Live Three Card Poker - Game Play and Game Rules

Each Live Three Card Poker game begins with players placing a bet (or ‘ante’) in front of the seat they occupy. This is a mandatory bet before the cards are dealt. Minimum and maximum bet limits apply. Players can also make one or two optional bonus bets (see below).

The dealer then announces, “No more bets”. All players and the dealer then each receive three cards. The dealer’s cards are dealt face down, while the players’ cards are dealt face up.

After examining their three cards, each player has the option to make a Play bet (which must be equal to that player’s Ante bet) or to Fold (i.e. decide not to continue and therefore forfeit any bets they have placed).  With the Ante and Play bets, the player plays head-to-head against the dealer.

The dealer then reveals their hand. The dealer requires a ‘queen high’ or better to play. Therefore, the dealer will announce, “Dealer doesn’t play” or “Dealer plays with a queen”, depending on what hand they have.

• If the dealer has less than queen high, the Play bet pushes and the Ante bet is paid 1:1
• If the dealer qualifies to play, the player’s hand is compared with the dealer’s hand and the higher-ranking poker hand wins.
• If the player has the higher-ranking poker hand, the Ante and Play bets both pay even money.
• If the dealer has the higher-ranking poker hand, the player loses both the Ante and Play bets.
• If the player and dealer tie (i.e. they have equal-ranking poker hands), the Ante and Play bets are a push*. 
• If the player gets a Straight or better, the player receives an Ante Bonus, regardless of the value of the dealer’s hand. Please note that the player has to call/play his hand to receive the Ante bonus.
• The Pair Plus Bonus and the 6 Card Bonus bet are quite separate to the Ante and Play bets; they pay entirely based on the value of the player’s hand.

The dealer completes the game by reconciling the hands of those players who have not folded. The bets are reconciled in the following order: Play bet first, the Ante Bonus second, the Ante bet third then the Pair Plus Bonus bet and the 6 Card Bonus bet last.

*Push is a tied hand between the player and dealer. In this instance, your wager is returned.

See the hierarchy of poker hands.

Players must place an ante at the start of each game, but also have the option to place two separate bonus bets, Pair Plus Bonus bet and the 6 Card Bonus bet.

Players must place an ante at the start of each game, but also have the option to place two separate bonus bets, Pair Plus Bonus bet and the 6 Card Bonus bet.

Having placed the Ante bet, the player will receive an Ante Bonus if their hand is a Straight or better. This bonus is paid regardless of the value of the dealer’s hand.

This is an optional side bet. The player’s objective is to make a pair or better. If the player achieves this, they win, irrespective of the dealer’s hand. To place this bonus bet the player must first place the Ante bet.

This is an optional side bet. The player’s objective is to make the best five-card poker hand they can by combining the player’s three cards and the dealer’s three cards. This bet pays on Three of a Kind or better, as shown in the 6 Card Bonus bet payout table.

The player can win with this bet irrespective of the dealer’s hand. To place this bonus bet the player must first place the Ante bet.

The theoretical return to player (RTP) in Live Three Card Poker is as follows:

Ante bet: 96.63%

Pair Plus bet: 95.51%

6 Card Bonus bet: 91.44%