The Best Guide to Pai Gow Poker On the Internet
Pai Gow is becoming increasingly popular as an online casino game, and with good cause. Despite the fact that it merely involves the distribution of cards, it is played at a fast pace, which is one of the reasons why players are drawn to it. Looking to add some spice to your life with this new and exciting game? Then you've arrived at the right location. We'll cover everything you need to know about this fast-paced card game, as well as how to get the most out of your gaming experience, in this guide.
The Best Pai Gow Poker Casinos
To ensure that we only propose the best real money online casinos for you to play Pai Gow at, we put each casino through a series of tests to see whether it is safe, reputable, trustworthy, and most importantly, suitable to the demands of players. This is obviously not a walk in the park for the casinos or our reviewers, so you may choose from our list with confidence.
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Play Pai Gow Poker Like a Pro
Pai Gow isn't exactly a new game; we've all seen it played at land-based tables. Although the game may appear to be a little confusing at first, trust us when we say it's a lot easier than you might think. Even though it appears to be a game of poker, it is not.
Here, we'll walk you through a step-by-step method for playing the game for real money the right way. When compared to its land-based equivalent, an online casino allows for extremely tiny wagers. The main advantage of playing online is that you will never have to wait for a table to become available. At one of the online casinos we recommend, there will always be a seat available for you.
Another advantage of playing online is that you can play the game for free. This aids in learning the game's subtleties and techniques prior to placing real money wagers. So, let's get down to business and look at how the game works.
Pai Gow Poker is a card game played with 53 cards, 52 of which are conventional playing cards and one joker. When it comes to specific scenarios, the joker card acts as a wild card. This is one of the key distinctions from video poker, where the joker is always wild. The joker card can be utilized as an Ace or to assist players in completing a straight flush, royal flush, flush, or straight.
You begin by placing a wager that is dictated by the casino you have decided to play at. The dealer will deal you your cards after you've chosen on your wager.
Players are dealt seven cards to begin with, and they must then create two hands out of them. One hand must have five cards, while the other must only have two. The sole stipulation is that your five-card hand must be superior to your two-card hand.
Most of us are familiar with the poker ranking system for a five-card hand. After you've produced your hand, you have the option of asking the dealer to reveal their cards. He'll also be playing the game in the same manner as the rest of the house, which is known as the House's Way. This determines how the dealer is supposed to divide his or her hands. When picking a casino to play at, make sure to learn about their House Way, which may vary depending on where you play, but is usually the same or quite similar.
After your hand is compared, you will either be paid out your stake or you will be tied, in which case you must push. Players at land-based casinos can put wagers against one another, which isn't often allowed at online casinos, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.
Here is a summary of all the rules we just learned, just to streamline the process for you. This will help significantly when trying to play the game:
Make your wagers.
Both parties are dealt cards, with the players' cards facing up and the dealers' cards facing down at first.
To make two hands, split your cards in half. There are five cards and two cards, with the five cards having a larger value.
After that, the dealer must reveal their hand, and the cards will be shared accordingly.
You will be charged a 5% commission if both hands win. If you both win a hand, you'll have to push, and your bet will be returned. In the event of a tie, the dealer takes the hand.
The Best Pai Gow Casinos Online
We've done considerable research to ensure you're playing at the top online casinos for Pai Gow Poker, and only the best have been recommended. We make our choice by looking for casinos with amazing features.
Pai Gow Payout Percentages
It's always advisable to opt for higher RTPs, as this means you'll have a larger chance of winning. Look for a casino with a 98 percent or greater payout percentage. For example, if you bet $100 and win 98 percent of the time, you'll win $98.
Remember that payment percentages do not apply to individual bets. Rather, it refers to a longer playing period that varies depending on the game and the casino. This is essentially an average that is determined by a large number of games played over a period of time that may be several months. To increase your chances, choose the highest option.
Assess and Weigh Your Bonus Options
Different casinos will have a variety of online casino bonuses and bonus kinds to choose from. This will likely be focused on their most successful games. If you want to play Pai Gow Poker on a regular basis, you should seek a casino that concentrates mostly on table games and live dealer games rather than slots. Their offers will be geared toward card games, which means you'll almost certainly receive some fantastic promos and bonuses for classic table games. This is just another technique to stretch your dollar.
Consider Safety & Security
Without a doubt, the most vital consideration while playing at an online casino is your own safety. There are a variety of methods you can use to determine whether or not the casino is safe and reliable.
To begin, make sure they have a legal operating license issued by a trustworthy organization. The second key factor is to ensure that their games have been audited by a reputable organization to ensure that they are truly fair and random. Check to see if they have a good security system in place to protect your banking information and personal information from prying eyes.
Check for Additional Features
When choosing a casino, it's important to consider all criteria, not simply the site's security or the games it offers. Examine their payment options to see if you can find one that works for you. When it comes to withdrawal times, it's best to stay with one that offers quick payouts because this means the funds will be in your account faster, allowing you to get back to playing Pai Gow Poker in no time.
Reasons to Trust Us
At CasinoTop, we take recommended online casinos very seriously. A casino must pass a rigorous test in order to be added to our list of recommended casinos. Before they may be included on the list, several factors must be considered.
