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What is 3-Card Poker Online
3-Card Poker is an online casino game that's derived from classic player vs. player poker. However, instead of playing against another player, you play against the first dealer who wins the house. It is one of the simplest poker games, played with a standard 52-card deck and it follows the regular card poker rules.
The game starts with the player placing an Ante wager as their play wager, and then both the player and dealer are dealt 3 cards face down at the same rank. The player can look at their own two cards, and decide whether to fold or play.
They need at least a pair that's better to win. Three Card Poker is offered by table game software providers, such as Microgaming, NetEnt, Playtech and RealTime Gaming. Below is more information about this interesting game.
Pros and Cons of 3 Card Poker
What's good?
Simple rules
Fast-paced gameplay
Low stakes required
Exciting bonus payouts
Available at most online casinos
What's not so good?
High house edge on some side bets
Limited strategic depth
Free 3-Card Poker vs. Real Money 3-Card Poker Comparison
Free 3-Card Poker
You don't need to deposit any money
You can try out the game on different casinos for free
You get to practise before playing the real money game
Understand the rules, payouts and gameplay with no risk involved
You can't win real money
VS
Real Money 3-Card Poker
You can claim casino bonuses
You stand a chance to win by playing with real money
You enjoy all the features of the game
You can take advantage of the low house edge
You need to deposit money and risk losing them
3-Card Poker Online Advantages and Features
Three Card Poker is an online casino game that has a lot of fans. It’s based on poker but it has more simplified rules than your standard card poker game.
As the game starts, the player is given three cards per hand, and the main goal is for you to beat the dealer’s hand. The standard hand rankings of this game are similar to those of classic poker, but there are slight modifications that make up for the smaller number of cards.
The Three Card Poker game was introduced in 1994 by Derek Webb, so it’s among the newest table games in online casinos. Yet, although the game has a short history compared to other casino table games, it has caught on quickly and become a famous poker variant.
The main reasons for its popularity are the new game rules that any player can understand, high payouts and the perfect house edge.On the other hand, the developer’s vision was to create a game that has a combination of the most thrilling poker elements and the fast pace of other casino games.
All in all, poker players from all sites are drawn towards Three Card Poker for the game is just like a regular card game, still, it’s easier to play and the RTP is higher.
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Learn How to Play Three Card Poker Online in 5 Easy Steps
Place Your Bets
On the 3-card poker layout, the are 3 boxes in which the player may place their bets before the cards a dealt. The Pair Plus box is for players wishing to play the Pair Plus bonus, the Ante Bet box is for the mandatory ante wager and the 'Play' box is for players to bet once they have viewed their cards and chosen to play. Players must place bets equal to or above the table minimum.
Dealer Deals the Cards
The dealer will deal the cards clockwise beginning from the left, giving both players and the dealer 3 cards each. The dealer's three cards will be dealt facedown. The player may then view their cards, but the dealer's cards remain facedown.
Play or Fold
Once the player has viewed their cards they must decide whether to play or fold. If the player folds, the ante bet is lost. If the player wishes to play, an additional bet equal to the ante bet must be placed in the 'Play' box.
Dealer Opens Their Cards
Once all bets are placed the dealer will open their hand. The dealer's hand must have a queen high or better to qualify. If the player's hand is better than the dealer's hand the ante and play bets are paid even money. If the dealer's hand does not have queen high or better, active players will be paid even money on the Ante Bet and retain the "Play Bet".
Compare the Cards
The dealer will compare the player's hand against his own hand, then payout the winning bets and take any losing bets. All side bets will be paid according to the 3-card poker payout table.
Side Bets Explained
Ante Bonus
While playing Ante Play, some hand ranks reward the player with a bonus. If the player has a straight, straight flush or 3 of a kind, a bonus will be paid out. This is regardless of whether the dealer’s hand is higher or not.
