Poker definitely remains one of the most popular gambling games of all time. In modern online casinos, you will find electronic variants where you play against computer software and those that are conducted live and led by real croupiers.
The live poker games offered in today’s casinos online enjoy more interest as they successfully recreate the atmosphere of physical casinos. In this article you will find information about the most popular live poker variants, their rules, features and returns for the player.
Casino Hold’em (Casino Hold’em Poker)
Casino Hold’em is a variant of the well-known Texas Hold’em poker. Tables for this variety are available in Bulgarian casinos, provided by the software developer Evolution Gaming.
Casino Hold’em differs from Texas Hold’em mainly in that here you play against the bank and not against the other players. The goal is to beat the dealer’s hand by getting the best possible hand out of the two cards you’ll be dealt at the start and the five community cards on the table.
Casino Hold’em poker is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. The dealer deals two cards face up to the player and two cards face down. He also deals three community cards face up. Next, the player must choose whether to play 2x (double the ante) or fold (fold).
When he decides, two more community cards are dealt and the hands are compared to determine the winner. The dealer must have a pair of 4s or higher to qualify. The highest hand is a Royal Flush and pays 100 to 1. The full table can be seen in the “How to Play” menu.
Players can also place an optional Bonus bet. It is only won if there is a pair of Aces or a better combination according to the pay table. The optimal theoretical rate of return in the game Casino Hold’em by Evolution Gaming is 97.84%, and for the bonus bet – 93.74%.
Three Card Poker
Three Card Poker is another pretty popular live poker option that you’ll find at licensed online casinos. In three-card poker, your goal is also to beat the dealer with a better hand. But as the name suggests, the hand is made up of 3 cards, not 5 like in Casino Hold’em.
Three Card Poker is also played with a standard deck of 52 cards. Jokers are removed and cards are shuffled after each deal. The player must make an Ante bet and one or two of the table’s optional bets – Pair Plus and/or Card Bonus. He gets three cards face up and the dealer’s three cards are face down.
If the player is confident in his hand, he can make a bet by clicking “Play 1x” or fold by clicking “Pass”. The dealer ranks if he has at least one queen or higher card. About the bet Ante the optimal rate of return for the player is 96.63%, for the Pair Plus bet – 95.51% and for the 6 Card Bonus bet – 91.44%.
Caribbean Stud Poker
Caribbean Poker is a variant of Texas Hold’em Poker and is often found in live casinos. And here the main difference is that it is played against the bank (casino) and not against other players at the table. It is played with a deck of 52 cards and the aim is to beat the dealer’s hand by making the best possible hand of 5 cards.
To start playing this variation, you must place your initial bet on the table location. The dealer will deal you 5 cards face up and himself 4 cards face down and 1 face up. Then you have to choose whether to play or pass. The dealer must have at least one Ace or King to qualify.
You can also place an optional side bet called 5+1 Bonus. This bet wins if your 5 cards and the dealer’s first face up card can make a poker hand of three or better. The theoretical rate of return for the player for the total bet is 98.19%, and for the 5+1 Bonus bet – 91.44%.
Side Bet City
Side Bet City is a slightly different live poker game where you can bet on a 3 card hand, a 5 card hand or a 7 card hand. If you think that none of these hands will win, you can bet on All Loses. The goal is to get the best hands. This variant is played with a deck of 52 cards that are shuffled after each round.
Once you have already placed your bet, the dealer will deal 7 cards. The first 3 will determine the result of the 3-card hand, the first 5 – the result of the 5-card hand and the 7-card – the result of the 7-card hand. If none of these hands win, the “All Lose” bet will win.
The optimal theoretical return rates for the player are: 96.69% for the 3-card hand, 95.21% for the 5-card hand, 94.34% for the 7-card hand and 96.29% for All Lose.
Live Poker Games – Benefits
Live poker games are preferred mainly because of the convenience. They eliminate the need to visit physical gaming halls and casinos. You can save time and enjoy them from your home. You only need to register at the relevant online casino and make a deposit. This will certainly not be a problem because the operators offer convenient methods of loading the account.
The second advantage of live poker games is that they provide players with a realistic experience. They take place in real time and are broadcast from special studios. They are led by a professional dealer, and at most tables there is also a chat, which allows you to make contact both with him and with the other players.
And last but not least, a wide variety of poker variants are available in the live betting sections. Those we have described above are only a small part. You can also try other exciting games like Ultimate Texas Hold’em Poker2 Hand Casino Hold’em, 3 Card Brag, Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker and more.
