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• Pai Gow Poker Hands
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• Play Pai Gow Poker
• Pai Gow Poker

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Introduction

The following table shows the house edge of most casino games. For games partially of skill perfect play is assumed. See below the table for a definition of the house edge.

Casino Game House Edge

Game	Bet/Rules	House Edge	Standard Deviation
Baccarat	Banker	1.06%	0.93
	Player	1.24%	0.95
	Tie	14.36%	2.64
Big Six	$1	11.11%	0.99
	$2	16.67%	1.34
	$5	22.22%	2.02
	$10	18.52%	2.88
	$20	22.22%	3.97
	Joker/Logo	24.07%	5.35
Bonus Six	No insurance	10.42%	5.79
	With insurance	23.83%	6.51
Blackjacka	Liberal Vegas rules	0.28%	1.15
Caribbean Stud Poker	5.22%	2.24
Casino War	Go to war on ties	2.88%	1.05
	Surrender on ties	3.70%	0.94
	Bet on tie	18.65%	8.32
Catch a Wave	0.50%	d
Craps	Pass/Come	1.41%	1.00
	Don't pass/don't come	1.36%	0.99
	Odds — 4 or 10	0.00%	1.41
	Odds — 5 or 9	0.00%	1.22
	Odds — 6 or 8	0.00%	1.10
	Field (2:1 on 12)	5.56%	1.08
	Field (3:1 on 12)	2.78%	1.14
	Any craps	11.11%	2.51
	Big 6,8	9.09%	1.00
	Hard 4,10	11.11%	2.51
	Hard 6,8	9.09%	2.87
	Place 6,8	1.52%	1.08
	Place 5,9	4.00%	1.18
	Place 4,10	6.67%	1.32
	Place (to lose) 4,10	3.03%	0.69
	2, 12, & all hard hops	13.89%	5.09
	3, 11, & all easy hops	11.11%	3.66
	Any seven	16.67%	1.86
Double Down Stud	2.67%	2.97
Heads Up Hold 'Em	Blind pay table #1 (500-50-10-8-5)	2.36%	4.56
Keno	25%-29%	1.30-46.04
Let it Ride	3.51%	5.17
Pai Gowc	1.50%	0.75
Pai Gow Pokerc	1.46%	0.75
Pick ’em Poker	0% - 10%	3.87
Red Dog	Six decks	2.80%	1.60
Roulette	Single Zero	2.70%	e
	Double Zero	5.26%	e
Sic-Bo	2.78%-33.33%	e
Slot Machines	2%-15%f	8.74g
Spanish 21	Dealer hits soft 17	0.76%	d
	Dealer stands on soft 17	0.40%	d
Super Fun 21	0.94%	d
Three Card Poker	Pairplus	7.28%	2.85
	Ante & play	3.37%	1.64
Video Poker	Jacks or Better (Full Pay)	0.46%	4.42
Wild Hold ’em Fold ’em	6.86%	d

Notes

a	Liberal Vegas Strip rules: Dealer stands on soft 17, player may double on any two cards, player may double after splitting, resplit aces, late surrender.
b	Las Vegas single deck rules are dealer hits on soft 17, player may double on any two cards, player may not double after splitting, one card to split aces, no surrender.
c	Assuming player plays the house way, playing one on one against dealer, and half of bets made are as banker.
d	Yet to be determined.
e	Standard deviation depends on bet made.
f	Slot machine range is based on available returns from a major manufacturer
g	Slot machine standard deviation based on just one machine. While this can vary, the standard deviation on slot machines are very high.

House Edge

The house edge is defined as the ratio of the average loss to the initial bet. The house edge is not the ratio of money lost to total money wagered. In some games the beginning wager is not necessarily the ending wager. For example in blackjack, let it ride, and Caribbean stud poker, the player may increase their bet when the odds favor doing so. In these cases the additional money wagered is not figured into the denominator for the purpose of determining the house edge, thus increasing the measure of risk.

The reason that the house edge is relative to the original wager, not the average wager, is that it makes it easier for the player to estimate how much they will lose. For example if a player knows the house edge in blackjack is 0.6% he can assume that for every $10 wager original wager he makes he will lose 6 cents on the average. Most players are not going to know how much their average wager will be in games like blackjack relative to the original wager, thus any statistic based on the average wager would be difficult to apply to real life questions.