Security is always paramount; they must be a licensed organization that operates entirely legally. They must be audited on a regular basis and have a gaming library that is tailored to you and your preferences. Customer service should never be forgotten; as long as we can get in touch with them and receive responses that fix concerns quickly and professionally, they've made the cut.
Online Strategies for Pai Gow Poker
In order to get the best two hands, you may need to divide a seemingly great hand that is certain to win. Always ensure that you have a better probability of winning both hands rather than just one. The more you play, the better you'll comprehend the nuances of the game.
If you have a pair, always put the highest ranking pair into the larger hand. In your larger hand, place the highest-ranking card, and in your smaller hand, place the next-best card. Consider placing as much of your winnings as possible in the bank.
That is why you must plan ahead of time before dropping your cards somewhere. In this situation, tossing an Ace and a 4 in the other hand is preferable to playing with three Aces in your 5-card hand. Because there are no other Aces on the board, you're likely to win the small hand. Only a pair could beat you.
Maximizing Each Opportunity
There are more big hands than just splitting the one you have. In any case, the way we have explained before only really works with Aces in your hand. You can learn to split your cards in the right way depending on the situation. Take a look at the strategies below, it will look at what is dealt and the move to make.
| Hand | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Five Aces | Unless you were handed a pair of Kings, in which case you should shift the Kings to the 2-card hand. |
| Four of a Kind | Unless you have an Ace, keep sixes or below together, divide seven through ten, and always split Aces, Kings, Queens, or Jacks unless you have another pair. |
| Straights and Flushes | Ascertain that the straight or flush remains in your five-card hand (however, if you have a 2 pair, split them up). |
| Full House | Split them up and put the pair in the 2-card hand (if you have another pair, put the higher of the two pairs in the 2-card hand). |
| Three of a Kind | Do not split these cards up unless the cards are Aces. |
| Three Pair | Take the highest pair you have and move it to the two-card hand. |
| Two Pair, Jacks Through Aces | Divide them into pairs and place the highest pair in the uppermost hand. |
| Two pair, sevens through tens | If you're dealt an Ace, play it with the Ace and put the next highest card in the 2-card hand. |
| Two pair, including sixes and anything below | Unless you've been dealt an Ace (in which case, play them with the ace and put the next highest card in the 2-card hand), split them up. |
| Two pair including Kings | You will have to split, unless the other pair has twos. |
| Two pair including two Aces | Split these up |
| No pair, straight, or flush | Place your highest card in your 5-card hand and your second and third highest cards in your 2-card hand. |
The Rules of Pai Gow Poker
Even when you have all the information on how to split your cards and when, you must first learn the rules before playing Pai Gow Poker for real money. The hand ranking system is the most significant. With one difference, hands are ranked the same way they are in stud games and Texas Hold'em.
You can technically hit a five of a kind in Pai Gow Poker. This is the best hand in the game. However, it may be good to divide them up to create a smaller hand on occasion. Take a look at the Pai Gow hand ranking system if you need a refresher:
Pro Tips for Pai Gow Poker
You can have all the information in the world but quick tips help you while you are playing or if you are thinking about playing Pai Gow Poker. Our team of experts have some useful tips for you to take advantage of when you want to maximize your Pai Gow Gaming Session.
Not Receiving a Pair
Drop the 2nd and 3rd ranked cards into your 2-card hand and place the highest ranking card in your big hand.
Using a two pair the right way
If you're dealt two pairs, make sure the higher-ranking pair goes into the larger hand.
Use the Bonuses You Receive
If there are bonuses on offer that will apply to playing Pai Gow Poker then make sure you claim it before you start playing.
Collect as Much in the Bank as Possible
Make sure to take advantage of the mistakes made at the table and bank as much as there is to bank. So, take your money and play it against the other players at the table.
The History of Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker combines the famous card game poker with an ancient Chinese tile game called Pai Gow, or Make Nine. The present game is relatively young, but it has swiftly gained popularity among gamblers, making it one of the most popular tables both online and off.
Approximately 1,000 A.D.
It is unknown when the first game of Pai Gow was created. Pai Gow, a Chinese tiling game popular with troops and residents, can be traced back at least a thousand years, according to historians. The two suits, civilian and military, represent this. Players were given seven tiles in the original game, which they had to arrange in the best two combinations. Each of the tiles had a unique pattern, with a total of 21 patterns and 32 tiles. There were bets on who could make the best tile combinations.
Pai Gow in 1985 and 1986
There isn’t much information available on how Pai Gow got from China to the United States, but it made its way across the Pacific and into the head of California Bell Casino owner Sam Torosian. In 1985, a Los Angeles resident came up with the notion of combining aspects of Chinese Pai Gow and poker. Pai Gow Poker was his moniker for the game, and by 1986, most large gaming establishments had it on their casino floor. Pai Gow Poker then made its way to casinos all over the world for players to enjoy.
