The rules listed here are the standard game rules for Caribbean Stud Poker, however it is important to consult any specific rules that may exist for variants of the game. It is the responsibility of each player to verify their understanding of the rules of their chosen game prior to placing bets. Specific rules for each game are accessed by clicking on the ‘Help’  and ‘Paytable’ icons while the game is open.

Game Objective

Players are dealt five cards each and compete against the dealer who must have an Ace and a King or higher to qualify. Players must decide to raise or fold before the dealer’s complete hand is revealed.

The Progressive Jackpot, which offers both a top-level Progressive Jackpot prize of increasing value for a Royal Flush and a range of lower fixed prizes for even more enjoyment for hands from a Straight flush down to Three of a Kind.

Game Rules 

Caribbean Stud Poker is a variant of the popular Texas Hold'em poker. Caribbean Stud Poker differs from Texas Hold'em in that it is played against the house rather than against other players.

The aim of Caribbean Stud Poker is to beat the dealer's hand by getting the best possible five-card hand.

An unlimited number of players can play simultaneously at one Caribbean Stud Poker table. Each player can take only one seat at the table.

Caribbean Stud Poker is played with one standard 52-card deck (Jokers are excluded). Only one game is played with one deck of cards, and cards are shuffled after each game round.

To start the game round, place your initial bet in the Ante spot. The dealer will deal five face up cards to you and one face up card plus four face down cards to himself/herself.

You must decide whether to CALL or FOLD. Choose CALL to continue the round by placing a Call bet equal to double your Ante. Choose FOLD to end the round, thereby forfeiting your Ante.

After you have made your decision, the dealer will reveal his/her four remaining cards.

To decide the winner, the highest-ranking hand that can be formed from your five cards is determined and compared with the dealer's hand.

Side Bets

5+1 BONUS

The 5+1 BONUS bet is an optional side bet. You win on your 5+1 BONUS bet when your five cards plus the dealer’s first face-up card can create a five-card poker hand of Three of a Kind or better.

At the start of a new game round, you will be given the option to place a 5+1 BONUS bet after you have placed an Ante bet that is equal to or greater than the minimum amount. After your Ante has been accepted, the 5+1 BONUS betting spot will be enabled and blink.

All bets must be placed before betting time expires. Once betting time has expired, the dealer will deal 5 face-up cards to the player and the first face-up card to the dealer.

You must then make a decision to CALL or FOLD, but this decision will not affect the outcome of your 5+1 BONUS bet.

At the end of the round, the dealer will turn all his/her cards face up and announce the result. 

Jackpot Bet

The jackpot bet is an optional side bet that allows you to win a share of the large progressive jackpot! The amount of the progressive jackpot grows steadily over time as more jackpot bets are placed by players at several different participating casinos. Eventually, the jackpot is hit when a player who has placed a jackpot bet at a participating table gets a Royal Flush.

All players who have placed a jackpot bet in the winning game round share the total amount of the progressive jackpot. The amount of your potential share of the progressive jackpot is thus based on all jackpot bets that have been placed by players at participating game tables in the current round.

The optional jackpot bet also allows you to win an additional prize of a fixed amount when you personally get a hand of Three of a Kind or better!

At the start of a new game round, place your optional jackpot bet in the circular field labelled "JACKPOT" after you have placed your ante bet and before betting time expires.

Once accepted, your jackpot bet will be added to the total amount of the progressive jackpot. Each participating player places the jackpot bet in the currency used at his/her casino, and the current amount of the progressive jackpot and your potential share of the progressive jackpot are displayed in your currency in the JACKPOT paytable. When you win a share of the progressive jackpot, you will be paid in your own currency.

The fixed prizes for getting a good hand (from Three of a Kind to a Straight Flush) are also displayed in your own currency.

Your decision to CALL or FOLD your hand does not affect your ability to win a share of the progressive jackpot in the game round.

If the game round is cancelled, your jackpot bet will be refunded along with your other bets. If you held a potential prize-winning hand according to the JACKPOT paytable in a cancelled game round, the decision to manually compensate you will be made by your game provider.

Winning Hands

The individual cards are ranked in descending order: Ace (high or low), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.

An Ace can be the highest value card in a Straight of A, K, Q, J, 10 or the lowest value card in a Straight of 5, 4, 3, 2, A.

Possible hands from the highest payouts to the lowest:

• Royal Flush is a straight flush involving the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 all in the same suit.
• Straight Flush is a hand that contains five cards in sequence, all of the same suit, for example: Nine, Eight, Seven, Six and Five, all Hearts.
• Four of a Kind is a hand that contains all four cards of one rank and any other card. For example, four Aces in your hand would be Four of a Kind. Quads with higher ranking cards defeat lower ranking ones.
• Full House is a hand that contains three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank, e.g. three Kings and two Sixes. Between two full houses, the one with the higher ranking three cards wins.
• Flush is a hand where all five cards are of the same suit, but not in a sequence, e.g. five cards that are all Clubs. Two flushes are compared as if they were high card hands; the highest ranking card of each is compared to determine the winner. If both hands have the same highest card, then the second-highest ranking card is compared, and so on until a difference is found.
• Straight is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank in at least two different suits, e.g. Nine, Eight, Seven, Six and Five in two or more suits. Two straights are ranked by comparing the highest card of each. Two straights with the same high card are of equal value, as suits are not used to separate them.
• Three of a Kind is a hand that contains three cards of the same rank, plus two cards which are not of this rank or the same as each other. For example, a player having three Kings in their hand would have Three of a Kind. Higher-valued Three of a Kind defeat lower-valued Three of a Kind. If two hands contain Three of a Kind of the same value, the Kickers are compared to break the tie.
• Two Pairs is a hand that contains two cards of the same rank, plus two cards of another rank (that match each other but not the first pair), plus any card not of either rank. An example of this would be having two Aces and two Kings. To rank two hands both containing Two Pairs, the higher ranking pair of each is first compared, and the higher pair wins. If both hands have the same top pair, then the second pair of each is compared. If both hands have the same two pairs, the Kicker determines the winner.
• Pair is a hand that contains two cards of one rank (e.g. two Kings), plus three cards which are not of this rank or the same as each other. Pair is the lowest hand you can be paid out for. Higher ranking pairs defeat lower ranking pairs. If two hands have the same pair, the Kickers are compared in descending order to determine the winner.
• High Card is a poker hand made of any five cards not meeting any of the above requirements. Essentially, no hand is made, and the only thing of any meaning in the player's hand is their highest card.