The conventional definition can be helpful for players determine how much it will cost them to play, given the information they already know. However the statistic is very biased as a measure of risk. In Caribbean stud poker, for example, the house edge is 5.22%, which is close to that of double zero roulette at 5.26%. However the ratio of average money lost to average money wagered in Caribbean stud is only 2.56%. The player only looking at the house edge may be indifferent between roulette and Caribbean stud poker, based only the house edge. If one wants to compare one game against another I believe it is better to look at the ratio of money lost to money wagered, which would show Caribbean stud poker to be a much better gamble than roulette.

Many other sources do not count ties in the house edge calculation, especially for the Don’t Pass bet in craps and the banker and player bets in baccarat. The rationale is that if a bet isn’t resolved then it should be ignored. I personally opt to include ties although I respect the other definition.

Element of Risk

For purposes of comparing one game to another I would like to propose a different measurement of risk, which I call the 'element of risk.' This measurement is defined as the average loss divided by total money bet. For bets in which the initial bet is always the final bet there would be no difference between this statistic and the house edge. Bets in which there is a difference are listed below.

Element of Risk

Game	Bet	House Edge	Element of Risk
Blackjack	Atlantic City rules	0.43%	0.38%
Bonus 6	No insurance	10.42%	5.41%
Bonus 6	With insurance	23.83%	6.42%
Caribbean Stud Poker	5.22%	2.56%
Casino War	Go to war on ties	2.88%	2.68%
Heads Up Hold 'Em	Pay Table #1 (500-50-10-8-5)	2.36%	0.64%
Double Down Stud	2.67%	2.13%
Let it Ride	3.51%	2.85%
Spanish 21	Dealer hits soft 17	0.76%	0.65%
Spanish 21	Dealer stands on soft 17	0.40%	0.30%
Three Card Poker	Ante & play	3.37%	2.01%
Wild Hold ’em Fold ’em	6.86%	3.23%

Standard Deviation

The standard deviation is a measure of how volatile your bankroll will be playing a given game. This statistic is commonly used to calculate the probability that the end result of a session of a defined number of bets will be within certain bounds.

The standard deviation of the final result over n bets is the product of the standard deviation for one bet (see table) and the square root of the number of initial bets made in the session. This assumes that all bets made are of equal size. The probability that the session outcome will be within one standard deviation is 68.26%. The probability that the session outcome will be within two standard deviations is 95.46%. The probability that the session outcome will be within three standard deviations is 99.74%. The following table shows the probability that a session outcome will come within various numbers of standard deviations.

I realize that this explanation may not make much sense to someone who is not well versed in the basics of statistics. If this is the case I would recommend enriching yourself with a good introductory statistics book.

Standard Deviation

Number	Probability
0.25	0.1974
0.50	0.3830
0.75	0.5468
1.00	0.6826
1.25	0.7888
1.50	0.8664
1.75	0.9198
2.00	0.9546
2.25	0.9756
2.50	0.9876
2.75	0.9940
3.00	0.9974
3.25	0.9988
3.50	0.9996
3.75	0.9998

Hold

Although I do not mention hold percentages on my site the term is worth defining because it comes up a lot. The hold percentage is the ratio of chips the casino keeps to the total chips sold. This is generally measured over an entire shift. For example if blackjack table x takes in $1000 in the drop box and of the $1000 in chips sold the table keeps $300 of them (players walked away with the other $700) then the game's hold is 30%. If every player loses their entire purchase of chips then the hold will be 100%. It is possible for the hold to exceed 100% if players carry to the table chips purchased at another table. A mathematician alone can not determine the hold because it depends on how long the player will sit at the table and the same money circulates back and forth. There is a lot of confusion between the house edge and hold, especially among casino personnel.

Hands per Hour, House Edge for Comp Purposes

The following table shows the average hands per hour and the house edge for comp purposes various games. The house edge figures are higher than those above, because the above figures assume optimal strategy, and those below reflect player errors and average type of bet made. This table was given to me anonymously by an executive with a major Strip casino and is used for rating players.

