Pai Gow is from an ancient Chinese game that used dominoes to achieve winning stacks of two and three. The live casino version uses cards in place of dominoes, but the rules and aims remain. Winning happens by having both hands being superior to those of the dealer. This requires considerable skill and strategy.
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Pai Gow is a popular game in live casinos. A casino game with a very low house edge, providing the player takes full advantage of the possibilities. The game pits seven players against the bank and is played using a set of 32 tiles, similar in shape to domino tiles, but with different amounts of dots on them. There is no need to look any further to find live casinos that´s offering Pai Gow. Live CasinoRank has compiled an endless list of live casinos offering Pai Gow for players to enjoy this exceptional live game.
What is Pai Gow?
How to play live Pai Gow Poker online
Pai Gow poker, also known as double-hand poker, is a variant of the original Pai-Gow that uses playing cards instead of Chinese dominoes. Sam Torosian, who owned the Bell Card Club, is credited for introducing the new version in the United States back in 1985. The game fast gained popularity in the US and quickly realized global recognition by the early 90s.
Live Pai Gow rules pai
To play live online Pai Gow Poker, it´s essential to understand the rules. Pai-Gow employs a standard deck of cards, 53 cards, and a single joker. It is played on a table set for one dealer and six players. The main goal for players is to beat the banker, who can be the dealer or another player.
Punters strive to create a five-card poker hand and another two-hand from the seven cards they are dealt. The five-card hand typically must be of a higher rank than the two-card hand.
During normal gameplay, the joker is usually used as a bug. That means it can complete a flush or a straight in the five-card hand or otherwise as an ace.
The goal of Pai Gow:
- To beat the bank, you make two poker hands with the seven of the dealt cards.
- A five-card “high” hand (also known as the back hand/big hand)
- A two-card “low” hand (also known as the front hand/small hand)
Your high hand must beat your low hand. If, for example, your low hand is a pair of queens then your high hand must be better than a pair of queens.
It is essential to note that Pai-Gow poker rules vary depending on the online live casino you are playing at. Thus, players should check with the casino to get acquainted with the rules first.
Fundamental live Pai-Gow tips for beginners
Live Pai-Gow is slow-paced but usually quite thrilling to most players. The game also has a fairly low house edge, which is what most punters prefer generally. Playing smart and splitting cards is key to winning in the game. A few tips, such as the ones highlighted below, could go a long way to enhancing a player's winning chances.
- Know the Game Rules and Objectives
The most obvious tip, especially for beginners, is to know their way around the game. That includes all the significant game rules and the objectives to which they should be playing. For example, players must know and understand hand rankings used in the game to make reasonable and informed gaming decisions. The learning curve for the game is usually relatively short for most punters.
- Learn Mistakes to Avoid
Another essential tip for players is learning all the common mistakes they can potentially make in the game. For example, players should avoid side bets irrespective of how attractive they may appear. That is because they usually have far fewer winning odds and feature high house edge.
Another common mistake is arranging the two hands such that the two-card hand ranks higher than the five-card hand, which results in an automatic loss. Learning more about possible mistakes helps players to avoid making the mistakes.
- Manage Your Bankroll
Bankroll management is key for a player to walk away from a live Pai-Gow game as a winner. A player should know how much, when, and on what to bet. The decisions regarding bankroll management should not be based on emotions or particular turnouts of the game.
Live Pai Gow poker strategy
Although this might not have anything to do with the gaming strategy, the first step to winning at Pai-Gow poker is finding the right online casino. Players should choose reputable online casinos that offer transparency to ensure that the live game is fair and payments are genuinely made.
Getting acquainted with proven strategies is key to making the most out of the game. A Pai Gow strategy helps eliminate any guesswork in the game and helps avoid involving emotions.
There are numerous effective strategies that a player can learn and use in different situations. Here are a few strategies to keep in mind:
- Pay attention to the odds
With over 154,143,0880 possible combinations, it is always important for a player to know how likely to get a specific hand from dealt cards. The lower the probability, the higher the chances of winning.
