Pai Gow Poker Questions .......

Question

I'm always looking for new fun games.  Many of you have suggested Pai Gow, so I've been playing at wizardofodds and I have a few questions.

1) Are there really wild cards in the live table game?

2) Wild cards in the on-line game seem to just be played as an Ace.  If there are Wild Cards, how are they played?

Most proponents of the game, profess long gaming sessions with subtle fluctuations is bankroll.  I have certainly found this to be true when playing on line.  And, if I'm getting good cocktail service ...... I should be good.  But ....... I do find all of the "ties" (pushes) sort of boring.  So,

3)  Are there any other payouts I'm not seeing on line.  Does anything pay "odds".  I've had hands up to a Flush, and it seems to just pay even money.

Thanks in advance for your help!

ktinca · Accepted Answer

1. There is one Joker in the deck.

2. The Joker can be used as an Ace, or as any card if used in a straight or flush. So if you have 6-7-8-9, you can use the Joker asa a 10 to make your straight. You CAN NOT use it as a card to make a pair, 3 of a kind or a full house. So if you have 2 sevens, 2 eights and a Joker, you DO NOT have a full houe----you would have two pairs and the Joker would be an Ace.

3. There are bonus side bets availalble, as in most of the carnival table games. So you can bet $1 and get $3 back on a flush, $5 on a full house etc.

But your normal hand, you are just playing against the bank's hand and you win even money (less commission) if you win, regardless of the hand.

lorraine t · Answer

Yes, there is a wild card.

This game is so easy, it would serve you well to sit at a table and let the dealer help. In no time you'll have it down.

Don't take the fortune bet unless you like sucker bets.

Be Banker as often as possible - I'm Banker every other hand if no other player wants it - which the informed do so at a full table it's not often enough. This is a nice diversion if you're tired or want to socialize with novice gamblers. The odds not good, which is why you want to be Banker as often as you can.

placebets · Answer

Losvu - that was a lucid, informative and entertaining post !! O.K. now what have you done with Losvu ??

lorraine t · Answer

Besides the mediocre odds, comps are not accrued easily. You should never play for comps, just know PGP is a low earning game.

vinnylep · Answer

we always enjoyed playing this as the last game of the night

my last session my brothers and i played for about 3 hours and the final tally between the three of us was up $30 plus 50 captain and cokes!

Karen M · Answer

I play the game often and always play the "sucker" envy bet. I always look for a fortune pai gow table(some are not "fortune" that for your $5 bet you can be paid if someone else at the table hits it big. Also, I look for tables that allow you to set your hand to your advantage and still pay off the bonus if you don't set it together. Some casino rules make you keep the hand together to get the bonus.

Last time I played someone hit for a 7 card straight flush (have never seen it happen before even with years of playing) but they didn't have the side bet up....I won $250 on their hand and they got nothing....The only way to make big bucks on this game is to get lucky with some bonus bets, otherwise with the ties, win/loss it does kind of drag.

And yes, I know it is a sucker bet; but I like it!

Philip M · Answer

$30 and 50 Captain & Cokes ....... is my type of game. I played for hours at Wizard of Odds for $25 per hand and was never up OR down more than $100.

kt ..... thanks for wild card explanation. I kept trying to get the wild card to "pair up". I did notice that it could be used in straights and flushes, though.

Now I'm confused on what "Being Banker" means. If I'm not playing against the dealer's cards ....... who am I playing against. I'm a "Pass Line" type of guy, so betting WITH the house is not my style! Haha ........

ktinca · Answer

In Blackjack and most other table games, as a player you play against the house. Your hand plays against the dealers hand. In Pai Gow Poker (and in real Pai Gow) the players are allowed to take the Bank for one hand.

In effect, they become the house for that hand. So everyone else's hands plays against theirs. In that case the casino just becomes another player If the Bankers hand wins they take your money, but the Banker also has to pay off all losses.

Different casinos have different rules about when, and how often, any individual player can be the banker. But they know that the Banker has an edge, and only allow it so often.

Mister M · Answer

Being banker means you bank against the dealer and ALL other players at the table. If you have a BIG bankroll you may want to do this. If you're buying in for $100 and playing $10 a hand this may not be the play for you. You would collect against all that have worse hands than yours and pay out all the winning hands.

"Last time I played someone hit for a 7 card straight flush (have never seen it happen before even with years of playing) but they didn't have the side bet up....I won $250 on their hand and they got nothing" I'm pretty sure the envy bonus when another player gets a 7 card straight flush should pay out $5,000 if all you got was $250 you got ripped off.

Mister M · Answer

The advantage of being the bank is on any hand that ties (You have Ace King as your two card hand and another player has Ace king) the bankers hand wins any ties.

I will occasionally take the bank if the dealer has been on a great run. I NEVER take the bank if I've been beating the dealer.

My betting strategy on Pai Gow Poker (As it can be a VERY streaky game) is to go up a bit on my bet every time I win a hand. If I start with $10, I then go to $15, $20, $25 etc. My record so far was to go from $10 to $70 before I lost a hand.

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Pai Gow Poker Questions .......

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