How to Play Three Card Poker Online 2024
In 1994, Derek Webb, an international poker player from the U.K., invented the casino game known as Three Card Poker. Webb patented the game in 1997 after he brought it to America.
In 1999, Shuffle Master acquired the gaming rights to Three Card Poker in the U.S. as its popularity grew. Today, Light & Wonder (SG Digital/Shuffle Master) and Evolution Gaming provide virtual and live dealer Three Card Poker at our favorite online casinos.
How Do Three Card Poker Games Work?
As a standard 52-card deck casino game, 3-Card Poker is pretty straightforward. The game's objective is for a player to make the best three-card hand against the House or dealer.
The game begins with an ante bet by the player. There are also two side bets: Pair Plus and 6-Card Bonus.
After a player places an ante and clicks "Deal," the consecutive cards face down get dealt automatically, and the player and the House receive their three cards. Then, the player’s three cards are revealed.
From there, the player can decide to ‘Fold’ or ‘Play’ their three cards by making an additional bet called a play bet — the same amount as the ante (the betting rules on the table require a player to pay twice to see what a dealer has). If a player decides to fold after the cards get dealt, the dealer takes the ante wager and deals again.
From the example image above, the dealer dealt a Jack High card after the ante. Per the recommended rules of the table, to boost your win percentage odds, you'd need to fold anything less than Q-6-4 for a better hand that's at least equal to what the dealer eventually shows. The player folds in the example above, betting again on the table.
To win both wagers against the dealer in the base game, a player must have better than an equal hand of the same rank against the dealer's hand with at least a queen, king, ace high, or a pair or better.
Once a player’s ante bet and play bets get paid (if players decide to play their hands), the House’s three cards get revealed to show if the dealer's hand is at least a queen high or better.
As another example, two cards show a pair of 4s for the dealer against a player's ace high. The player loses what they paid and played on the betting table (play and ante bets). Ideally, a player wants a flush (a same suit of the same-kind three cards), straight (i.e., 2-3-4), three-of-a-kind (three equal cards, i.e., J-J-J), or a straight flush.
From highest to lowest, here are the hand rankings for a Three Card Poker hand, which apply to the base game and Pair Plus side bet:
Straight Flush — Any combination of cards that are in numerical order with the same suit.
Three of a Kind — A hand containing three cards of the same rank.
Straight — A hand that contains cards in numerical order.
Flush — Any combination of cards that have the same suit.
Pair — A hand containing two cards of the same rank.
High Card — The worst hand you can win with in poker. It is the highest-ranking card in your hand.
Unlike regular poker, the hand rankings change since a straight is looked at as a better poker hand than a flush since it's easier to get three cards of the same suit than a straight — and a three-of-a-kind outranks them both. Also, the Pair Plus side bet doesn't apply to the dealer's hand; only the Six Card Bonus does.
Pro tip: Fold any hand lower than Q-6-4 for a better hand to maintain a return-to-player (RTP) average of 97.99% in the base game of 3-Card Poker.
Ante and Play Bets: Three Card Poker Rules Summary
In 3-Card Poker, the House only qualifies for the play bet with a queen high or better. Like in regular poker games, the player needs at least a high card to beat the House.
Here’s how both the ante and play bets work:
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When the player’s hand beats the dealer’s hand, (if the House doesn’t qualify with a queen high or better) the play bet results in a push (tie), and the wager is returned. However, the House pays 1:1 on the ante after a loss.
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With a qualifying hand, the House pays 1:1 on the ante and play wagers after a loss.
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If the player and House have hands of the same rank, it’s considered a draw; both the ante and play wagers result in a push, and the bets is refunded.
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If the dealer’s hand outranks a player’s hand, the Play and Ante bets lose.
Ante Bonus, Side Bets, and Other Payouts
There’s also an Ante Bonus for the player, regardless of what the dealer shows. Here’s how the ante bonus pays out:
- Straight Flush - 5:1
- Three of a Kind - 4:1
- Straight - 3:1
The Pair Plus side bet (95.62% RTP) also pays out for at least a pair, regardless of what the dealer shows, even if a player decides to fold their three cards. There are six payouts for the Pair Plus wager, ranging from 1:1 for a pair and 200:1 for a royal flush.
Besides the ante wager, play bet, Ante Bonus, and Pair Plus side bet, there’s also the Six-Card Bonus (89.78% RTP). When the player places a wager on the betting table for that bonus, they include the dealer’s three cards for the side bet. Seven payouts for the best five-card poker hand among the six cards range from 5:1 to 1000:1.
Best Casinos for Three Card Poker
To play 3-Card Poker, you can check out some of my favorite online casinos. The game is available via desktop platforms, mobile web browsers, and apps on Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
Here’s a brief rundown of where to play the game, along with the latest welcome bonuses and relevant promotions.
Caesars Palace Online Casino
- Read our Caesars Palace Online Casino Promo Code and review
- Bonus Offer: Get a 100% Deposit Match up to $2,500 + 2,500 Rewards Points! when you use promo code ACTION2500 OR Get a $10 on Registration + 100% Deposit Match up to $1000! with promo code ACTIONLAUNCH
- Available States: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia
Caesars Palace Online Casino is available to eligible players in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. First-time users can choose one of two welcome offers.
