Play Pai Gow Poker Online– Rules, Free Games & Best Pai Gow Sites for 2024

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Pai Gow Poker is one of the casino game titles offering familiar dynamics but served in an untraditional way, using only the tool of the trade – playing cards. Another thing is you get to make choices which means the game requires skills. It means one more thing – you’ll need to learn how to play Pai Gow Poker if you don’t know how this is done already, so let’s get started!

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How to Play Pai Gow Poker – Beginner’s Guide

For the players whose stomping ground are the poker tables of their favourite casino resort, learning the rules of Pai Gow Poker won’t be much of a challenge. The game is easy to play and lacks annoying technicalities that you should be aware of. In a few warm-up sessions, you’ll be ready to bring your A-game. So, what’s the game about? – beating the dealer, as always. Pay Gow Poker is played with a standard deck of 52 playing card and one joker, of which, you and the dealer are dealt seven cards each. Below is a picture of the typical Pai Gow Poker table layout.

Pai Gow Poker – Learn How to Play

The basic rules boil down to choosing two hands called ‘high’ and ‘low’. For a high hand, five cards must be chosen whereas the low hand consists of only two cards. The dealer then does the same thing and the corresponding hands are compared to see who wins. If you want to spice it up a bit, then Pai Gow Poker side bets should be a worthwhile option for you. Other than that, there’s not much else to explain, so we took the liberty of listing the must-know rules of casino hold’em.

As you may imagine, the game is closely related to Hold’em and more specifically casino hold’em. The resemblance stems from the fact, the same hands are used to determine who wins. So far, we’ve discussed the mechanics of this casino title, but no information was given on the actual hands that are involved. We’ll correct that in the next paragraph, where such information will be provided, so stay with us for more detals

Online Pai Gow Poker Hands – All You Must Know

As explained previously, there are two hands to be made – one high and one low hand. Those are combinations of card which rank in accordance with the poker rules. For example, since your low hand has to be a combination of two cards, it can’t be anything different than a Pair. Pair is the lowest ranking hand in poker.

Set up your hand by selecting the cards manually. You have to do that for the areas of the table layout marked ‘high’ and ‘low’. If you know anything about James Bond movies, you’ll be able to guess correctly that the best hand is Straight Flush – Five connected cards of the same suit. That hand is sure to win you the bet.

Pai Gow Poker Side Bets – Your Options

The side bet availability and their payouts depend on the software version you’re playing. The chances are, you are going to have the opportunity to place side bets sooner rather than later, that’s why we took the time to list some of the most popular ones alongside a short explanation.

Players usually prefer to bet on the cards of the dealer (Dealer Bonus), which behaviour has a very reasonable explanation. For one thing, this type of wager serves as an insurance against losing because if the dealer has a Straight Flush, let’s say, you are most likely going to lose the main bet. Payouts, however, are lower than the side bets relating to the player’s cards.

Odds and Payouts

It’s a fact of life that the higher the odds of something occurring, the lower the return will be of that event occurring. The same idea is the cornerstone of Pai Gow Poker’s odds and payouts formation. For example in the unlikely event of making a 7-Card Straight Flush (no Joker) you get a payout of 8,000 to 1 on your bet. The odds of that happening are estimated at 0.01% or 1 in 10, 000 – that’s the house edge for you. In short, the casino will always give you slightly worse payouts than the actual odds imply. Even so, knowing both is very important.

Despite the house edge, a trained eye will be able to discern the distinctly high payouts Pai Gow Poker online has to offer. Though high, it’s important to remember that the different operators pay differently. Adjust your game plan according to the specifics in the online casino you’re playing and choose which bets are worth taking after a careful deliberation. We discuss that topic in the next paragraph.

House Edge and RTP

In short, the house edge is how casinos make a profit. Yes, it puts the casino in a position of advantage relative to what position the player is in. That, however, also depends on the game version you’re playing. All Pai Gow Poker variations have a certain house edge. It’s not fixed but rather varies between 2.00% and 2.50% for the main bet. The smaller that number is, the fairer the odds given by the house are. In turn, you’ll win more when the house edge is lower.

Another vital indication for a fair game is the theoretical return to player rate (RTP for short). Higher RTP will serve you well in the long run. It’s calculated accounting for various factors and features in the respective game, so it may be slightly different than the actual RTP. Pai Gow Poker’s RTP is usually found between 92.23% and 97.47%. Not the highest for a game of skill but can be quite profitable under certain circumstances.

Pai Gow Poker Online Games – Live and RNG Variations

There are several RNG and live Pai Gow Poker variants that we are aware of each of them with a different return-to-player rate and minor modifications of the gameplay. One important difference are the side bets, which are important if you are used to that specific playstyle. They vary in numbers, payouts and whether or not the Joker counts. A progressive jackpot could also be a part of the game depending on the title you’re playing. We cared so much about the potential benefits of playing Pai Gow Poker that we listed them for your convenience.

