1. Face Up Pai Gow Rules
  2. Pai Gow Poker Trainer

Pai Gow Poker has become one of the most popular casino table games. It involves the player competing against the banker to make the better low and high hand than the house.

What it will do is speed up the game a lot. Just like dealing the cards face up in Blackjack increases the number of hands per hour. A little history. Pai Gow Poker became very popular in California, so after a while the Nevada Casinos took a look at it. But they decided that the game didn't justify table space. Face Up Pai Gow Poker™ features head-to-head play against the dealer and offers the optional Fortune BonusSM and Ace-High wagers. As in standard Pai Gow, each player and dealer receive seven-cards, but in Face Up Pai Gow Poker the dealer’s cards are dealt face-up. Face Up Pai Gow Poker is a commission-free game. You do not pay a.

This is a slow-paced, relaxing game. The low number of hands dealt per hour and the number of pushes keep players in the game longer. Some consider it a great way to get comp drinks with little risk.

Where To Play Face Up Pai Gow Poker

There are five types of Pai Gow Poker in Las Vegas. Each is a bit different. All is explained below, along with details of which casinos offer Pai Gow Poker.

Pai Gow Poker Variants in Las Vegas

Fortune Pai Gow is based on the traditional version of the game. Players may bank this game. The button moves around the table.

Banking is optional. Winners pay a five percent commission on all wins.

Emperor’s Challenge Pai Gow

Emperor’s Challenge is another Pai Gow Poker variant that is based on the original game. Like Fortune, players may bank and pay a five percent commission on wins.

The difference between Fortune and Emperor’s Challenge is the side bets.

What

Pai Gow Plus is another classic variant.

It is essentially the original version of the game.

Face Up Pai Gow

Face Up Pai Gow now accounts for about two-thirds of the Pai Gow Poker installs in Las Vegas. That is an incredible feat considering the game did not exist a few years ago.

Where to play face up pai gow poker odds chart

In Face Up Pai Gow, the dealer looks at the house hand before players act. If the dealer has an ace high pai gow, the hand pushes. If the dealer has any other hand, it is set face up and players set their hands accordingly.

This version turns a skill game into pure luck.

There is no commission on wins in Face Up Pai Gow. Players may not bank.

This was the first version of Pai Gow Poker that eliminated the five percent commission on wins. The dealer pushes if the house has a queen high pai gow. Players may not bank. There is no commission on wins.

Play

Best Las Vegas Casinos for Pai Gow Poker

There are many variables that go into what makes a Las Vegas casino the best one for Pai Gow Poker. Some players have a specific variant in mind. To others, the ambience and minimum bet matters more.

Variant
Max Bet
Aliante CasinoEmperor’s510003
Arizona Charlie’s DecaturEmperor’s55001
Club FortuneEmperor’s52001
Eastside CanneryEmperor’s510001
M ResortEmperor’s1020003
The StratEmperor’s1020002
WestgateEmperor’s1520001
4 QueensFace Up155001
Aliante CasinoFace Up510001
AriaFace Up25100002
Bally’sFace Up1550001
Binion’sFace Up1010001
Boulder StationFace Up510003
CanneryFace Up510001
Circus CircusFace Up2010002
EncoreFace Up25100002
Fiesta HendersonFace Up510001
FlamingoFace Up1530002
Gold CoastFace Up1020002
Green Valley RanchFace Up1020004
Harrah’sFace Up1050004
LinqFace Up1030002
LuxorFace Up2530002
Mandalay BayFace Up2550002
MGM GrandFace Up25100002
MirageFace Up25100003
NYNYFace Up2530002
Palace StationFace Up1030004
PalazzoFace Up25200003
PalmsFace Up1020003
ParisFace Up1550002
Park MGMFace Up25100002
Planet HollywoodFace Up1550002
PlazaFace Up1010002
RampartFace Up510004
Red RockFace Up1020005
RioFace Up1550002
Sam’s TownFace Up510003
Santa Fe StationFace Up510003
SilvertonFace Up1020001
SaharaFace Up1030001
SuncoastFace Up1020003
Sunset StationFace Up1010003
Texas StationFace Up55002
Treasure IslandFace Up1050002
VenetianFace Up25200003
WynnFace Up25100002
AriaFortune25100002
BellagioFortune25100001
Caesars PalaceFortune2550004
CaliforniaFortune155002
CanneryFortune510001
CosmopolitanFortune15100002
CromwellFortune1030004
Downtown GrandFortune1010001
Fiesta RanchoFortune55002
FlamingoFortune1530003
FremontFortune105001
Gold CoastFortune1020002
Golden NuggetFortune1550002
Harrah’sFortune1050003
LinqFortune1030001
Main Street StationFortune155001
Mandalay BayFortune2550001
MGM GrandFortune25100001
OrleansFortune1020002
ParisFortune1550005
Park MGMFortune25100001
Planet HollywoodFortune1550003
RioFortune1550002
Santa Fe StationFortune510001
SilvertonFortune1020001
SaharaFortune1030001
South PointFortune1020008
TropicanaFortune1020002
WynnFortune25100002
Fiesta HendersonNo Commision510002
BellagioPlus25100002
The DPlus1025001
Load More…