Nearly three dozen titles are under the Table Games category at the Caesars Palace Online Casino NJ. The betting limits at 3-Card Poker range from $0.10 to $300.
There’s also a live dealer option with a minimum bet of $0.50 and a max bet of $5,000.
The Deposit Match Bonus at Caesars Palace comes with a hefty seven-day wagering requirement: 15x towards slots, 30x towards video poker, and 75x on all other games (excluding craps). Plus, they combine the deposit and bonus for the playthrough amount.
To make the most out of your first deposit, we recommend starting with a small amount to avoid a wagering requirement that might be well out of reach for beginners.
BetMGM Online Casino
- Read our BetMGM Casino Bonus Code & Review
- MI, NJ and PA users: ACTIONCASINO to Get a 100% Deposit Match up to $1000 + $25 in Casino Play! WV users: ACTIONCASINO to Get a 100% Deposit Match up to $2,500 + $50 on the House + 50 Bonus Spins!
- Available States: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia
The BetMGM Casino is available to MI, NJ, PA, and WV players. BetMGM is well-known for providing the iGaming industry’s top games — including 3-Card Poker. (There’s also a Three-Card Stud with a much lower RTP of 92.72%.)
With the promo code ACTIONCASINO, new players in MI, NJ, and PA may receive a 100% deposit match up to $1,000 and $25 in Casino Play as a semi “no deposit” bonus. WV players get a more robust offer of up to $2,500 for a deposit match, plus $50 on the House and 50 Free Spins.
The Casino Bonus comes with a 1x playthrough amount. For the Deposit Match, players must wager 15x their bonus.
Check the terms and conditions for information on wagering requirements, game contributions, etc.
During my review, I saw that BetMGM caps 3-Card Poker winnings at $900 for the base game, $21,100 for the Pair Plus bet, and $100,100 for the 6-Card Bonus side bet. Those limits may apply to other online casinos with the Shuffle Master version.
DraftKings Online Casino
- Read our DraftKings Casino Promo Code & Review
- Bonus Offer: Get $35 in Casino Credits + a 100% Deposit Match up to $100!
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Available States: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia
Must be 21+. Min. $5 Deposit. Must be physically located in: MI, NJ, PA, WV. New DraftKings Casino customers only. Bonus issued as site credits that can only be used on DraftKings Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or text "CTGAMB" TO 53342. See draftkings.com/casino for full terms and conditions.
DraftKings is well-known in the world of online sportsbooks, but their online casino games are also rising in popularity.
In addition to Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em, Three Card Poker is available to play at DraftKings Casino Live Dealer Poker tables.
FanDuel Online Casino
- Read our FanDuel Casino Promo Code & Review
- Bonus Offer: MI, NJ, PA, & WV users: Deposit $10, Get $20 In Site Credit & Play It Again $1000
- Available States: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia
New casino users only, 21+. Must be physically present in MI, NJ, PA and WV. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Full T&C apply.
FanDuel Casino offers a unique "Deposit $10, Get $20 In Site Credit & Play It Again $1000" deal for iGaming in MI, NJ, PA, and WV.
Overall, I recommend the Evolution Gaming live dealer option for 3-Card Poker to wager alongside other players. Check in the in-game tabs for information on rules and table betting limits, and see who gets paid after each dealt hand gets completed.
Latest Promos at Other Online Casinos with 3-Card Poker
Here are some of the latest promos being offered by other 3-card poker online casinos!
Bet365 Online Casino
- Read our bet365 Casino Bonus Code & Review
- Bonus Offer: As a new user, you can use code ACTION to receive up to a $1,000 Deposit Bonus!
Golden Nugget Online Casino
- Read our Golden Nugget Casino Bonus Code & Review
- Bonus Offer: Deposit $5, Get $50 in Casino Credits (MI, NJ, PA, and WV only) when you join.
Fanatics Casino
- Read our Fanatics Casino Promo Code & Review
- Bonus Offer: Deposit $5 and Get 250 Free Spins!
Borgata Online Casino
- Read our Borgata Casino Bonus Code & Review
- Bonus Offer: $20 no deposit bonus + 100% first deposit match up to $1,000 using code ACTIONBCASINO.
Ocean Casino
- Read our Ocean Casino Bonus Code & Review
- Bonus Offer: 100% Match up to $1,200 on First Deposit with bonus code WELCOME23
Tipico Casino
- Read our Tipico Casino Promo Code & Review
- The operator offers users a 400% Deposit Match Up To $100 & 500 Free Spins when they sign up. No promo code is required for this offer!
Online Poker Resources
Confidence is key to being a successful Three Card Poker player. Take advantage of the following poker guides to help boost your poker play:
- Poker Tips and Tricks for Every Player Level
- Poker Glossary
- Bluffing in Online Poker
- Poker Variations
- Top 10 Poker Mistakes
- How to Play Online Poker
- Online Poker Strategy
Online poker is currently legal in Nevada, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Connecticut, and Delaware. For more legal information regarding your state, take a look at our online casino legalization tracker.