First of all, let’s clarify the differences between Texas Hold Em and Casino Hold Em – one is a poker game against other players, whilst in casino Hold Em you play with other players at the table, but against the dealer. In Live Poker Texas Hold Em not only can you play with the other players against the house instead of against each other, but you also keep the traditional social spirit of the game which is lost a bit in the Texas Hold Em online casino version. Jan 09, 2019 Casino News Bitcoin Casino News Casino Hold’em vs Texas Hold’em: Which One is Easier? Poker is a fun game that requires technique and skill, for that reason it is a game best suited to players who do not want to rely on sheer luck.
Casino Hold'em, also known as Caribbean Hold'em Poker, combines much of the excitement of Texas Hold'em with several unique twists. The main difference is that players compete directly against the dealer, but there's also an optional side bet that can pay major dividends on hands such as a royal or straight flush.
Since its introduction in 2000, the game has grown in popularity across the globe, and it's offered by several of the leading online casino software companies. This article examines the basics of real-money Casino Hold'em, from rules and payout structure to suggested strategy.
Rules for Casino Hold'em
The rules for Caribbean Hold'em are similar to those of Texas Hold'em, but there are a few key differences. Like its more popular cousin, the game uses a 52-card deck. Unlike Texas Hold'em, however, this game pits players against the dealer instead of each other.
To begin the game, the player makes an ante bet. At many online casinos, the wager can range from $1 to $500. However, always check the betting requirements before you begin play.
At this point, the player also has the option of making an additional side wager on the AA Bonus. Some casinos offer an option progressive jackpot wager, instead. These will be discussed in greater detail in the next section of this article.
After the player has made their ante and a possible side wager, both the player and the dealer receive two face-down cards. Three community cards are then dealt face-up between the player and dealer (this area is known as the 'board'). The objective of the game is to make a better hand than the dealer using a combination of the player's cards and those on the board.
Texas Holdem Poker Casino
The player now examines their hole cards and decides whether to fold or call. If they fold, they forfeit the hand and their ante wager. If the player wants to continue, they must make a call wager equal to twice the ante bet.
Assuming the player calls, the dealer places two more cards face-up on the board (for a total of five cards). At this stage, both player and dealer use any combination of hole and community cards to make the strongest 5-card poker hand possible.
The dealer must have at least a pair of fours in order to qualify. If the dealer fails to qualify, the player is paid on their ante bet according to the ante pay table, while their call wager is returned as a push.
If the dealer does qualify, his 5-card hand is compared to the player. A superior hand by the player results in the ante wager being paid according to the pay table, while the call bet delivers even money. If the hands of the dealer and player are equal, then all bets are a push. If the dealer has a better hand, then the player loses their ante and call bets.
AA Bonus & Progressive Jackpot
Once the regular phase of the game has been resolved, the house then pays out on any side wagers that may have been made. There are two common examples to consider, and both use the player's hole cards and the first three community cards to determine whether or not to issue a payout.
The first is known as the AA Bonus, and it's available in licensed versions of Casino Hold'em. It provides the following bonus payouts:
A pair of aces up to a straight pays 7:1.
A flush pays 20:1.
A full house pays 30:1.
Four of a kind pays 40:1.
A straight flush pays 50:1.
A royal flush pays 100:1.
At the Bovada online casino, they feature a Caribbean Hold'em side bet that gives players a chance to win all or part of a progressive jackpot that's also linked to Caribbean Stud Poker and Caribbean Draw Poker.
A royal flush pays 100% of the progressive jackpot.
A straight flush pays 10% of the jackpot.
Four of a kind pays $500.
A full house pays out $100.
A flush pays $75.
Casino Hold'em Card Rankings and Payouts
The following section details the card rankings for real-money Caribbean Hold'em, as well as potential payouts. The amount of money paid by the casino will differ from one location to the next, so always be sure to check before you begin your gaming session. Since this site specializes in online gambling, I've used the payout table provided by Bovada. At some locations, this may be referred to as the AnteWin pay table.
Note: Suit refers to the symbol on the card (clubs, diamonds, spades, hearts). Rank refers to the value of the card (8, 10, ace, king, etc.).
- Royal Flush - A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit. The payout for a royal flush is 100:1 (that means you win $100 for every $1 wagered).
- Straight Flush - Five cards of the same suit in consecutive order. 20:1 payout.
- Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same rank. 10:1 payout.
- Full House - One pair and three of a kind. 3:1 payout.
- Flush - Five cards of the same suit in non-consecutive order. Pays out at 2:1.
- Straight - Five consecutive cards of various suits. Pays even money.
- Three of a Kind - A trio of cards with the same rank. Even money payout.
- Two Pair - Two pair of different ranks. Pays even money.
- One Pair - A single pair of cards. Most casinos offer an even money payout.
- High Card - Five non-consecutive cards of various suits and ranks. Winning with a high card offers an even money payout.
Caribbean Hold'em Poker Strategy
The most useful tip for playing Casino Hold'em Poker for real money involves the raise bet. When you're playing, you should raise 82% of the time in order to achieve optimal strategy. This means that only the weakest 18% of hands should be abandoned, usually when your hole cards are of different suits and much lower than the community cards (making a potential straight or flush unlikely).
Casino Hold'em House Edge
While the house edge can fluctuate based on the pay table, the most common is 2.16%. Others payouts can cause this to rise as high as 2.40% or as low as 1.96%.