Hands per Hour and Average House Edge

Games	Hands/Hour	House Edge
Baccarat	72	1.2%
Blackjack	70	0.75%
Big Six	10	15.53%
Craps	48	1.58%
Car. Stud	50	1.46%
Let It Ride	52	2.4%
Mini-Baccarat	72	1.2%
Midi-Baccarat	72	1.2%
Pai Gow	30	1.65%
Pai Pow Poker	34	1.96%
Roulette	38	5.26%
Single 0 Roulette	35	2.59%
Casino War	65	2.87%
Spanish 21	75	2.2%
Sic Bo	45	8%
3 Way Action	70	2.2%

Translation

A Spanish translation of this page is available at www.eldropbox.com.

Written by: Michael Shackleford

Pai Gow Poker, not to be confused with just Pai Gow, is a table game found in
practically every casino. It has been on casino floors for almost 40 years,
which is no easy feat for any game. Though slightly more difficult to learn than
many other table games, it still maintains a strong following.

Pai Gow Poker is loosely based on the Chinese domino game Pai Gow, which is
well over 1,000 years old. Another game having an influence on the design of Pai
Gow Poker is Pusoy, which is a Chinese poker game.

Find out why this game remains relevant in casinos and why so many people
choose to play it. We have compiled an in-depth guide to everything Pai Gow
Poker. You will find out how to play, variations, tips, payouts, and the best
places to play Pai Gow Poker online.

Below you will find out picks for the best online casino sites offering Pai
Gow Poker. Any casino we recommend will be a high-quality casino with
player-friendly practices. If you’re looking for a place to try this game, start
with one of our top casino picks.

Best Pai Gow Poker Casino Sites

• Slots.lv – #1 Option for US Players
• Magic Red Casino – #1 Non-US Site

Benefits of Playing Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker isn’t lacking in its fan base. Many people love this game and
there are numerous reasons why they do. One of the biggest draws of the game of
Pai Gow Poker is the slow rate of play. Each round takes longer to complete than
most other table games. The amount of hands that push also decreases the rate in
which you potentially lose your bankroll.

Many people say that they choose Pai Gow Poker because they have a limited
amount of money to gamble with. They want to be able to play for as long as
possible on that amount, and Pai Gow Poker is the best option.

Anyone who has played poker and been dealt a really big hand knows how
exciting it is. Pai Gow Poker deals big hands often because of the additional
two cards. Add in the wild joker card and the bonus hands start coming up
frequently. Although the highest-ranking hands are incredibly rare, even some of
the mid-ranking hands can be exciting to see. You will see straight flushes and
4-of-a-kinds fairly often.

Another reason people like this game is the high bonus payouts available.
Even though they are rare, just the fact that they are possible is exciting to
many players. The majority of side bonus bets have a maximum payout around 50:1
or so. The maximum side bonus payout in Pai Gow Poker can be 8,000:1.

People tend to have a lot of fun at the Pai Gow Poker table. There is more of
a team mentality than with most games. Players tend to win together and lose
together based on the strength of the dealer’s hand. This means you will often
hear an entire table celebrating together. The envy bonuses at some tables
create an even more team-oriented stance. It makes for a social and fun
environment for the players.

How to Play Pai Gow

Pai Gow Poker is dealt with one 53-card deck. This is a normal 52-card deck,
plus the addition of one joker card. In Pai Gow Poker, the joker can be used as
a wild card for any straight or flush, or can play as an ace. It’s often called
the “bug” and can be incredibly valuable in your hand.

This game utilizes an automatic shuffler. It shuffles the cards and separates
them into groups of seven cards. This is the
number of cards each player is dealt in Pai Gow Poker. From those seven cards
you will make two separate hands; a high hand and a low hand. We will cover
these later in this section.

The point of the game is to have a higher ranked hand than the dealer for
both your high and your low hand. If only one hand wins, it is a push. If both
hands lose, you will lose the round and your wager. In most Pai Gow Poker
variations, a tie on either of your hands is considered a win for the dealer.
This does not mean the dealer wins the round and your bet. They will only win
the high or low hand (whichever one resulted in a tie).

This game is different from most other table games in that the first hand is
not automatically dealt to the player on the dealer’s left. In Pai Gow Poker,
the player who will receive the first hand is determined by rolling dice, or by
an electronic number generator on the table. The dice are not part of the hand,
they are simply used to dictate the dealing position.

If an electronic number generator is being used, the seat position which will
receive the first hand automatically pops up at the beginning of the shuffler’s
deal. If the game is utilizing dice, it is usually three dice held within a
covered metal holder. The position is determined by adding the three dice values
together.

