Casino Poker Guide
Casino poker covers every poker game in which you play against the house rather than against other players. There are two families. Video poker is a single-player draw game against a fixed paytable, and with correct play it has some of the lowest house edges in the casino. Banked table poker (Casino Hold’em, Three Card Poker, Caribbean Stud) puts you against a dealer who must qualify, with one or two decisions per hand. This guide compares both families and links to our detailed page on each game.
Player-versus-player poker, where the casino takes a rake, is a separate product. Its rules and strategy are covered in our Texas Hold’em pages below, but providing real-money online poker of that kind to people in Australia is prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
Casino Poker Games Compared
| Game | Opponent | Cards | Decisions | House edge (standard rules, correct play) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacks or Better 9/6 | Paytable | 5 + one draw | Which cards to hold | 0.46% |
| Deuces Wild (full pay) | Paytable | 5 + one draw | Which cards to hold | Player edge 0.76% |
| Casino Hold’em | Dealer (qualifies with pair of 4s) | 2 + 5 community | Call 2x or fold | 2.16% |
| Three Card Poker | Dealer (qualifies with Q-high) | 3 | Play 1x or fold | 3.37% |
| Caribbean Stud | Dealer (qualifies with A-K) | 5 | Raise 2x or fold | 5.22% |
Two patterns stand out. First, video poker returns more than any banked table game, but only on full-pay paytables and only with optimal hold decisions. Second, among the table games the edge rises as the dealer’s qualifying hand gets stronger and as your decision comes earlier in the hand.
How to Choose a Game
- Lowest edge, willing to learn a strategy chart: 9/6 Jacks or Better or full-pay Deuces Wild. Check the paytable first: a short-pay table can cost 2% to 5% more.
- Live dealer, simple decisions: Casino Hold’em (2.16%) is the lowest-edge banked poker table; you call about 82% of the time.
- Fast rounds and a single rule: Three Card Poker, where Q-6-4 decides every hand. The Pair Plus side bet costs 2.32% or 7.28% depending on one paytable line.
- Large paytable hits: Caribbean Stud pays up to 100 to 1 on the raise, at a 5.22% house edge.
What All Casino Poker Games Share
- The same hand rankings, with exceptions in Three Card Poker (straight beats flush) and wild-card video poker (five of a kind). Our hand rankings page lists them.
- Side bets cost more than the main game. The AA Bonus (6.26%), the 6 Card Bonus (8.56% or more) and progressive jackpot bets (often above 25%) are the most expensive parts of each table.
- Paytables decide the return. Read the help screen at every casino; the same game name can hide different payouts.
- Bonus wagering is limited. Video poker and live table poker often count 0% to 10% towards wagering requirements.
Where to Play Casino Poker
The casinos below list Evolution, whose live studios supply Casino Hold’em, 3 Card Poker and Caribbean Stud tables, and accept Australian players. Video poker depends on the RNG providers in each lobby, so check the game list for the specific variant.
All Casino Poker Guides
Video poker
- Video Poker Guide: how video poker works, how to read a paytable and which variants return 99% or more with correct play.
- Jacks or Better: the 9/6 paytable, hand frequencies and a 16-step hold strategy with worked examples.
- Deuces Wild: full-pay versus short-pay paytables and a hold strategy organised by the number of deuces dealt.
Banked table poker
- Casino Hold’em: ante and call rules, the pair-of-fours qualifier, the ante paytable and the AA Bonus side bet.
- Three Card Poker: three-card hand odds, the Q-6-4 rule, Ante Bonus, Pair Plus and 6 Card Bonus paytables.
- Caribbean Stud Poker: the ace-king qualifier, raise paytable, 5.22% edge and exact raise-or-fold rules.
Poker fundamentals
- Poker Hand Rankings: all ten hands with exact odds from five and seven cards, tie-break rules and game-specific changes.
- Texas Hold’em Rules: blinds, betting rounds, minimum raises, side pots, showdown and the Australian legal position.
- Poker Strategy Basics: starting hands, position, outs, pot odds and bankroll guidelines in numbers.
Related Guides
For other table games, see the blackjack guide and baccarat guide; for the live studio versions of these poker tables, see the live casino guide. The concept behind every figure on this page is explained in house edge explained. All game families are listed in our casino game guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Full-pay video poker: 9/6 Jacks or Better has a 0.46% edge and full-pay Deuces Wild a 0.76% player edge with optimal play. Among table games, Casino Hold’em is lowest at 2.16%.
In casino poker you play against the house’s paytable or a dealer, so there is no bluffing and the house has a fixed edge. In regular poker you play against other players and the house takes a rake from each pot.
Only one rule: play with Q-6-4 or better and fold anything lower. That gives the optimal 3.37% house edge on the standard paytable.
Providing or advertising real-money online poker to people in Australia is prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, and ACMA takes enforcement action against providers and promoters.
On cost, usually not. Side bets such as the AA Bonus (6.26%) or the Three Card Poker 6 Card Bonus (8.56% or more) have much higher edges than the main games.
Casino poker games carry a house edge on almost every bet. Play only if you are 18 or older; Gambling Help Online (1800 858 858) offers free, confidential support.