Pai Gow Poker
Find out which hands are the best in Pai Gow Poker with Five of a Kind and Royal Flush dishing out huge payouts.
Game Overview
If you like the sound of an American twist on a classic Chinese game, Pai Gow Poker is the game for you. This is a card game version of Pai Gow, and it uses a standard 52-card deck with one Joker. The cards use their usual values, but watch out for the Joker Wild card.
Paytable and Payouts
In Pai Gow Poker, you play two hands at the same time. The payouts are based on both the hands, and you can find them below:
- Player wins both hands – Payout: 1:1
- Player wins one hand, loses one hand – Payout: Return of wager
- Dealer wins both hands – Payout: Entire wager is lost
- Any tie (matching hand) – Payout: Player loses that hand (both must be won to avoid loss)
Winning Hands and Probabilities
To play Pai Gow Poker confidently, you’ll need to know what all the different possible hands are. These all have diverse probabilities of coming to fruition, which we’ve laid out for you in a handy table below:
| Hand | Description | Approx. Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Five of a Kind | Four of a kind plus the Joker | ~0.0003% |
| Royal Flush | A, K, Q, J, 10 (same suit) | ~0.0015% |
| Straight Flush | Five consecutive cards, same suit | ~0.02% |
| Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same rank | ~0.17% |
| Full House | Three of a kind plus a pair | ~2.6% |
| Flush | Five cards of the same suit | ~3.0% |
| Straight | Five consecutive cards, different suits | ~4.6% |
| Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same rank | ~4.8% |
| Two Pair | Two different pairs | ~17.0% |
| One Pair | One pair and three unmatched cards | ~43.0% |
| High Card | No pair or better; highest card plays | ~19.0% |
Special Card Functions
This is a relatively simple card game, and so the only special card that you need to be aware of when playing Pai Gow Poker is the Joker. This card functions as a Wild that can boost your chances of winning massively, if you’re lucky enough to find it within the deck. The handy Joker can be used to complete several hands, including a Straight Flush, a Flush, or a Straight. Otherwise, it acts as an Ace.
Design and Symbol Hierarchy
You'll use a traditional playing card deck in Pai Gow Poker, so you'll recognise the symbols on each of the cards. However, Pai Gow Poker gameplay blends the aspects of American and Chinese culture that inspired the original game. You’ll find yourself immersed in this unique offering once you start playing.