Each seat at the table will have a corresponding seat number. Position number
1 is the dealer. The seat directly to the dealer’s right is position 2. The
positions and corresponding number then circle around the table
counterclockwise, with the dealer included. Sometimes the position counting can
circle the table a couple times. You simply keep counting around the table
positions until you reach the rolled dice value or the random number given.

That position will receive the first hand from the shuffler. The dealer will
then hand out the rest of the hands moving clockwise from the first cards dealt.
Once again, this includes the dealer.

Each position on the table will be dealt a hand, regardless of whether or not
there is a player in that position. If the seat is empty, the cards will be
added to the muck pile at the end of the deal. After all players and the dealer
have received their hand, the shuffler will finish sending out the remaining
cards from the deck. These extra cards are placed into a muck pile. After this,
players are then able to pick up their cards and set up their hands.

Yes, I said hands. As in more than one. That’s because in Pai Gow Poker you
are actually playing two hands; a 2-card low hand and a 5-card high hand. Even
though your 2-card hand is called a “low” hand, the objective is not to have low
ranked cards like in hi/lo poker games. In fact, you want to make the highest
hand possible here.

The reason this is called the low hand is that it must be valued lower than
your 5-card hand. For example, if you are dealt two pairs, 10-10 and 8-8, you
are required to put the 8’s in your low hand. If done the opposite way, the low
hand (10’s) would have a higher value than your high hand (8’s). This is not
allowed in Pai Gow Poker.

How to Set Your Hand

This is, by far, the most difficult aspect of Pai Gow Poker. Setting your
hand can be overwhelming for new players. Even Pai Gow Poker veterans will mess
this one up from time to time. Don’t let this discourage you from playing. Once
you get the hang of how it works, it really is not as complicated as it seems.

Always remember that you have to beat both of the dealer’s hands to win.
Heavily favoring only one of your hands will not help you achieve a win. Your
high hand is going to be a 5-card poker hand. Rankings are the same as poker
with a couple of exceptions: The joker card creates additional hand outcomes,
and an A-2-3-4-5 is the second best straight.

High hand Pai Gow Poker hand rankings (from highest ranking hand down):

1. Five Aces – This is
   achieved by having all four aces and the joker.
2. Royal Flush
3. Straight Flush
4. Four-of-a-Kind
5. Full House
6. Flush
7. Straight – A-K-Q-J-10 is the
   highest straight possible. Next is A-2-3-4-5, then a King high, then Queen
   high, etc.
8. 3-of-a-Kind
9. Two Pair
10. Single Pair

Low hand Pai Gow Poker hand rankings:

1. Pair – Aces are the highest pair
   possible, followed by Kings, Queens, etc.
2. High Card – An Ace is the highest
   card. The second card in your low hand only comes into play if there is a tie on
   the higher card. For example, a K-J beats a K-3.

The House Way

The dealer has a very specific set of rules in which they are required to set
their cards. This is called the “house way”. If you ask the dealer for advice on
how to play your hand, they will tell you how the house way would play.

If you want to use the house way rules, you can have the dealer set your hand
for you. This is useful (and required) if you play two separate hands at the
table. Rules only allow you to set one hand. If you decide to play two, you will
not be able to look at one of them ahead of time, and the dealer is required to
set your hand for you by house way rules.

House rules can vary between casinos but do stay very close to this standard
set of house way rules:

• No pair (pai gow) will play the highest card in the high hand, with the
  next 3 highest ranked cards in the low hand.
• One pair will play the pair in the high hand and the two highest cards
  in the low hand.
• Three pairs will be split with the highest pair in the low hand
  position.
• Three-of-a-kind stays together in the high hand position unless it’s
  three Aces. In this circumstance, house way would play 2 Aces in the high
  hand and 1 in the low hand.
• Two different sets of 3-of-a-kind is played with the lower set of trips
  in the high hand. Two of the higher set of trips cards will be played as a
  pair in the low hand position.
• Full Houses are split with the 3-of-a-kind playing in the high hand
  position and the pair used for the low hand.
• Full house plus an additional pair puts the higher pair in the low hand
  position. The three-of-a-kind and lower pair will play in your high hand
  position.

Four-of-a-kind is played differently depending on the card rank.

