Jean Gabriel | January 8, 2023 | Updated on: January 11th, 2023
Best Online Pai Gow Poker Casinos Australia
Play Online Pai Gow Poker for Real Money at top Australian Casino Sites. If you’re getting a bit bored of Texas Hold’Em, Omaha, or Caribbean Stud, you may be looking for something different. Pai Gow Poker might be just what you are looking for!
Online Pai Gow Poker combines Pai Gow with traditional Poker and creates a unique and thrilling casino game! However, as Pai Gow Poker is quite different to other versions of Poker, it is often quite intimidating for new Australian players. But fear not, if you’ve always wanted to try Pai Gow Poker Online, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve developed this comprehensive beginner’s guide to playing Online Pai Gow Poker, so let’s jump right in!
Top Australian Casinos Offering Pai Gow Poker
Getting to Know Pai Gow Poker
If you’ve ever seen Pai Gow Poker and wanted to give it a try, this is the place to be. Many new Aussie gamblers are intimidated by the game. However, there is no reason to be, as it is far easier to play than many think. Another common mistake is to play it as you would Texas Hold’Em or another popular version of Poker.
Pai Gow Poker is not the same and shouldn’t be played as such. Online Pai Gow Poker uses a deck of 53 cards, 52 standard cards and one Joker. The Joker will take the role of a Wild Card in certain situations. The Joker can only be used as a Wild to take the place of an Ace or to complete a Straight, Flush, Straight Flush, or Royal Flush.
In Pai Gow Poker, players will be dealt seven cards. The goal of the game is to build two separate hands. One will be made up of five cards, with the other made up of two cards. However, the five-card hand must be stronger than the two-card hand. Five-card hands are ranked using traditional poker hand rankings.
How to play Pai Gow Poker
Below is a step-by-step guide to teach you how to play Pai Gow Poker. This will be especially useful for Australian gamblers who have never tried a hand before.
- Step 1 – Once your game of Online Pai Gow Poker has loaded, it is time to place your bet. Remember that you are betting against the dealer.
- Step 2 – Once your bet is placed, click deal. You and the dealer will now receive seven cards. Your hand will be dealt face-up, while the dealer’s cards will be face down.
- Step 3 – You will now need to split your seven cards into two separate hands of five cards and two cards. Your five-card hand needs to be stronger than the two-card hand.
- Step 4 – Once you have split your cards into two separate hands, the dealer will reveal their cards and split them as well.
- Step 5 – The game will now compare your hands to the dealer’s hands and determine the outcome. Below are the possibilities:
- You Win if both of your hands are stronger than both the dealer’s hands.
- You Lose if both the dealer’s hands are stronger than your hands
- You Push if one hand is stronger and one is weaker than the dealer’s hands. If the round is a push, you receive your bet back.
- The dealer wins if both hands are equally strong and are a draw.
How We Choose the Best Pai Gow Poker Casinos in Australia
If you want the best possible Pai Gow Poker experience, then you must make sure you choose the best possible casino site. Below are the aspects we consider when recommending the best Australian Casino sites to play Pai Gow Poker.
- Casino Bonuses – One of the first things to consider when choosing a new Pai Gow Poker casino site is the casino bonuses available. Casino Bonuses can help increase your potential bankroll and give you more money to play your favourite games. We ensure that any casino we recommend offers the best possible bonuses with fair terms and conditions.
- Banking Options – It is also important to make sure your chosen casino offers a wide range of trusted banking options. Our recommended Pai Gow Poker casinos offer an excellent selection of deposit and payout methods that are safe and secure.
- Customer Support – No technology is ever perfect, and online casinos offering Pai Gow Poker are no exception. Should you ever run into any technical glitches, you’ll want to have a customer support team ready to assist. Our recommended casinos all offer excellent 24/7 support to get you back into the game.
- Casino Games – Besides ensuring our Pai Gow Poker Casinos offer the game, we also make sure the sites offer a wide range of other games. It’s always great to have a wide range of games on offer!
