| Updated: September 24, 2025Casino Hold’em is a house-banked variation of Hold’em poker offered by Playtech. This version plays similarly to the live versions released by Evolution Gaming and Ezugi. After each hand, the cards in Playtech’s version are shuffled by a dedicated shuffling machine built directly into the table.
Rundown of the Rules and the Payouts
Here, you play against the live dealer instead of competing against other players. The game uses a single deck of cards, which is shuffled after each round. The objective is to beat the live dealer with a better poker hand.
This version employs a slightly different ranking system and a board of community cards. The live dealer qualifies with a pair of 4s or better. A round starts with the player posting an ante bet. The dealer then deals two face-up cards to the player and two hole cards to themselves.
Next comes the three-card flop, after which players have the option to fold or to call by doubling their ante bet. A folded hand results in the loss of the ante bet. The turn and the river are dealt immediately after, with no betting action in between.
The dealer then exposes their two hole cards, and the higher-ranking hand wins. Call bets pay even money, but the payout for the ante bet depends on the ranking of your hand, as follows:
- A pair of aces, two pairs, sets, and straights all pay even money
- Flushes pay 2 to 1
- A full house pays 3 to 1
- Quads pay 10 to 1
- Straight flushes pay 20 to 1
- Royal flushes pay 100 to 1
These playing conditions result in a relatively low house edge for the ante bet, which stands at 0.82%.
Gaming Interface and Remarkable Features
Casino Hold’em is streamed from Playtech’s live studio, but the table is separated from the main floor. This creates a more intimate atmosphere with fewer distractions. Everything you need to manage your gameplay is just a few clicks away.
Seated players can take advantage of the live chat to address the dealer or other players. Several handy buttons to the side slide the paytable and table limits onto the screen. Similar to other Playtech live tables, you can tip your Casino Hold’em dealer.
Playtech delivers an exciting twist in the form of optional side wagers called the AA bets. You can place one at the start of the round, before any cards are dealt. These wagers win with higher payouts whenever the player’s first two cards, together with the three cards from the flop, form any of the poker hands listed above. The payouts for the AA side bets, in ascending order, are:
- 7 to 1 for a pair of aces, two pairs, sets, and straights
- 20 to 1 for flushes
- 30 to 1 for a full house
- 40 to 1 for quads
- 50 to 1 for straight flushes
- 100 to 1 for a royal flush
We advise against placing these bets consistently because they offer a lower theoretical return than the main game – namely, 93.74%.
Closing Thoughts
Live Casino Hold’em is perfect for players who are just starting to learn the basics of poker. It features a simplified betting structure and rules, as well as a house edge under 1%. The well-trained dealers and the intimate studio setting further enhance the overall experience.