Three card poker is one of the most popular table games to play live. It may not be easy to get to grips with, but it can be a lot of fun if you know how to play. We’ll tell you everything you have to know about live three card poker, in this guide. Not lastly, we list the best live dealer three card poker casinos in the UK!
Unlike other traditional card games, three card poker can be considered as two or three games in one; you have the play/ante part of the game where you square up against the dealer to see who has the highest hand and then you have the pair plus side game – this is a bet on whether you think you will be dealt a pair of cards or better and if you’re playing Evolution’s three-card poker vertical, there is an optional 6 card bonus bet too. Depending on where you play, you may be required to play the ante bet in order to play the pair plus or 6 card bonus bet.
Best Live Three Card Poker Casinos
Live Three Card Poker Bets, Pays and Possible Outcomes
Live three cards poker is played with a single deck of 52 cards and after each game round, the cards are electronically shuffled. Three-card straight ranks higher than a three-card flush in three card poker and this is due to there being fewer ways to make a three-card straight than a three-card flush.
Ranked in descending order, the cards are Ace (high or low), king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A. If at any stage both you and the dealer are dealt a hand of the same type, the winning one will be the hand that includes the cards of the highest value wins, example; three kings beat three queens and a flush of Q, J 10 beats a flush of 10, 9 and 8. If the game is a tie between you and the dealer, the next highest card that is not part of the paying hand (the kicker), will determine the winner.
Possible winning hands in live three card poker are as follows:
- Mini Royal: Ace, King and Queen of the same suit.
- Straight Flush: Three cards in sequence and of the same suit, example; Jack, Queen and King of diamonds.
- Three-of-a-Kind: A hand consisting of three cards of the same rank, example; three King’s would beat a hand of three Jack’s.
- Straight: A hand of three sequential ranking cards in at least two different suits, example; 9, 8 and 7 in two or more suits. If both the player and dealer have a straight, the highest value card will determine the winner.
- Flush: Three cards bearing the same suit but not in sequence, example; three cards of diamonds. Again, if both the player and dealer have a straight, the highest value card will determine the winner.
- Pair: A hand of three cards where two are of the same rank example; K of hearts, King of diamonds and 7 of clubs. Higher ranking pairs will defeat lower ranking pairs.
- High Card: This is a hand made up of three entirely different cards which do not fit any of the above requirements. As a result, no hand is made, but the winner will be determined by the highest card.
Six card bonus winning hands:
- Royal Flush: A straight flush containing an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 all of the same suit.
- Straight Flush: Five cards in sequence and all of the same suit, for example, 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5 of diamonds.
- Four-of-a-Kind: All four cards of one rank and any other card, for example, Ace of hearts, Ace of diamonds, Ace of clubs and Ace of spades with a 7 of hearts.
- Full House: Three matching cards of the same rank and two matching cards from another rank, for example, Queen of hearts, Queen of diamonds and Queen of spades with a 9 of hearts and 9 of clubs.
- Flush: A hand where all five cards are of the same suit, but not necessarily in sequential order, for example, Q, 10, 8, 5 and 4 of hearts.
- Straight: Five cards in sequential rank from at least two different suits, example, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4 of at last two suits.
- Three-of-a-Kind: A hand consisting of three cards of the same rank, plus two cards which are not of the same rank, nor the same as each other. Example, Queen of hearts, Queen of clubs and Queen of diamonds with two other cards.
Game outcomes and payouts for live three card poker:
- Dealer doesn’t qualify and you win: ante pays 1:1 and play 1x is push
- Dealer qualifies and you win: ante pays 1:1 and play 1x is also 1:1
- Dealer qualifies and you lose: you lose your initial bet and play 1x is a losing outcome too
- Dealer qualifies and you tie: ante is a push and play 1x is push also
- Player folds results in a losing outcome.
How to Play Live Three Card Poker
Like all live casino games, the aim of the game is to beat the dealer with a better three-card hand. The order of play goes as follows:
- Place your ante bet and either or both of the optional pair plus and 6 card bonus bet.
