Pai Gow Poker Casino Edge
House Edge The House Edge of Pai Gow Poker varies depending on both the player strategy and the House Way rules applied by the particular casino. The House Way rules generally do not vary dramatically which allows for the application of an optimal player strategy (discussed below). This strategy generally allows for a House Edge of between 2.5-2.6%.
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On This Page
Introduction
This section contains my analysis of the following pai gow poker side bets:
Dealer Bonus
Please see my page on the Dealer Bonus for information on that side bet.
Fortune Pai Gow Poker
Please see my page on the Fortune side bet for information on that side bet.
11 rows An ace-high straight flush, commonly known as a royal flush, is the best possible hand in. List poker hands order best. If you find this poker hands chart misleading, I made a list as well. Make sure to remember all poker hands rankings in order from strongest one to the weakest, and you will be able to recognize this in the game with a blink of the eye. Royal Flush: Ace, King, Queen.
Jackpot Pai Gow Poker
'Jackpot' is a side bet I noticed at the Rio in November 2005. The game was closed at the time so the top prize was not evident, but according to the Shufflemaster web site it is alternatively $25,000, $50,000, or $100,000.
The following table shows the probability and return for each possible event. A $100,000 for the top win is assumed and a $5 bet, for a win of 20,000 to one. The table also assumes the player will always set his hand to maximize the value of the side bet, at the possible cost of his pai gow poker bet. The lower left cell shows a house edge of 2.21%, which for a side bet is pretty good.
Jackpot Pai Gow Poker Return Table
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Royal plus Pair of Aces* | 20000 | 12 | 0.00000008 | 0.001557 |
| Five Aces plus Pair | 400 | 72 | 0.00000047 | 0.000187 |
| Royal Flush plus Pair | 200 | 1560 | 0.00001012 | 0.002024 |
| Five Aces | 200 | 1056 | 0.00000685 | 0.00137 |
| Royal Flush | 100 | 24560 | 0.00015933 | 0.015933 |
| Straight Flush plus Pair | 60 | 11748 | 0.00007621 | 0.004573 |
| Four of a Kind plus Pair | 40 | 57648 | 0.00037399 | 0.01496 |
| Straight Flush | 30 | 173084 | 0.00112288 | 0.033686 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 | 249824 | 0.00162073 | 0.032415 |
| Full House plus Pair | 12 | 150480 | 0.00097624 | 0.011715 |
| Flush plus Pair | 8 | 489260 | 0.00317406 | 0.025393 |
| Straight plus Pair | 6 | 1155536 | 0.00749652 | 0.044979 |
| Full House | 6 | 4024560 | 0.02610925 | 0.156655 |
| Flush | 4 | 5631420 | 0.03653372 | 0.146135 |
| Straight | 3 | 10145388 | 0.06581799 | 0.197454 |
| Three of a kind | 2 | 7470676 | 0.04846585 | 0.096932 |
| Nothing | -1 | 124556196 | 0.80805571 | -0.808056 |
| Total | 154143080 | 1 | -0.022088 |
* Both royal flush and pair of aces must be natural (no joker) for highest win.
If the top prize is less than $100,000, or the player bets more than $5 on the side bet, the return will be slightly less. The next table shows the house edge according to various other wins for a natural royal plus pair of aces according to the win on a to one basis.
House Edge by Highest Win
| Natural Royal plus Aces Pays | House Edge |
|---|---|
| 20000 | 2.21% |
| 10000 | 2.29% |
| 5000 | 2.33% |
| 4000 | 2.33% |
| 3000 | 2.34% |
| 2000 | 2.35% |
| 1000 | 2.36% |
Emperor's Challenge
Emperor's Challenge is a side bet I noticed at Hooter's Casino in Las Vegas in April, 2006. The following return table shows the probability and return of all possible outcomes. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 4.171%.
Emperor's Challenge Return Table
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural 7-card straight flush | 5000 | 32 | 0.00000021 | 0.001038 |
| Wild 7-card straight flush | 1000 | 196 | 0.00000127 | 0.001272 |
| Five aces | 500 | 1128 | 0.00000732 | 0.003659 |
| Royal Flush | 150 | 26092 | 0.00016927 | 0.025391 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 184644 | 0.00119787 | 0.059894 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | 307472 | 0.00199472 | 0.049868 |
| Full House | 5 | 4188528 | 0.02717299 | 0.135865 |
| Flush | 4 | 6172088 | 0.04004129 | 0.160165 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 7672500 | 0.04977518 | 0.149326 |
| Straight | 2 | 11034204 | 0.07158417 | 0.143168 |
| 9 high pai gow | 40 | 31080 | 0.00020163 | 0.008065 |
| 10 high pai gow | 5 | 248640 | 0.00161305 | 0.008065 |
| J high pai gow | 2 | 963480 | 0.00625056 | 0.012501 |
| Nonpaying hand | -1 | 123312996 | 0.79999048 | -0.79999 |
| Total | 154143080 | 1 | -0.041714 |
I hear that in Washington State the player must bet at least $5 to qualify for the pai gow hands.
