Pai Gow Casino
Pai Gow is available at most of the top online casinos and it is a title that seems to be rising in popularity. At www.mrgreencasino.co, Pai Gow can be played for cash prizes. The game is enjoyed by both new and seasoned casino players alike, thanks to easy rules and real payouts. The most popular version of this game is Pai Gow Poker which is a card based version of the Chinese game Pai Gow which uses dominoes instead of playing cards. On our site you will find information on how to play this casino title and the best sites to play at. And not just that. We recommend you to visit https://www.bonusparissportif.be/ and find all different types of no deposit bonuses and everything that affects the online sports betting world.
Best New Casinos With Pai Gow. Pai Gow is among the most unique games anyone can find in a casino. While most games are played by spinning reels or dealing cards, this game is played using dominoes (but there is a card version called Pai Gow Poker).
Pai Gow Casinos In Las Vegas
- All wins are even money Pai Gow. The Pai Gow card game is different from other forms of poker namely because the player does not compete with other players at the table. You will only compete against the house. What's more, in almost every Pai Gow poker casino, there is a significant house edge of between 2.5% and 2.7% when using a simplified.
- Pai Gow Poker has become one of the most popular casino table games. It involves the player competing against the banker to make the better low and high hand than the house. This is a slow-paced, relaxing game.
- Pai gow poker is the American version of pai gow – a Chinese dominoes game. Pai gow was introduced to the US market by Sam Torosian, who invented it based on the Asian model. Sadly for him, he didn’t patent it and ended up losing a potential fortune. The game quickly gained popularity and nowadays is considered a classic.
A belief that you can be blessed by the stars is reinforced by the zodiac casino gambling community. The website shows all the places where big winnings can be achieved. It is a guide with special bonus codes and links. The highlighted games are fantastic. The same thing can be said about the promos.
Online Pai Gow Poker
In some online casinos Pai Gow is referred to as double hand poker. The game has some unique features and is one of the few casino titles that uses the joker card. The game is played using a regular 52 card deck and the goal is to beat the dealer's hand.
The objective of the game is to make two poker hands with the 7 cards you are dealt. You have a hand with two cards and a hand with five cards. With your two card hand you can only make a pair or a high card. Most players will aim for a high card ace, a pair will nearly always guarantee your win. Hands are compared against the dealer's hand. Each hand is compared separately. Ties are won by the dealer.
The hand rankings usually follow traditional poker but it is important to check the rules with the online casino you choose to play Pai Gow at as there are some exceptions.
You can start learning and practicing Pai Gow Poker on free tables, and when you are ready to try it in real money casinos, you can take advantage of no deposit bonuses that can give you up to $100 free bankroll to start playing without risk, but with the possibility to win money if you are good and lucky.
Pai Gow Strategy
The best strategy is to get the highest two card hand as you can. Your five card hand must be stronger than your two card hand. Online Pai Gow usually has a wild joker that you can use to complete a straight or a flush or as an ace. You cannot use the joker to make a pair in your two card hand. If you aren't sure how to arrange your cards it is a good idea to click the 'house way' button. This is how the dealer's cards are organized and it is the preferred choice.
Choosing the Best Online Casinos
Looking for online casinos that offer Pai Gow games can be a chore and you might not know which one to pick. This is where we can help. All the online casinos listed on our site have been tested and reviewed. We only list those sites that are licensed and regulated and adhere to our strict guidelines. For all the high-roller players, we have the perfect match bonus casinos, to double the winnings and outcomes. It's essential to determine your game level before you get into high stakes games. Pick one of our Pai Gow casinos and you can enjoy all the fun in free play mode before you play for real money.
Pai gow is an American version of a Chinese domino game played with a deck of 52 cards. The game has fairly simple rules and can be played by up to 7 people with a low-risk game outcome. Most land-based and some online casino sites offer the game as a variant of poker offering players great rewards and better chances of honing their skills at the game.
Online casino sites such give every player an opportunity to try their luck with the game of Pai Gow. Signing up with their selection of casino websites is a good way to start a career in chance-based games which would ultimately be rewarding. Pai gow is a simple poker game played with a standard deck of cards. Online casino sites such as the one at this link offer a variety of poker games including pai gow.
Pai Gow is a recent invention Bell Card Club owner Sam Torosian. The game is not well-known amongst poker players although it is offered in most casino sites as an interesting variant of poker. Sam Torosian's variation of the poker game became a success in his casino and was adapted by other gambling houses.
