Pai Gow Poker is a casino poker game where you split seven cards into a five-card and a two-card hand and try to beat both of the dealer's hands. Win both and you're paid even money minus a 5% commission; win one and it's a push. The deck has one joker that completes straights and flushes or counts as an ace. You can play real money Pai Gow Poker at Bovada, Cafe Casino and Slots LV.
- Seven cards split into a five-card and a two-card hand
- Win both hands for even money minus 5% commission
- Many pushes, so low volatility
- Play real money Pai Gow Poker at Bovada, Cafe Casino and Slots LV
Pai Gow Poker is the slow, steady game among casino poker variants. You get seven cards, split them into two poker hands and try to beat both of the dealer’s hands. Because many rounds end in a push, your bankroll lasts longer than in almost any other table game. It’s a firm favorite in US casinos, and more players now look for a Pai Gow Poker app to play it online for real money on their phone.
This review covers the rules, the role of the joker, the commission, house edge and a simple strategy for setting your hands, plus the casino apps where you can play real money Pai Gow Poker online.
What is Pai Gow Poker?
Pai Gow Poker was created in 1985 by Sam Torosian, owner of the Bell Card Club in Los Angeles. He combined the ancient Chinese domino game pai gow with American poker, and famously never patented it. The game spread from California to casinos across the US and is now a standard table game online as well.
It’s played with a 52-card deck plus one joker. You and the dealer each receive seven cards, and each of you sets them into a five-card hand (the high or back hand) and a two-card hand (the low or front hand).
Pai Gow Poker rules
- Place your bet and receive seven cards face up
- Split them into a five-card hand and a two-card hand
- Your five-card hand must rank higher than your two-card hand
- The two-card hand can only be a pair or high card
- The joker can complete a straight or flush; otherwise it counts as an ace
- Win both hands and you’re paid even money minus a 5% commission
- Win one hand and lose the other, and the round is a push
- Lose both hands and you lose your bet
- The dealer wins ties, known as copies
Standard poker hand rankings apply, with one addition: five aces (four aces and the joker) is the highest possible hand. At Bovada, A-2-3-4-5 is the second-highest straight, behind A-K-Q-J-10.
Commission and house edge
The 5% commission on winning bets is the casino’s main edge, together with the dealer winning copies. At Bovada, the commission is rounded up to the next $0.25. Cafe Casino lists a house edge of 1.46% for Pai Gow Poker, while other calculations that include the commission on every winning hand put it closer to 2.5% to 2.7%. Either way, the high number of pushes means your money lasts a long time per hour of play.
Why Pai Gow Poker has so many pushes
Because you play two hands against the dealer’s two hands, a split result is very common: you win the five-card comparison and lose the two-card one, or the other way around. Those rounds are pushes, and they make up a large share of all hands. For players, that means low volatility. You won’t see your balance swing as fast as in Three Card Poker or blackjack, which makes Pai Gow Poker a popular choice if you want to play longer on a fixed budget.
Pai Gow Poker strategy
Online, the dealer always sets its hand using a fixed house way, so the only decisions are yours. A few basic rules for setting your hands:
- No pair: put your highest card in the five-card hand and the next two highest in the two-card hand
- One pair: keep the pair in the five-card hand and your two highest other cards in the two-card hand
- Two pair: usually split them, putting the lower pair in the two-card hand, unless both pairs are small and you have an ace to play up front
- Three pair: put the highest pair in the two-card hand
- Three of a kind: keep them together, except three aces, where you usually play one ace in the two-card hand
- Straights and flushes: keep them in the five-card hand if you can still make a decent two-card hand
When in doubt, use the casino’s house way, which is designed to set a hand well. Bovada also publishes a Pai Gow Poker strategy guide on its site.
How to play Pai Gow Poker on your phone
There’s no standalone real-money Pai Gow Poker app in the stores. You play it inside a casino app or your phone’s browser:
- Choose one of the casino apps below and sign up
- Open the table games or poker games section and select Pai Gow Poker
- Place your bet and tap Deal
- Drag cards between your five-card and two-card hand, or use the house way button if available, and confirm
Practice mode lets you play Pai Gow Poker for free, which is a good way to get used to setting hands before you play for real money.
Where to play Pai Gow Poker for real money
US players can play real money Pai Gow Poker at Bovada, Cafe Casino and Slots LV, which all list it among their poker table games. Cafe Casino has table minimums from $1 on its poker games. Below are the casino apps we recommend for Pai Gow Poker.
Mobile experience
Pai Gow Poker takes a little more screen space than other poker games, because you’re arranging seven cards into two hands. On a phone it works best in landscape mode, where the cards are larger and easier to drag. The pace is relaxed, so it’s well suited to longer sessions on the couch rather than quick hands on the go.
Pai Gow Poker vs other casino poker games
If you prefer quick decisions, Three Card Poker is faster and simpler. Ultimate Texas Hold’em rewards good raising with a low house edge, and video poker gives you full control over your hand against a fixed pay table.
More poker apps
See all real-money and free options in our poker apps guide. Prefer poker against other players? Read our Texas Hold’em app guide. Want to practise for free first? WSOP Poker and Governor of Poker let you play with virtual chips.
Pros and cons
- Low volatility thanks to frequent pushes
- Relaxed pace for longer sessions
- Simple house way to fall back on
- Joker adds extra straights and flushes
- 5% commission on winning bets
- Dealer wins copies (ties)
- Slower than other poker games
- Needs more screen space on mobile
Play Pai Gow Poker in these 3 casino apps
18+ (21+ where required) · T&Cs apply
18+ (21+ where required) · T&Cs apply
18+ (21+ where required) · T&Cs apply · Min. deposit $20 · Wagering applies · Slots count 100%
Features
Pai Gow Poker app FAQ
Can I play Pai Gow Poker for real money on my phone?
Yes. Pai Gow Poker is available in casino apps and mobile browsers at casinos such as Bovada, Cafe Casino and Slots LV.
Is there a Pai Gow Poker app?
There's no standalone real-money app in the stores. You play Pai Gow Poker inside casino apps.
How does the joker work in Pai Gow Poker?
The joker can complete a straight or a flush. In any other case it counts as an ace.
Why is there a 5% commission?
The commission on winning bets is part of how the casino earns its edge, together with the dealer winning ties.
What happens if I win one hand and lose the other?
The round is a push and your bet is returned.