Progressive Pai Gow Poker
The Falls View casino in Niagara Falls Ontario offers 'Progressive Pai Gow Poker'. This is basic pai gow poker with an added $5 side bet.
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The following table shows the return table based on a breakeven meter of 20536.05 bet units, which for a $5 bet is $102,680.24. The house edge at all other times is 11.5428% less 1.1242% for every $10,000 in the meter.
Progressive Pai Gow Poker Return Table
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush or Five Aces + pair | 20536.05 | 336 | 0.000002 | 0.044764 |
| Wild Royal Flush + pair | 200 | 1260 | 0.000008 | 0.001635 |
| Straight Flush + pair | 50 | 11748 | 0.000076 | 0.003811 |
| Four of a Kind + pair | 40 | 57648 | 0.000374 | 0.01496 |
| Full House + pair | 12 | 150480 | 0.000976 | 0.011715 |
| Flush + pair | 8 | 489260 | 0.003174 | 0.025393 |
| Straight + pair | 4 | 1117388 | 0.007249 | 0.028996 |
| Natural Royal Flush or Five Aces | 2053.6 | 5304 | 0.000034 | 0.070664 |
| Wild Royal Flush | 100 | 20360 | 0.000132 | 0.013209 |
| Straight Flush | 25 | 173084 | 0.001123 | 0.028072 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 | 249824 | 0.001621 | 0.032415 |
| Full House | 6 | 4030416 | 0.026147 | 0.156883 |
| Flush | 4 | 5663712 | 0.036743 | 0.146973 |
| Straight | 2 | 10071516 | 0.065339 | 0.130677 |
| Three of a kind | 2 | 7544548 | 0.048945 | 0.09789 |
| Nothing | -1 | 124556196 | 0.808056 | -0.808056 |
| Total | 154143080 | 1 | 0 |
Pai Gow Insurance
Pai gow 'Insurance' is a side bet that I noticed at the Red Rock casino in August, 2008. It appeared along with the Emperor's Challenge side bet. A 'pai gow' in pai gow poker is a hand with seven singletons, where no straight or flush is possible. This side bet wins if the player had a pai gow, the lower the highest card, the more it pays. The following return table shows the details. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 7.35%.
Pai Gow Insurance
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 high pai gow | 100 | 31080 | 0.000202 | 0.020163 |
| 10 high pai gow | 25 | 248640 | 0.001613 | 0.040326 |
| J high pai gow | 15 | 963480 | 0.006251 | 0.093758 |
| Q high pai gow | 7 | 2719500 | 0.017643 | 0.123499 |
| K high pai gow | 5 | 6386940 | 0.041435 | 0.207176 |
| A high pai gow | 3 | 14430780 | 0.093619 | 0.280858 |
| Loser | -1 | 129362660 | 0.839238 | -0.839238 |
| Total | 154143080 | 1 | -0.073457 |
Lucky 8's
Please see my page on the Lucky 8's for information on that side bet.
Pai Gow'd
Whales of cash slot machine jackpot. Pai Gow'd is a side bet I noticed at the Four Queens on December 26, 2011. It is exactly like Pai Gow Insurance, explained above, but with a modified pay table. The lower right corner of the odds table below shows a house edge of 6.44%.
Pai Gow'd
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 high pai gow | 100 | 31080 | 0.000202 | 0.020163 |
| 10 high pai gow | 50 | 248640 | 0.001613 | 0.080652 |
| J high pai gow | 10 | 963480 | 0.006251 | 0.062506 |
| Q high pai gow | 7 | 2719500 | 0.017643 | 0.123499 |
| K high pai gow | 5 | 6386940 | 0.041435 | 0.207176 |
| A high pai gow | 3 | 14430780 | 0.093619 | 0.280858 |
| Loser | -1 | 129362660 | 0.839238 | -0.839238 |
| Total | 154143080 | 1 | -0.064384 |
Casino Edge On Pai Gow Poker
The Jokolor is a side bet mentioned on page 85 in the a document titled Rules of casino games in Great Britain (1124K). The side bet wins if the player has a joker and/or all cards of the same color. The following table shows the house edge is 3.90%.
