Card Games in the Casino

Updated: October 3, 2026

The first thing that many casino players think of when they imagine the inside of a casino is the slot machines, as they tend to take up the most space. But there are many other options when it comes to casino games. As you continue reading below, you will find a list of popular casino card games and descriptions of each one.

The list on this page is extensive, but I cannot claim it to be 100% complete, as new games are developed every day and obscure games pop up from time to time. But if you familiarize yourself with the card games on this page, you will have no trouble finding a game to play at any of our top casino sites.

Blackjack

The game of Blackjack holds the title of being the most popular. Almost everyone has either played Blackjack or watched it being played, but if you need a refresher, here is a quick rundown on how to play. Also, remember to enjoy the process of learning.

Each player is dealt two cards, and the dealer is dealt one card face down and one card face up. Each player then takes turns to either fold, hit, split, double down or surrender (if available). Once all players have either busted (exceeding a total of 21) or folded, the dealer turns over his hole card and completes his hand.

Dealers always hit when they have 16 or less and stand when they have 18 or more. Depending on the specific rules, they always stand on hard 17s, but in some establishments they hit on soft 17s and in others they stay on soft 17s. This can be confusing when first learning the game.

This is only a basic summary, so if you are interested in playing blackjack, you should review the rules and table variations before investing a significant amount of money. You can also play for free at most online casinos before playing for real money, which is an excellent way to learn more about the game.

There are many variations of Blackjack. A few are discussed below, such as Spanish 21, but you will discover 21 game variations in almost every casino. They are almost always based on the same primary concept of getting a higher total than the dealer without going over 21, but will have varying rule changes beyond that.

For example, there are Blackjack games where both of the dealer's cards are visible, and games where you are dealt two hands and the second cards on each hand can be swapped. The most important thing to do is to make sure you understand the rules and the composition of the deck before you play. The reason I mention deck composition is because certain gimmicks remove certain cards from the deck.

For an example of one of these games see the Spanish 21 information below.

3 Card Poker

3 Card Poker, also called Tri Card Poker, is a game where you play a three card poker hand against the dealer's three card hand. The dealer must qualify with a queen high or better to pay the raise bet. To start the game, you place a bet on the ante circle. You can also place an optional bet on the Pair+ circle. After you are dealt your three cards, you may either fold, forfeiting your Ante bet, or raise by placing a bet equal to your Ante bet on the raise circle.

If you raise and the dealer does not qualify, your ante bet pays even money and your raise bet is a push. If you raise and the dealer qualifies, and you have a better hand than the dealer, both your ante and raise bets pay even money. There are bonuses that are paid on your ante bet for certain hands.

A common pay table for ante bonuses is that a straight pays 1 to 1, a three of a kind pays 4 to 1, and a straight flush pays 5 to 1. The pair plus has different pay tables at different casinos, but a common one is 1 to 1 for a pair, 4 to 1 for a flush, 6 to 1 for a straight, 25 to 1 for a three of a kind, and 35 to 1 for a straight flush.

4 Card Poker

4 Card Poker is played much like 3 Card Poker, except that the dealer always qualifies. The player is dealt five cards and the dealer is dealt six cards, five face down and one face up. Each player makes his or her best four-card poker hand.

The player antes to start the game and must place an additional wager of one to three times the ante to stay in the hand after receiving his cards. Bonuses are paid for certain hands and side bets are available.

Baccarat

Baccarat is a casino card game played for some of the highest stakes in the world. When you start playing Baccarat, you must place a bet on the banker, the player, or a tie. After placing your bet, all the rest of the action is based on very strict rules, making this one of the easiest casino card games to play.

The object is for the hand you bet on to have a higher total than the other hand, or for the two hands to tie if you bet on a tie. Scores only go up to 9, as any digits in the tens column are dropped.

For example, a hand containing a 10 and an 8 will be scored as an 8, not an 18. A hand containing an ace and a 6 will be scored as a 7.

Winning bets on the Player pay 1 to 1, and winning bets on the Banker pay 1 to 1, minus a small house commission, usually 5%. The tie bet usually pays 9 to 1, but can vary.

Pai Gow Poker

In Pai Gow Poker, both the dealer and the player are dealt seven cards. These seven cards are divided into a five-card poker hand and a two-card poker hand. The five card hand must be higher than the two card hand.

To win, the player's five card hand must be better than the dealer's five card hand AND the player's two card hand must be better than the dealer's two card hand. If the player wins, the casino takes a commission, usually 5%.

If both of the dealer's hands are better than the player's, the player loses his bet. The outcome of most hands is a push when the dealer has one better hand and the player has the other better hand.

Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean Stud Poker is a popular casino card game that usually has a progressive side bet available. Players begin by placing an ante bet and an optional progressive side bet, if desired. The player and dealer are each dealt five cards, with only one of the dealer's cards face up.

