Real Money Caribbean Stud Guide
We all know that land based and online casinos are dominated by slot machines, blackjack, and video poker. But did you know that in almost every online casino and land-based property there is another real money game with a jackpot component that is sitting waiting to be played by you?
Caribbean Stud is a table game that you can find for real money action in almost any casino. The game is very easy to play, is a lot of fun and you can win a good chunk of money, especially if you hit a bonus hand! This guide will review everything you need to know about Caribbean Stud poker and playing for real money. We’ll cover the history of the game, the rules and how to play it, as well as how to find the best places to play for real money online.
What is Caribbean Stud Poker?
Caribbean Stud is a variant of 5 card Stud Poker, however, to make it a table game in a casino where it can be played for real money, it has been shortened right up to allow for faster hands. It is a straightforward game for someone to learn to play for real money, whether at a land-based casino or online, which we will cover later on a little further down this page.
Caribbean Stud Poker does not have nearly the length of history that some of the other casino games have; its origins only date back to the 1980s, when supposedly someone came across the game being played in a casino in Aruba. While several people have laid claim to having invented Caribbean Stud Poker, it made its way into land-based casinos in North America in the 1990s, where it became one of the more popular games to play. Once a jackpot bet was added to the game, the popularity grew even faster and soon Caribbean Stud Poker games were found not only in most U.S. casinos but around the world as well.
Why Play Caribbean Stud Poker for Real Money?
Like any game you play in a casino, there are two reasons to be playing: to have fun and to make money! Online, there are opportunities to play Caribbean Stud for free, but it is safe to say that the allure of a big jackpot is what drives players over to the real money version of the game.
At Legit Casinos Online, we always encourage our players who are gambling with real money to take precautions so you don’t lose more money than you can afford. That is why we started to write these Real Money Guides in the first place. Arming you will as much information, and strategy on a particular game will make you more knowledgeable when you get to the felt, and that should put you in a much better position to come away a winner (or at least manage your losses).
How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker
The rules of Caribbean Stud poker are basic. If you have played poker before, then you will already know the hand rankings that this game uses for payouts. If you haven’t, have no fear, we are here to help! The game of real money Caribbean Stud is based on the rules of Stud poker. You are dealt cards and are trying to make the best hand with your 5 cards. Here are the Hand rankings in order from best to worst:
- Royal Flush – Ace through 10 of the same suit
- Straight Flush – Any 5 cards of the same suit in numerical order
- 4 of a Kind – holding all 4 cards of the same number
- Full House – a 5 card hand consisting of 3 of a kind and one pair
- Flush – any five cards of the same suit
- Straight – any five cards in numerical order
- 3 of a Kind – any 3 cards of the same number
- 2 Pair – having two different pairs of matching cards in your hand
- 1 Pair – having one pair of matching cards in your hand
- High Card – A hand with none of the above in it.
Now, when it comes to Caribbean Stud, you should know that all the decision making is taken out of your hands aside from the amount you want to wager. Everyone at the table who wants to play must make a bet called an Ante. The minimum and maximum value of the Ante is set by the casino; players are allowed to wager anything they want between those two values.
Once all the Antes are secured, then the game can begin. The dealer deals you and any other players at the table five cards face down. The dealer also deals themselves five cards. However, they turn one card face up so all the players can see it. This exposed card is designed to give the players a chance to decide whether or not to continue in the hand. Each player is given a choice to fold their hand after they look at it. If a player folds, they lose the ante bet already placed. Should they decide to continue, then they are forced to triple the size of the ante by adding two more chips of the same denomination to the bet. Once all the players have made their decision, the game continues.
At this point, the dealer looks at their hand to see what they hold. Here’s where it gets interesting. The dealer must have a minimum hand to “open” or stay in the hand. IF the dealer does not have at the very least a high hand with an Ace and a King, then the dealer folds, all players win the value of their ante, and their additional bet is returned to them. If the dealer does have a hand that allows them to “open” then one of three options can occur:
- The dealer’s hand is better than the player’s, and the bet and ante are lost
- The dealer and the player have the same hand, in which case the bet is a tie and all the chips are returned to the player.
- The player’s hand is better than the dealer’s, and the player wins the bet.
Hopefully, you will find yourself on the winning end of more hands than not. If you do win the hand, then you are paid out according to a pay table. Here is the standard paytable for Caribbean Stud:
- Royal Flush – 200 to 1
- Straight Flush – 50 to 1
- Four of a Kind – 20 to 1
- Full House – 7 to 1
- Flush – 5 to 1
- Straight – 4 to 1
- Three of a Kind – 3 to 1
- Two Pair – 2 to 1
- Pair – 1 to 1
Progressive Bonus Bets
In most real money Caribbean Stud situations, there is an additional bet that can be placed to enhance the game’s enjoyment. This bet is known as a bonus bet. In most casinos, the bonus bet is a $1 wager that can be placed next to the Ante bet. The proceeds of this $1 go to a progressive prize pool, which rewards players who have one of the better hands dealt to them.
Depending on the casino, you may see a running jackpot total right at the table (or in the lobby of an online casino). This Jackpot is the amount of money you can win if you hit a Royal Flush with your 5 card hand. There are other payouts as well; here are the standard payouts for the bonus bet (your casino may have a slightly different table):
- Royal Flush: 100% of Progressive Jackpot
- Straight Flush: 10% of Progressive Jackpot
- Four of a Kind: $500
- Full House: $100
- Flush: $50
Now, these may seem like handsome payouts, but you also should remember how rare it is to be dealt one of these hands, especially when you are not allowed to discard any cards. Also, you can win the bonus bet even if the dealer doesn’t have a qualifying hand, or if your hand loses to that of the dealer.
Real Money Caribbean Stud Strategy
Unlike some of the other real money casino games which come with pages and pages of strategy for beginners and advanced players, there isn’t much to tell you about Caribbean Stud Poker. The bottom line is this: you don’t have a lot of options at the table after your cards are dealt. The only decision left for you is whether or not to continue betting, so to maximize your chances of winning, we can give you this piece of advice:
You should always bet if your hand has at least an Ace, a King and a Jack
Yes, you can see one of the dealer’s cards as well, but that shouldn’t have an impact on your decision. This is a game of probability and money, and you are trying to maximize the chances you have to win hands.
Oh, we also have one other piece of advice for you: Don’t play the bonus bet. While the numbers are enticing, the bet is a sucker’s bet which you will lose far more often than you will win. These small drops in the bucket can really cut into your profitability in a session, so if you don’t mind not winning the big jackpot, you should just stay away.
Playing Real Money Caribbean Stud Online
These days, it is so easy to access your favorite casino games like Caribbean Stud from the comfort of your own home. The introduction of real money online casinos in the mid-1990s gave gamblers across the globe equal access to the games they love.
However, with the ease of starting an online casino, there are literally thousands of choice out there for you, so how do you decide where to play real money Caribbean Stud online? Well, our site can help you with that decision. First off, you want to find a casino that will allow you to make a deposit from your location. Next, you should check to see if a casino you may be interested in has any great despot bonuses that you can take advantage of to get the most out of your cash at the table. Finally, you want to find a site that is trustworthy, and where you know, you will get paid when you win.
LegitCasinosOnline.com has reviewed hundreds of online casino sites that offer Real Money Caribbean Stud games – you can check out our Reviews section to read through as many as you would like. You will also find there our recommended sites based on what we have seen and what we like. One thing is for certain; with our help, you will get to the Caribbean Stud table faster than you can count your five cards!