The Difference of Pai Gow from Other Poker Games
Poker is a card game with different variants and can be played in various location-based or online gaming sites. Games such as 5-Card Stud, Omaha, High/Low Chicago, Texas Hold'em, and Pai Gow are some of its variants. The difference between these popular poker games is the number of cards each player is handed, and specific variation to the rules and card combinations.
Being one of the most popular game in both online and live casinos Pai Gow can be a fun and interesting game to indulge yourself in.
On a typical Pai Gow poker game, 52 cards are used including one joker which is a wild card. Every player is handed seven cards creating a combination of 5 high cards than the remaining 2 low hand cards. The joker can be used as an ace, or to complete a certain hand such as a straight, flush, straight flush, or royal flush.
Before a deal happens, every player must put a wager and the dealer will deal with each player handing them 7 cards each. One similarity Pai Gow has with other poker games is it uses the standard ranking rules with only one exception. A straight combination of A2345 is considered as the highest second straight and not the first.
The five-hand card is ranked based on the standard poker rules with the 5-card hand having a higher value than the 2 other cards. Winning both comparisons mean winning the bet and certain other rules apply to determine who wins in cases of ties.
What makes Pai Gow different from other casino games is that a player can be against the dealer and other participants in the game. Acting as the 'bank' rotates amongst the players and can be turn-bases between each player and the dealer.
The Odds of Winning in a Game of Pai Gow
There are certain strategies a player can use to increase his chances of winning the game. Acting as the bank is one way to increase those chances and can be a way to have an edge over other players.
A strategic betting can also influence the outcome of the game. When you are playing as the bank increasing your bet can have a tremendous effect as opposed to one acting as a player. Increasing the size of your wager when you are the bank would make your odds better in winning a game of Pai Gow.
It is also important to understand that Pai Gow has low-risk returns and a player's profits may take some time to accumulate. Bonus bets can be a way to increase chances of higher returns as it involves getting paid by another player with a good hand.
| # | Casino Name | Bonus | Review | Visit |
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| 1 | Jackpot City | $1600 | Microgaming | Visit Site |
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- House Way Strategies
- Player Strategies
- Miscellaneous
On This Page
Introduction
Pai gow is the oldest of the casino games. It easily pre-dates roulette and baccarat. How such a complicated game ever got started, I have always wondered. Indeed, pai gow is a difficult game to learn. The concept is the same as pai gow poker, where both player and banker make high and low hands, and then compare against each other. What makes pai gow difficult is there is order of hands and tiles seems largely random, and is difficult to memorize.
What I love about pai gow is that for bankroll preservation, there is nothing that beats it. The pace is slow at about 30 hands per hour, and 41% of hands result in a push. If you are a pale-face, like me, you'll impress the dealer and some other players that you even understand it. However, some Asians immediately leave the table when I sit down, as if I'm unlucky. Don't be scared to try the game, even if you know nothing about the rules. You can always ask the dealer to set your hands according to the 'house way.' Better yet, keep reading to learn more about the game.
Rules
Following are the primary rules when it comes to pai gow. Each casino may have some its own fine points when it comes to player banking and prepaying the 5% commission.
- Pai gow is played with a set of 32 dominoes displayed below.
- Each player and dealer will be given four tiles.
- The player will separate his tiles into low and high hands. The player does not need to specify which is higher, as this will be obvious.
- Each pair of tiles will have a ranking order as follows:
- Pair: There are 16 pairs, as shown in the image above. The tiles are pictures in rank order, starting at the upper left, and reading like a page to the bottom right.
- Wong: This is a 2 or 12 tile with any 9 tile.
- Gong: This is a 2 or 12 tile with any 8 tile.
- 9 to 0 points (the more the better): For all other 2-tile hands, the total number of dots will be taken, and the terminal digit is used to determine the number of points (as in baccarat). For example, a 10 and 9 tile is worth 9 points; a 4 and 7 tile is worth 1 point.
- An exception to the above rule is that the two tiles in the highest ranking 'Gee Joon' pair are semi-wild and are worth either 3 or 6 points, whichever results in a higher total. For example, when combined with a 4-point tile, a Gee Joon tile counts as 3 points to make a 7-point hand, instead of counting as 6 points to make a 0-point hand.
- The player's high hand will be compared to the dealer's high hand, and the player's low hand compared to the dealer's low hand (as in pai gow poker).
- If both player and dealer have a Wong, Gong, or 1 to 9 points, the tie will be broken according to which hand has the higher-ranked high tile.
- If the high tile does not break the tie then the win will go to the banker.
- A 0-0 tie always goes to the banker.
- When using high tiles to break a tie, the rank order is the same as the pair order (see picture above), except the two tiles in the highest 'gee joon' pair are ranked lowest individually and will therefore never be a hand's high tile.
