Caribbean Stud Poker Guide

For those that have never played the game of Caribbean Stud Poker, this article will serve as a lightning fast guide. Caribbean Stud Poker is, in my opinion, a fun game to play especially in a real casino setting. For those that have played Five Card Stud Poker, Caribbean Stud Poker will be a breeze to learn. Instead of playing against other players, you’re playing against the dealer’s hand. The main decision in Caribbean Stud Poker is whether to stay in the hand.

Caribbean Stud Poker Betting

There are three main betting spots in Caribbean Stud Poker. The first betting spot is the Ante. You must ante up to play a hand of Caribbean Stud Poker. The next betting spot is called Bet. This is where you place additional money if you decide to stay in the hand. The final betting spot is for the progressive jackpot. Before the hand you have the option of placing one dollar in the progressive slot. Let’s go more into detail.

Playing Caribbean Stud Poker

Each hand of Caribbean Stud Poker starts with you, the player, placing a wager on the ante spot. You also have the option of placing one dollar in the progressive slot. Once the hand begins the progressive is off limits. We’ll talk more about the progressive jackpot in a moment. After your ante is placed and you either played the progressive or passed; you will be dealt five cards.

It’s now time to examine your five cards. If you feel you have a good hand that can beat the dealer, you’ll need to place a wager in the bet area to stay in the hand. Your wager will be double your ante wager. For instance, if you placed a $5 ante wager, your bet wager would be $10. Next, the dealer will reveal his or her hand to see who won. If you beat the dealer, your hand will be paid in accordance with the pay table.

Dealer Qualifying

There’s a catch in Caribbean Stud Poker. In order for your bet wager to be paid, the dealer must have a qualifying hand. If you beat the dealer, your ante wager is always paid even money. However, for your bet wager to be paid in accordance with your hand, the dealer must have a hand that’s ace King or better.

That’s really the down side. I can’t think of anything worse than being dealt a Four-of-a-Kind and seeing the dealer reveal a non-qualifying hand. That’s where the progressive can come in handy. Of course, the probability of you not being paid on a Four-of-a-Kind is not too high.

Caribbean Stud Poker Paytable

When you have a hand that beats the dealer’s qualifying hand, your bet wager will be paid in accordance with the following paytable.

One pair or less: 1:1
Two pair: 2:1
Three-of-a-Kind: 3:1
Straight: 4:1
Flush: 5:1
Full House: 7:1
Four-of-a-Kind: 20:1
Straight Flush: 50:1
Royal Flush: 100:1

The above is just an example of a typical Caribbean Stud Poker paytable. The casino you are playing at may have different odds, but these are the most common odds.

Caribbean Stud Poker Progressive Bonus

As mentioned Caribbean Stud Poker features a progressive bonus jackpot. To qualify for the progressive bonus jackpot you must bet one dollar in the progressive jackpot slot before each hand. It’s important to note that any qualifying hands for the progressive bonus jackpot are paid whether the dealer has a qualifying hand or not.

Every casino has their own progressive bonus jackpot paytable. Online players should shop around to find the best Caribbean Stud Poker progressive bonus jackpot amounts. Here’s a typical example of the progressive bonus jackpot paytable.

Flush: $50
Full House: $100
Four-of-a-Kind: $500
Straight Flush: 10% of progressive jackpot amount
Royal Flush: 100% of progressive jackpot amount

Time to Play

In case you’re not familiar with the hand raking, you’ll want to view my “Caribbean Stud Poker Hand Guide.” You are now up to speed with the game of Caribbean Stud Poker, and it’s time to get out there now some fun. It’s a good idea to brush up on some strategy by reading other articles of mine. Good luck of the Caribbean Stud Poker tables and don’t forget to share your Caribbean Stud Poker experiences with other readers. You can post your comments below.