Base game versus variant
Both player hands must defeat the corresponding dealer hands to win. Winning one and losing one produces a push; losing both loses the wager.
Copies commonly go to the banker. Traditional games may charge commission on wins, while commission-free variants replace that charge with another rule.
Side wagers
Fortune, envy, progressive and ace-high variants can create independent exposure and sometimes alter optimal hand setting.
A familiar brand name can support several approved schedules.
Comparison checklist
Base play normally compares hands rather than using a pay table; side bonuses pay for seven-card combinations under posted schedules.
The skill is setting two legal hands. The five-card hand must rank at least as high as the two-card hand, and joker treatment must follow local rules.
Common mistakes
Mis-setting the hand, ignoring copies, or describing a side-bet pay table as the base-game return are common errors.
A player cannot place a pair in the two-card hand if doing so leaves a weaker five-card high hand; the hand must be set legally before comparison.
The label is not the specification
For Pai Gow Poker Variants and Side Bets, banking, commission, house-way procedure and joker treatment shape the result, while frequent pushes change the pace rather than erase the edge.
For Pai Gow Poker Variants and Side Bets, casino names travel more easily than rule sheets. Treat each variant and side wager as a separate product until the posted terms match.
Treat Pai Gow Poker Variants and Side Bets as its own rules package. A familiar brand or layout is not enough to import a percentage from another version.
What to record for Pai Gow Poker
- Base-game change
- optional pay table
- progressive contribution
If the posted Pai Gow Poker Variants and Side Bets version cannot be identified, keep the variants separate and decline to quote a blended edge.
Nevada Gaming Control Board ↗. Use the currently posted casino rules whenever they differ.
Pai Gow Poker Variants and Side Bets is reviewed against the Pai Gow Poker rules described above. A different pay table or procedure is a different model. Editorial review updated September 24, 2026.