![A number “3” is shown with three cards.](https://www.playsmart.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/three-card-poker.png)
Three Card Poker
Three Card Poker is based on one easy-to-follow concept: whoever has the higher three-card hand—dealer or player—wins. That’s it.
How to Play
Payouts
![Three cards are flipped over on each side. On the left is a 7 of diamonds, a 7 of spades and a Jack of Diamonds. On the right is a King of Diamonds, a King of Spades and a 3 of clubs](https://www.playsmart.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/payouts-three-card.png)
Once all the cards on the table have been revealed, it’s time to see who won.
- If the player has the higher poker hand, both their Ante and Play bets pay even money e.g., A winning bet of $1 will result in the player getting back $2.
- If the dealer has the higher poker hand the player loses all bets.
- If the player and dealer tie, the player’s Ante and Play bets push into the next round.
How bets are paid
![A poker chip.](https://www.playsmart.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ante-bonus.png)
Ante bonus
If the player made an Ante bet and ends with a straight or higher, they win an Ante bonus no matter what hand the dealer has.
![Two cards with a heart symbol on each has a plus sign next to them.](https://www.playsmart.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/pair-plus-bet.png)
Pair Plus bet
If the player made a Pair Plus bet, their payout depends on the value of their hand.
HAND
PAYOUT
![A stack of cards say “six” on top.](https://www.playsmart.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/6-card-bonus.png)
Six Card Bonus
If the player wagered on the Six Card Bonus, the bet pays based on the best five-card poker hand that can be made combining their hand and the dealer’s three-card hands.
HAND
PAYOUT
Know the hands
![Three stacks of cards are shown. One stack has a King of Diamonds on top, another has a Queen of Diamonds and the last has a Jack of Diamonds.](https://www.playsmart.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/know-the-hands-icon.png)
Since each hand consists of only three cards, Three Card Poker rankings are different from standard poker. Hands are ranked from high to low as follows:
HAND
MAKE UP
Odds
![A hand holds a phone that shows a calculator on the screen. The calculator is displaying the number 44.91%.](https://www.playsmart.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/3-odds.png)
While there is no way to make the cards fall in any particular order, the game does offer a 44.91% chance of winning on the Ante. Some players consider this to be one of the better bets in a casino.
Odds on the Pair Plus bet are less favourable: while it pays out 40 to 1 when it wins, it’s more likely to lose than win. It’s a gamble!
Want to know how poker odds work?