• A-J is always split, playing one pair in both the high and low hand.
• 10-7 split into pairs between the high and low hand unless an Ace is
  available to play in the low hand position.
• 6-2 is always kept as a four-of-a-kind in the high hand position.
• Four-of-a-kind plus a pair is always played with the four of a kind in
  the high hand position and the pair in the low.
• Four-of-a-kind and a three-of-a-kind is played with the four of a kind
  in the high hand position and a pair from the three-of-a-kind in the low
  position.
• Five Aces is split with three aces in the high hand and the other two
  aces in the low hand position. The only exception to this is if a pair of
  kings is also held. In this circumstance, the five aces would play as the
  high hand and the kings would play in the low hand position.

Two pair is slightly more complex than the other rules. How the two pairs are
played according to house way rules depends on the rank of each pair.

Two Pair	Low 2-6	Medium 7-10	High J-K
Low	Always keep together	Always split, unless holding an Ace	Always split, unless holding an Ace
Medium	Always split, unless holding an Ace	Always split, unless holding an Ace	Always split
High	Always split, unless holding an Ace	Always split	Always split

Anytime you have two pairs with Aces and another pair, they will always be
split

Playing as the Banker

One very interesting aspect of Pai Gow Poker is the ability of the player to
choose to act as the house. This is referred to as playing as the banker. Only
some Pai Gow Poker tables allow this, and most variations eliminate the option.
This is because it cuts the house advantage percentage by almost half for your
hand.

There are some drawbacks to playing as the banker. The main one being that
you have a lot more money on the line with each hand. This is because you are
essentially acting as the dealer. You will be playing against the other players’
hands. If they beat you, you pay them from your chip stack. If you win, they pay
you.

The low house advantage comes from two differences when playing as the
banker. The first is winning ties. Just as the dealer wins a tie, you will win a
push between yourself and the other players. Second, you are only required to
pay a commission on your net win, not each individual win.

For example, if you won 3 hands worth $100 each, but lost 2 worth $80 each,
you would only pay a commission of $7. This is when acting as the banker for one
round of play. Looking at it from the player’s perspective rather than the
banker’s pays a much higher commission. If a player wins 3 hands worth $100 each
and loses two hands worth $80 each, they would pay $10 in commission.

What’s Important in a Pai Gow Poker Site

Finding an online casino can be a little intimidating. You want to make sure
you are getting a fair gaming experience. We have done extensive research to
generate our top online casino Pai Gow Poker sites. I suggest you start with one
of our picks if you don’t already have a favorite casino site. We have put in
all the time and effort, so you might as well utilize it!

If you want to look into an online casino site for yourself, there are a
couple things you should look for. First, you should check the casino’s player
reviews.

If they have a ton of negative reviews, we would highly doubt their
customer service department is effective.

Another important area to look into is the online casino’s banking options.
Make sure they have a deposit and withdrawal method that fits your needs. Things
like processing time and fees can vary greatly between casinos.

Finally, you will want to make sure the casino is licensed and regulated by a
reputable gaming authority. This will mean the casino programs are regularly
tested to ensure quality and fair practices.

Pai Gow Poker casino games can have big differences between different
casinos. Some will offer bigger payouts and incentives, and better player odds.
Others strive to provide the best selection of Pai Gow Poker variations. If you
already have a favorite variation, you will want to make sure that casino offers
it. There are many Pai Gow Poker variations, so make sure you find the one you
want.

Pai Gow Poker Variations

Fortune Pai Gow Poker Progressive

Fortune Pai Gow Poker is one of the most commonly found variations both
online and on a casino floor. This variation is popular for many reasons. For
one, the commission has been eliminated in this game. That means no more
quarters all over and weird payouts. Not to mention, you’re not automatically
giving 5% of your winnings back to the casino.

The other exciting aspect of Fortune Pai Gow Poker is the bonuses. There are
two bonus games you can choose to play. You can play one or both of them. They
are the Progressive Bonus and the Fortune Bonus.

The Progressive Bonus is a $1 side bet. You make this wager by placing your
bet on the red-lit circle spot in front of your seat position. The house
advantage of this bet is dependent upon the size of the jackpot. Since the
amount increases with every bet until it’s won, it’s not possible to calculate.
The jackpot would have to be in the mid $200,000 range to be a break-even bet.
They’re usually not even close to this amount. Typically, this bet is going to
have a high house advantage.

