.


• Stakes will vary, though you should be able to find games starting at $1 and peaking at between $250 and $500 pretty easily. The higher the stakes, the more challenging it will be for you to find a casino.


• There are live dealer 3-card poker games. It’s not as widespread as live dealer blackjack or roulette, though. But one company who does distribute the game is evolution gaming. And they work with the following online casinos:

• 888 / 777


• William hill


• Unibet


• Pokerstars

Their version has the ante bonus, which pays no matter the dealer’s hand. And they have the pair plus bonus and a six card bonus, which pays 1,000:1 on a three of a kind or better, regardless of what the dealer has.

• Since this is a “poker” game, most online casinos will either prohibit you from participating in their bonus offers or handicap your bets. In short, this means you’ll need to wager more money than normal to clear their offer.

For example, if they require slots players to wager 30x their deposit plus bonus, a poker player might need to wager 5x-10x that – or about 150x-300x.

It’s important to keep that in mind before signing up because if you don’t fulfill the requirements you won’t be able to cash out until you do.

• Mobile 3-card poker games are hard to come by. Players outside the US will have more luck, but only at online casinos that have an extensive mobile game selection, like bet365.

Conclusion

That’s it. That’s 3-card poker.

As we said earlier, this is a simple game to learn and play. The house edge isn’t too bad either if you stick to the one move we shared and resist the temptation to play any side bets.

But no matter how you approach it, 3-card poker is a fun game to play…and a great, fast-paced alternative to traditional poker games.

Here are some questions and answers about 3-card poker.

Can you play 3-card poker for real money?

Yes. Most online casinos will offer either 3-card or tri-card poker for real money.

Can you play 3-card poker for free?

You can. Most online casinos will let you play their games for free. Some – like bovada and ignition casino – will let you play their games without having to create an account first.

Another idea is to find one of those arcade game websites that offer all sorts of free games. You just have to deal with their aggressive and invasive advertisements.

And yet another idea – search your mobile phone or tablet’s app store for a 3-card (or tri-card) poker game. Chances are you can find one. If not, then you can probably find a general casino or card game app that offers it.

Where can you find 3-card poker in las vegas?

Several casinos offer it. Those include:

• Golden nugget – they have a $10 minimum.


• Imperial palace – they have a $10 minimum.


• Riviera – they have a $5 minimum.


• Circus circus – they have a $5 minimum.


• Stratosphere – they have a $5 minimum.


• Bellagio – they have a $25 minimum.


• Aria – they have a $25 minimum.


• Wynn – they have a $25 minimum.


• Excalibur – they have a $5 minimum.


• Treasure island – they have a $5 minimum.

Some of these table minimums will change based on the season and the time of day and week. You can expect them to be higher during busier times and lower during slow times.

Where can I find a free 3-card poker game download?

Unless you pay for a premium app, you shouldn’t ever have to buy 3-card poker or pay to download it. Most casinos who offer the game AND offer a casino download will let you do so for free.

How many hands per hour can you play?

It depends on where you’re playing and if you’re playing online or live, but you can expect to play 30+ hands per hour.

What is the minimum hand in 3-card poker?

We’re not sure we understand what you’re asking. So we’ll try to cover this a couple different ways.

The minimum hand the dealer needs to “qualify” or for this hand to play is Q-high. If the dealer fails to qualify, you’ll get 1:1 on your ante bet and you’ll push on your raise bet.

The minimum hand you should play is a Q-6-4. With a Q-6-4 or better, the most optimal strategy is to raise. You should fold everything else.

Is there 3-card poker multi-player?

You can play the game with other people. That’s possible online when you play live dealer games. At some casinos, you can sit and chat with the other players.

You can do that offline, too.

However, keep in mind that general chit-chat is okay, but casinos usually frown on sharing strategy or information about your hand.

Have a question about 3-card poker? Send us an email!

So, let's see, what we have: if you enjoy playing the casino card game of 3 card poker then we invite you to come over at our website and take a look at our top 10 3 card poker playing tips at casino games 3 card poker