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EZ Pai Gow Poker
Introduction
EZ Pai Gow Poker operates without a commission Pai Gow Poker in this variant. Unlike the standard 5% fee, if the dealer holds a queen-high 'pai gow', the round will be resolved as a tie. Additionally, players have the option to place four different side bets. This section covers the popular version that includes a partially wild joker. There’s also a Fully-wild joker version , available to play in California.
Rules
The gameplay rules are essentially the same as traditional pai gow poker, aside from a few key differences:
- There is no commission.
- When the dealer reveals a queen-high hand—meaning the best five-card hand has a poker value of exactly a queen high—the player’s wager will result in a push automatically.
- Typically, casinos do not allow players to act as the banker. If they do permit banking, the regular rules will apply. Pai Gow Poker For that hand.
- Various side bets are offered, and they are detailed separately here.
Strategy
My suggested strategy is consistent with that of Conventional Pai Gow Poker . If you're short on time to familiarize yourself with the rules, feel free to ask the dealer to arrange your hand according to the house's approach.
Analysis
The table below illustrates the likelihood and returns for each possible outcome. The bottom right cell indicates a house edge of 2.47%.
EZ Pai Gow Poker Return Table — Featuring Partially Wild Joker
| Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1 | 0.274597 | 0.274597 |
| Push | 0 | 0.426112 | 0 |
| Lose | -1 | 0.299291 | -0.299291 |
| Total | 1 | -0.024694 |
Side Bets
There are numerous side bets that casino operators can implement alongside EZ Pai Gow Poker. Below are some examples that I’ve encountered. However, you’re unlikely to find all of these options available at a single table, as usually only two or three will be present.
Dynasty Bonus
Similar to the Fortune Bonus In standard pai gow, the Dynasty Bonus triggers a payout if the player boasts a minimum of three of a kind in their top five-card hand, regardless of how the hand is arranged. If another player achieves a four of a kind or higher, an 'Envy Bonus' is awarded. The table below indicates the payout for each hand for both the player and the Envy Bonus. The second to last column's bottom row shows a house edge of 8.16% before including the Envy Bonus. The last column's bottom row reveals that each extra player reduces the house edge by 0.90% due to the Envy Bonus.
Version 1In this variation, a player only needs to wager $1 to become eligible for an Envy Bonus.
Dynasty Bonus Return Table — Version 1
| Event | Dynasty Pays | Envy Bonus | Combinations | Probability | Dynasty Return | Envy Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-5 Straight Flush + Natural AQ Suited | 2000 | $ 100 | 12 | 0.000000 | 0.000156 | 0.000008 |
| Natural 7-card Straight Flush | 2000 | $ 80 | 32 | 0.000000 | 0.000415 | 0.000017 |
| Wild 7-card Straight Flush | 1000 | $ 40 | 196 | 0.000001 | 0.001272 | 0.000051 |
| Royal Flush + Natural AQ Suited | 1000 | $ 60 | 72 | 0.000000 | 0.000467 | 0.000028 |
| Five Aces | 500 | $ 20 | 1128 | 0.000007 | 0.003659 | 0.000146 |
| Huge Range of Tournaments | 120 | $ 10 | 26020 | 0.000169 | 0.020257 | 0.001688 |
| Good Graphics and Software | 120 | $ 15 | 4308 | 0.000028 | 0.003354 | 0.000419 |
| Play | 50 | $ 4 | 180324 | 0.001170 | 0.058492 | 0.004679 |
| Home | 25 | $ 1 | 307472 | 0.001995 | 0.049868 | 0.001995 |
| › | 5 | $ 0 | 4188528 | 0.027173 | 0.135865 | 0.000000 |
| Games | 4 | $ 0 | 6172088 | 0.040041 | 0.160165 | 0.000000 |
| › | 3 | $ 0 | 7672500 | 0.049775 | 0.149326 | 0.000000 |
| EZ Pai Gow Poker | 2 | $ 0 | 11034204 | 0.071584 | 0.143168 | 0.000000 |
| Last updated: Oct 25, 2023 | On this page | $ 0 | 124556196 | 0.808056 | EZ Pai Gow Poker | 0.000000 |
| Introduction | 154143080 | 1.000000 | Pai Gow Poker | 0.009031 |
The next table presents an overview of the overall house edge based on the number of players, including yourself, alongside different betting amounts. It’s interesting to note that the highest edge is at its lowest when the bet is set at $1. This occurs because the winnings for the Envy Bonus remain the same, irrespective of the amount wagered.
