Think You Have The Skill (And Luck) To Play 888 Casino’s Three Card Poker?

Updated on September 6, 2018
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The average NJ gambling website game doesn’t have much scope for getting ahead using betting strategies.

When you play slots, you set your bet size and spin. With roulette, it’s much the same story. Baccarat allows you to choose between the bank and player hand but nothing more than that. In reality, there are only a handful of games where you can squeeze an element of skill into the mix and hope to swing the odds in your favor.

Blackjack is the obvious game and video poker is another. However, there is a third and that game is casino poker.

Available in a variety of formats, this game is based on the game you’d commonly see played at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Yes, the rules are slightly different and there is a greater level of luck involved.

But, if you know how to play your cards, there’s an element of skill to this game.

Three’s the magic number

When you log in to 888 Casino, the live dealer lobby now offers a variant known as Three Card Poker.

Essentially a scaled down version of Texas Hold’em, the aim of the game is to make a better hand than the dealer. Now, before we go into the why you should understand basic poker theory, let’s take you through the rules. At the start of a round, you’ll have to place an ante bet of at least $1. This enters you into the game and allows you to see the three cards.

Once you’ve received your hand, you can choose to play or fold. If you elect to play, you’ll have to match your ante bet. When all the bets are in, the dealer reveals their hand and the best one wins based on the rankings below (highest to lowest):

  • Royal Flush
  • Straight Flush
  • Three of a Kind
  • Straight
  • Flush
  • Pair
  • High Card

You vs. the dealer at 888 Casino

For the dealer’s hand to qualify, they need queen-high or better. If the dealer doesn’t qualify, you win by default. If they do, the best-ranked hand takes it.

Three Card Poker payouts

  • Dealer doesn’t qualify = 1:1 on your ante bet/Push on your play bet
  • Dealer qualifies and you win = 1:1 on your ante and play bets.
  • Dealer qualifies and you lose = You lose your ante and play bets.
  • Dealer qualifies and you tie = You push you ante and play bets.

On top of the standard payouts, this live dealer game has a few aces up its sleeve. Firstly, if you’re dealt a straight, three of a kind, or straight flush, you get a bonus worth between 1X and 5X your ante bet. To play for more bonuses, you can place two additional wagers:

Pair Plus Bet: If your three cards make anything from a pair or up, you’ll win money on top of your ante and play bets. Pair Plus payouts range from 1:1 to 100:1.

Six Card Bonus: If yours and the dealer’s cards make a ranked five-card poker hand, you’ll win a bonus. The qualifying hands range from three of a kind (1:1) to a royal flush (1,000:1).

Big decisions can lead to big wins

As you can see, there are plenty of decisions to be made and, moreover, a ton of money to be won. Indeed, a $1 Six Card Bonus bet could return you $1,000 if the stars aligned.

Now, there are a few ways you can think like a poker pro and get the most out of this game. The first is to ignore the bonus bets. Even though they have the greatest potential, they’ll eat away at your profits because they rarely win. The second thing you can do is to understand what constitutes a strong hand and what doesn’t.

The key to knowing whether you should play or fold is to look at the dealer’s requirements. We know the dealer needs at least a queen to qualify and the game uses a 52-card deck. This means they need at least one of 12 cards to qualify.

If you’re holding two of those cards, the chances of the dealer meeting the minimum requirement goes down. Therefore, if you have at least a queen in your hand, it’s worth playing.

Play your pairs at 888 Casino’s live dealer table

Building on this, any pair or better should be an automatic play. Why? Because it’s hard to make a pair in poker. The final tip to keep is never bet more than you can afford.

All professional poker players live and die by their bankroll management skills. If you start betting too much, a bad run can cripple your finances. As a general rule, we’d suggest taking no more than 5 percent of your bankroll to the table. Doing that should allow you to profit when times are good and survive when they’re not.

Away from any strategic considerations, Three Card Poker at 888 Casino is a fun game. Even if you’re not a poker expert, it’s easy to learn and there are plenty of ways to win.

Of course, the game’s RTP is 96.63 percent and there’s an element of luck involved. This means you can’t ever guarantee a win. Even if you employ some of our tips, there’s always a chance things will go against you. However, if you follow some basic strategy, learn to manage your money, and enjoy the experience, you’ll get a lot out of Three Card Poker at 888 Casino.

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