- Play as a banker
The banker is often viewed as an opponent to all other players. While this is primarily viewed as the banker's role, you can always choose to be the banker for one reason- you are assured of a win for every tie.
- Know when to walk away
Accepting losses and knowing when to walk away is undoubtedly strategic. While most players see chasing losses as a good way to get on top of things, more often than not, it pans out to be too costly.
How to win at Pai Gow:
Understanding the poker game deck is a must to be able to play PaiGow poker.
Once your hands are set it is up to the dealer to reveal them alongside with the banker's hand and here there are 3 possible outcomes:
- The player wins both hands and wins their bet.
- The dealer wins both hands and the player loses their bet.
- The player wins one hand and the dealer wins the other, in which case the hand is a push and no money exchanges hands (except the commission–more on this later).
The trick is to set your Pai Gow hand, and this is done with a good knowledge of the game.
Live dealer Pai-Gow Poker software providers
When looking for a casino offering Pai-Gow Poker, playing games from industry-leading developers is always a good idea. Here are some renowned Pai Gow software developers.
BetConstruct Pai-Gow Poker
BetConstruct is a renowned gaming software developer. Their live Pai-Gow poker game stands out for having an AI-powered tool that recognizes game flow and provides accurate technical analysis and data that improves user experience. The game also has an attractive user interface that is suitable for both experienced players and newbies.
AIS Technolabs Pai-Gow
The AIS Technolabs software developers also have a live Pai-Gow game in their portfolio. The company is an 'underdog' in the online games developing world but has significantly outshone most top companies regarding live Pai-Gow. Their game offers players a platform that is unique and entertaining. Players can join a Pai Gow table from anywhere in the world, where they will meet a live dealer who runs the game.
Microgaming
Microgaming has not yet released a specific live Pai-Gow game software. However, most online casinos have found ways to integrate most features of their virtual game with live features, which seems to be working well. Most online live casinos offer it as a beta version, though.
Despite Pai-Gow's growing popularity, most gaming software developers are yet to release live game versions of their software.
Best payment methods at Pai Gow live casinos pai gow online casino
When players head to play Pai Gow in an online live casino, they have a number of different options open to them as they pay. Take a look at some of the most popular payment options available.
- Credit and debit cards like Maestro, Mastercard and Visa cards
- Pre-paid options like the Paysafecard
- Popular payment platforms like PayPal
- Payment apps that originated in the same Asian communities as Pai Gow, such as Alipay
- Leading cryptocurrencies and wallets, most commonly Bitcoin
- Payment apps on smartphone and tablet devices, such as ApplePay
- Payment gateways like ecoPayz and others
Top Pai Gow bonus offers
Live casinos often provide bonuses to players when they play Pai Gow. Take a look at some of the most commonly seen Pai Gow bonuses and payouts in live casinos around the world.
- Deposit bonuses to welcome players — New sign-ups may receive a deposit bonus. This could be the full amount of the deposit provided as a free gift, or it might simply be a percentage of the bonus.
- Bonuses for returning customers — Returning customers may also receive bonuses, perhaps in the form of cashback or free tries at Pai Gow games.
- Pai Gow cashback bonuses — If losses are sustained while playing Pai Gow, the live casino may offer a cashback bonus to recoup this.
- Free tries at Pai Gow — Sometimes the casino will give players free tries on Pai Gow games as a live casino bonus.
Pai Gow bonuses — What to bear in mind
There are a few points that players should bear in mind when choosing bonuses.
- Loyalty bonuses may provide more benefits in the long term than a welcome bonus.
- Even experienced Pai Gow players can benefit from free tries on the game.
- Unfortunately, users of some payment methods will be excluded from accessing some types of bonuses.
Pai Gow Payouts
Players are usually allowed to exit a table at some point. That is usually a good idea for players who have won and are ahead of the game. In such cases, the players can submit a withdrawal request to the casino to get their funds transferred to their preferred banking accounts. The withdrawal processing time usually varies among different online casinos and also depends on the transfer method used.
