Answer 1 of 3: Anyone know where the best payout tables are on 3 card poker? Or I guess a better question might be what are the pay tables downtown and at offsite places like the Station Casinos? 3 card poker strategy pair plus option is a fail-safe idea that can only work for certain 3-card poker games allowing this form of betting. Seen by many as the ultimate three card poker technique, you place your chips on top on the Pair Plus spot which is marked on the table.

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Table Of Contents

  • Three Card Poker is a simple and fun Casino game based on Poker
  • 3-Card Poker requires a strategy but a very straightforward one
  • How to play Three Card Poker is explained in this article

Three Card Poker game has been around since the very beginning of the card game that is Poker.

Since its invention, it has grown in popularity and is fair to say Three Card Poker is among the most well-known Casino games in the world.

A few facts have helped the game grow in stature over the years:

  • Three Card Poker is easy to learn and easy to play
  • Unlike some Casino games, Three Card Poker is not just based on luck because there's an element of skill involved in your hand selection
  • You can play Three Card Poker online for free and for real money right on this page

Three Card Poker is a fair slow-paced table game that is very simple to learn.

How to Play Three Card Poker

Three Card Poker, invented by Derek Webb in 1994, is the Poker version most people play when they head to their Casino.

Three Card Poker isn't played against other players. Instead, you play against the dealer.

You only have to be concerned with what your cards are and what the house's cards are. Making a mistake only punishes you and not your fellow players like at some other card game tables.

OK – so you want to try Three Card Poker? Good choice!

Here are the basics.

Three Card Poker Bets

In Three Card Poker game, the player makes an ante bet.

The dealer gives each player and themselves three cards. The dealer's cards are face down and you can only examine your own cards.

Payouts

If you’ve made the ante bet then you must either fold or call.

Folding forfeits your ante wager, calling (raising) means you must make an additional play bet that is equal to your ante.

The dealer then turns over their cards.

Three Card Poker Outcomes

The dealer needs a queen-high or better to qualify:

  • if the dealer doesn't qualify, you win even money on the ante bet and play bet is a push
  • if the dealer qualifies, your hand is compared to the dealer's hand and the best hand wins

Whose hand is better?

  • If it is yours, congrats! You win even money on the ante and play bets.
  • If the dealer has a better hand, both your ante and play bets lose.
  • If it is a tie, then both the ante and play bets are a push.

But that’s not all.

If you have a straight or better, you receive an ante bonus regardless of the value of the dealer's hand.

If you have placed a pair plus bet, it is paid based on the value of your hand. This pays out differently depending on where you play.

Play Three Card Poker Online - it's FREE!

Practice Three Card Poker online before you play for real money. Or claim a bonus (or two) and dive into the real money games.

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How to Win at Three Card Poker: The Strategy

Three Card Poker has a relatively small house edge, usually around 3.3 percent. If you play optimally, that is.

This edge can increase significantly with side bets or incorrect strategy.

To avoid this, follow a couple of simple Three Card Poker strategy tips:

1. Don’t Make The Pair Plus Bets

Betting on the pair plus increases the house edge by more than 2.3 percent.

It is tempting with big payouts (e.g. straight flush pays 40 to 1) but you’re bound to lose more making this bet even if you have a rare bigger payout from it.

So, forget about the times you could have won a big payout when you've not placed a pair plus bet. Simply try to play in a way that minimizes the house edge.

2. Remember One Strategic Combination of Cards

It’s not only the Three Card Poker rules that are easy to learn. So is the Three Card Poker strategy.

You only need to remember one combination of cards and base your decision to call or fold on it:

  • Call with or higher hand
  • Fold everything else

See, I’ve told you it was simple.

Because of it, you will find this game in a more relaxed setting as it’s pretty easy to avoid mistakes and nobody is worried about making mistakes that affect other players.

Where to Play 3-Card Poker Online

There are many options to play 3-Card Poker on the Internet, but some sites offer better bonuses and value than others.

As a new player at this online Casino, you’ll get some free spins for Slots on registration (before making a deposit) and extra cash as well as more free spins when you finally make a deposit.

That's a great way to earn some free money before hitting the 3-Card tables.

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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:

HandPair Plus Bet Payout

Straight Flush 40:1

Three of a Kind 30:1

Casino 4 Card Poker

Straight 6:1

Flush 4:1

Pair 1:1

Ante Bonus Payout

Casino 3 Card Poker Rules

Straight Flush 5:1

Three of a Kind 4:1

Casino 3 Card Poker Odds

Straight 1:1

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.

Westgate Casino 3 Card Poker Payouts Table

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.