Progressive Bonus Payouts:

• 7 Card Natural Straight Flush – 100% of Posted Jackpot Amount
• Five Aces – 10% of Posted Jackpot Amount
• Royal Flush – $500
• Straight Flush – $100
• 4-of-a-Kind – $75
• Full House – $4

The Fortune side bonus bet has some large payouts. This makes it a tempting
wager for many players. Another exciting aspect of this bonus is the envy bonus.
We all get a pang of jealousy when we see someone win a huge hand. The envy
bonus helps with that. If you bet $5 or more on the Fortune Bonus, you are
eligible to receive a payout whenever another player at the table gets a big
hand.

Fortune Bonus Payouts:

• 7 Card Natural Straight Flush (No Joker) – 8,000:1
• Royal Flush and a KQ Suited – 2,000:1
• 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) – 1,000:1
• Five Aces – 400:1
• Royal Flush – 150:1
• Straight Flush – 50:1
• 4-of-a-Kind – 25:1
• Full House – 5:1
• Flush – 4:1
• 3-of-a-Kind – 3:1
• Straight – 2:1

Fortune Bonus Envy Payouts:

Pai Gow Poker Hands

• 7 Card Natural Straight Flush (No Joker) – $1,000
• Royal Flush and a KQ Suited – $250
• 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) – $100
• Five Aces – $50
• Royal Flush – $25
• Straight Flush – $10
• 4-of-a-Kind – $5

Emperors Challenge Pai Gow Poker

Emperors Challenge Pai Gow Poker is another common variation of Pai Gow Poker
found in casinos. This variation also does not charge a commission. They added a
third available side bonus bet in this game called the Pai Gow Insurance Bonus.
As far as we are aware, there are no online versions of this game to play. It is
only found inside land-based casinos.

The Emperors Challenge Bonus payouts are very similar to the Fortune Bonus
payouts. In addition to the payouts for a straight or better, the bonus also
pays for a pai gow hand with a jack high or lower. To compensate for this
addition, the top bonus payout was lowered and the royal flush with royal match
category was eliminated. Since a pai gow hand is much more common than either of
those hands, it seems like a good trade-off.

Emperors Challenge Bonus Payouts:

• 7 Card Natural Straight Flush (No Joker) – 5,000:1
• 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) – 1,000:1
• Five Aces – 500:1
• Royal Flush – 150:1
• Straight Flush – 50:1
• 4-of-a-Kind – 25:1
• Full House – 5:1
• Flush – 4:1
• 3-of-a-Kind – 3:1
• Straight – 2:1
• 9 High Pai Gow – 40:1
• 10 High Pai Gow – 5:1
• Jack High Pai Gow – 2:1

The last bonus available is the Pai Gow Insurance Bonus wager. This is,
essentially, betting that you will be dealt a pai gow. This is a hand with only
a high card, no pairs or better. As these happen often and result in a loss more
often than not, the insurance bet is a big draw to this particular variation of
Pai Gow Poker.

Pai Gow Insurance Payouts:

• 9 High Pai Gow – 100:1
• 10 High Pai Gow – 25:1
• Jack High Pai Gow – 15:1
• Queen High Pai Gow – 7:1
• King High Pai Gow – 5:1
• Ace High Pai Gow – 3:1

No Push Pai Gow Poker

Many people choose to play Pai Gow Poker for the slow pace of the game.
Statistically, you will push almost half of the time, which means you can play a
lot of hands with your money. If you like the game but not the slow pace, No
Push Pai Gow Poker might be the variation for you. This game plays just like
regular Pai Gow Poker except for when the dealer and player hands result in a
push.

When the dealer deals a round of No Push Pai Gow Poker, they utilize the
extra playing cards left at the end of the deal. These cards are set to the side
individually to use in the event of a tie. When a tie happens, this game takes a
cue from the popular table game “Casino War”. Both the dealer and the players
will have one of the extra cards face down, which will be flipped over in the
event of a push. Whoever has the high card wins the hand. If it’s another tie,
the win goes to the dealer.

Other aspects of this Pai Gow Poker variation include no commission, and the
banker position only being available to the dealer. It has almost double the
house advantage percentage as regular Pai Gow Poker and no bonuses available to
play. As far as variations go, this is not the best choice statistically.