What do players need to look out for when they compare Pai Gow payouts? Take a look at some key factors.
- The RTP offered by the live casino on the Pai Gow poker payout
- The house edge taken by the live casino
- The Pai Gow Poker online casino odds for each live game
- Players should beware that taxes, and at times other fees, are usually deducted from winnings. That means that the players' real cash from their winnings is marginally lower than the actual amount they win. The tax and fee amounts typically vary based on jurisdiction and various other factors.
RTP Pai Gow
Pai Gow odds and bonuses might be high on the agenda for players when they look for live casino games, but they need to be aware of other factors too, including the RTP rate.
Read on to discover more about how this applies to live Pai Gow online casino games.
Understanding RTP for Pai Gow live casino games
RTP is different from Pai Gow odds and stands for "return to player" percentage. In other words, this is the percentage of the winnings the player can expect to keep. If a player wins $100 in a live Pai Gow online game, they won't receive the full amount.
The RTP is the total winnings with the house edge removed. So, if the player scores a win worth $100, but only receives $98, this equals an RTP of 98%.
What is a good level of RTP?
What does a good level of RTP look like for live Pai Gow games? Learn more about these values below.
- If the player receives an RTP of 98% or above, this is a high level.
- A level of between 95% and 97.99% is medium RTP.
- Any RTP rate below 95% is a low level.
Pai Gow house edge
We can view the house edge as the opposite of the RTP rate. The house edge is the amount the live casino will take from a winning Pai Gow player.
If the player won $100, and the house edge is 4%, the player would only take 96% of the total. This translates to $96 received by the player. Players need to remain aware of the house edge on all games they use. pai gow poker house edge
What is a good level of Pai Gow Poker House Edge Games?
How do players know when they have found a good house edge for live Pai Gow games in online casinos? Take a look at some of the typical values.
- A house edge of below 2% is a good rate for players.
- If the house edge is between 2% and 5%, this is a medium-range for players.
- If the house edge is above 5%, this is not good for players.
Country and regions
Live casinos have revolutionized the world of online gambling, and players can now access Pai Gow tables from almost anywhere in the world. However, this does not necessarily equal an even playing field. Here's what international players need to consider.
- Are Pai Gow games licensed and regulated in their area? Different regulations exist across different areas around the world, and players need to take this into account.
- Can players use their preferred method of payment in a live Pai Gow game? Players will need to make sure that their preferred method of payment is supported in their area.
- Can players access live casino support in their region? Live casino support and assistance are crucial to the playing experience, and gamers need to check that this is offered in their region.
- Can internet connection speeds sustain live casino gaming? Internet speeds can vary around the globe. Players must check that their local internet connection is strong enough.
Playing with real money Pai-Gow Poker
Some online casinos allow players to enjoy live Pai-Gow games without necessarily risking their money. That enables players to learn the game, practice their strategies, and generally enjoy the game before they decide to start punting. However, very few online casinos offer live Pai-Gow for free. Additionally, most of them have several restrictions, such as free-play limits.
Real money sites are a lot more popular and easy to find. A quick search or checking an online casino ranking site is all a player needs to do to find a reputable online casino that offers live Pai-Gow for real money.
With real money sites, players need to deposit money into their gaming account before playing. They then have to stake money on the game before being dealt cards to play. Losing the game thus means the player loses real money.
Buy-in
The buy-ins for Pai-Gow tables usually differ for different online casinos. Some casinos even have different tables with varying buy-ins within the same site. That means that players get to choose a table that is suitable for them as per their bankrolls.
Most sites usually have an average buy-in of $100. Such allow minimum bets of $5. The relatively higher buy-in amounts are mainly because of the slow-paced and low volatility nature of the game. Such sites usually offer much less buy-in amount in their virtual games where live dealers are not involved.
Responsible Gambling
For those who wish to read more about responsible gaming or need help with addiction, please visit these websites below. Gambling addictions can be hard to spot, so please make sure to always gamble responsibly.
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