How to Play Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is spread at over 60 Las Vegas casinos. There are several variants dealt, even within the same casino.

There are several bets available at a Las Vegas Pai Gow Poker table. The main bet has a minimum of at least $5, depending on the casino. Side bets can often be made for $1 or $5.

The player and dealer start with seven cards. The deck has a joker that may be used to complete straights and flushes. Otherwise, it is an ace.

In traditional versions of the game, the player sets that hand before the dealer does. It is separated into a five-card and two-card hand. The five-card hand must be higher than the two-card one. The dealer then sets the banker hand.

If the player beats both dealer hands, the bet is paid, sometimes with a five percent commission. If the dealer wins both hands or wins one and ties one, the house wins. If the dealer ties one and loses one, the hand pushes. If the player and dealer split with one win each, the hand pushes. Some casinos permit players to bank once per round.

In Face Up Pai Gow Poker, the dealer sets the house hand first. If the dealer makes an ace-high pai gow, the hand pushes all around. If it does not, players set their hands based on the best way to beat the dealer’s exposed one. Players may not bank in Face Up Pai Gow.

We carry out an annual survey of Las Vegas casinos and the table games they offer. This allows us to publish details of every table game available in Vegas, and the best place to play it.

See the page below for the latest version of our full survey.


Pai Gow Poker is a popular table game in Las Vegas. It is spread at 60 casinos. Many have multiple tables.

One draw of Pai Gow Poker is its slow pace and number of pushes. This helps players stay in the game longer and rack up free drinks. The low minimum bet is also another draw. Some casinos spread it for as little as $5 at locals’ joints.

Las Vegas Pai Gow Minimum Bets

$5 Pai Gow Poker
  • Aliante Casino
  • Arizona Charlie’s Decatur and Boulder
  • Binion’s
  • Boulder Station
  • Cannery
  • Club Fortune
  • Eastside Cannery
  • Fiesta Rancho and Henderson
  • Sam’s Town
  • Santa Fe Station
  • South Point
  • Suncoast
  • Texas Station
$10 Pai Gow Poker
  • 4 Queens
  • Cosmopolitan
  • Downtown Grand
  • Excalibur
  • Fremont
  • Gold Coast
  • Golden Nugget
  • Green Valley Ranch
  • Hard Rock
  • Linq
  • Luxor
  • M Resort
  • Main Street Station
  • Monte Carlo
  • New York New York
  • The Orleans
  • Palace Station
  • Palms
  • Plaza
  • Rampart
  • Red Rock
  • Silverton
  • Sahara Las Vegas
  • Stratosphere
  • The D
  • Treasure Island
  • Tropicana
  • Westgate
$15 Pai Gow Poker
  • Flamingo
  • Paris
  • Planet Hollywood
  • Rio
$25 Pai Gow Poker
  • Aria
  • Bellagio
  • Caesars Palace
  • Encore
  • Harrah’s
  • Palazzo
$50 Pai Gow Poker
  • Venetian

How to Play Pai Gow Poker

#1: Place Your Bet – Players start by making a wager on the hand. There are usually at least two other side bets. Some Las Vegas casinos offer three. These may include a progressive jackpot, high hand, crown hand and Pai Gow Insurance, which pays if a player makes a hand that does not have any pairs or better.
#2: Seven Cards are Dealt – Once the players make bets, the dealer gives each player seven cards. The order is determined by a machine or dice shaken by the dealer or player. These cards are given in consecutive order and not dealt in a normal poker manner. Seven cards in a row come out of the shuffle machine at the table. The dealer also receives seven cards.
#3: High and Low Hands – Players must set the seven cards into two separate hands. These two hands are low and high. The high hand, consisting of five cards, must beat the low hand, which is only two cards.

