How to Play Caribbean Stud
House advantage 3.7% when using the strategy of placing a
"call bet" on any pair or better held.
Originally developed for Caribbean cruise ships, Caribbean Stud Poker has become
popular because of its giant progressive jackpots. The game is based on five card stud
poker, and played on a blackjack-style table.
Players are dealt five cards face down after making their
ante bets. A minimum of $5 in most casinos plus a $1 progressive ante, if they choose to
play for the growing jackpot. This jackpot is displayed on an electronic reader board at
the table. The dealer receives four cards face down and one card up.
If the player doesn't like his cards, he may fold and
surrender his ante bet. If he thinks he can win, he places a "call bet" equal to
double his original ante.
The house has an advantage because the dealer must have an
Ace/King or higher to continue play. If he doesn't, the hand is over, and the players who
remained in the game are paid even money on their original ante, but their call bets are
returned.
If the game continues and the player's hand fails to beat
the dealer's, he loses the ante and call bets. But if the player's hand beats the
dealer's, he's paid even money on his ante, plus a bonus amount on his call bet according
to the following schedule:
Ace-King high pays 1-1
One pair pays 1-1
2 pair pays 2-1
3 of a kind pays 3-1
Straight pays 4-1
Flush pays 5-1
Full House pays 7-1
4 of a kind pays 20-1
Straight Flush pays 50-1
Royal Flush pays 100-1
Whether or not the player's hand beats the dealer's, he wins the following
payoffs if he bet the $1 to enter the progressive pool: (house advantage of 23%)
Flush pays $50
Full House pays $75
4 of a kind pays $100
Straight flush pays 10 percent of progressive pool
Royal flush pays 100 percent of progressive pool
Below are the probabilities of drawing the following hands:
| Hand |
Number of Combinations |
Approximate Probability |
Royal Flush:
Straight Flush:
Four of a Kind:
Full House:
Flush:
Straight:
Three of a Kind:
Two Pair:
One Pair:
Any High Card: |
4
36
624
3,744
5,108
10,200
54,912
123,552
1,098,240
1,302,540 |
1 in 649,740
1 in 72,193
1 in 4,165
1 in 694
1 in 509
1 in 255
1 in 47
1 in 21
1 in 2.4
1 in 2.0 |
|
Total Hands: 2,598,960 |