Fully-wild joker version
| , available to play in California. | Rules | There is no commission. | Pai Gow Poker | For that hand. | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 3.64% | 5.90% | 6.65% | 7.26% | 7.71% |
| 5 | 4.55% | 6.35% | 6.96% | 7.44% | 7.80% |
| 4 | 5.45% | 6.80% | 7.26% | 7.62% | 7.89% |
| 3 | 6.35% | 7.26% | 7.56% | 7.80% | 7.98% |
| 2 | 7.26% | 7.71% | 7.86% | 7.98% | 8.07% |
| 1 | 8.16% | 8.16% | 8.16% | 8.16% | 8.16% |
Conventional Pai Gow Poker
In this version of the game, the player must place a $5 wager to qualify for the Envy Bonus, which typically has payouts that are five times larger than those in version 1.
The subsequent table outlines the collective house edge based on how many players, including yourself, partake and the various amounts wagered. It’s noteworthy that the house edge is minimal at a $5 bet, which is required to qualify for the Envy Bonuses in 'version 2' of the rules.
Play
| Home | › | Games | › | EZ Pai Gow Poker | Last updated: Oct 25, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 3.64% | 5.90% | 6.65% | 7.03% | 7.26% |
| 5 | 4.55% | 6.35% | 6.96% | 7.26% | 7.44% |
| 4 | 5.45% | 6.80% | 7.26% | 7.48% | 7.62% |
| 3 | 6.35% | 7.26% | 7.56% | 7.71% | 7.80% |
| 2 | 7.26% | 7.71% | 7.86% | 7.93% | 7.98% |
| 1 | 8.16% | 8.16% | 8.16% | 8.16% | 8.16% |
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For the third version, players must place a minimum bet of $5 to be eligible for the Envy Bonuses.
The subsequent table outlines the collective house edge based on how many players, including yourself, partake and the various amounts wagered. It’s noteworthy that the house edge is minimal at a $5 bet, which is required to qualify for the Envy Bonuses in 'version 2' of the rules.
Dynasty Pays
| Envy Bonus | Combinations | Probability | Dynasty Return | Envy Bonus | A-5 Straight Flush + Natural AQ Suited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 3.64% | 5.90% | 6.65% | 7.03% | 7.26% |
| 5 | 4.55% | 6.35% | 6.96% | 7.26% | 7.44% |
| 4 | 5.45% | 6.80% | 7.26% | 7.48% | 7.62% |
| 3 | 6.35% | 7.26% | 7.56% | 7.71% | 7.80% |
| 2 | 7.26% | 7.71% | 7.86% | 7.93% | 7.98% |
| 1 | 8.16% | 8.16% | 8.16% | 8.16% | 8.16% |
Natural 7-card Straight Flush
This variant is quite akin to the Dynasty Bonus and is associated with games that incorporate G3 electronic side bet wagering. Based on my observations at the Rampart casino, it is simply referred to as the 'Bonus Bet.'
Wild 7-card Straight Flush
| Royal Flush + Natural AQ Suited | Five Aces | Royal Flush | A-5 Straight Flush | Straight Flush | Four of a Kind | Full House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flush | 8000 | $ 5000 | 32 | 0.000000 | 0.001661 | 0.000208 |
| Three of a Kind | 2000 | $ 1000 | 72 | 0.000000 | 0.000934 | 0.000093 |
| Straight | 1000 | $ 500 | 196 | 0.000001 | 0.001272 | 0.000127 |
| Loss | 400 | $ 250 | 1128 | 0.000007 | 0.002927 | 0.000366 |
| -1 | 150 | $ 50 | 26020 | 0.000169 | 0.025321 | 0.001688 |
| -0.808056 | 50 | $ 20 | 184644 | 0.001198 | 0.059894 | 0.004791 |
| Total | 25 | $ 5 | 307472 | 0.001995 | 0.049868 | 0.001995 |
| -0.081593 | 5 | $ 0 | 4188528 | 0.027173 | 0.135865 | 0.000000 |
| Dynasty Bonus House Edge — Version 1 | 4 | $ 0 | 6172088 | 0.040041 | 0.160165 | 0.000000 |
| Players | 3 | $ 0 | 7672500 | 0.049775 | 0.149326 | 0.000000 |
| $1 bet | 2 | $ 0 | 11034204 | 0.071584 | 0.143168 | 0.000000 |
| $2 bet | $3 bet | $ 0 | 124556196 | 0.808056 | $5 bet | 0.000000 |
| $10 bet | 154143080 | 1.000000 | Version 2 | 0.009268 |
The next table outlines the overall house edge relative to the number of players, inclusive of oneself, as well as different betting amounts. Notably, the house edge is lowest at a $5 bet, which is essential to qualify for the Envy Bonuses under 'version 2' of the rules.
Expand
| Event | Dynasty Pays | Envy Bonus | Combinations | Probability | Dynasty Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7.77% | 3.13% | 5.45% | 6.22% | 6.84% |
| 5 | 7.77% | 4.06% | 5.91% | 6.53% | 7.02% |
| 4 | 7.77% | 4.99% | 6.38% | 6.84% | 7.21% |
| 3 | 7.77% | 5.91% | 6.84% | 7.15% | 7.39% |
| 2 | 7.77% | 6.84% | 7.30% | 7.46% | 7.58% |
| 1 | 7.77% | 7.77% | 7.77% | 7.77% | 7.77% |
Envy Bonus
A-5 Straight Flush + Natural AQ Suited Natural 7-card Straight Flush The Protection bet provides a payout if the player’s highest five-card hand is an ace high or lower. The table below illustrates the payouts for each event, their probabilities, and their contribution to the total return. The bottom right cell reflects a house edge of 7.01%.
