Caribbean Stud is a popular game played in the casinos and online. This is a table game offering the players an opportunity to win a progressive jackpot. The odds of winning the progressive jackpot in Caribbean stud are much higher than your typical progressive, about five percent, which is what makes this game so appealing to some.
Caribbean stud is played on a blackjack table. Poker is the base of this game, so knowing the ranking of each hand is very important. Players are playing against the dealer. Your hand must beat the dealer’s hand, not the other players at the table.
When the game begins, each player will place an ante equal to the minimum on the table. Any player can make an additional bet for the jackpot if he or she chooses to do so. The additional bet can be a dollar-sized bet at any amount of money. The more money you choose to bet, the higher your chances are at winning a jackpot.
The cards are dealt with players and the dealer through an automatic shuffler. The players and the dealer will receive five cards each. The players’ cards will be facing down and the dealer will have four cards facing down and one card will be facing upward for everyone to view.
This allows players to decide to fold and lose their ante or to make another bet. If you are playing a $5 Caribbean Stud game and you call, your next bet must be $10, double the ante. After people fold or add to their bets, the dealer will flip over his or her cards and must qualify. Qualifying means the dealer will have an ace-king or better. If the dealer doesn’t qualify with an ace-king or better, the players are given back their money and the second bet is not a winner, nor a loser.
If your hand beats the dealers bet you will be paid based on a scale. The typical scale of payout in Caribbean stud includes one pair or less: one to one, two pairs: two to one, three of a kind: three to one, straight: four to one, flush: five to one, full house, seven to one, four of a kind: 20 to 1, and a straight flush: 50 to 1.
Caribbean stud is different than your typical poker game because you are given only five cards to work with and guess you have a better hand than the dealer. You are not given more cards any time during the game. You get five cards and hope the hand you are dealt beats the dealer. This is a game of chance and you are relying on a shuffler and not a dealer. Some people like this while others speculate. On an online Caribbean stud game, it might seem easier than playing at the table.
Caribbean Stud can be a quick and fun game. The goal is to bet carefully and smartly. Don’t continue to call and double the bet if you don’t have anything in your hand. You must have a minimum of a pair to make your bet back. If you have nothing in your hand, fold.