Pai Gow Poker rules and house edge
Pai Gow Poker carries a 2.51% house edge as of 2026-08-25. 3 venues are listed here with table counts and minimums. Payouts and glossary below come from public sources; venue-specific rule variants are noted on each venue page.
Seven cards from a deck with a joker are split into a five-card high hand and a two-card low hand; the high hand must outrank the low. Both hands are compared with the dealer — win both to win, split them and the hand pushes.
Source: wizardofodds.com · Measured 2026-08-25
House edge
2.51%
딜러가 뱅커를 맡고 최적 전략을 쓸 때 2.51%다. 판의 40.47%가 무승부로 끝나기 때문에 같은 시간에 실제로 잃는 돈은 엣지 숫자가 주는 인상보다 적다 — 자금이 오래 버티는 게임이다.
Pace · 시간당 약 30핸드
Payouts
| 승리 / Win | 1:1 (커미션 5%) |
|---|---|
| 패배 / Loss | - |
| 무승부 / Push | 반환 |
House edge by bet type
Sorted by lowest edge. Within one table, what you bet on changes the expected loss several times over.
| Bet | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Main, dealer banking, optimal play | 1:1 (커미션 5%) | 2.51% |
→ Scroll the table sideways for the rest
Basic strategy
- · How the seven cards are split decides the hand — stacking the high hand loses the low one and forces a push.
- · With pushes above 40% the variance is low; this is the game that keeps a bankroll alive longest.
- · Confirm that the 5% commission applies to winnings only — a different arrangement changes the edge.
Glossary
- 하이 핸드 · High hand
- The stronger five-card hand.
- 로 핸드 · Low hand
- The weaker two-card hand.
- 푸시 · Push
- Winning one hand and losing the other — a tie.
What to say at the table
| Meaning | Say this | When |
|---|---|---|
| 칩으로 바꿔 주세요 | Change, please. | 현금을 테이블에 놓으며. 돈은 딜러 손에 직접 건네지 않습니다 |
| 최소 얼마입니까? | What is the minimum? | 앉기 전에 테이블 리밋을 확인할 때 |
| 하우스 웨이로 놓아 주세요 | Set it the house way, please. | 일곱 장을 어떻게 나눌지 딜러에게 맡길 때 |
| 뱅커를 맡겠습니다 | I will bank this hand. | 뱅커 차례를 받을 때 — 되는 테이블에서만 |
| 이 손이 맞습니까? | Is this set correctly? | 두 손으로 나눈 배치를 확인할 때 |
Etiquette
Seven cards split into a five-card hand and a two-card hand, and the five must outrank the two. Reversing them is a foul and loses the hand. If the split is unclear, ask the dealer to set it the house way — it is standard practice and usually a sound arrangement. Place cash and chips on the felt, not into the dealer's hand. Finish betting before the dealer calls no more bets. Photography is restricted on most gaming floors — ask before taking out a phone. Tipping the dealer is customary but never required.
Where to play
Min bet Not verified · Tables Not verified
Source: www.newportworldresorts.com · Measured 2026-08-25
Min bet Not verified · Tables Not verified
Source: hoiana.com · Measured 2026-08-25
FAQ
- What is the house edge in Pai Gow Poker?
- Pai Gow Poker runs at 2.51% under standard rules. The edge alone is misleading: what you actually lose is edge x stake x hands per hour, and Pai Gow Poker runs 시간당 약 30핸드. A lower edge at a faster pace can cost more per hour. This figure assumes standard rules. A venue that changes the payout or the rules changes the real number.
- Can a first-timer sit at Pai Gow Poker?
- Moderate. The rules are less of an obstacle than the running order and the vocabulary. Read the glossary and table phrases above first.
- What are the payouts in Pai Gow Poker?
- Standard payouts are 승리 / Win 1:1 (커미션 5%) · 패배 / Loss - · 무승부 / Push 반환. Payouts are something a venue can change, and changing them changes the house edge — if the sign differs from the standard, the edge above does not apply at that table.
- Where can I play Pai Gow Poker in the Philippines?
- The section below lists the 3 venues we have confirmed. Each entry is transcribed from the venue's own page and carries the date we checked it. Figures the venue does not publish — table count, minimum — are left blank rather than estimated.
- What is the table minimum for Pai Gow Poker?
- Not stated by an official source. We do not fill this in with an estimate. Minimums vary by day, hour and floor within the same venue — the sign at the table is the only accurate figure.Not verified
- Is there anything I should not do at a Pai Gow Poker table?
- Seven cards split into a five-card hand and a two-card hand, and the five must outrank the two. Reversing them is a foul and loses the hand. If the split is unclear, ask the dealer to set it the house way — it is standard practice and usually a sound arrangement. Place cash and chips on the felt, not into the dealer's hand. Finish betting before the dealer calls no more bets. Photography is restricted on most gaming floors — ask before taking out a phone. Tipping the dealer is customary but never required.