The Three Cards Poker bonus payouts will vary depending on the game variant you choose to play. According to the game’s original rules, the bonus payments are done in this format:
- Straight Flush pays 5 to 1
- Straight pays 1 to 1
- Three of a Kind pays 4 to 1
The best thing about the Ante Bonus is that it doesn’t require an additional wager. If your second card in hand has a Straight, Straight Flush or Three of a Kind, the bonus will be paid automatically. The Ante wager is a great feature that every player should look forward to since it’s highly rewarding.
Pair Plus Bet
In addition, or alternatively, you can place a Pair Plus bet. When playing three or four cards of poker a Pair Plus wager pays out if a player’s hand has a pair or better. The payout will be made, regardless of whether the dealer’s hand is higher. There are various pay tables for this bet, depending on the variant you are playing.
This wager type is called pair plus for a reason. A pair plus side bet or better in table games is the most basic winning bet. For you to win the Pair Plus wager, you need a pair or better.
- Mini Royal Flush pays 100 to 1
- Straight Flush pays 40 to 1
- Three of a Kind pays 30 to 1
- Straight pays 5 to 1
- Flush pays 4 to 1
- 1 Pair pays 1 to 1
Six-Card Bonus Bet
The 6-card bonus bet is an optional bet that’s placed before cards are dealt. This side bet gives players an opportunity to land bigger payouts than those in Ante Play and Pair Plus bets. It combines both the ante and the dealer’s 3 cards and the player’s 3 cards creating a traditional poker with 5-card hand.
In the 6-card bonus, the Five-card Royal Flush (an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of the same suit) gives the highest payout. It pays at 1000 to 1, which is quite high compared to what other poker games offer. Here are the payouts for the Six Card poker hand Bonus Bet.
- Royal Flush pays 1000 to 1
- Straight Flush pays 200 to 1
- Four of a Kind pays 100 to 1
- Full House pays 20 to 1
- Flush pays 15 to 1
- Straight pays 10 to 1
- Three of a Kind pays 7 to 1
3-Card Poker Hand Rankings
Mini Royal Flush
This is the highest possible hand in 3-Card Poker. It consists of an Ace, King, and Queen, all of the same suit (e.g., Ace, King, and Queen of Hearts).
Example: Ace of Hearts, King of Hearts, Queen of Hearts.
Straight Flush
This hand involves three cards of the same suit appearing in sequential order (e.g., 3-4-5 of the same suit).
Example: Three of Clubs, Four of Clubs, Five of Clubs.
Three-of-a-Kind
This hand consists of three cards, all of the same number or ranking (e.g., three Kings).
Example: King of Spades, King of Hearts, King of Diamonds.
Straight
Three cards in sequential order but not of the same suit (e.g., 3-4-5 of different suits).
Example: Three of Spades, Four of Hearts, Five of Diamonds.
Flush
Three cards of the same suit, but not in sequential order (e.g., 2-4-7 of the same suit).
Example: Two of Clubs, Four of Clubs, Seven of Clubs.
Pair
Two of the three cards have the same value or ranking (e.g., two Kings).
Example: King of Spades, King of Hearts, Seven of Diamonds.
High Card
If none of the above hands are made, the highest single card wins. If players have the same high card, the next highest card is compared, and so on.
Example: If a player has an Ace, King, and Seven, and another player has a King, Queen, and Seven, the player with the Ace wins.
House Edge
The house edge is one of the most important numbers in any form of gambling. However, many players don’t even understand how House Edge rules everything about gambling, and how to make smart betting choices.
In simple terms, the house edge is a statistical percentage of the advantage that the house (casino) has at a given time. It is actually the difference between the true poker odds and the odds that the house pays players when they win.
Each casino game has an in-built house edge and that’s how casinos and poker rooms make a profit. Some casino games such as Caribbean Stud Poker have a specific set house edge, while in others the house edge varies depending on player strategy and past events.
The 3 Card Poker odds, assuming a full round of wagering and that the player used the optimal strategy, is 2.01%. However, the figure rises if the player doesn’t use the system well.
