Side Bets in Poker

Poker is a game with a lot of moving parts. As far as casino games go, it’s the one that is the most involved and requires a lot more input and focus from its players. Where a lot of what you find on the casino floor simply takes a player stepping up, placing a bet, and watching the action unfold, poker is a game that has many different stages and rounds of betting that can ultimately make or break someone’s game if they don’t put the right amount of thought and time into how they approach it. It’s these bets that are the focus of our guide today.

In this guide, we’ll look at all the side bets that you can find in different variants of the game of poker, how bets are applied, when you should use them, and what the odds are.

What are Poker Side Bets?

When you sit down to play poker, there are some bets that you must place. For example, every game will have buy-in and an ante that every player will take part in before the game begins and before the cards are even dealt. Side bets, however, refer to staking on outcomes that are independent of the main game. That is, they are bets on something other than winning or being the last person sitting at the table.

These are not always open to everyone at the table and are sometimes decided between two or more players who want to introduce an extra element to the game. They can run the whole gamut of outcomes that can occur during a poker game. It could be on who will receive what cards, or even who will spend the longest at the table out of a number of chosen players.

They can also be referred to as prop or proposition bets, which anyone familiar with sports betting will be well aware of. In sports betting these wagers will usually be on something like the team to score the most points over a season or a player to be crowned the best. There are parallels with poker in that the prop bets are on the more obscure outcomes of a game. So, what are the exact kinds of side bets in poker games that you can expect to see?

What Side Bets are on Offer in Three Card Poker?

Every variant of poker is different in some way. For example, three card poker differs from the more standard approaches to the game because it is played directly against the casino, house, or dealer. Instead of facing up against other players at the table, you are pitting your hand against the dealer’s and this makes a huge difference when it comes to the kind of side bets that can be played in this variant.

The most common side bet that you will find is the pairs plus wager. This is a bet on having a hand of pairs or higher rather than betting on your hand beating out the dealer. That means that it can pay out even if the dealer’s hand trumps yours. A second type of three card poker side bet you might find is known as a six card bonus. Here, you combine your cards with the dealer’s to make a five card hand - if you can create a Royal Flush, you can come away with the payout.

What Side Bets are on Offer in Five Card Stud Poker?

Now we’re back to the poker variants played against others at the table. Because of the nature of the game being played against others, there are a number of poker side bets that you won’t find in three card versions. That’s because you will be deciding these amongst the players at the table, rather than having them predefined by the house.

In some cases, you could place a bet on what the weakest hand that could win the game will be. You might select hands that you think will be the lowest value while still triumphing, or you can even use a side bet that pays out when someone successfully bluffs their way to a win with a weaker hand than somebody else at the table who has decided to fold. Imagine a player only has a high card hand and they play aggressively, bluffing until others fold with pairs or higher. Not only would they claim the table pot, but if players have bought into the side bet, they would be paid out on that too.

What Side Bets are on Offer in Caribbean Stud Poker?

Again, with Caribbean stud poker side bets, while it is closely related to five card stud, you’re against the house, so these will depend on the casino you’re playing at. For example, some offer the bonus bet, which is one paid out based on what the value of your hand is. This means that a high-value hand will be given a prize amount that is paid out on it being completed, but the lower-value hands will often pay nothing.

There is also a fuego or fire bet that is based on the player racking up consecutive wins. When the side bet is placed, they will be able to choose how many hands they think the player will come away having won against the dealer. This is a risky bet given that it requires a player to be lucky on multiple occasions in a row.

What Side Bets are on Offer in Seven Card Stud Poker?

And finally, we’re again back to player versus player poker side bets. In seven card stud, the size of the hand opens you up to a world of opportunity when it comes to side bets. A lot of these will depend on preference and as they are more often found in home games or amongst friends at a casino, can be extremely varied in their application.

However, as seven card stud does not include the flop and often does away with community cards entirely, this rules any side action on those outcomes. Instead, it may be that players place bets on the action they expect to see. For example, who will fold first or who will act first on fourth street.