- Safety and Security – Finally, we always make sure we thoroughly check the safety and security of any casino we are considering recommending. If you win when playing Pai Gow Poker, you want to be guaranteed that your chosen casino is going to honour your payout.
Winning Pai Gow Poker Strategies
Pai Gow Poker is one of the most unique versions of Poker out there because players need to create two separate hands. This means it is very important to understand your cards and how you should split them. For example, if you are dealt four Aces in your seven cards, you would ordinarily never consider splitting them up.
However, in Pai Gow Poker, if you kept all four aces in your Five-Card Hand, you have a very good chance of having the strongest five-ard hand. However, your two-card hand will likely be weaker, especially if your other three cards are low value, such as 2, 3, and 4.
Since winning one hand and losing the other results in a push, you ideally want to win both hands. In this example, with A, A, A, A, 2, 3, 4, you would be better off keeping three Aces together, with the 2 and 3, and then using the other Ace with the 4. This will give you a better chance of winning both hands.
Pai Gow Poker Betting Guide
We’ve given you one example of trying to make sure you create the best possible hands, but this was quite a specific example. Below is a more comprehensive guide on what to do in different situations.
| Your Hand | Best Decision |
| Weak Hand, No Pair, No Straight, No Flush | We recommend placing your highest value card in your five-card hand and your 2nd and 3rd strongest cards in your two-card hand. |
| Two Pair (with one Pair being Aces) | Split up the Pairs |
| Two Pairs (With a pair of Kings) | Split up the pair unless one of the pairs is a set of twos |
| Two Pairs, with pairs of 6 or below. | Split up the pairs unless you have an Ace. If you have an Ace, play your pairs with the Ace, and put your 2nd highest card in your Two-Card Hand |
| Two Pairs, from 7 to 10 | Split up the pairs unless you have an Ace. If you have an Ace, play your pairs with the Ace, and put your 2nd highest card in your Two-Card Hand |
| Two Pair, Jacks – Aces | Split up the Pairs and place the best pair in the High Hand |
| Three Pair | Place the highest value pair in the two-card hand |
| Three of a Kind | Never split up a Three of a Kind. The only exception is if all three are Aces. |
| Full House | Split up your full house by placing the pair in the two-card hand. If you have an additional pair, use your highest value pair in the two-card hand. |
| Straight or a Flush | Keep the Straight/Flush in your five-card hand. Should you have a two pair, split them up. |
| Four of a Kind | If your Four of a Kind is 6s or lower, keep them together. However, if you have 7s through 10s, you should split them up. The exception is if you have an Ace. You should also always split Aces, Jacks, Queens, and Kings unless you have an additional pair. |
| Five Aces | You should split up five Aces unless you have a pair of Kings. If you do, keep the two Kings in your two-card hand. |
Tips and Tricks in Pai Gow Poker
If you’re completely new to playing Pai Gow Poker Online, we’ve gathered some tips and tricks to help guide new Australian players. Following these tips and tricks will help newer players have the best possible Online Pai Gow Poker experience.
- Dealing with a Two Pair – Should you receive two pairs in your seven cards, you must know how to split up the pairs correctly. It is recommended that you keep the highest-ranked pair in your five-card hand, with the lower-ranked pair making up your two-card hand.
- No Pair – If you do not get a pair in your hand, we recommend keeping your highest ranked card in your five-card hand. Your second and third strongest cards should be moved into your two-card hand.
- Claim Bonuses – It is always a good idea to consider claiming any Welcome Bonuses, or other bonuses, to increase your bankroll. This will give you more money to work with and more betting rounds. However, always pay attention to the terms and conditions and know what you’re getting into.
- Setting a Budget – It is always a good idea to set yourself a budget when gambling, including when playing Pai Gow Poker. Decide how much money you can afford to lose and stick to that limit. Do not chase your losses. If you run out of money, walk away and try another time again.