- The dealer will then shuffle the cards using an electronic machine before dealing three cards face-up on the table. The dealer also puts three cards for him/herself onto the table only their cards are face-down.
- Next, it is time to judge whether you have a good hand or not by looking at your three cards on the table. If you’re confident, click to play to place your bet which will be equivalent to your ante bet, or if you think your three cards are not worth the risk, you can choose to fold, and your initial bet is lost.
The minimum and maximum bet for this live casino game will be displayed to the top left of your screen. To place a bet, simply drag and drop your desired value chips onto the table during the brief betting period. Once bets are placed, the dealer will set about dealing the cards. There are adjustable camera angles, betting histories, recent winners as well as options for sounds and rules on how to play on all live three card poker tables. If you’re unsure on how to play, simply pose a question to the dealer via the chat facility, and they will do their utmost to assist with your gaming query.
Return to Player (RTP) Percentages in Live Three Card Poker
The return to player percentage in Live Three Cards Poker is 96.63% for the ante bet, 95.51% for the pair plus bet and 91.44% for the 6 card bonus bet.
What Are the Different Poker Games?
- Draw Poker: A complete hand is dealt to the player before betting opens. Once the hand is dealt, it’s time to place a bet or fold. If you continue to play on in this type of poker vertical, the player develops their hand over multiple rounds by replacing or drawing cards from the deck.
- Stud Poker: A combination of face-up and face-down (hole) cards are dealt over multiple betting rounds. In this type of poker game, the person to bet first will change from round to round, but typically speaking, the player with the best hand showing from those cards face-up will open the betting.
- Community Card Poker: Any type of poker game that consists of cards being dealt face-up to the centre of the table. Players are effectively dealt incomplete hands in this type of poker vertical and the aim of the game is to draw more cards, place bets in a bid to beat the dealer.
Live Three Card Poker FAQ
Q: Can I Play Live Three Card Poker on Mobile?
A: Live three card poker can be played on any device, so long as it has an internet capability and a reliable internet connection, with the most reliable being WI-FI. Once logged into your chosen online casino, press to launch the live three card poker game and be ready to rotate your device when (and if) prompted. The layout of the screen on mobile may seem a little cluttered compared to the desktop version, what with it being a smaller screen. The same betting options, camera angles and pays are afforded to mobile live three card poker players.
Q: Do I Need to Download Any Apps to Play Live Three Card Poker on Mobile?
A: Live three card poker can be accessed instantly with no apps, however, for a more immersive gaming experience, you may wish to download your online casino’s free app, which allows for quicker access to the games you love in future.
Q: Do I Play Against Other Players in Live Three Card Poker?
A: No. In live three card poker, you play against the dealer with an unlimited number of players welcome at the table.
Q: What is the House Edge in Three Card Poker?
A: In brick-and-mortar casinos, the house edge for three card poker is 3%, meaning the casino will receive £3 for every £100 bet placed.
Q: What Are the Possible Pays with Live Three Card Poker?
Ante Bet Bonus Pays:
- Straight Flush or higher pays 5:1
- Three-of-a-Kind pays 4:1
- Straight pays 1:1
- Pair Plus Pays:
- Mini Royal (AKQ suited) pays 100:1
- Straight Flush pays 40:1
- Three-of-a-Kind pays 30:1
- Straight pays 5:1
- Flush pays 4:1
- Pair pays 1:1
6 Card Bonus Pays:
- Royal Flush pays: 1,000:1
- Straight Flush pays 200:1
- Four-of-a-Kind pays 100:1
- Full House pays 20:1
- Flush pays 15:1
- Straight pays 10:1
- Three-of-a-Kind pays 7:1
Q: Can I Interact with the Host and Other Players When Playing Live Three Card Poker?
A: There is a chat community where players are able to interact with the host and other players at the virtual table, and this is typically found to the top left of the screen. When playing on mobile, the chat feature may not be as readily available and when looking to chat, your device keyboard may restrict your viewing.
