Vegas Three Card Rummy

Sometimes you need a break from trying to rack-up points, which is why Vegas 3 Card Rummy is perfect for you, since the objective of the game is to get as few points as possible. Scoring low means you win big, contrary to similar games. This three-card game is time-honored as one of the best in the casino world with its side-betting option. The way it works is that each card is given a specific, respective value from 2 to 10, the winner is whoever has the fewest amount of points in the end of the hand.

How to Play Vegas Three Card Rummy

Each card is given its own point value as follows: 2-10 are assigned points at their own face value (2 card is equal to 2 points, 5 card is equal to 5 points, etc.), while face cards are all worth an equal 10 points each. The Aces are worth 1 point each. Here is the catch: any pair, three-of-a-kind, two-card suited run or three-card suited run are all worth 0 points. With the point structure set, the play starts with the dealer giving you three cards face-up, while dealing himself three cards face-down. The dealer’s hand must qualify for raise play with at least 20 points.

There are bonus rounds as well, where you will have to dig deep into your gaming memory because these rounds are built on a Poker hand foundation. This means that you need to familiarize yourself with the best (and worst) Poker hand combination.

To start play, wager your initial bet to serve as your ante, at which point you are dealt three cards and then given the option to place a side bet (“Bonus Bet”) depending on your cards Poker-hand combination. You will need to get a Bonus Bet payout hand if you want to win the side bet, otherwise that bet is given back to the House. At this point you can either fold or raise your hand, minimally the amount of the initial ante for a raise. Here is where it gets really thrilling: if the dealer’s hand is worth at least 20 points (“Qualifying”) and your hand is lower than that. However, if the dealer does not qualify, then your raise is returned to you and you take home only the ante amount, nothing lost for trying. But, be careful because if his hand qualifies and is better than yours then he takes home the ante and the raise. From here, the dealer will reveal his cards and the cash pool is distributed as appropriate. You will get a 4:1 payout for 0 points, 2:1 for 1-5 points, 1:1 for 6-19 points and any tie gets pushed.

For Bonus Bets, which you make in the beginning of the game, you will get a massive payout if your hand is less than 12 as follows: A-2-3 Suited run is 100:1, 0 points is 25:1, 1-6 points is 2:1, 7-10 points is 1:1 and 11-12 points is 4:1.

Player’s Turn

Place your ante bet and a Bonus Bet in the beginning of the game if you want. It’s up to you how much you want to play for each hand. As soon as you feel ready to watch the play heat up, click deal and get your 3-card hand to see what your winnings are looking like. When you get your cards, think about how confident you are with your hands winning capabilities and click raise to double your ante and continue play. If you think your hand is weak, you can forfeit your initial bets and cut your losses by just throwing your cards in and starting with a fresh hand. Remember, smaller point totals mean bigger take-home winnings.

Dealer’s Turn

Remember, the deal has to be worth at least 20 points to qualify for raise play. Only you know what you are holding and only the dealer knows what he is holding. As such, after you place your initial bet, you don’t have to continue to raise your hand if you don’t feel like you have something solid to play. Just fold your hand, forfeit only your initial bet and move on to the next hand.

You Win When

If your hand is lower than the dealer’s then you win the following payouts on your ante bet. Check out the Bonus Bet payout structure and see what kind of bankroll you will be counting if you get certain point-specific hands.