Ante up. Three cards. Play or fold.
Play with Q-6-4 or better.
Fold everything else.
Ante Bonus:
Straight: 1:1
Three of a Kind: 4:1
Straight Flush: 5:1
Pair Plus Payouts:
Pair: 1:1
Flush: 3:1
Straight: 6:1
Three of a Kind: 30:1
Straight Flush: 40:1
Three Card Poker is a fast-paced casino table game where you compete against the dealer with just three cards. Unlike traditional poker, there are no draws or community cards -- just your three cards against the dealer's three. Three Card Poker was invented in 1994 and is now the most profitable proprietary table game in casino history. The game combines the excitement of poker hand rankings with the simplicity of a single decision: play or fold.
Start by placing an Ante bet and an optional Pair Plus side bet. You receive three cards face-up while the dealer's cards remain hidden. If you like your hand, place a Play bet equal to your Ante. If not, fold and forfeit your Ante. The dealer then reveals their cards -- they need Queen-high or better to qualify. If the dealer doesn't qualify, your Ante pays even money and your Play bet pushes. If the dealer qualifies, the highest hand wins. Ante Bonuses pay extra for premium hands regardless of the outcome.
The optimal strategy is to play with Queen-6-4 or better and fold with anything worse. This means if your highest card is a Queen, your second card must be 6 or higher, and if your second card is also a 6, your third card must be 4 or higher. Any hand with a King or better as the highest card should always be played.
The Pair Plus is an optional side bet that pays based solely on your hand strength, regardless of the dealer's hand or whether the dealer qualifies. It pays 1:1 for a Pair, 3:1 for a Flush, 6:1 for a Straight, 30:1 for Three of a Kind, and 40:1 for a Straight Flush.
The dealer must have Queen-high or better to qualify. If the dealer doesn't qualify, the Ante bet pays even money and the Play bet pushes (is returned to you). If the dealer does qualify, the higher hand wins both the Ante and Play bets at even money.
Last updated: April 2026 · whatifs.fun