Pai Gow Mania

Pai Gow Mania Poker plays the exact same as regular Pai Gow Poker, other than
the addition of two side bonus bets. One side bonus is the typical 7-card best
hand bonus that many other variations offer. The payouts are slightly different.
It is based on any combination of cards in your hand.

Seven Card Hand Side Bonus Payouts:

• Five Aces – 500:1
• Royal Flush – 250:1
• Straight Flush – 50:1
• 4-of-a-Kind – 25:1
• Full House – 5:1
• Flush – 4:1
• 3-of-a-Kind – 3:1
• Straight – 2:1

How Do You Play Pai Gow Poker

The other bonus is a fun mash-up of two casino table games: Pai Gow Poker and
Three Card Poker. When the dealer deals the Pai Gow Poker Mania cards, they are
dealt in two separate batches. The first deal is 3 cards. If you are betting the
optional Three Card Bonus bet, your payout is determined by the first set of
cards dealt to you.

You will then receive your payout if qualified. After that, the other four
remaining cards are dealt to the players and the rest of the Pai Gow Poker game
is played. This side bonus has a house advantage of just 3.86%. Not only is this
a good percentage for an additional bonus game, but also adds a whole other game
to your normally slow-moving Pai Gow Poker Game. This variation is very popular
for this reason.

Three Card Side Bonus Payouts:

• Straight Flush (No Joker) – 40:1
• 3-of-a-Kind – 30:1
• Straight Flush (With Joker) – 5:1
• Straight – 4:1
• Flush – 3:1
• Pair – 2:1

EZ Pai Gow Poker

This Pai Gow Poker variation has no commission, which makes it yet another
popular choice for players. The casino compensates for this with one main rule
change. Anytime the dealers’ hand is a queen high pai gow, all players will
push. This increases the house advantage because a queen high pai gow hand is
typically a losing hand for the dealer.

Another reason players seem to like EZ Pai Gow Poker is that this variation
has four bonus side bets. They are the Dynasty Bonus, Protection Bonus, Red or
Black Bonus, and a Progressive Bonus. This game also designates the dealer as
the only banker.

The Dynasty Bonus is similar to the 7-card side bonuses in most of the other
Pai Gow Poker variations. One interesting difference, though, is the addition of
a category for an A-5 straight flush. This is seen in another bonus in this game
as well.

Dynasty Bonus Payouts:

• A-5 Straight Flush with AQ Suited Match (No Joker) – 2,000:1
• 7 Card Straight Flush (No Joker) – 2,000:1
• 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) – 1,000:1
• Royal Flush with AQ Suited Match (No Joker) – 1,000:1
• Five Aces – 500:1
• Royal Flush – 120:1
• A-5 Straight Flush – 120:1
• Straight Flush – 50:1
• 4-of-a-Kind – 25:1
• Full House – 5:1
• Flush – 4:1
• 3-of-a-Kind – 3:1
• Straight – 2:1

The Dynasty Bonus also includes an envy aspect for players when another
player is dealt a high bonus hand. In this side bet, only a $1-dollar Dynasty
Bonus wager is needed to qualify for the envy bonus payouts listed.

Envy Bonus Payouts:

• A-5 Straight Flush with AQ Suited Match (No Joker) – $100
• 7 Card Straight Flush (No Joker) – $80
• 7 Card Straight Flush (With Joker) – $40
• Royal Flush with AQ Suited Match (No Joker) – $60
• Five Aces – $20
• Royal Flush – $10
• A-5 Straight Flush – $15
• Straight Flush – $4
• 4-of-a-Kind – $1

The Protection Bonus in EZ Pai Gow Poker is basically an insurance bet. This
is placing a wager that you will be dealt a pai gow hand. There is one
difference in that they have included an A-5 straight flush into the paytable
for this bonus also.

Protection Bonus Payouts:

• A-5 Straight Flush – 120:1
• 9 High Pai Gow – 100:1
• 10 High Pai Gow – 25:1
• Jack High Pai Gow – 15:1
• Queen High Pai Gow – 7:1
• King High Pai Gow – 5:1
• Ace High Pai Gow – 3:1

The Red or Black Bonus is a unique side bet. It adds a slight roulette aspect
to the game. For this bonus, the player will choose to place their wager on
either red or black. If they are dealt a hand with 4 or more cards of that
color, they will win. It also has an incredibly low house advantage of 2.68%,
making it a great choice if you want to play a side bonus game.

