• Tips & Tricks

Face Up Pai Gow Poker Basics

The front Playing against the dealer in Pai Gow Poker is thrilling. Before making a decision about their own hand, players can check out the house hand. The optional progressive, fortune bonus, envy bonus, and ace-high wagers are available in these Pai Gow Poker Vegas card games.
Each player and the dealer are dealt seven cards, just like in traditional Pai Gow. A standard 52-card deck plus one Joker is used to play.

There are three uses for The Joker:

• In the case of an Ace,
• To make a Straight,
• To make a Flush.

Who will be dealt the first hand is decided by using a random number generator, which is started by the dealer. Starting with the dealer, who is always counted as number one, the dealer counts counterclockwise.

In accordance with our house rules, the dealer will set their hand before instructing our guests to do the same. 

The players will divide their seven cards into two hands as follows:

• Five cards make up the High Hand.
• Two cards make up a low hand.

Ways to Win
Your high and low hands must rank higher than the dealer's hands for your wager to be successful. If you have experience playing traditional poker, you will find this game to be simple. Face Up Pai Gow uses a ranking system similar to poker to determine which hand is superior.  

The low hand can only have two cards and must rank lower than the high hand, which has five cards. The hand is labeled a "foul hand" and the wager is automatically lost if this condition is not met. 

To win your wager when your hand is compared to the house hand, you must triumph in both the high and low hands. The high hand and the low hand must both win or lose in order for money to be transferred. The wager is a "push" and no money changes hands if one of them wins and the other loses. The house wins that part of the hand if the high hand or low hand are tied (have the same ranking).

Every winning wager receives an equal payout. Pai Gow Poker Face Up is a game with no commission. You are not required to pay a 5% commission if you defeat the dealer.

Increasing Bonus Potential

With our progressive bonus, you can win the progressive jackpot with a $5 wager. This jackpot has previously exceeded $1 million.

Lucky Bonus

If your best seven-card hand matches one of the paytable payouts, you win this wager. The dealer will place an "envy" button next to your wager if you place a minimum $5 wager on the Fortune Bonus. You are now eligible for an envy bonus payment. For odds, see the paytable.

The two hands are then positioned face down in the locations shown on the layout once they have been formed.

Anger Bonus
At the conclusion of the round, the dealer will pay out all envy bonuses. All players who have an envy button win if at least one player receives a hand that is eligible for Envy Bonus payouts. The dealer's hand or your own hand cannot earn you an Envy Bonus, but you can win multiple Envy Bonuses in a round. For payouts, consult the paytable.

 Ace-High

All guest main bets will automatically push if the dealer plays an Ace-High Pai Gow (a hand with an Ace and no pairs or higher) hand. If you need help setting the highest ranking possible in accordance with the House Ways, the dealer or supervisor will be happy to assist you.