- If the player wins both hands he will win even money, less a 5% commission. If the player wins one and loses one then his wager will push. If the dealer wins both then the player will lose his wager.
- At most casinos, the turn to be banker rotates around the table. At some casinos, such as Foxwoods, the turn to be banker zig-zags between the player(s) and dealer, meaning that the dealer must bank at least every other hand.
- The player may invoke his turn to bank whenever it is his turn, although most players decline.
- The banker plays against every other player at the table and the dealer. The dealer will wager the same amount the player wagered the last time the dealer was the banker. More often than not, other players will sit out the hand when another player is banking, letting him or her take on the dealer alone.
Strategy
My assistant and I have spent lots of time studying and developing pai gow strategy. Here are the strategies we have come up with so far:- Wizard Basic Strategy (added Oct. 25, 2017)
A reader known as Charlie combined various parts of these strategies to create a nearly optimal strategy he could fit on a sheet of paper. He was nice enough to share it with us.
For a graphic version, click the image above for a larger version. I also have a PDF version (149K).
We also have the following strategy charts showing the correct play for every possible combination under three banking scenarios:
The next table shows the possible outcomes and house edge under various strategies, banking or not banking, and whether prepaying the commission. The table assumes the player is playing against the Foxwoods house way and a 5% commission. If the player prepays the commission, which is sometimes allowed, the house edge is reduced by 0.07%.
Pai Gow House Edge
Coushatta Slot Winners
| Your Strategy | Banking? | Prob. Win | Prob. Loss | Prob. Push | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House Way | No | 29.21% | 30.18% | 40.61% | 2.44% |
| House Way | Yes | 30.18% | 29.21% | 40.61% | 0.53% |
| Wizard Basic Strategy | No | ? | ? | ? | 1.98% |
| Wizard Basic Strategy | Yes | ? | ? | ? | 0.08% |
| Wizard Way | No | 29.07% | 29.5% | 41.43% | 1.88% |
| Wizard Way | Yes | 30.03% | 28.55% | 41.42% | 0.02% |
| J.B. Simple | No | 29.29% | 29.72% | 41.00% | 1.90% |
| J.B. Simple | Yes | 30.18% | 28.76% | 41.06% | 0.10% |
| J.B. Advanced Strategy without exceptions | No | 29.37% | 29.74% | 40.89% | 1.84% |
| J.B. Advanced Strategy without exceptions | Yes | 30.26% | 28.77% | 40.97% | 0.03% |
| Optimal | No | 29.42% | 29.60% | 40.98% | 1.66% |
| Optimal | Yes | 30.21% | 28.52% | 41.27% | -0.20% |
Inefficiencies in the standard casino house way cost the casino about 0.75% compared to optimal house strategy. If both player and dealer played optimal strategy, the house edge to the player when banking would be 0.54%, and when not banking 2.38%. For more on this topic see JB's optimal house strategy comparison table (24K). To see an enormous document on the actual optimal house strategies see JB's optimal house strategy charts (735K). I'm quite sure this is the first time it has ever been put in writing.
The perfect hand, seen at the Peppermill
in Reno. The odds are 1 in 35,960.
Prepaying the Commission
Some casinos let the player prepay the 5% commission. For example, betting $105 to win $100. This lowers the overall commission to 1/21, or 4.76%. The effect on the house edge is a reduction of 0.07%. This is an option the player should always invoke when available, yet many don't.
Betting 10% Extra as Banker
Some casinos let the player bet up to 10% more than he wagered against the dealer the last time the dealer was the banker. Assuming the player is banking every other hand, this lowers the combined house edge between banking and not banking by 0.07%.
Co-Banking
The player may make a back wager on the player acting as banker up to the amount he bet against the dealer the last time the dealer was banking. However, the player will forfeit his own turn to bank if he invokes this option. This rule will not have an effect on the overall house edge if the player is trying to maximize his action as banker (which he should), but can make the game more enjoyable if playing with friends. Rather than sitting out a hand where your friend is banking you can co-bank with him, so you're always in the game.
Calculator
My pai gow calculator will tell you the expected value and/or strategy for any hand, with lots of other features including the effect of tiles known to be held by other players or your opponent.
Power Ratings
The following table shows the power ratings for each hand. There are four columns of power ratings, according to whether the hand is high or low, and whether the player is acting as banker or not. The power ratings are on a 0 to 100 scale, which represents the probability an opponent playing the Foxwoods house way will beat that hand.
