Overview of Pai Gow Poker

Updated: September 27, 2026

Pai Gow Poker uses cards, but it takes much of its name from a classic Chinese game that uses dominoes. It was created in 1985 by Sam Torosian, although he was misinformed about patent laws regarding card games and never made any money from his invention.

Although the game is relatively new, it has enjoyed great success thanks to the possibility of side bets and big hands, as well as the presence of the semi-wild joker card. With the rise of online gambling, it has become even more popular thanks to its presence in most virtual casinos.

If you have ever wanted to know how to play the game, this article has you covered. In addition to detailing the basic rules, we will also discuss side bets and some basic strategy. Even if you have never played before, we hope you will leave this article with enough knowledge to jump right into a game.

How to Play Keno

Getting Started

The entertainment takes place with a regular deck of 52 cards, as well as a single joker. While the joker is not always wild, it can act as an ace and can also be used to complete any of the following: royal flush, straight flush, flush or straight. This joker really adds an element of surprise.

Up to seven players may participate in a Pai Gow Poker session. Each of these individuals competes against the banker (or dealer). In online casinos, the house almost always acts as the banker. This keeps the game fair.

In physical casinos, players often switch to the banker position, even though the house dealer continues to deal the cards. In these situations, the dealer also plays a hand. To be the banker, a player must have enough chips in front of him to cover all the bets made by the other players.

The Basics

Each player begins by placing a bet equal to or greater than the table minimum. Once this is done, the players and the dealer are each dealt seven cards.

The player must now arrange his cards into a five-card hand (-high hand-) and a two-card hand (-low hand-). The high hand must have a higher poker value than the low hand.

Standard poker rankings are used throughout the game. The only exception is a straight consisting of A2345, which is considered the second best straight in the game. This rule is not always in effect at casinos, so be sure to check before you play.

The best possible ranking for the low hand is a pair. Otherwise, the value of each card is used to determine its strength.

Once all players have placed their hands, the Banker reveals his cards and begins the same process. Casino employees must arrange their cards according to a predetermined set of rules known as the "house way," but a player acting as the banker can arrange the cards any way he or she chooses.

Next, the dealer compares his hand to each player's hand, starting with the high hand. If the player wins both hands, they receive an even money payout with a 5% commission deducted for the house. If the player loses or ties on both hands, the house collects the entire bet. If the player wins one hand and ties one hand, the bet is considered a push.

In games where a player is the banker, that role should rotate or zigzag around the table. If a player does not wish to be the banker, he may decline. In that case, the right passes to the next player in line (who may also decline).

Pai Gow Strategy Made Simple

You will find a number of strategies for Pai Gow Poker scattered around the Internet, and some are more complex than others. In this section, I intend to present some basic tips that should improve your game without giving you a headache.

• If you have a poor hand with no pairs, straights or flushes, make sure the high hand contains your best card. If you have two pairs and the highest pair is Jacks through Aces, split the pairs by putting the best one in the high hand and the other in the low hand. The exception to this rule is when the second pair is deuces. In this case, play the two pair together in the high hand and move the two highest remaining cards to the low hand
• If you have two pair of tens through deuces, split them unless you have an ace. If you have three pairs, move the highest pair to the low hand. If you have three of a kind, play them together unless they are aces. If you have four of a kind consisting of aces or face cards, always split them. The only exception is if you also have another pair. If you have four of a kind consisting of sevens through tens, split them. The exception is if you also have an ace or better. If you have four of a kind consisting of sixes or lower, always play them together. If you have a full house, move the pair to the low hand. The exception is when you have an extra pair. If you have a straight or flush, keep it in the high hand. If you have five of a kind, split them. The exception is if you also have a pair of Kings. Under these circumstances, move the pair of Kings to the low hand;

Pai Gow Poker Side Bets

In addition to the standard ways to make a profit, Pai Gow Poker also has some side bets that are available to players. These vary from casino to casino, so always check before you start playing.

• Fortune
• Pai Gow Insurance
• Emperor's Challenge
• Jokolor
• Progressive Pai Gow;

In most casinos, the house makes more money on bonus bets than it does on commissions. This is due to the fact that side bets often carry a substantial house edge, so my advice to the smart player is to avoid these attractive options whenever they are presented.

Pai Gow Poker Hand Probabilities

The following probabilities are meant to illustrate how often you can expect to receive a particular hand when playing Pai Gow Poker:

Tips for Playing Pai Gow Poker

If you want to improve your overall skill at the game, try incorporating some of these tips and strategies the next time you play:

Online Pai Gow Poker

There are very few differences between the land-based and online versions of the game, which works to the advantage of the player who likes to jump from one format to the other. The biggest adjustment may be that the house always acts as the banker and that the games are one-on-one. Other than that, you should not expect much variation.

Because Pai Gow Poker is a proprietary game that requires the patent holder to be paid before anyone can use it, not all online casinos will offer it. This is often up to the software designer, so make sure a particular online site offers the game before opening an account.

Pai Gow Poker may not be as old as craps or blackjack, but it has managed to attract a sizable following in a short period of time. While it may be slower than some casino options due to hand adjustments and house commissions, it makes up for it with respectable payouts and excitement that rivals traditional poker.