Pai Gow Poker Rules and Strategy
Pai Gow Poker will stretch your gambling dollar like few other games online. The goal is to make two online poker hands that beat the banker's two poker hands. The majority of the time, the player and the banker each win one hand, and no money is exchanged. Around 41-42% of Pai Gow Poker hands end in a push, buying you more time at the table with no added risk.
Poker players will have an easy time transitioning to this relatively low-risk casino game with a 2.84% house edge. Even players who are just starting out can quickly master Pai Gow Poker rules.
How to Play Pai Gow Poker Online
The action gets underway when players make wagers prior to the cards being dealt. Next, seven cards are dealt in a clockwise rotation face down to each player and the banker. The dealer and the other players at the table may take turns acting as banker. In the hope that they have the best two hands, players use their knowledge of poker hand rankings to arrange their cards. Consequently, a player splits his seven cards into two poker hands: a five-card hand, called a high hand and a two-card hand, called a low hand. They’re also referred to as a five-card backhand and a two-card front hand. The high hand must outrank the low hand, which can only consist of high cards or a pair.
While the player has the discretion to set the hand as he wishes, the banker must set his hand to the house way. In the event that you don’t know how to set your hand, turn your cards face up and ask the banker. He will tell you how to set your hand the house way. House way varies from venue to venue. Online or on mobile, tap the button labeled House Way. Once all the players hands are set, the banker sets his and pays off winners. Every hand results in one of the following three outcomes:
- The player wins even money: When both of the player’s hands outrank both of the banker’s hands.
- The player pushes and has his bet returned: When one of the player’s hands outranks one of the banker’s hands and one of the banker’s hands outranks one of the player’s hands.
- The player loses: When both of the banker’s hands outrank both the player’s hands. If the hands are identical, it is considered a win for the dealer.
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Winning in Pai Gow Poker |
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Result |
Probability |
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Player wins |
29.11% |
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Push |
40.49% |
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Player loses |
30.38% |
Pai Gow Poker Hand Rankings
Hand rankings in Pai Gow Poker are identical to Texas Hold’em, with two exceptions. Since the game was invented, the royal flush has occupied the top spot on the poker hand rankings chart. In Pai Gow Poker, five aces, or five of a kind, has taken its place. It’s comprised of four aces and a joker, the 53rd card in a Pai Gow Poker Deck. A joker can be used as an ace or to complete a straight or flush. While the royal flush loses value, an ace to five straight, called a wheel, is worth more. Therefore, the lowest straight in Hold’em is the second highest in Pai Gow Poker, only behind an ace high straight.
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HAND |
Cards |
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Five aces |
Four aces and a joker |
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Royal flush |
Five suited cards ranked ace to 10 |
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Straight flush |
Five cards of the same suit in consecutive order |
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Four of a kind |
Four cards of the same ranking |
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Full house |
Three cards of the same ranking, and two of another ranking |
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Flush |
Five cards of the same suit that are not in consecutive order |
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Straight |
Five cards of different suits in consecutive order |
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Three of a kind |
Three cards of the same ranking |
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Two pair |
Two cards of the same ranking and two cards of the same ranking |
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One pair |
Two cards of the same ranking |
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High card |
A hand that is ranked by its highest card |
Check out our online poker glossary!
Fortune Pai Gow Poker
This popular game is played like regular Pai Gow Poker, with an optional Fortune Bonus side bet. Casino players can only find this variation of poker at four online casinos (like Resorts Online Casino).
Below, I'll go into more detail on how Fortune Pai Gow Poker is played at online casinos.
Side Bets
The side bet is based on your best possible five-card poker hand using all seven of your cards. In order to get paid, your hand must be a straight or better.
The Fortune Pai Gow Poker side bet is offered at many online casinos. Play free in demo mode or wager for real money on Mohegan Sun Casino, Tropicana New Jersey and Golden Nugget Casino.Com. While the main game has a 97.47% RTP, the Fortune Bonus side bet has a much lower 92.23% RTP. Payouts for the Fortune Bonus side bet are shown below:
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Fortune Pai Gow Poker Pay Table |
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Hand |
Pays |
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Natural 7-card Straight Flush |
8,000 to 1 |
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Royal Flush + Royal Match |
2,000 to 1 |
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Wild 7-card Straight Flush |
1,000 to 1 |
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5 Aces |
400 to 1 |
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Royal Flush |
150 to 1 |
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Straight Flush |
50 to 1 |
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Four of a Kind |
25 to 1 |
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Full House |
5 to 1 |
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Flush |
4 to 1 |
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Three of a Kind |
3 to 1 |
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Straight |
2 to 1 |
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Advantages to Playing Pai Gow Poker Online
Playing Pai Gow online vs. in person is quite different. Below, we've highlighted the main differences between online and retail Pai Gow Poker.
| Pai Gow Poker | Differences |
| Online |
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| In Person |
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Online Poker Resources
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 done deep research on the Best Real Money Online Casinos and the Top Social 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.