Game Outcomes

The dealer must have at least an Ace plus a King or better card to qualify.

In other words, the lowest qualifying hand would be Ace, King, 4, 3, 2; and the highest non-qualifying hand would be Ace, Queen, Jack, 10, 9. If the dealer does not qualify, you win even money on your Ante and the Call bet is returned to you (push).

If the dealer qualifies and beats your hand, you lose both your Ante and Call bet.

If the dealer qualifies and your hand beats the dealer’s, you win even money on your Ante, and the Call bet pays according to the posted pay table.

If you and the dealer tie, both your Ante and Call bet are returned to you (push).

Payouts

CALL

Hand Payout

Royal Flush 100:1

Straight Flush 50:1

Four of a Kind 25:1

Full House 10:1

Flush 7:1

Straight 5:1

Three of a Kind 3:1

Two Pairs 2:1

One Pair or less 1:1

5+1 BONUS

Hand Payout

Royal Flush 1000:1

Straight Flush 200:1

Four of a Kind 100:1

Full House 20:1

Flush 15:1

Straight 10:1

Three of a Kind 7:1

JACKPOT

Hand Payout

Royal Flush 100% of Jackpot*

Straight Flush 2500

Four of a Kind 250

Full House 50

Flush 25

Straight 10

Three of a Kind 3

*The progressive jackpot, stated in your own currency, is the top prize shared among all players who have placed a jackpot bet in the winning game round. 

The prizes you can win individually for a hand of Three of a Kind or better (up to a Straight Flush) are indicated in your own currency. 

Ante bet payout is 1:1.

Malfunction voids all pays and play.

Return to Player

The optimal theoretical return-to-player percentage is 96.30%.

The optimal theoretical return-to-player percentage on total wager is 98.19%.

The optimal theoretical return-to-player percentage for 5+1 BONUS bet is 91.44%.

The optimal theoretical return-to-player percentage for JACKPOT bet is 81.84%.

Place Bets

The BET LIMITS panel displays the minimum and maximum stakes permitted on the table in total.

To participate in the game, you must have sufficient funds to cover your bets. You can see your current BALANCE on your screen.

The TRAFFIC LIGHTS tell you the current status in the game round by informing you of when you can bet (GREEN light), when the betting time is nearly over (YELLOW light), and when betting time has expired (RED light).

The CHIP DISPLAY allows you to select the value of each chip you wish to bet. Only chips of denominations that can be covered by your current balance will be enabled. This display will only be illuminated for use when betting time remains (the light is green or yellow).

Once you have selected a chip, place your bet by simply clicking/tapping the betting spot on the game table labelled Ante or with the side bet you desire (if applicable). Each time you click/tap the betting spot, the amount of your bet increases by the value of the selected chip or up to the maximum limit for the type of bet you have selected. Once you have bet the maximum limit, no additional funds will be accepted for that bet, and a message will appear above your bet to notify you that you have bet the maximum.

NOTE: Please do not minimize your browser or open any other tab in your browser while betting time remains and you have placed bets on the table. Such actions will be interpreted as leaving the game, and your bets will therefore be declined for that particular game round.

The DOUBLE (2x) button allows you to quickly double your bet. This button is enabled after you have placed any bet.

The DOUBLE (2x) button allows you to Double the bet up to the maximum limit.

You can double your bet only once.

The REPEAT button allows you to repeat all bets from the previous game round. 

The UNDO button removes the last bet you placed.

You can click/tap the UNDO button repeatedly to remove bets, one by one, in the reverse order of which they were placed. Note that bets can only be removed while betting time still remains (GREEN or YELLOW light). 

The TOTAL BET indicator displays the total amount of all bets placed in the current round. 

Make a Decision

After your cards have been dealt, your card combination and the “MAKE YOUR DECISION” window will be displayed.

You must decide whether to CALL to continue the round or FOLD to end the round and forfeit your placed bets.

By clicking/tapping CALL you will continue to play the game and place the Call bet. The Call bet will be placed automatically on the Call bet spot. 

By clicking/tapping FOLD you will lose all bets placed, but you will still see the remainder of the game played out, but you will not participate in the game. You will need to wait until the next game round to place your bets. 

If decision time has expired and you have not yet made a decision to CALL or FOLD, your hand will be automatically folded and you will lose all your bets. The betting-time indicator will display the message: AUTO FOLDED.

Game Number 

Each game round is identified by a unique GAME NUMBER.

This number reflects when the round began in terms of GMT by hour: minute: second. Please use this game number for reference (or take a screenshot of the game number) if you wish to contact Customer Service regarding a particular round.

Error Handling

If there is any error in the game, gambling system or game procedure, the game round will be temporarily paused while the dealer notifies the shift manager. You and other players will be notified via Chat, or by an on-screen pop-up message, that the issue is being investigated. If the manager can immediately resolve the error, the game round will continue as normal. If immediate resolution is not possible, the game round will be cancelled and initial bets will be refunded to all players who participated in the game round.