Creations in the 1900s – 2000s
Following the popularity of Pai Gow, Sam Torosian and his colleague Fred Wolf began to develop popular casino games. Pai Gow Poker gained a dedicated virtual following with the introduction of internet casinos. Many variations now include a bonus stake, allowing players to win enormous jackpots. Pai Gow is now available to play on almost any device. We're confident that players will soon be able to play a live dealer version of Pai Gow.
Pai Gow Poker FAQs
The combination of Pai Gow and Poker can be confusing at first but we want to ensure that each player that takes our advice is fully prepared when they start playing. We have taken our time to answer the most frequently asked questions we’ve found.
There are numerous online Pai Gow casinos to choose from, but we can assist you in locating the most reliable casinos with the finest game play experience. Excellent graphics, solid security, huge bonus allotments, and good payouts are among our criteria for listing an online casino that offers this game. These are the online casinos with a long history of looking after their customers and a solid reputation for fairness and honesty, so you won't have to worry about anything.
You will be dealt seven cards in Pai Gow Poker online, which must be split into two hands. There is a five-card hand and a two-card hand. The five-card hand must be better than the two-card hand in terms of rating. Then you'll place a wager on both hands, based on whether you think you'll be the dealer's two hands or not.
The banker is the opponent in each hand. This means you can win one, both, or none of the hands. You can also opt to be the dealer in an online game. In this game, there is no 'push,' which is how the house gains an advantage over the player.
Many online casinos provide free demo versions of so many titles that you may try out their software or get a feel for their website. Playing free allows you to practice your techniques, study the game, and gain experience before betting real money. When your free Pai Gow Poker hand is successful, your winnings will be displayed on the screen to indicate how well you're doing, but they won't be available for withdrawal. You must first deposit and gamble with real money in order to take your wins into the real world.
In Pai Gow, those are the titles of the two split hands. The two-card hand is the low hand, while the five-card hand is the front hand, as the names suggest. The five-card hand is also known as the back hand or high hand.
It will depend on which state you are in the US. Some states have different ages that allow people to start gambling. So, make sure that you check your local laws and find out what the legal gambling age is for your jurisdiction.
There are a variety of ways to win at Pai Gow poker online. Many of these are quite difficult and need hours of practice. Consider the following strategic strategies to help you win to get you started. Understand the rules of poker as well as the game's betting patterns. Choose the banker whenever feasible since the odds are better. Playing a complete house as the upper hand is not recommended in Pai Gow. Finally, while dividing pairings, be cautious and know when to stop. If you follow these suggestions, you'll be well on your way to winning.
Pai Gow Poker Jargon
To play Pai Gow Poker, especially when you play against other opponents, then you need to know what words and terms are used in the game. We don’t want anyone seeking our help to feel embarrassed when they play online Pai Gow Poker. Here are some of the most common Pai Gow terms used at the gaming table.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Banker | This is the player who is betting against everyone else at the table. Every turn or every other turn, the banker is required to rotate. To take on a whole table's worth of activity (hey, you're playing against all of the other players), you'll need a larger bankroll, but if you can afford it, this is a wonderful way to play. Because the banker wins all copies, he or she has an edge. |
| Commission | The casino deducts a 5% charge from all wins handed out by the bank. This is how a casino may profit from a game with no built-in house advantage (remember, players generally play as the bank on a rotating basis). |
| Bug | This is the word that refers to Pai Gow’s wild card, the Joker |
| Hand Behind | The five-card Pai Gow Poker hand is referred to as a word. It got its name from the fact that it was physically behind the two-card hand on the table. |
| Hand in Front | The two-card Pai Gow Poker hand is referred to as a word. Because of its position in front of the five-card hand on the table, it was given this name. |
| High Card | The highest card in a player's hand is this one. When a player's hand is worth less than a pair, this term is usually used. |
| Dragon Hand | A word used to describe a hand dealt to an empty seat. The dealer must always make seven stacks of cards, one for each of the six players and the dealer. In accordance with etiquette, when a seat is vacant, the proper stack of cards is dealt as a hand. |
| Low Hand | This is the hand in Pai Gow Poker with only two cards. On the table, it sits in the "lower" section. |
| High Hand | This is Pai Gow's five-card hand. Because it sits "higher" at the table, it was given this name. |
| Push | A push is referred to as a tie in technical terms. When one of your hands beats the banker's corresponding hand in Pai Gow Poker, the other loses (or ties). Your stake is refunded to you, and nothing else happens as a result. For a description of what happens when the corresponding hands are equal, see "copies." |
| Copies | The technical phrase for a low or high hand that is identical to the banker's equivalent hand. To put it another way, a tie. In the instance of a copy, the banker always wins. |
| Joker | In Pai Gow Poker, this card is nearly often utilized as the wild card. While it can be entirely wild on occasion, it is usually only wild to complete a Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush. It is classified as an Ace if it does not have the possibility to form one of these hands. |
| Random Number Generator | The program that allows an online casino to draw cards from a digital deck fairly and randomly. A third party should audit and certify the process as fair. |
| Wild Card | This is the card that may be used to replace any other card in the deck to form the best possible hand. It is usually represented by the Joker, and its addition brings the total number of cards in the deck to fifty-three. |
