Looking to play Caribbean Stud Poker? Before you do, it’s good to know the odds of certain outcomes. Today, I’ll breakdown all the probabilities of this fun game and I’ll give you some quick playing tips that are sure to help. Without further ado, let’s jump into it.
The Odds
Rather than bore you with precise mathematics, I’ll give you the “approximate” odds, displayed in hand counts.
Once every two hands you’ll have nothing at all. By the way, this also is true for the dealer, so keep that in mine. Once every two hands you’ll have one pair. Getting two pair happens once every 21 hands and three of a kind once per 47 hands. And now the probability really takes a dip.
Straights come about once per 256 hands and flushes about every 526 hands. Full Houses, which seem absent at times, happen every 694 hands on average. From here we leave three digit land and really crank up the rarity. Four of a kind hands happen about once per 4,167 hands—now you know why it seems like you can’t get them at times. About every 72,202 hands you get a straight flush. Want the royal flush? Be prepared to wait. It happens about once per 649,351 hands—wow.
Next time you’re playing Caribbean Stud Poker, keep these stats in mind. They may help guide your decisions better. That royal flush progressive may look nice, but it’s oh so far away—or is it?
Two Pair or Better, Ante Up
Here’s an easy tip for you. Whenever you have two pair or better, always ante up. As you can see above, the dealer isn’t too likely to beat you. For the most part, hands with nothing and one pair rule the day.
Play the Progressive If You Have Money
If you’re playing $5 hands, giving 20% ($1) to the progressive bank isn’t too smart. However, if you’re playing $10 or more, I say play it.
Sure, you may not hit the royal flush, but that $1 will ensure you get paid on the smaller hands, like flushes, when the dealer doesn’t qualify (happens a lot). Many say never play the progressive, I say try playing Caribbean Stud Poker in real life for a bit then come back and give advice.
Nothing Then Dump
Since you have to double your bet to stay in the hand, I think it’s a wise move to trash all hands that aren’t at least one pair no matter what the dealer is showing. Think about it, by staying in the hand, you’re costing yourself two sets of cards that you could have had by simply folding. No thanks.
I hope you have fun playing Caribbean Stud Poker. It’s a great “party” game and I happen to enjoy it.
