Unlike payouts in craps and roulette, which change based on the type of bet you make, Pai Gow Poker payouts are simple to remember: you’re paid even money if you win. It doesn’t matter if you’re holding a pair, full house, or royal flush.
'The only way you are gonna make money on this game is to bet the bonus.'
The Wizard (and the math) tells me this is a sucker bet. I do see people hit it frequently (of course I never do). What's your opinion on this bet?
When I play, I rarely play this bet. If I do, it's only on a whim. Yet I'm constantly told the following:
'The only way you are gonna make money on this game is to bet the bonus.'
The Wizard (and the math) tells me this is a sucker bet. I do see people hit it frequently (of course I never do). What's your opinion on this bet?
I don't make that bet and I've never encountered a situation where I would've won anything. I think bets like that are a casino's way of decimating your bankroll. But, it is gambling. You could always get lucky and hit the big jackpot. It really is a personal preference.
'The only way you are gonna make money on this game is to bet the bonus.'
This statement refers to most games that pay more-or-less even money, where there are side bets.
The -ahem- truth in that statement comes from the side bet's potential large payout. Yeah, if you hit one of the higher payouts, you're a happy camper and have made the money they're talking about. But it comes at the cost of a high house edge.
But it is also false. You can make money just playing the basic game. With a good string of luck, and pressing your bets, you can do quite well without playing the side bet.
I don't make that bet and I've never encountered a situation where I would've won anything. I think bets like that are a casino's way of decimating your bankroll. But, it is gambling. You could always get lucky and hit the big jackpot. It really is a personal preference.
Never? Anything? The Fortune bet pays 2:1 on a 5 card straight. How many hands of PGP have you played that you've never had a 5 card straight in a 7 card hand that includes wilds?
If I find myself betting $25 or less per hand, I will most likely not be playing the side bet. I'm ok throwing away money on a side bet as long as it's a very manageable amount, betting $25 or more on the fortune is a very quick way to ruin.
Fortune Pai Gow Payouts
However, if you're a grinder who is trying to reduce the house edge as much as possible, paying the Fortune side bet is a large leak in your game. I don't usually play it - but everyone at the table will tell me that 'you should have made the fortune bet' whenever I do hit a big hand. I do tend to play the fortune bet when the pit boss is watching, for camouflage and better comps.Pai Gow Poker Side Bet Payouts
It doesnt follow and its a value judgment. Most people thinking of none other than +ev dont want to play x either. Or, if a bet that only hit 1 in a 1000 hits but paid 1005:1 were available, I probably wouldn't play that either. And even some high house edge bets lose less in absolute terms because you can bet $1 on the fortune and usually $15-25 minimum on the game. Other people want more than a pat on the back when they get a royal, or want the thrill of having something more than even money accessible next hand.
You need to figure out why you are gambling, what you want out of it, what risk you can tolerate, how often you go (if you gamble once a year you should pay little attention to the detailed math of such things) and dont let statements of mathematical fact become value judgments.
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I do get a charge from the side bet potential before looking at the hands, no question. Also, playing 2 hands, I see both the Joker and the fortune bet twice as often, so they're that much more fun with more frequent hits. I've played PGP a couple times where the fortune was not available, and did not enjoy the game nearly as much, so I tend to play something else unless the fortune is available. I also am not fond of the Dragon hand in lieu of a second hand, because the fortune bet is not available on the Dragon.
The very best odds? No. The best entertainment in the casino IMO? Pretty much.