The house edge for the AA Bonus is 6.40% if the casino pays 25 to 1 on a royal flush. That decreases to 6.26% is the royal flush is worth a 100:1 payout.
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Once you familiarize yourself with basic Texas Hold ‘em play, hand rankings and dealing, you should learn about the odds and probabilities associated with different aspects of the game. While it may be impossible to calculate precise odds mid-hand, particularly given you’ll never see your opponents’ cards until all decisions have been made, knowing when to play (and when not to play) different hands typically requires more than just good instinct.
In Texas Hold ‘em, winners are often decided before the community cards are even laid out, so the chances of being dealt a strong starting hand is something many players think.
Calculating Texas Hold ‘em Odds
To understand the odds of drawing any particular starting hand, you’ll have to consider all of the factors that go into the deal of a hand. Considering a shuffle to completely randomize the order of the cards, the biggest factors that will affect a draw are the number of players at the table and your own position relevant to the dealer. Also consider that there are four cards of any given value in each deck and there are 169 different hole card combinations. That being said, there’s a roughly one in 1326 chance that players will be dealt any specific hand, so it’s important to know what kind of odds you should keep in mind whenever you step to the poker table.
Pre Flop
You have a 55:1 chance of being dealt a pair of Jacks or higher.
Your Texas Hold’em experience will begin with your hole cards, and while you cannot change the cards that are dealt your way, it’s good to know what to expect. While World Series of Poker reruns may make it seem like someone at the table will be dealt pocket kings every hand, starting with a monster hand is rarer than you may imagine. For more on Pre Flop strategy see our guide here.
Quick Odds
While an extensive list of the probabilities for preflop hands could fill a book, here are some quick odds to consider when you’re peeking at your cards for the first time.
- Being dealt a pocket pair: 16:1
- Being dealt suited cards: 3.2:1
- Being dealt suited connectors: 24:1
- Being dealt AK: 82:1
- Being dealt two cards of jack or higher: 10:1
- Being dealt AA, KK, QQ or JJ: 55:1
The Flop
The flop is a game changer in every sense of the words. With more cards in your hand, players will get their first real taste of what the final outcome will look like. That being said, players will want to think about the odds for how their hand could turn out before they start placing or calling bets. For more on Post Flop strategy see our guide here.
Quick Odds
Though the presented odds may be mathematically accurate, they do present a best case scenario that you won’t always find yourself in at the table. These calculations don’t take into account the probabilities of the card or cards you are looking for turning up as burn cards or in your opponents’ hands, so keep that in mind when considering your next move.
- Hitting a pair on the flop: 2:1
- Pocket pair improving to three of a kind on the flop: 7:1
- Flop being three of a kind: 424:1
- Odds of flopping a flush with suited hole cards: 118:1
The odds of flopping a straight can be a bit harder to pin down. Depending on your starting hand, there are any number of card combinations that could lead to a flopped straight. Those hands that have the more flexibility when it comes to straight draws, particularly middling connectors (those between 5 and 9), have the strongest chances of hitting on the flop because there are more cards that could allow for their straight to hit. The wider the gap between your starting cards, the worse your chances are.
The Turn and River
Naturally, as the hand progresses and fewer cards remain to be dealt, the odds of making any particular hand become slimmer and slimmer. That being said, you’ll want to look at the odds for a hand from beginning to end as well as those from stage to stage.
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Quick Odds
Your odds change as each new card is dealt.
Over the course of a full hand, these scenarios could play out
Casino Texas Holdem Against Dealer
- One pair on flop improving to two pair or a set by the river: 4:1
- Catching an ace on the turn or river: 7:1
- Open ended straight hitting by the river: 2:1
- Gutshot straight draw hit by the river: 5:1
- Pocket pair improving to set by river: 10:1
- Going runner runner for a flush: 23:1
- Going runner runner for a straight: 67:1
Pot and Implied Odds
In addition to the odds that your cards will pair or better, experienced players know that pot odds, that is, the ratio of the size of the pot to the cost of a call, play an important role in proper Hold’em strategy. With all of the risks that are inherently involved in games like poker, players won’t get far if they don’t decide to gamble every so often – and pot odds allow you to make smarter decision when it comes time to place your money on the line. Pot odds take into consideration the likelihood of making a hand to establish a decent risk vs. reward ratio.
Another important statistic for players to keep in mind is ‘implied odds,’ which factor in the likely size and frequency of any betting that may come in later rounds of play. These come into play post flop and will be a factor until the river is dealt, and unlike most other Texas hold ’em odds, implied odds will be entirely based on your read on your opponents’ betting habits and aggression.
To calculate effective pot odds, consider your position in the hand and relative strength, then make a note of the amount of money currently in the pot. If you’re in a position to call, think of how much you stand to win should your hand come out ahead, as establishing a solid return on investment can help turn a questionable call into a big win. If no one has bet, then pot odds can help you deduce what size bet you will want to make in order to shift the statistical probabilities in your favor. With a sound bet, you could either make the continued investment not worth the potential gain or place a value wager designed to elicit a call from any remaining opponents. You will have to decide whether or not your chances of winning are worth risking the amount you could lose if you are wrong – a fine line for some players, but one that must be crossed often. For more on Texas Hold’em pot size and strategy see our guide here.