Live Casino Hold’em Rules
Welcome to the most popular poker game in the world, casino style! In Live Casino Hold’em you sit across from a real dealer, as you both attempt to make the best five-card poker hand. There’s no bluffing and no complex maths to remember, just cards, chips and intuition.
Game Play and Game Rules
Each game begins with players placing a bet (or ‘ante’) in front of the seat(s) they occupy. Minimum and maximum bet limits apply. Players can also make an optional bonus bet (see below).
The dealer then deals two cards to each player and two cards face-down to their own position. Three community cards - which can be shared by all players in the hand - are then spread in the middle of the table. All players can use the community cards to make their own five-card hand.
At this point the dealer places a bet, equal to twice the size of the player’s ante, and players choose to either fold - forfeiting their ante and any bonus bets they have placed, and taking no further part in the hand - or call, matching the dealer’s bet. If a player calls, the dealer will then deal two more community cards. The best five-card poker hand then wins the pot.
The dealer must have at least a pair of fours to make a qualifying hand. If the dealer fails to qualify, your call bet is returned to you. You win if your five-card poker hand beats the dealer’s hand. Call bets are paid at one-to-one (1:1, also known as ‘even money’). Ante and bonus bets are paid out according to the table below.
Should both the player and the dealer have the same hand, all bets are returned.
Click here to see the hierarchy of poker hands.
Bonus Bets
Players must place an ante at the start of each game, but also have the option to place a bonus bet. The Bonus bet is evaluated on the first hand of five cards only. If you have a pair of aces or a better combination, and you decide to call, you will win the Bonus bet and will be paid according to the Bonus pay table. Ante and bonus bets pay out at different odds depending on the winning hands made by the player, as follows:
| Hand | Ante Odds | Bonus Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 100:1 | 100:1 |
| Straight Flush | 20:1 | 50:1 |
| Four of a Kind | 10:1 | 40:1 |
| Full House | 3:1 | 30:1 |
| Flush | 2:1 | 20:1 |
| Straight or less | 1:1 | - |
| Pair of Aces to a Straight | - | 7:1 |
If a player does not call the dealer’s bet after the first round of cards is dealt, they forfeit their ante and any bonus bets.