Royal Flush + Natural AQ Suited
| Wild 7-card Straight Flush | Five Aces | Royal Flush | A-5 Straight Flush | Straight Flush |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four of a Kind | 120 | 4320 | 0.000028 | 0.003363 |
| Full House | 100 | 31080 | 0.000202 | 0.020163 |
| $- | 25 | 248640 | 0.001613 | 0.040326 |
| Flush | 15 | 963480 | 0.006251 | 0.093758 |
| $- | 7 | 2719500 | 0.017643 | 0.123499 |
| Three of a Kind | 5 | 6386940 | 0.041435 | 0.207176 |
| $- | 3 | 14430780 | 0.093619 | 0.280858 |
| Straight | $- | 129358340 | 0.83921 | Losing combinations |
| Loss | 154143080 | 1 | $- |
-0.808056
Red/Black wagers yield a win if the selected color dominates in the player’s cards. In simpler terms, to win, the player needs at least four cards of the chosen color. The joker is not counted as either color. The following table outlines the payouts for each event, their probabilities, and contributions to returns. The bottom right cell shows a house edge of 2.68%.
Total:
| -0.081593 | Dynasty Bonus House Edge — Version 2 | Players | $5 bet | $10 bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 5 | 657800 | 0.004267 | 0.021337 |
| $15 bet | 1 | 73033740 | 0.473805 | 0.473805 |
| $20 bet | $25 bet | 80451540 | 0.521928 | Version 3 |
| Expand | 154143080 | 1 | Event |
Dynasty Pays
The Queen’s Dragon pays off when the dealer displays a queen-high pai gow hand. Winning bets could pay 45 or 50 to 1, based on the casino management's discretion regarding generosity. The subsequent return tables reveal that the house edge stands at 18.84% for a 45 to 1 payout and at 10.02% for a 50 to 1 payout.
Envy Bonus
| Combinations | Probability | Dynasty Return | Envy Bonus | Natural 7-card Straight Flush |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush + Natural AQ Suited | 45 | 2,719,500 | 0.017643 | 0.793921 |
| Wild 7-card Straight Flush | Five Aces | 151,423,580 | 0.982357 | Royal Flush |
| Straight Flush | 154,143,080 | 1.000000 | Four of a Kind |
Full House
| $- | Flush | $- | Three of a Kind | $- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | 50 | 2,719,500 | 0.017643 | 0.882135 |
| $- | Loss | 151,423,580 | 0.982357 | Loss |
| $- | 154,143,080 | 1.000000 | -0.808056 |
Total
This is a progressive side bet linked to G3 electronic betting systems. Players can wager between $1 and $25. All jackpot wins are fixed amounts, regardless of the stake, so I would recommend wagering no more than $1. Similar to standard progressive bets, wins are considered on a 'for one' basis, meaning you don’t get back your original stake, even if you win. For coherence with other information on this website, the following data is presented on a 'return basis,' showing what players can expect to reclaim from their bets based on a $1 wager.
-0.084900
| Dynasty Bonus House Edge — Version 3 | Players | $5 bet | $10 bet | $15 bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20 bet | $25 bet | $ 228 | 0.000001 | 0.000000 |
| Bonus Bet | Bonus Bet Return Table | $ 1,128 | 0.000007 | 0.000000 |
| Event | $500 | $ 26,092 | 0.000169 | 0.084636 |
| Dynasty Pays | $100 | $ 184,644 | 0.001198 | 0.119787 |
| Envy Bonus | $75 | $ 307,472 | 0.001995 | 0.149604 |
| Combinations | $4 | $ 4,188,528 | 0.027173 | 0.108692 |
| Probability | 0 | $ 149,434,988 | 0.969456 | 0.000000 |
| Dynasty Return | 154,143,080 | 1.000000 | 0.462719 |
In the lower right corner, the table indicates a return of 46.27% for all fixed wins. The value of the progressive payout stands at 22.11% for every $100,000 increment on the meter. To achieve a full 100% payout, the meter would need to read $243,011.06. When I observed this bet at the Rampart casino on March 17, 2011, the meter was at $207,361, which represented a return of 92.12%. This figure was likely unusually high, as Rampart had a truck with a large sign promoting the massive jackpot throughout Summerlin.
Envy Bonus
I extend my gratitude to game inventor Dan Lubin and mathematician Charles Mousseau from Natural 7-card Straight Flush for sharing the mathematical analysis report for this game, which serves as the foundation for this content.