How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker

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Betting on the Game

Caribbean Stud is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. Each player will have a spot where they will place two bets, the ante and the bet. The ante bet is required and once all of these bets are placed, the dealer will deal five cards to every player as well as themselves. The top card of the dealer hand will be revealed and if players have a hand that can offer a payout based on the pay table, they will have to place the additional bet, which will be twice the amount of the ante bet. This puts the player in play and they will then compare hands against the dealer.

About Dealer Qualification

Once players have made their decisions on whether they fold or place the bet, the dealer will reveal all cards and arrange them so that the highest ranking poker hand is showing. The dealer will then have to qualify, meaning they have to hold an Ace/King or better. If the dealer does not have a qualifying hand, all players that placed the bet will win, but will only win the ante bet. The other bet will simply be returned with no profit.

If the dealer does qualify, then players will have to beat the dealer hand by having a better ranking poker hand. Should the player win, they will receive even money on the ante bet and will get paid on the other bet based on the pay table. The lowest payout is 1:1 for one pair or lower. The highest payout if for a Royal Flush, which will pay 100:1.

Progressive Side Bet

With Caribbean Stud, there is a $1 side bet that can be placed for the chance to win a progressive jackpot. When this bet is placed, players can win even if dealer does not have a qualifying hand. When this bet is placed, players will have the chance to win a huge jackpot, which is often worth over $100,000. When players have a flush or better in their hand, they will win a portion of the jackpot based on the hand value. Flush hands usually win between $50 and $100. A Full House will win between $75 and $250. Four of a Kind hands win between $100 and $500 and a Straight Flush will provide players with 10% of the jackpot amount. Getting a Royal Flush with this side bet will award the entire jackpot.

Game Strategy

To increase the chances of winning, players should always bet if they are holding a pair or a better ranking hand. They should also bet if they are just holding an Ace King and if one other card is matching the dealer’s revealed card. Players should bet with an Ace, King Queen or an Ace, King Jack hand as well as an Ace, King Queen if one remaining card is higher than the dealer card.