Q: Do Online Casinos Offer Welcome Bonuses and Other Promotions Based on Live Three Card Poker?
A: The bonuses and welcome offers will vary from one online casino to the next, but generally, top-rated online casino’s offer incentives for playing specific table games.
Q: What is the Best Ante Play Strategy for Live Three Card Poker?
A: As a general rule of thumb, you should bet on hands with Queen, 6 and 4 or better. If your hand consists of cards lower than this, you should fold, and this will result in your losing your ante bet. The best strategies to follow on an ante bet are as follows:
- If your hand holds a Queen and the next highest card is at least a 7, make a bet.
- Fold your bet if your hand consists of a Queen with the next highest card being 5 or lower.
Q: What is the Highest Hand in Live Three Card Poker?
A: the highest hand is Ace, King, queen, but that doesn’t mean you win! If the dealer has this same hand, the winner will be determined by the next highest card in their hand, so for example, if you have Ace, King, Queen with a 7 and 6 of hearts, and the dealer has Ace, King, Queen with 10 and 9 of any suit, the dealer wins because the 10 beats the 7.
Q: Can I Sit Back and Watch Live Three Card Poker Before Placing Bets?
A: Yes! Live three card poker welcomes players to sit back and watch as the action unfolds live. Please note, in order to win, you must place a real money bet.
Q: Can I Play Live Three Card Poker for Free?
A: All live casino games are pay to play games, however, you are offered free-play versions of the first player formatted games.
Live Three Card Poker Glossary
- Ante: The initial bet placed by a player when joining the game.
- Bankroll: An amount you have to play with.
- Bet: To wager money via a chip on a particular outcome with the hope of hitting a win.
- Chips: Virtual chips of a pre-set value will be shown on your screen. To place multiple bets (up to the maximum limit), you can click your desired chips or drag and drop to place multiple bets of differing values.
- Continuous Shuffling Machine (CSM): An electronic machine that is used to shuffle a single deck of 52-cards.
- Dealer: The person sat at the table dealing the cards and accepting the bets.
- Fish: If you ever hear the term fish used, it’s is a derogatory term used to describe a poor player, but it’s more common in brick-and-mortar casinos than online.
- Flush: A hand where all five cards are of the same suit, but not necessarily in sequential order, for example, Q, 10, 8, 5 and 4 of hearts.
- High Card: When both the player and dealer fail to make a pair, the hand is ranked according to the highest card in their hand.
- Pair: A hand of three cards where two are of the same rank example; K of hearts, King of diamonds and 7 of clubs. Higher ranking pairs will defeat lower ranking pairs.
- Pair Plus: A side bet based on a pair being dealt.
- Raise/Play: Once the cards are dealt, raise allows the player to raise their bet and by doing so, they must match their ante bet to head into a showdown against the dealer.
- Six Card Bonus Bet: An additional bet offered by Evolution in their Live Three Card Poker game.
- Paytable: A table indicating the various pays and gaming outcomes for live three card poker. This can either be found on the screen or within one of the icons on the screen.
- Qualifying Hand: To qualify, the dealer must have at least a queen in his or her hand to go into a face-off with the player.
- Queen, 6, 4: This hand is the lowest possible hand to raise with when playing on the ante and the raise.
- Raise: The second bet placed by the player which must match your ante bet prior to heading into a showdown with the dealer.
- Random Number Generator (RNG): A sophisticated piece of software used to determine the outcome of the game when playing a non-live three card poker game.
- Shoe: This is where the cards are placed once shuffled.
- Side Bet: A bet separate to that of the ante bet which is often used to maximise the players chance of winning.
- Straight: Five cards in sequential rank from at least two different suits, example, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4 of at last two suits.
- Straight Flush: Five cards in sequence and all of the same suit, for example, 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5 of diamonds.
- Three-of-a-Kind: A hand consisting of three cards of the same rank, example; three King’s would beat a hand of three Jack’s.
- Win: Terms used when the player/dealer is successful.