For the Pair Plus bet, the house edge using a standard paytable is 2.32%. Whichever decision a player makes doesn’t affect the figure since it’s always constant.
As for the payouts, 3-card poker is quite favourable to both the player and the casino. Three Card Poker has an RTP of between 92.7% and a higher value of 97.99%.
The payouts are awarded as follows:
- If the dealer doesn’t qualify, the Ante bet will be paid at 1 to 1 and their Play bet will be returned
- If the dealer qualifies, the player’s Ante and Play bets will be paid at 1 to 1
- Whether the dealer qualifies or not, and the player has a Straight or stronger hand, the player receives a bonus on winning the Ante bet
You can find on this page:
7 Tips to Playing Three Card Poker Online
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3-Card Poker FAQ
What is the house edge in 3-card poker?
As stated above, assuming a full round of betting (Ante and Pair bets), and if the player uses the game’s strategy, the house edge for ante bets is 2.01%.
If the strategy isn’t followed well, this figure rises. For the Pair Plus wager, the house is 2.32% and the figure is always constant regardless of the player’s decision.
The game’s RTP for Ante play is 97.99%. For the Pair Plus game, you should expect an RTP of 95.62%. The Six Card Bonus Side bet has an RTP of 89.78%.
Note that these are expected rates but they vary from one casino to the many other players. Therefore, it’s up to you to look for a casino that has the best RTP and a favourable house edge.
What are the odds of being dealt three of a kind?
The best three-card poker hand there is in Three Card Poker is a mini-royal flush, which is an A, K, and Q of any suit. It’s a scarce hand, and the chances of getting it are once in every 5,525 hands. Thus, the chance of being dealt Three of a Kind is very possible but highly unlikely to occur. The probability of being dealt three of a kind is 0.2%
Is there any strategy for 3-card poker?
Table games are usually fun when you win. Just like with any other game, there are basic Three Card Poker strategies you can follow to optimise your chances of winning. Learning the strategy is very simple and straightforward.
The first strategy is the Ante Play strategy. In an Ante Play game, once the cards are dealt with, you should follow the strategy when choosing whether to play or fold.
You should play when your hand has queen-6-4 or better. Always fold when your hand ranks lower than that. For a Pair Plus game, there isn’t a specific strategy since winning is out of luck because you don’t have to beat the dealer’s hand.
The best tip is to compare the pay tables and opt for the variant that has the highest payouts.
What is the best online casino to play 3 card poker?
There are so many poker fans and as a result, almost all casinos offer 3 card poker games and variants of two games. You will find Three Card Poker Online and Live Casino 3 Card Poker in most of the online casino game catalogues. However, choosing the best casino to play this game on isn’t easy.
You have to take into consideration various factors. You have to check that the casino is licensed and regulated, the casino support team, the casino reliability and the casino bonuses. All these factors will help you narrow down the list as you try to determine how to choose the best casino where 3 Card Poker is played.
Can I win real cash playing 3-card poker online?
Anyone can easily win when playing this game. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced poker player, players win and all you need to do is follow the basic strategy. By following the Ante Play bet strategy and the Pair Plus bet strategy you will boost your chances of a win.
Although winning some of the games is about luck, you can still make smart decisions once your cards are dealt. Again, for you to win, you have to play using real cash. This requires you to sign up for a casino account, deposit real money and wager on the casino play of the game.
Can I play 3-card poker on my mobile device?
If you prefer playing on the go you will be glad to learn that it’s possible to play this game on mobile. Android users can find many Three Card Poker apps on PlayStore. These apps offer excellent graphics, an easy-to-use interface and smooth gameplay.
The games load fast and are seamless to play. IoS users are also spoilt for choice since they can get various apps on the App Store. Just like the Android apps, you can still enjoy immersive gameplay and high-quality graphics and sounds on your screen. Alternatively, you can play the game on a casino’s mobile site.
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