Can I Play Pai Gow Poker for Free?

A free version of SG Digital's Fortune Pai Gow Poker is available online. You can also play demo versions at legal online casinos, such as Caesars and DraftKings. Many different pai gow poker options exist at online sites, as well.

What is the Best Way to Play Pai Gow Poker Online?

The best way to play pai gow poker online depends on the player. If you’re looking for a quick session, you can find plenty of free versions online or choose a demo game, if available, at your favorite casino. We recommend using a legal and regulated online casino to play for real money.

How Do You Win at Pai Gow Poker?

You'll need to beat the banker's High and Low hands to win your hands as the player. You'll want to make the best two-card and five-card hands possible—with the two-card hand being lower than the five-card. Some pai gow poker games may take a 5% commission from your winnings. Also, playing Fortune Bonus side bets is a valuable strategy to regain losses or ensure a large payout if you get an exceptional five-card hand from your seven cards.

Can I Improve My Odds to Win at Pai Gow Poker?

The house edge for a player ranges from 2.5% - 2.8%. Some online pai gow poker games allow you to play as a banker or house occasionally. That helps to improve your chances of winning each round.

Pai Gow Poker Online

ByBryan Myers

Last Updated: August 29, 2024

Fact Checked ByLogan Martinez

Playing pai gow poker online is possible at the most popular online casinos. Whether you want to play for free or real money, you'll want to choose a reputable option. Let's look at the best places to play pai gow poker.

Pai gow poker stems from a Chinese game called pai gow, which uses dominoes rather than playing cards. Sam Torosian, the owner of the Bell Card Club, invented the poker version in 1985 (without patenting it first).

The pai gow poker rules are simple. A banker and a player each receive seven cards from a standard 52-card deck. There's also a Joker, which substitutes for an Ace or any card to complete a Straight, Flush, Straight Flush, or Royal Flush.

You'll use five cards to form a High hand and two to create a Low hand. As a rule, the High hand must make a better poker hand than the Low hand.

Before the cards get dealt, you can place an ante for your bet. When playing pai gow poker online, you'll find Fortune options—meaning you may also place side bets.

You'll need to win high and low hands to beat the dealer—a win for only one hand results in a push. If any hand ties the dealer, you'll lose that hand.

Some pai gow poker games pay even money, while online casinos might take a small percentage for a commission.

If you're interested in playing for real money, we recommend finding a Fortune Pai Gow Poker game. Those side bets allow you to recoup any losses with a big win.

The Best Places to Play Pai Gow Poker Online

Pai Gow Poker Casino - Apple’s App Store (iOS)

The Pai Gow Poker Casino game on the App Store allows Fortune Bonus bets. These payouts range from two to one for a Straight and 8,000 to one for a Natural 7 Card Straight Flush (industry standards).

Based in India, the developer Oneros Tech has a casino game portfolio that includes Three Card Poker, Craps, Roulette, and Baccarat. Their Pai Gow title is available for an iPhone or iPad.

The iOS app maintains a 4.6 average from 1.9K ratings. Download and play for free.

Fortune Pai Gow Poker (Caesars, DraftKings, and More)

Fortune Pai Gow Poker comes from SG Digital, one of the best developers in the online casino industry. The title is an industry-standard as the sole pai gow poker game at places like BetMGM, FanDuel, and more.

At Caesars and DraftKings, you can play demo versions for free—even without an account. (Players must be 21 years old or over.)

Bet increments range from 0.10 to 50. There’s a 100 max bet for the ante and 30 for the Fortune Bonus.

An Auto Split feature highlights which two cards to use for your Low hand. (It doesn't use the best strategy for every possible scenario.)

There’s a 2.53% house edge or a theoretical Return-to-Player (RTP) average of 97.47% when the player follows the house way. The average RTP for the Fortune Bonus is 92.23%.

You’ll find a lower house edge (better RTP odds) at table games like blackjack and baccarat. Pai gow poker online, however, offers a better RTPaverage than American roulette, some video poker titles, and most slots.

Pai Gow Poker on Google Play (Android)

There are around ten pai gow poker options for mobile Android users on Google Play. An alternative from Donutman Software has over 100K downloads with an average score of 3.5 from 486 reviews.

Another developer, Megawin Casinos, offers a Pai Gow Poker - Fortune Bet option. With over 10K downloads, the app maintains an average rating of 4.6 from 381 reviews.

We weren't able to locate websites for either developer. We recommend reading the reviews to know what to expect from these or other options.

Android users may try pai gow poker online for fun via Google Play. The software at legal online casinos is a much better option, though. For example, if you already have the mobile apps for either Caesars or DraftKings—that's a safer approach.

Be careful about any offshore or unlicensed sites or online casinos.

Confidence is key to be a successful poker player. Take advantage of the following poker guides to help boost your play:

Poker Glossary

Online poker is currently legal in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Delaware. For more legal information regarding your state, take a look at our online casino legalization tracker.

Best Online Casinos For Poker

Not sure which the best casino is for poker? We've got you covered! Action Network has created the Best Real Money Online Casinos to help you narrow down your list of casinos to play so you could use your newfound knowledge gained from reading our poker tips.

Be sure to shop around at all of these great online casinos to ensure you're keeping your options open and putting our poker tips to good use: