Three card poker promotion. Advantage?

[Cass]

My local casino is having a promotion for a few days that the three card poker table game. Is having double payouts. Ie: something that pay 1:1 now pays 2:1. I know this game has a high house edge because it has a 50cent ante on each bet. the table limits are $2-$25max. Can this game be beaten or should i just stick to BJ. I have no idea how to play this game. They have the same promo on there other carnival game I think it is caribean stud. This game also carries the 50cent ante.

[shadroch]

Game used to be called table slots,until someone picked up on the popularity of poker.
Real simple.You make two bets,one that your cards are better than the dealers,one that you'll draw a pair or better with your three cards.
Thats the game,in a nutshell. After you get your three cards,you either place another bet that you'll beat the dealer,or you fold.
Payouts should be 40-1 straight flush,30-1 Trips,6-1 straight,4-1 flush,even money pair.Then there a few side bonuses.
I don't know where the fifty cent antiecomes in,but if the casino is paying
2X the above pay schedule,I'd think its got to be in the players advantage.
Is it 50 cents a hand,or 50 cents a bet?As you make 3 bets per hand,its a huge difference.

[KenSmith]

I predict this promo won't last but a few hours. Go bet $25 on both spots for the duration.

If they're paying double on all payouts, your edge is huge.
For example, the normal Pair Plus paytable has a house edge of about 2.3%, which means a payout of 97.7%. You'll be getting a payout of 195.4% instead.

With a $25 bet on pair plus, your expected profit per hand is $23.35 after the 50 cent ante.

For the Ante and Play bet, bet the max, and play every hand. Do not fold.
The expected loss on a normal game would be 7.7% of the ante bet size, but in this case, the expected win is $21.15 per hand. If they take another ante on the back bets, reduce this by 50c or $1 as needed.

So, flat-betting, and playing every hand, your expected win is $44.50 per hand.

[shadroch]

Ken
Why would you stay in every hand? I don't see how double payouts on wins affects losing hands.

[KenSmith]

Normally, when you stay in and the dealer doesn't qualify, you win the Ante bet and the Play bet is a push. If you're getting paid double on the Ante bet, it's easy to see that playing every hand is well worth it. Yes, if the dealer qualifies and beats you, you lose two bets. But if the dealer doesn't qualify, you win two bets. If you beat the qualified dealer, you win at least 4 bets.

[Cass]

Originally Posted by KenSmith

I predict this promo won't last but a few hours. Go bet $25 on both spots for the duration.

If they're paying double on all payouts, your edge is huge.
For example, the normal Pair Plus paytable has a house edge of about 2.3%, which means a payout of 97.7%. You'll be getting a payout of 195.4% instead.

With a $25 bet on pair plus, your expected profit per hand is $23.35 after the 50 cent ante.

For the Ante and Play bet, bet the max, and play every hand. Do not fold.
The expected loss on a normal game would be 7.7% of the ante bet size, but in this case, the expected win is $21.15 per hand. If they take another ante on the back bets, reduce this by 50c or $1 as needed.

So, flat-betting, and playing every hand, your expected win is $44.50 per hand.

Hmm this sounds too good to be true. I asked the pit boss how it works he said, "something that would normaly pay 1-1 is 2-1" I think it is for all the payouts across the board. I'm going to have to research this more next time I go. It doesnt start for a couple weeks.

[ScottH]

Originally Posted by Cass

Hmm this sounds too good to be true. I asked the pit boss how it works he said, "something that would normaly pay 1-1 is 2-1"

To me that means that one of the bets will pay 2-1, but not all of the bets. I don't know how the game works really, but that's what I supspect from the quote from the PB.

[shadroch]

Originally Posted by KenSmith

Normally, when you stay in and the dealer doesn't qualify, you win the Ante bet and the Play bet is a push. If you're getting paid double on the Ante bet, it's easy to see that playing every hand is well worth it. Yes, if the dealer qualifies and beats you, you lose two bets. But if the dealer doesn't qualify, you win two bets. If you beat the qualified dealer, you win at least 4 bets.

Ken,I believe you are mistaken here.
A dealer doesn't have to qualify to beat you on your first bet.
Say you have 9-7-5,and dealer has 10-7-5,he doesn't qualify,but you lose your first bet,lose your pair plus and push the second bet.If he had a Q-7-5,you'd lose all three if you stay in,2 if you had folded.
I can't believe this promo will double all wqinning bets.If they did,I'd be on a jet in no time.

[Cass]

Originally Posted by ScottH

To me that means that one of the bets will pay 2-1, but not all of the bets. I don't know how the game works really, but that's what I supspect from the quote from the PB.

I called the PB to confirm it is double pay on everything! Ante is 50cents. So this gives the player a huge advantage. i cant wait till it starts!

[shadroch]

Originally Posted by Cass

I called the PB to confirm it is double pay on everything! Ante is 50cents. So this gives the player a huge advantage. i cant wait till it starts!

Where and when?