Guide to Live Casino Texas Hold’em

Live Casino Hold’em: Not your Grandpa’s hold’em game!

Casino Hold’em is a popular, house-banked variant of the traditional Texas Hold’em poker game. When the games are played ‘Live‘, it means that you’ll be competing alongside other real players, with a real dealer and cards. However, since the games take place online, you get to view it all from the comfort of home or anywhere an internet connection is available, via live streaming video and audio.

Live Casino Hold’em Games

Live Casino Texas Hold’em is a far cry from the games your parents and grandparents probably used to play. Thanks to trademark patents and copyright laws, it goes by a wide variety of names. Casino Hold’em is the most common, while others use names like Ultimate Hold’em, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, or Ultimate Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker, etc. Be careful, though, because as the names change, the rules and betting schedules can vary as well.

In general, Live Hold’em games are played very much like a combination of traditional, player-versus-player Texas Hold’em, and a standard video poker game. The cards are played the same as Texas Hold’em, with each participant and the dealer receiving two cards, along with 5 community cards placed in the center of the table. The video poker aspect comes from the fact that players get a higher payout for developing a higher ranking hand. However, the ultimate goal is to beat the dealer’s hand, guaranteeing a payout of some size.

Before you Play Live Casino Texas Hold’em…

Make sure you understand the Live Casino aspect before you get started. Most computer and mobile devices have processors that are more than capable of running the games. However, you’ll need a fast and stable internet connection to run the games at full speed, without interruption.

Also, make sure you fully understand the rules, and which hands are worth the best payouts. You don’t want to play any game you’re not familiar with in a live setting, as it will slow down the game speed for everyone else, leaving you with a feeling of intimidation.

If you need a little more experience, try playing a computerized version of the game online first. With no other real people involved, you can take all the time you want to make decisions. You can even play in practice mode, risking nothing of value as you get the hang of it.

How to Play Casino Hold’em

The object is to beat the dealer, plain and simple. Other players’ hands do not matter. Your two hole cards, combined with the 5 community cards, determine your best 5-card hand rank.

The game is played with two betting rounds. The first is the Ante, placed before any cards are dealt. The dealer will then provide each player with two hole cards, and deal the first three community cards face up. Once you see these first 5 cards, you can choose to Call, placing a second bet equal to the ante. Or, you can choose to Fold, forfeiting the Ante.

To win, you must continue to the showdown with a Call bet. If the dealer qualifies with a Pair of 4s or anything better, you stand to win more money.

At the showdown, wins and losses are based on the following criteria:

If the dealer doesn’t qualify, and your hand is higher, you will win your Ante bet according to the Ante pay table (see below). The call bet is returned as a push.
If the dealer’s hand qualifies, and your hand is higher, you will win 1:1 on the Call/Raise bets, and the Ante is paid according to the pay table.
If the dealer’s hand does or does not qualify, and your hand is lower, all bets are lost.

Casino Hold’em Ante Pay Table

Note that this pay table may vary slightly from one Casino Hold’em game to the next.

Royal Flush – 100:1
Straight Flush – 20:1
4 of a Kind – 10:1
Full House – 3:1
Flush – 2:1
Any Other Winning Hand – 1:1

Bonus Side Bet Pay Table

Most Live Casino Hold’em games will present an optional Bonus bet. It can be placed alongside the Ante bet before the hand begins. Bonus bets will win or lose based on the strength of the player’s final hand (irrespective of dealer qualification). Note that if you don’t continue to the Showdown, this bet is lost!

The standard Bonus pay table is as follows: