There are four types of Pai Gow Poker that are dealt in Las Vegas. Face Up Pai Gow Poker is the most popular. It entered the market in 2018. Today, about two out of every three Pai Gow Poker games in our Las Vegas Table Game Survey are this version.

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Face Up Pai Gow Poker is faster and has a lower house edge than the other versions. The other two common Pai Gow Poker variants are Fortune and Emperor’s Challenge. The only other Pai Gow Poker game is a single no commission one in the locals market.

Where to play Pai Gow Poker in Las Vegas

The pandemic caused inflation to hit most of the $5 Pai Gow Poker games in Las Vegas. There are still a few in the locals market. The most common minimum bet is $10. It is $25 at most Las Vegas Strip casinos.

Pai gow (tiles) is perhaps the oldest casino game. The name roughly translates to 'make nine.' In fact, the concept of scoring by the ones digit only, as in baccarat, likely stems from pai gow. Of all the casino games, there can be little debate that pai gow is the hardest to learn. The game of Pai Gow is considered to be a rather complex game. At least until players have become totally familiar with it. Once they do it soon becomes a favorite. As the participation in the game has grown it has allowed it to increase in it popularity. Pai gow poker is the American version of pai gow – a Chinese dominoes game. Pai gow was introduced to the US market by Sam Torosian, who invented it based on the Asian model. Sadly for him, he didn’t patent it and ended up losing a potential fortune. The game quickly gained popularity and nowadays is considered a classic.

Pai Gow Poker is a casino table game and is played with a standard 52-card deck plus one joker. The rules are fairly simple. After making a bet, each player is dealt seven cards and must make two poker hands: A standard five-card poker hand and a two-card poker hand. Pai Gow Tiles: The Traditional Chinese Game. Pai Gow Tiles (or just Pai Gow) is the traditional, original version of Pai Gow Poker. Although the aim of the game is rather similar where the player must form 2 ranking “hands”, the rules and terms are completely different and can be very foreign to those unfamiliar with Chinese culture.

The list below is sorted by the expected minimum bet. The games are listed under that by Pai Gow Poker variant. The minimum bet may be higher during busy hours. Some casinos deal multiple versions of Pai Gow Poker.

Las Vegas Pai Gow Poker minimum bet

How to play Pai Gow Poker

A Pai Gow Poker game uses a 53-card deck that includes a joker. This card may be used to complete a straight, flush or straight flush. If it cannot be used for that purpose, it is an ace.

Players receive seven cards after making a bet that may include multiple optional side bets. The cards are split into a five-card low and two-card high hand. The five-card hand must beat the two-card hand. Once players have set hands, the house hand is exposed. The house has a set of rules it uses for its hands. Once set, it is compared to each player’s hand.

If the player’s five-card and two-card hands both beat the banker, the player is paid even money. There is a 5% commission in Emperor’s Challenge and Fortune Pai Gow Poker. If the banker’s two hands beat both player hands, the house wins. If the banker wins one, and the player wins the other, it is a push.

The banker wins all ties. This is called a copy in Pai Gow Poker. This is usually the house. However, players may bank at Emperor’s Challenge and Fortune Pai Gow Poker. The casino’s dealer becomes a player hand. The player banker is up against each player at the table. The house takes 5% of net winnings when a player banks. The player banker wins all copies just like the house usually does.

How Face Up Pai Gow is different from the traditional game

Face Up Pai Gow Poker turns a poker game into one of luck. It is best suited for players that do not want to worry about strategy and want to go after the jackpot and other side bets. There is no skill involved in Face Up Pai Gow Poker. The house sets its hand first. If it is an ace-high pai gow, meaning a hand with no pair or better, the house pushes all player hands. If the dealer does not push, the hand is set. The player’s hand is set by the dealer as he or she helps the player find the best hand.

Players may not bank in Face Up Pai Gow Poker.

No Commission Pai Gow Poker

No Commission Pai Gow Poker has one installation in Las Vegas. It is at Boulder Station. In our 2020 Las Vegas Table Game Survey, this game had just one install. It was at Fiesta Henderson. This game pushes all players when the dealer has a queen-high pai gow. We have never seen this table open at either casino so it is likely only available during peak hours. There is no player banking at No Commission Pai Gow Poker.

Las Vegas Pai Gow Poker FAQ

What is the minimum bet for Pai Gow Poker in Las Vegas?

Some locals casinos deal $5 Pai Gow Poker. It is typically $10 or $15 in downtown Las Vegas and $15 or $25 on the Strip.

What types of Pai Gow Poker are dealt in Las Vegas?

Emperor’s Challenge, Face Up, Fortune and No Commission are all Pai Gow Poker versions dealt in Las Vegas.

What is the most popular version of Pai Gow Poker in Las Vegas?

About two-thirds of Las Vegas tables for the game are Face Up Pai Gow Poker.

Can I bank at Pai Gow Poker in Las Vegas?

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Emperor’s Challenge and Fortune Pai Gow Poker allow players to bank.

Is there a commission at Las Vegas Pai Gow Poker tables?

Emperor’s Challenge and Fortune Pai Gow Poker have a 5% commission. Face Up Pai Gow does not.

Why is there not a commission at Face Up Pai Gow Poker?

The dealer pushes all players with an ace-high pai gow. This offsets the commission and keeps change off the table.

Are there any video Pai Gow Poker machines in Las Vegas?

No. The last one was at Riviera. It was removed in 2011.

For the poker fan with a taste for the Orient, Pai Gow Poker offers an interesting twist on the century’s old gambling game from China. Rather than utilizing the distinctive Chinese tiles of the traditional game with poker cards for a relaxed gambling experience. Generally speaking, for people who already know how to play poker, Pai Gow poker is a quick and easy transition, which allows you to sit down with confidence at your nearest land based casino or online format. As with most free casino games, the player will place their bet prior to getting their 7-card hand, and the fun begins from there in a contest best described as a double-handed poker game.

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Playing Pai Gow Poker

Generally speaking, a good Pai Gow Poker game will have six players and a dealer with each being dealt seven cards from the 53-card deck including the joker that can be used to substitute in the making of a straight, or any suit to complete a flush. If it can’t be used for either of those purposes, the joker will not only be an always be an ace, but in the two-card hand a joker is always an ace, which can have strategic implications when assembling your hands.

Your primary objective when playing Pai Gow poker is create two separate poker hands out of the seven cards you are dealt. The two hands must be comprised of a larger 5-card hand, also known as the “In front,” “behind,” or “on top.” Conversely, the second hand you need to assembly will be created from the remaining two cards. That second hand is variously styled “small,” “little,” or “low” hand. When assembling your two hands, the only requirement that you must adhere to is that the larger poker hand must outrank the smaller one with a higher poker value.

To begin, the five-card hand is ranked according to conventional poker rules, whereas the only possible poker hand in the two-card hand is a pair or no pair, after which the individual cards determine the value. Once you have set your hand to your satisfaction, the dealer will turn over their cards and divide the hand in the same manner, according to specified rules known as the “house way”

Once completed, the two high hands are contrasted, and the two low hands, the hand with the higher poker value winnings. Should the comparison result in a tie, say for example that both small hands are ace/king, then the tie has go to the “banker.”

Pai Gow Poker Fortune Bonus

Unlike most casino games, the player may bet against the dealer, and other players in Pai Gow poker. In a process known as “banking,” the banker function rotates around the table, but at some casinos the banking role zig-zags between the dealer and each player in turn giving everyone at the table the chance to participate. The player may always decline to bank, which is typically what happens, in which case the banker option will slip back to the next player, or dealer.