Three Card Poker is an easy-to-learn, action-packed game that can be found at online casino sites around the world. Three Card Poker sites may sometimes refer to it as “Tri-Card Poker” but the game is the same.
Your goal in the game is simple: get the best possible three card poker hand.
The real difficulty is in finding licensed, legal, and reputal three card poker casinos in terms of safety and quality. Worry not; I’ve already done the hard work and have a list of the best 3 Card Poker sites right here:
-
Sign Up Bonus100% Deposit Bonus22Bet CasinoClaim Bonus
-
Sign Up Bonus$25 New Player Bonus18+ to Play, T&Cs ApplyBet365 CasinoClaim Bonus
-
Sign Up Bonus50 Free Spins When You Stake £1018+. Play Safe. New customers using Promo code M50 only. Opt in required. 1x per customer. Mining Pots of Gold only. Min £10 stake. Max 50 Free Spins at 10p per spin. Free Spins expire 24 hours from issue. Max redeemable £30. Eligibility rules, game, location, currency, payment-method restrictions and terms and conditions apply. www.begambleaware.org #adWilliam Hill CasinoClaim Bonus
-
Sign Up BonusWager £10 Get £30 + 100 Free Spins18+ to Play, T&Cs ApplyBetVictor CasinoClaim Bonus
-
Sign Up Bonus100% up to £100 instant Welcome BonusT and C apply888 CasinoClaim Bonus
I have personal experience with each of the above sites and am proud to vouch for them as safe, legitimate operators.
In addition to that, I’ve always been impressed with the software and overall sense of quality displayed by these casinos. Between functional, aesthetic software and competent customer support, these Three card poker sites go above and beyond simply offering you a place to play. They make it a pleasurable experience from your first deposit all the way through to your last withdrawal.
If you’d rather strike out on your own to find a place to play, make sure you do your research before you deposit. It’s important to remember that in some countries, there is no oversight over online gambling. That’s the primary reason I like to stick with legal casino operators in countries that exert some regulation over the industry.
Best 3 Card Poker Sites
Nearly all casino sites offer Three Card Poker games. You will have little trouble finding a place to bet on Three Card Poker online.
The quality of Three Card poker online casinos can vary quite a bit. With so many Three Card Poker sites to choose from, it is a difficult process to determine which operations are truly the best.
Safety is our biggest concern. If a Three Card Poker site cannot guarantee the security of your bankroll or even pay fair odds, we won’t list the brand under any circumstance.
Big brands are inherently safer based on the simple fact that they all have reputations dating back many years. Operators that have a reputation for paying winners and maintain proper licensing are almost safe and reputable.
Compare bonuses and pay tables at Three Card Poker sites. Big bonuses are nice because they give you additional chances to play and win without increasing your risk.
Check the pay tables to see if a site offers bigger payouts on made hands or if the paytable issues payouts for lesser hands. Go with the choice that offers the most generous payouts.
Three Card Poker Bonuses and Promotions
When choosing to play at a Three Card Poker site that you’ve never used before, you should have a bonus added to your first deposit. 3 card poker bonuses give you extra cash to play the game.
In most cases, the size of the Three Card poker bonus is determined by the amount you deposit.
The typical Three Card Poker bonus “match rate” is in the 100% range. This means that for every £1 you deposit, you get £1 in bonus money up to some maximum amount.
Keep in mind is that the Three Card Poker bonuses usually cannot be withdrawn; it may only be used to place bets and win money that you can withdraw.
How to Play Three Card Poker
3 Card Poker is essentially two games in one. At the beginning of each hand, you have the option to participate in both games or just one. Most people end up just playing in both games since you can play both games at the same time. The only real difference is in how winning hands are paid.
Ante and Play Wager
This is the primary game in 3 Card Poker. You can participate in this game by placing a wager in the “ante” spot marked on the table layout. After you pay the ante wager, you and the dealer are each dealt three cards. You may look at your own cards but the dealer’s cards are dealt face down.
Now, take a moment to look at your cards. If you like what you see, you may continue in the hand by placing an additional wager equal in size to the original wager. So if you started the game by placing a $5 ante, you would now place an additional $5 bet.
If you don’t like your three cards, you may concede the hand by folding. You lose your original wager but are not obligated to put any more money at risk. If you choose to place the second wager and continue, the game proceeds to the showdown.
Qualifying: Before the payouts are awarded, the dealer checks to see if his hand qualifies. His hand only qualifies if his hand consists of at least a queen-high or better. If the dealer fails to qualify, you are paid even money on your ante and your raise bet is returned to you without any winnings.
Showdown: If the dealer does qualify, your hands are compared. If the dealer’s hand is better than yours, you lose both bets. If your hand is better than the dealer’s hand, you are paid even money on both your original ante and your raise bet. Your ante bet receives additional payouts if you have a straight or better.
The following bonus payouts are awarded to your ante wager if you have a straight or better:
- Straight: 1 to 1 payout
- 3 of a Kind: 4 to 1 payout
- Straight Flush: 5 to 1 payout
Pairs Plus Wager
This is the secondary game in Three Card Poker. If you would like to place this wager, place your money on the table in the spot marked Pair+. This game simply awards payouts if you end up with a pair or better. Payouts in the Pair Plus wager are awarded regardless of the dealer’s cards.
As long as you don’t fold, you will qualify for the following payouts if you end up with any of the following hands:
- One Pair: 1 to 1 payout
- Flush: 4 to 1 payout
- Straight: 6 to 1 payout
- Three of a Kind: 30 to 1 payout
- Straight Flush: 40 to 1 payout
Basic Three Card Poker Betting Strategy
The optimal strategy for betting on Three Card Poker online is easy to remember. Any time you have a starting hand of Q-6-4 or better, stay in the hand. If you start out with anything lower than Q-6-4, fold.
So if your starting hand has an Ace or King, stay in. If you start out with a Queen and the second-highest card is a 7 or higher, stay in. If you start out with a Queen, 6 and anything higher than a 4, stay in. All made hands (straights, flushes, 3-of-a-kind and pairs) are automatic plays.
With this strategy, the house advantage of Three Card Poker online is roughly 3.5% under the payouts listed above. Some three card poker sites use different pay tables and that has an impact on the house advantage. Avoid casinos that have lower payouts than the ones listed here.
Wes Burns co-founded OnlineCasinoSites.com with a mission to help gamblers understand and navigate the regulated online casino market in all countries around the world. Wes is a respected gambling journalist, working in the industry since 2008.