The player then either folds or raises. A raise is equal to twice the original ante. The dealer qualifies only with a hand of Ace-King or better. If the dealer does not qualify, all ante bets are even money and all raises are pushed.

If the dealer qualifies and the player has a better hand, both the ante and raise bets win for the player. The ante bet pays 1 to 1, and the raise bet is paid from a card.

A common payout table is 1 to 1 for a pair or less, 2 to 1 for two pair, 3 to 1 for three of a kind, 4 to 1 for a straight, 5 to 1 for a flush, 7 to 1 for a full house, 20 to 1 for four of a kind, 50 to 1 for a straight flush, and 100 to 1 for a royal flush.

Let It Ride

Let It Ride Poker is a version of five-card stud poker in which each player is dealt three cards and two cards are dealt face up on the table. The two face-up cards are used in combination with each player's three cards to create their best poker hand.

Players are not playing against the dealer. They are paid according to a pay table that starts with a pair of tens or better.

Each player begins by placing three equal bets. After they receive their three cards, they may fold or leave a bet on the table. After the first up card is dealt, they may fold or leave a bet.

The player will always end up with at least one bet on the table, and can have up to three bets. A typical paytable pays 1 to 1 for a pair of tens or better, 2 to 1 for two pair, 3 to 1 for three of a kind, 5 to 1 for a straight, 8 to 1 for a flush, 11 to 1 for a full house, 50 to 1 for four of a kind, 200 to 1 for a straight flush, and 1,000 to 1 for a royal flush.

Spanish 21

Spanish 21 is played like regular Blackjack, but all 10's have been removed from the deck. So instead of a 52-card deck, you use a 48-card deck. Almost all of the other rules are in favor of the player, so if you learn the right strategy, the house edge on Spanish 21 can actually be lower than most blackjack games. Pontoon is the name of a game very similar to Spanish 21 that is popular in Australia.

Casino War

Casino War is one of the easiest games you will ever play. You place a bet and are dealt one card face up. The dealer then receives one card face up. The higher card wins.

If you win, you are paid even money, and if you lose, you forfeit your entire bet. In the event of a tie, you can either fold and get half your bet back or double your bet and go to war.

In the war round, the player and dealer each receive four down cards and then one up card. The higher up card wins. If the dealer wins, you lose your entire bet. If you win, you receive even money on half your bet and the other half is a push.

Super Fun 21

Super Fun 21 is a variation of Blackjack. It is played just like Blackjack, but only pays even money on a player's Blackjack. Other rules are more favorable to the player, such as the ability to double down at any time during the hand, the ability to split up to four times, and a player's Blackjack always wins, even if the dealer also has a Blackjack.

Vegas Three Card Rummy

In Vegas Three Card Rummy, the object of the game is to score lower than the dealer. The player and dealer are each dealt three cards, and the total score is calculated for each hand. The dealer must score 20 or less to qualify.

The player must place an ante bet to start the hand and an ante bet to stay in the hand after they are dealt their cards. There is also a side bonus bet that can be placed. If the player stays in the hand and has less than the dealer, he or she receives even money on the ante.

If the player stays in and the dealer qualifies, and the player has a lower score than the dealer, the player wins 4 to 1 on a score of 0, 2 to 1 on a score of 1 to 5, and 1 to 1 on a score of 6 to 19.

Face cards and tens are worth 10, aces are worth 1, and all other cards are worth their face value. Pairs, triples, two-card flushes and three-card flushes count as 0.

Texas Holdem

Texas Holdem, along with the next two games (Omaha and 7 Card Stud), are not always included in a list of casino card games, although they are often offered in the poker section of land-based casinos. They are usually not offered in the same software package as online casinos, although many online casinos also have poker rooms offered on different software. So I decided to include the three main poker variations here at the end because they fit the overall theme.

Texas Holdem is the most popular version of poker and is often the game you see on television. The game begins with two players placing small forced bets called the blinds. Each player is dealt two hole cards face down and then there is a round of betting.

Three community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table, followed by another round of betting. Another community card is dealt face up, followed by another round of betting, and then the final community card is dealt face up.

The final betting round is completed and the remaining players make their best five-card poker hand using any combination of their hole cards and the five community cards. You can play Limit, Pot Limit, or No Limit Texas Holdem.

Omaha

Omaha is played almost exactly like Texas Holdem, except that each player starts with four cards instead of two, and at the end each remaining player must use exactly two of his or her four hole cards and exactly three cards from the board to make the best five-card hand. Omaha can be played as limit or pot-limit, and can also be played for high or low.

7 Card Stud

7 Card Stud begins with each player placing an ante and receiving two cards face down and one card face up, followed by a betting round. The fourth, fifth and sixth cards are dealt face up to each player followed by a round of betting and then the seventh and final card is dealt face down to each player followed by a final round of betting. 7 Card Stud is played for limit or pot-limit stakes and is usually played only high, but can be played high and low.