3 Card Poker

Isha Pokhriyal
April 30, 2020
181 Views
3 Card Poker

3 Card Poker is a popular card game and it’s played with a single 52-card deck. It is actually two games in one. This game has a variety. The Pair Plus game allows players to bet on whether they will be dealt a Pair or not. The Play/Ante offers players to bet against the dealer to see who has the highest hand. 

3 Card Poker online

Three Card Poker was invented by Derek Webb in 1994. This is the game that is played against the dealers, not the players. Your performance is based on what your cards are and what the house’s cards are. 

There are some casinos that offer to bet on either game, while this version allows that you place an ante bet before you place a bet on the Pair Plus portion of the game.

3 Card Poker Bets Basics 

  • In Three Card Poker game, the player makes an ante bet.
  • The dealer offers each participant and themselves three cards. The dealer’s cards are face down and you can only examine your own cards.
  • If you’ve made the ante bet then you must either fold or call.

Better Hand 

  • If it is yours, the participant wins 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.

How to play 3 Card Poker?

3-Card Poker is a pretty easy and interesting game. Let’s breakdown these points to understand how you can play this game: 

The Play

So starting the first part, you see there are three circles on the table for each player. The Pair Plus is the circle where you place bets for the Pair Plus game. 

Now we divide circles into two labels: first is “Ante” and another one is “Play.” The main game starts when you begin your bet on either Ante or the Pair Plus circle as per the minimum table. 

The Deal

The deal option is about the dealers who offer each participant a three-card Hand after placing the bets. Play starts with the player seated at the left most corner of the dealer. The process gets to continue clockwise around the table. So, both dealer and the participants are dealt three cards each.

Play or Fold

Now it’s time to pick hold on play on. You can fold if you’re not happy with your hand. If you keep continuing, you can place an additional bet equivalent to the Ante wager, on the Play circle.

Comparing Hands

Now the dealer will reveal his 3-card hand after you make your decision on your 3 Card Poker hand. In case, if the dealer has a high card queen, he will qualify his hand. The player wins even money on your Play and Ante bets if you beat the dealer’s hand.

Now the second term is if the dealer’s hand doesn’t include a queen or better, then all participants who are active in play will have their Play bet returned to them and even money for their Ante bet.

Ante Bonus

You will also get an Ante bonus for holding hands in each Ante Bet. In this case, there is no requirement of placing an additional bet. You will grab your bonus when you ended up as a winner with straight, straight flush, or three of a kind.

Pair Plus

Pair Plus bet completely depend on your bet system. What you have in your hand? A pair or better, regardless of whether you beat the dealer, or he beats you in the Ante game. In the second case, If you have a Pair or better, you win; if not, you lose.

Six Card Bonus

Six Card side bet also based on the formation of your hands and the dealer’s six-card hand.  Payouts are made for a three of a kind up to a Mini Royal Flush.

You can access all 3 Card Poker payouts in the table. 

Three Card Poker Hand Rankings 

3 Card Poker Hand Rankings

Hand Type Example Description
Mini Royal Flush Q-K-A spades Queen, king, and ace of the same suit.
Straight Flush 7-8-9 clubs Three cards of the same suit appearing in sequence.
Three of a Kind 3-3-3 Three cards of identical ranks.
Straight 3-4-5 Three cards in sequence of mixed suits.
Flush

High cards

 5-K-2 spades

10-3-7

 Three non-sequential cards of the same 

The highest card in your hand.
Pair 7-6-6 Two cards of the same rank.

3 Card Poker Odds & Payouts

The payouts and odds in 3 Card Poker with these tables:

Ante Bonus

Hand Type Payouts Probability
Straight Flush or higher 5/1 0.2%
Three of a Kind 4/1 0.2%
Straight 1/1 3.3%

Pair Plus

Hand Type Payouts Probability
Mini Royal Flush 100/1 0.018%
Straight Flush 40/1 0.021%
Three of a Kind 30/1 0.023%
Straight 5/1 3.2%
Flush 4/1 4.9%
Pair 1/1 16%

Six Card Bonus

Hand Type Payouts Probability
Royal Flush 1000/1 0.0009%
Straight Flush 200/1 0.0081%
Four of a Kind 100/1 0.07%
Full House 20/1 0.8%
Flush 15/1 1.01%
Straight 10/1 1.7%
Three of a Kind 7/1 3.5%

The Top websites for 3 Card Poker: 

Here we have picked top 5 casino website for the better poker experience: 

Author Isha Pokhriyal

Isha Pokhriyal, a renowned content writer specializing in iGaming. With four years of experience, she has crafted articles featured in top newspapers and received multiple awards for her exceptional work.

Leave a comment