Play Pai Gow Poker

Red or Black Bonus Payouts:

• 7 Cards of Chosen Color – 5:1
• 4-6 Cards of Chosen Color – 1:1

The Queen’s Dragon Bonus is simple and straightforward. You win this bonus
whenever the dealer has a queen high pai gow hand. It pays at a rate of 50:1 or
45:1 depending on the casino you’re playing with.

The last bonus available in EZ Pai Gow Poker is the Progressive Bonus. The
payouts are based on a $1 bet. Jackpot hands will not be multiplied by
denomination for bets higher than $1. All other payouts will be multiplied by
denomination.

Progressive Bonus Payouts:

• 7 Card Straight Flush – Bonus Jackpot Amount
• Five Aces – 10% of Bonus Jackpot Amount
• Royal Flush – $500
• Straight Flush – $ 100
• 4-of-a-Kind – $75
• Full House – $4

Dragon Hand

This one is a little different. It is not a particular game that you can
find, but rather an option some casinos will offer, while others will not. It is
only an option in a land-based casino. The dragon hand is an extra hand that is
dealt to an empty seat at the card table. A player can choose to play this hand
in addition to their own hand.

The way this option is given varies between casinos. Some will let all
players at the table choose to bet on one dragon hand. Others will have a dragon
hand button that is passed around the table. Only the player who currently holds
the dragon hand button is allowed to bet on it.

If the bet is offered to all players at the table, the player will not set
the cards. They will be set by the dealer under the house way guidelines. If the
dragon hand is only available to one player, they are typically allowed to look
at it and set it themselves. The dragon hand is always played after you have set
your regular hand.

Tips for Beginners

Pai Gow Poker is a much more complex game than many others. This is
especially true when adding in multiple side bets, and with the addition of the
joker card. The most important tips for any beginning Pai Gow Poker player
revolve around taking the time to thoroughly examine your hand, especially when
holding the joker card.

Pai Gow Poker

• Use the lowest straight and flush possibilities for your high hand to
  maximize your top hand quality. Many times, when holding a straight or a
  flush in your hand, especially with the joker, you have the ability to make
  more than one. Play around with your cards until you find the way to make
  the highest low hand while still maintaining your flush or straight.

  For example, if you’re dealt an A-J-9-8-7-5-Joker, you would want to set your
  hand like this:

  • High Hand – 5-Joker-7-8-9
  • Low Hand – A-J

  Not like this:

  • High Hand – 7-8-9-Joker-J
  • Low Hand – A-5
• Remember that you will be paid for a bonus hand, even if you decide to
  set your hand without using the bonus. For example, if you hold five Aces,
  you can choose to play a pair of Aces in your low hand and three Aces in
  your high hand. When set this way, you will still receive the bonus payout
  for five Aces.
• Thoroughly examine your hand for flushes and straights. These are easy
  to miss when holding seven cards. Be sure to double check for them in each
  hand dealt.
• If you feel overwhelmed by trying to set your hand or feel like you are
  making mistakes, you can ask the dealer to set your hand using the house way
  rules. This can be done for one hand or for an extended period of time with
  each new deal. You are able to resume setting your hand on your own at any
  time.
• If you are dealt a hand containing three separate pairs, you always want
  to play your highest pair as your low hand. You do not want to put your
  highest two pairs in your high hand and lowest pair in your low hand. This
  is a common mistake that new players make often. Remember that you’re trying
  to make both hands as high as possible.
• Many new players mistakenly believe the joker is a full wild card.
  This is not the case. The joker card can only be used to make a straight or
  a flush. Otherwise, it will play as an Ace.

Conclusion

That should cover absolutely everything you need to know about the game of
Pai Gow Poker. The game might feel like it takes a lot of effort to learn, but
it doesn’t. The rules sound much more complex than they actually are. After a
short learning period, not much thought has to be given to play the game.

If you haven’t tried Pai Gow Poker and are looking for a new game to try, it
should definitely be toward the top of your list. It’s an original and fun game,
offering the chance for a big jackpot payout. If you don’t already have a
favorite site in mind, start with one of our picks for the top online casinos
offering Pai Gow Poker.