- Stay Sober – Always stay away from alcohol when gambling. When playing Pai Gow Poker, make sure you stay sober and keep a clear mind. If you’re not sober, it could lead to making poor betting decisions and ignoring your budget.
- Safe Casino – The most important part of ensuring you have a great Pai Gow Poker gambling experience is signing up at a safe casino site. We recommend you choose one of our recommended casino sites, as we have already put in the work to make sure they are safe.
History of Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow Poker is based on the Ancient Chinese game Pai Gow, or Make Nine. Casino game developers took Pai Gow and combined it with Poker. While Pai Gow Poker is a fairly new casino game, it has gained popularity relatively quickly with players.
The origins of Pai Gow have been traced back to around 1000 A.D. The game became very popular with both normal citizens and soldiers. The game used tiles with unique patterns on each tile. Players would get seven tiles and have to make two separate hands. The game was played with 32 tiles, which comprised 21 different patterns.
It is not fully understood how Pai Gow found its way out of China, but Pai Gow was eventually introduced to the United States. However, the game didn’t gain much traction, and players found it difficult to understand. In 1985, an American decided to try and combine Pai Gow with some elements of Poker. Within a year, Pai Gow Poker started to be offered on the casino floors of major casinos around the world.
Once Online Casinos began to gain popularity, Pai Gow Poker became available online. Online Pai Gow Poker is often available in a few varieties, some coming with additional bonus bets. The game is now available at many top casino sites and can be played on desktop or mobile.
Pai Gow Poker Glossary
- Banker – The Banker is the person who runs the game and can also be referred to as the dealer.
- Bug – This is a slang term used in Pai Gow Poker to describe the Joker.
- Copies – The term Copies is used when one of the player’s hands matches one of the dealer’s hands. This results in a tie, in which the dealer always wins.
- Commission – This is a 5% fee that the house takes from any wins the player makes. This is because there is no house edge in Pai Gow Poker, and the casino needs some way to profit from the game.
- Dragon Hand – This is only applicable in land-based casinos. It refers to a hand dealt to an empty seat at the table. The dealer must always deal cards to each seat at the table.
- Hand Behind – Another name for the five-card hand. This is because it is placed behind the two-card hand on the table.
- Hand in Front – A name referring to the two-card hand.
- High Card – The highest valued card in
- High Hand – Another term for the five-card hand
- House Way – These are the rules that govern how the Dealer/Banker must split their hands. The rules governing the dealer’s actions are not the perfect strategy, but pretty close to it.
- Low Hand – Another name for the two-card hand.
- Push – A Push occurs when one of your hands beats the dealer, and the other loses. When this happens, your bet is returned to you.
- Random Number Generator – Technology that generates random results. This is used by Online Pai Gow Poker to randomly select which cards are dealt to the player and the dealer.
- Wild Card – A card that can replace another to make a winning hand. In Pai Gow Poker, this is the Joker.
Pai Gow Poker FAQs
Can I play Pai Gow Poker for Real Money in Australia?
Yes, you certainly can! Most of our recommended online casinos allow Australian players to enjoy Pai Gow Poker for real money!
How do I play Pai Gow Poker Online?
Playing Online Pai Gow Poker is easy. You will be dealt seven cards, and you then need to split those seven cards into a five-card hand, and a two-card hand. Both these cards need to be stronger than the dealer’s hand in order to win.
How can I improve my odds of winning in Pai Gow Poker?
The best way to improve your odds of winning is to do everything you can to ensure both of your hands are as strong as possible. Even if that means splitting up one extremely strong hand. Follow our betting guide on how to split up your hands properly.
Can I try out Pai Gow Poker for Free?
Yes, almost all online casinos allow players to test out casino games for free, including Pai Gow Poker. Use this time to get familiar with the game and test out betting strategies.
What is a Low Hand and High Hand in Pai Gow Poker?
These are alternative names for the two hands you will create. The Low Hand is the two-card hand, while the High Hand is the name for the five-card hand.