#4: Compare Hands with Dealer – Once the player’s hands are set, the dealer shows its cards. The dealer sets the hand based on the house way. This varies from one casino to another in terms of how aggressive it wants to play. Pai Gow Poker is unlike any other game as the operator can determine how the house sets its hand as long as it publishes the method for all players to see.The dealer’s hand is then compared to each player’s hand.

Face Up Pai Gow Rules

  • If both player hands beat both dealer hands, the player wins.
  • If both dealer’s hands beat both of the player’s hands, the house wins.
  • If the dealer ties one of the player’s hands and wins the other, the house wins.
  • If the player wins one hand and ties the other, the hand is a push.
  • A tie between a dealer’s hand and the player’s hand is known as a copy in Pai Gow Poker.
Where

Pai Gow Commission

Some casinos require the player to pay 5% of any win as commission. In general, these houses will permit players to bank the game. Otherwise, a commission-less game is spread where the house has a push hand. These push hands may be a queen-high dealer pai gow, or if the house is forced to play a nine in the low hand.

Even if you are not in Las Vegas, you can play Pai Gow Poker online.

Complete Las Vegas Pai Gow Poker Survey 2018

Pai Gow Poker Trainer

CasinoGameMin BetMax Bet# of TablesVideo
4 QueensPai Gow Poker105001No
Aliante CasinoPai Gow Poker510003No
AriaPai Gow Poker25100004No
Arizona Charlie’s BoulderPai Gow Poker510001No
Arizona Charlie’s DecaturPai Gow Poker55001No
Bally’sPai Gow Poker1550001No
Bally’sPai Gow Poker2550002No
BellagioPai Gow Poker25100006No
BellagioPai Gow Poker50100001No
Binion’sPai Gow Poker510001No
Boulder StationPai Gow Poker520002No
Caesars PalacePai Gow Poker2550002No
Caesars PalacePai Gow Poker5050002No
Caesars PalacePai Gow Poker10050001No
CaliforniaPai Gow Poker155002No
CanneryPai Gow Poker510003No
Club FortunePai Gow Poker52001No
CosmopolitanPai Gow Poker1050002No
CosmopolitanPai Gow Poker25100002No
CromwellPai Gow Poker2530003No
Downtown GrandPai Gow Poker1010001No
Eastside CanneryPai Gow Poker510002No
EncorePai Gow Poker25100001No
ExcaliburPai Gow Poker1010001No
Fiesta RanchoPai Gow Poker55001No
Fiesta HendersonPai Gow Poker510003No
FlamingoPai Gow Poker1530002No
FlamingoPai Gow Poker2530002No
FremontPai Gow Poker105001No
Gold CoastPai Gow Poker1020004No
Golden NuggetPai Gow Poker1550001No
Green Valley RanchPai Gow Poker1020005No
Hard RockPai Gow Poker1020002No
Harrah’sPai Gow Poker2550005No
LinqPai Gow Poker1030002No
LuxorPai Gow Poker1030001No
M ResortPai Gow Poker1010004No
Main Street StationPai Gow Poker105001No
MGM GrandPai Gow Poker25100001No
MiragePai Gow Poker25100002No
Monte CarloPai Gow Poker1010003No
NYNYPai Gow Poker1020002No
OrleansPai Gow Poker1020004No
Palace StationPai Gow Poker1020004No
PalazzoPai Gow Poker25200001No
PalazzoPai Gow Poker5020003No
PalmsPai Gow Poker1020002No
ParisPai Gow Poker1550003No
ParisPai Gow Poker2550003No
ParisPai Gow Poker10050001No
ParisPai Gow Poker1550003No
Planet HollywoodPai Gow Poker1550004No
Planet HollywoodPai Gow Poker2550001No
PlazaPai Gow Poker1010001No
RampartPai Gow Poker510002No
Red RockPai Gow Poker1020004No
RioPai Gow Poker1550004No
Sam’s TownPai Gow Poker510002No
Santa Fe StationPai Gow Poker510004No
SilvertonPai Gow Poker1010002No
Sahara Las VegasPai Gow Poker10100002No
South PointPai Gow Poker520007No
StratospherePai Gow Poker1010002No
SuncoastPai Gow Poker520003No
Texas StationPai Gow Poker55002No
The DPai Gow Poker1025001No
Treasure IslandPai Gow Poker1050002No
TropicanaPai Gow Poker1020001No
VenetianPai Gow Poker50200001No
WestgatePai Gow Poker1020001No
WynnPai Gow Poker25100004No