A practical application of this table is to add the two power ratings for the three ways to set a hand, and set it the way with the highest power rating sum.
Power Ratings in Pai Gow
| Hand | Low Hand Not Banking | High Hand Not Banking | Low Hand Banking | High Hand Banking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gee joon | 100 | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| 6/6 pair | 100 | 98 | 100 | 99 |
| 1/1 pair | 100 | 97 | 100 | 98 |
| 4/4 pair | 100 | 96 | 100 | 97 |
| 1/3 pair | 100 | 95 | 100 | 96 |
| 5/5 pair | 100 | 94 | 100 | 95 |
| 3/3 pair | 100 | 93 | 100 | 94 |
| 2/2 pair | 100 | 92 | 100 | 93 |
| 5/6 pair | 100 | 90 | 100 | 92 |
| 4/6 pair | 100 | 89 | 100 | 90 |
| 1/6 pair | 100 | 88 | 100 | 89 |
| 1/5 pair | 100 | 87 | 100 | 88 |
| Mixed 9 pair | 100 | 86 | 100 | 87 |
| Mixed 8 pair | 100 | 85 | 100 | 86 |
| Mixed 7 pair | 100 | 84 | 100 | 85 |
| Mixed 5 pair | 100 | 83 | 100 | 84 |
| Wong with 6/6 | 100 | 80 | 100 | 83 |
| Wong with 1/1 | 99 | 78 | 100 | 80 |
| Gong with 6/6 | 99 | 73 | 99 | 78 |
| Gong with 1/1 | 99 | 67 | 99 | 73 |
| 9 with 6/6 | 98 | 61 | 99 | 67 |
| 9 with 1/1 | 97 | 54 | 98 | 61 |
| 9 with 4/4 | 97 | 53 | 97 | 54 |
| 9 with 1/3 | 96 | 50 | 97 | 53 |
| 9 with 5/5 | 96 | 49 | 96 | 50 |
| 9 with 3/3 | 95 | 47 | 96 | 49 |
| 9 with 2/2 | 94 | 45 | 95 | 47 |
| 9 with 5/6 | 94 | 44 | 94 | 45 |
| 9 with 4/6 | 93 | 43 | 94 | 44 |
| 9 with 1/5 | 92 | 42 | 93 | 43 |
| 8 with 6/6 | 90 | 40 | 92 | 42 |
| 8 with 1/1 | 89 | 39 | 90 | 40 |
| 8 with 4/4 | 88 | 38 | 89 | 39 |
| 8 with 1/3 | 87 | 35 | 88 | 38 |
| 8 with 5/5 | 86 | 35 | 87 | 35 |
| 8 with 5/6 | 84 | 33 | 86 | 35 |
| 8 with 4/6 | 84 | 32 | 84 | 33 |
| 8 with 2/3 | 82 | 31 | 84 | 32 |
| 7 with 6/6 | 82 | 31 | 82 | 31 |
| 7 with 1/1 | 81 | 30 | 82 | 31 |
| 7 with 4/4 | 81 | 29 | 81 | 30 |
| 7 with 1/2 | 79 | 28 | 81 | 29 |
| 7 with 5/5 | 78 | 26 | 79 | 28 |
| 7 with 3/3 | 76 | 25 | 78 | 26 |
| 7 with 2/2 | 75 | 24 | 76 | 25 |
| 7 with 5/6 | 72 | 22 | 75 | 24 |
| 7 with 4/6 | 71 | 21 | 72 | 22 |
| 7 with 3/6 | 69 | 20 | 71 | 21 |
| 6 with 6/6 | 68 | 19 | 69 | 20 |
| 6 with 1/1 | 67 | 18 | 68 | 19 |
| 6 with 4/4 | 66 | 17 | 67 | 18 |
| 6 with 5/5 | 61 | 15 | 66 | 17 |
| 6 with 3/3 | 60 | 15 | 61 | 15 |
| 6 with 5/6 | 59 | 14 | 60 | 15 |
| 6 with 4/6 | 56 | 13 | 59 | 14 |
| 6 with 1/6 | 55 | 12 | 56 | 13 |
| 6 with 3/6 | 54 | 12 | 55 | 12 |
| 5 with 4/4 | 52 | 11 | 54 | 12 |
| 5 with 1/3 | 51 | 10 | 52 | 11 |
| 5 with 5/5 | 49 | 10 | 51 | 10 |
| 5 with 3/3 | 48 | 9 | 49 | 10 |
| 5 with 2/2 | 47 | 8 | 48 | 9 |
| 5 with 4/6 | 45 | 8 | 47 | 8 |
| 5 with 1/6 | 44 | 7 | 45 | 8 |
| 5 with 1/5 | 43 | 7 | 44 | 7 |
| 5 with 3/6 | 42 | 7 | 43 | 7 |
| 5 with 2/6 | 40 | 6 | 42 | 7 |
| 4 with 6/6 | 40 | 6 | 40 | 6 |
| 4 with 4/4 | 37 | 5 | 40 | 6 |
| 4 with 1/3 | 33 | 5 | 37 | 5 |
| 4 with 5/5 | 31 | 4 | 33 | 5 |
| 4 with 3/3 | 30 | 4 | 31 | 4 |
| 4 with 2/2 | 29 | 4 | 30 | 4 |
| 4 with 1/6 | 27 | 3 | 29 | 4 |
| 4 with 1/5 | 26 | 3 | 27 | 3 |
| 4 with 3/6 | 25 | 3 | 26 | 3 |
| 4 with 2/6 | 24 | 3 | 25 | 3 |
| 3 with 6/6 | 24 | 3 | 24 | 3 |
| 3 with 1/1 | 23 | 2 | 24 | 3 |
| 3 with 4/4 | 22 | 2 | 23 | 2 |
| 3 with 1/3 | 21 | 2 | 22 | 2 |
| 3 with 3/3 | 20 | 1 | 21 | 2 |
| 3 with 2/2 | 19 | 1 | 20 | 1 |
| 3 with 1/6 | 18 | 1 | 19 | 1 |
| 3 with 1/5 | 18 | 1 | 18 | 1 |
| 3 with 2/6 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 1 |
| 3 with 3/4 | 17 | 1 | 17 | 1 |
