| Updated: Casino Hold’em is a house-banked variation of Hold’em poker offered by Playtech. It 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 Payouts
In this game, 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 hand-ranking system and uses a board of community cards. The live dealer qualifies with a pair of 4s or better. A round starts with the player placing 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 call by doubling their ante bet. Folding results in the loss of the ante bet. The turn and river are then dealt immediately, with no betting action in between.
The dealer exposes their two hole cards, and the higher-ranking hand wins. Call bets pay even money, but the ante payout 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 Key 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 use the live chat to communicate with the dealer or other players. Several convenient buttons at the side of the interface display the paytable and table limits on the screen. As at other Playtech live tables, you can tip your Casino Hold’em dealer.
Playtech also offers an optional side wager called the AA bet. You can place it at the start of the round, before any cards are dealt. This wager pays out whenever the player’s first two cards and the three cards from the flop form any of the poker hands listed above. The payouts for the AA side bet, 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 regularly because their theoretical return, at 93.74%, is lower than that of the main game.
Closing Thoughts
Live Casino Hold’em is well suited to players who are just starting to learn the basics of poker. It features simplified rules and a straightforward betting structure, as well as a house edge under 1%. The well-trained dealers and intimate studio setting further enhance the overall experience.