SG Digital is one of the well-known developers of free Pai Gow Poker. Their flagship product Fortune Pai Gow Poker distinguishes through beautiful graphics and an intuitive interface. Be that as it may, there are other top iGaming developers whose take on this casino title is nonetheless impressive. Such developers are Playtech, Play’n GO and Microgaming. Their games can be found all over the legal online casinos.

Best Pai Gow Poker Online Casinos for 2024

We know how important it is to get off on the right foot, which in this case means to sign with a good online casino. With a view of recommending you world-class gambling sites where Pai Gow Poker online can be played, we committed a fair amount of time choosing a top-five. The series of checks each site undergoes when we test them, reveal crucial information about the security features, bonus programmes, selection of games and mobile compatibility. The whole procedure is topped off with a reputation, licence, and payouts check, which helps us conclude whether an operator is legitimate. With that in mind, you can go ahead and see the details of our top five operators.

However you look at it, these are some of the most reliable casino operators in the United Kingdom. Not only are they licensed by the UKGC, but they have a long enough track record of serving the punters on the territory so that there’s not a shred of doubt about the quality of their online casinos.

Play Pai Gow Poker Online with a Bonus – Best Promotions

Your best bet would be to attach the biggest importance to the welcome bonus, that is after you weigh the pros and cons of it. Not that there aren’t promotions for regular players, but our years of experience suggest that the first deposit offer bears the most significance for a newly-signed player. We also are well aware that not all offers are suitable for Pai Gow Poker and we cared enough to take that into consideration. Below is a list of five operators that keep one step ahead of the competition in terms of remuneration programmes.

Much like the Pay Gow Poker rules are described in detail, so too all casino offers have their terms and conditions laid out in written form somewhere in plain sight. The thing you should be concerned with the most is the wagering requirement. That aspect of the bonus reveals how many times it needs to be wagered to become withdrawable. Really, make a point of reading the terms and conditions thoroughly before opting in.

Our Top Recommended App

It would be fair to say that most online casino games nowadays are mobile-friendly. That applies to the Pai Gow Poker app too. Launching the game on a mobile device entitles you to a few distinct advantages such as on-the-go play. When you think about it, this feature adds a tremendous amount of value because it makes playing through a 50-60x wagering requirement possible. Imagine you clearing so many spins in just three days playing on your personal computer. You’d have to sit on your chair for hours. Playing on mobile is also facilitated by responsive design, which makes the experience that much more enjoyable.

We can cite many reasons why to play Pai Gow Poker on a mobile device is your best bet, but it has to be noted that the desktop experience also has a lot to offer. However that may be, it may come to your attention that some minor differences in the interface for the two platforms do exist. Mobile Pai Gow Poker distinguishes through a clean, and easy-to-use interface, while the interface of some desktop apps feel – at least at first glance – not so neatly structured. All in all, when it comes to the specific game features, mobile and desktop versions are pretty consistent.

Our Pai Gow Poker Tips – Be at the Top of Your Game

Now comes the million-dollar question, is there a shortcut to winning at Pai Gow Poker? We wouldn’t call it a ‘shortcut’ but rather a series of informed decisions, which if you take in due time could amount to better odds of winning. One of the things that can’t be stressed enough is knowing the odds and payouts in Pai Gow Poker, so go give them another look before we get started with the tips. Speaking of tips, here they are.

Certain house edge is embedded in every gaming software and can’t be circumvented but playing with a strategy is one way for the gambler to fight back. Being the pundits that we are, we searched for suitable Pai Gow Poker strategies that will help you to hold your own. Take a look.

Best Pai Gow Poker Strategy – Improve Your Odds to Win

There are numerous Pai Gow Poker strategies and we really believe studying them will pay dividends sooner rather than later, although none of them can guarantee positive results. Still, the systematic approach is the right thing to do and the best part about it is you have choices. Some of the best strategy according to our search we listed below.

Since there’s only one round of betting and you can’t draw additional cards, implementing a strategy boils down to how you’re going to arrange your hands. Step into the shoes of the dealer and think how they would arrange their cards. Of course, there are specifics in that on which we’ll go into more detail some other time.

Final Overview – Play at the Best Pai Gow Poker Online Casino

First and foremost, you can get better at Pai Gow Poker when you learn how to arrange your hands properly. Along with the learning curve, your profits will increase. Another argument in support of the game are the many good Pai Gow Poker apps that are out there. They do foster having a good time playing the title and emphasize customer security like no other mobile apps do. The same could be said about the recommended operators featured here. It’s safe to assume that you can play Pai Gow Poker in a regulated and secure environment judging by what these gambling operators have to offer.

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If you’re somehow still not convinced that Pai Gow Poker is the right game for you, you can always try Casino Hold’em, which has similar rules and gameplay. You can learn anything about the game – from rules to where it’s best to play – on our dedicated Casino Hold’em page.