| 2 with 6/6 | 16 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| 2 with 1/1 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| 2 with 4/4 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| 2 with 1/3 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2 with 3/3 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2 with 2/2 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 2 with 1/6 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 2 with 3/4 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 1 with 1/3 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 1 with 5/5 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 1 with 3/3 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 1 with 2/2 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 1 with 5/6 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 1 with 1/5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Zero | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
The following graph shows how often the House Way will make each type of hand out of all 35960 combinations.
Suzie with a rare two pair.
The House Way
I'm proud to provide the following pai gow house ways. Most of them were rewritten into my own words. The one from the MGM is taken directly from their own rules and procedures on the game:
- MGM Grand (PDF -- 1,180 K)
- Marina Bay Sands (Singapore) (PDF -- 483K)
Where to Play
The following is a list of games I am aware of in the U.S.. I'm sure there are some I don't know about. Feel free to tell me if you are aware of others.
- Las Vegas: Aria, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Encore, Harrah's, Lucky Dragon, MGM Grand, Mirage, Palace Station, Palazzo, Paris, Rio, Venetian, and Wynn. The Treasure Island and Mandalay Bay don't staff a table on a regular basis any longer, but may open one if a whale requests it.
- Atlantic City: Most, if not all, casinos.
- Connecticut: Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods.
- Indiana: Hammond Horseshoe, Southern Indiana Horseshoe.
- Lake Tahoe: Harrah's.
- Maryland: Horseshoe Baltimore. (unconfirmed)
- Pennsylvania: Sands Bethlehem, Mount Airy Casino in Mt Pocono (unconfirmed), Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs near Scranton (unconfirmed), Sugar House Casino in Philadelphia (unconfirmed), Valley Forge Casino near King of Prussia, and Parx Casino near Bensalem (unconfirmed).
- Reno: Peppermill, Silver Legacy.
Play for Fun
Pai gow is a game that cries out for a way to practice before making a fool of yourself and blowing your money in a casino. For this reason please try my pai gow game.
Internal Links
- The Legend Behind Pai Gow — The story behind the game.
- Bonaza Pai Gow — Side bet seen at the Crown Casino in Melbourne.
- Pair Fortunes — Side bet seen at the Palace Station in Las Vegas.
- Pai Gow Game.
- Pai Gow Calculator.
External Links
- Pai Gow rules in Macau at WizardOfMacau.com.
- Where to play Pai Gow at Harrah's properties.
Acknowledgements
- Pai Gow Without Tears by Bill Zender. The author kindly gave me a copy of his booklet to help with my research on pai gow. If you are interested in the book it may be purchased from the Gambler's Book Club for $20.00.
- A Detailed Study of Pai Gow by Dr. John M.Gwynn, Jr. This study appears in the book Finding the Edge (Edited by Olaf Vancura, Judy A.Collins, and William R. Eadington).
- The many people who supplied me with house ways, which are not easy to get.
Written by:Michael Shackleford