Two Casino Games You Might Not Know

Pai Gow
Sometimes called Pai Gow Poker, Pai Gow isn’t really a poker game, because there is no betting, bluffing, or competition against other players. In this table game, you and the dealer each receive seven cards. From those seven cards, you need to make two hands. The first hand is a five card hand and the second is a two card hand. The five card hand is ranked basically like a regular poker hand, except that in some casinos, such as those in Vegas, A-2-3-4-5 is ranked higher than 9-10-J-Q-K. The lower hand is ranked based on high cards or pairs. The player must arrange the two hands so that the five card hand is valued higher than the two card hand, meaning that if there is only one pair and no straights or flushes, it remains in the five card hand. If there is no pair at all, the highest card must remain in the five card hand. Like in blackjack, the player’s hand is compared only to the dealer’s hand. The two different hands are compared to the dealer’s two different hands. If the player wins both, the player wins. If the player wins one and the dealer wins one, the round is a push. If the dealer wins both, the player loses his wager. In the case where a specific hand is a push, meaning, for example that both hold 3,4 for the lower hand, then the dealer is considered the winner, giving a very slight house edge. The rest of the house edge is achieved by the casino taking a 5% rake of the player’s winnings. Some casinos take a 5% rake of every wager, but this is rare, particularly at online casinos. Be sure to check before you play.

Red Dog
Red Dog is sometimes called Acey-Deucey or In Between. Some casinos call it Red Dog Poker, but it bears absolutely no resemblance to poker. A player makes a wager and the dealer places two cards on the table. If the first two cards are consecutive, for example three four or jack queen, then the round is a push, and the bet is returned. If the two cards are the same, a third card is dealt. If it, too, is the same, the player receives eleven times the value of their bet. If the first two cards are more than one apart, a spread is declared. For example, if the first two cards are ace and three, then the spread is one number large. If the third card is in the spread, the player wins. Otherwise, the player loses their bet.