Jokolor
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six cards same color plus joker | 30 | 460460 | 0.002987 | 0.089617 |
| Seven cards same color, without joker | 10 | 1315600 | 0.008535 | 0.085349 |
| Any hand with joker | 5 | 19898060 | 0.129088 | 0.645441 |
| Loser | -1 | 132468960 | 0.85939 | -0.85939 |
| Total | 154143080 | 1 | -0.038982 |
This side bet is paired with pai gow poker games, including EZ Pai Gow, offering the G3 electronic side bet wagering. As far as I can tell at the Rampart casino, it is just titled the 'Bonus Bet.'
Bonus Bet Return Table
Pai Gow Poker Strategy
| Event | Dynasty Pays | Envy Bonus | Combinations | Probability | Dynasty Return | Envy Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural 7-card Straight Flush | 8000 | $ 5000 | 32 | 0.000000 | 0.001661 | 0.000208 |
| Royal Flush + Natural AQ Suited | 2000 | $ 1000 | 72 | 0.000000 | 0.000934 | 0.000093 |
| Wild 7-card Straight Flush | 1000 | $ 500 | 196 | 0.000001 | 0.001272 | 0.000127 |
| Five Aces | 400 | $ 250 | 1128 | 0.000007 | 0.002927 | 0.000366 |
| Royal Flush | 150 | $ 50 | 26020 | 0.000169 | 0.025321 | 0.001688 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | $ 20 | 184644 | 0.001198 | 0.059894 | 0.004791 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | $ 5 | 307472 | 0.001995 | 0.049868 | 0.001995 |
| Full House | 5 | $ 0 | 4188528 | 0.027173 | 0.135865 | 0.000000 |
| Flush | 4 | $ 0 | 6172088 | 0.040041 | 0.160165 | 0.000000 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | $ 0 | 7672500 | 0.049775 | 0.149326 | 0.000000 |
| Straight | 2 | $ 0 | 11034204 | 0.071584 | 0.143168 | 0.000000 |
| Losing combinations | -1 | $ 0 | 124556196 | 0.808056 | -0.808056 | 0.000000 |
| Total: | 154143080 | 1.000000 | -0.077656 | 0.009268 |
The next table shows the overall house edge according to the number of players, including yourself, and various bet amounts. Note that the high edge is lowest at a bet of $1. This is because the win for the Envy Bonus is the same, regardless how much the player bets.
Bonus Bet House Edge
| Players | $1-$4 bet | $5 bet | $10 bet | $15 bet | $25 bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7.77% | 3.13% | 5.45% | 6.22% | 6.84% |
| 5 | 7.77% | 4.06% | 5.91% | 6.53% | 7.02% |
| 4 | 7.77% | 4.99% | 6.38% | 6.84% | 7.21% |
| 3 | 7.77% | 5.91% | 6.84% | 7.15% | 7.39% |
| 2 | 7.77% | 6.84% | 7.30% | 7.46% | 7.58% |
| 1 | 7.77% | 7.77% | 7.77% | 7.77% | 7.77% |
Pai Gow Rules
This is a progressive side bet found with G3 electronic betting units. The player may bet $1 to $25. All jackpot wins are the same, regardless of bet size, so I would never bet more than $1. As usual with progressive bets, wins are on a 'for one' basis. That means you don't get your original bet back, even if you win. To be consistent with other pages on this site, the following page is on a 'return basis,' meaning what the player can expect to get back for his bet, based on a $1 bet.
G3 Progressive
Pai Gow Odds
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7-card Straight Flush | Jackpot | $ 228 | 0.000001 | 0.000000 |
| Five Aces | 0.1×Jackpot | $ 1,128 | 0.000007 | 0.000000 |
| Royal Flush | $500 | $ 26,092 | 0.000169 | 0.084636 |
| Straight Flush | $100 | $ 184,644 | 0.001198 | 0.119787 |
| Four of a Kind | $75 | $ 307,472 | 0.001995 | 0.149604 |
| Full House | $4 | $ 4,188,528 | 0.027173 | 0.108692 |
| All other | 0 | $ 149,434,988 | 0.969456 | 0.000000 |
| Total | 154,143,080 | 1.000000 | 0.462719 |
Pai Gow Poker Games
The bottom right corner shows a return of 46.27% on all fixed wins. The value of the progressive is 22.11% for each $100,000 in the meter. To reach 100% the meter would need to be $243,011.06.When I saw this bet at the Rampart casino on March 17, 2011, the meter was at $207,361, for a return of 92.12%. This was probably unusually high, because the Rampart has had a truck with a big sign in the back drive around Summerlin promoting the large jackpot.