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Download on Google Play- 1-7 players against the dealer with a 52-card deck.
- Place an ante bet and optionally a progressive side bet.
- Receive 5 cards face-down; one dealer card is face-up.
- Look at your hand and the dealer's upcard.
- Raise (2x ante) or fold (lose ante).
- Dealer reveals and must qualify with Ace-King or better.
- Ante pays even money; raise pays according to the paytable.
- If dealer does not qualify, ante pays even money and raise pushes.
Rules
Caribbean Stud Poker is a casino table game where each player competes against the dealer rather than other players. Players receive five cards and must decide to raise or fold based on their hand strength, with the added excitement of an optional progressive jackpot side bet. The dealer must qualify with Ace-King or better for the raise bet to be in play.
Objective
Beat the dealer's five-card poker hand by placing an ante, receiving five cards, and deciding whether to raise. The dealer must qualify with at least Ace-King high for the raise to pay.
Setup
- Players: 1 to 7 players against the dealer.
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
- Ante: Each player places an ante bet before cards are dealt.
- Progressive bet: An optional side bet for the progressive jackpot, typically one dollar or chip.
Gameplay
- Deal: Each player and the dealer receive 5 cards face-down. One of the dealer's cards is turned face-up.
- Decision: After examining their hand, each player must either raise (placing a bet exactly double the ante) or fold (forfeiting the ante).
- Reveal: The dealer reveals their remaining four cards after all players have decided.
- Qualification: The dealer must have Ace-King high or better to qualify. If the dealer does not qualify, the ante pays even money and the raise bet pushes.
- Comparison: If the dealer qualifies, each remaining player's hand is compared to the dealer's. A winning hand pays even money on the ante and according to a paytable on the raise.
Scoring
- Ante payout: Even money (1:1) if the player beats a qualifying dealer.
- Raise paytable: One pair or less pays 1:1, two pair pays 2:1, three of a kind pays 3:1, straight pays 4:1, flush pays 5:1, full house pays 7:1, four of a kind pays 20:1, straight flush pays 50:1, royal flush pays 100:1.
- Progressive jackpot: A flush or better on the side bet wins a portion or all of the progressive jackpot, depending on the casino.
Variations
- Progressive payouts: Some casinos offer enhanced progressive paytables that pay for lower hands like three of a kind.
- Bonus payouts: Certain versions include a bonus payout for premium hands regardless of whether the dealer qualifies.
Tips and Strategies
- Always raise with a pair or better — these hands are statistically favored against the dealer.
- Fold hands weaker than Ace-King; calling with junk hands is a guaranteed long-term loss.
- The progressive jackpot side bet carries a high house edge but can be worthwhile when the jackpot is exceptionally large.
Tips & Strategy
The optimal strategy is simple: raise with any pair or better, and fold with less than Ace-King. When holding Ace-King, raise if the dealer's upcard matches one of your cards.
Because the dealer does not qualify roughly 44% of the time, winning the ante but pushing the raise is common. This dynamic makes pair-or-better hands very profitable to raise with.
Trivia & Fun Facts
The progressive jackpot in Caribbean Stud Poker has paid out over a million dollars to lucky players, with royal flushes triggering the full jackpot amount.
What is the minimum hand the dealer must hold to qualify in Caribbean Stud Poker?
History & Culture
Caribbean Stud Poker was invented in the 1980s and first appeared in Aruba before spreading to Las Vegas casinos, where the progressive jackpot was added.
Caribbean Stud Poker pioneered the casino poker table game genre and inspired many subsequent games like Three Card Poker and Let It Ride.
Variations & House Rules
Some casinos offer bonus payouts for premium hands regardless of the dealer's qualification, reducing the frustration of hitting a big hand when the dealer does not qualify.
For home games, remove the progressive jackpot and use fixed bonus payouts for big hands to simplify the setup.
