Three Card Poker side bets
Pair Plus and the 6 Card Bonus, how they pay, and the computed edge for the common tables. The short version: fun, but pricier than the base game.
The short answer
Pair Plus pays on your three cards, about 7.28% on the common table. The 6 Card Bonus pays on the best five of six cards, about 8.561% on a common table. Both cost more than the base game.
Pair Plus
Pair Plus is resolved on your three cards alone, independent of the dealer and independent of whether you play or fold. It pays on a pair or better. The edge is set by the pay table.
| Hand | 1-3-6-30-40 | 1-4-6-30-40 |
|---|---|---|
| Straight flush | 40 to 1 | 40 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 30 to 1 | 30 to 1 |
| Straight | 6 to 1 | 6 to 1 |
| Flush | 3 to 1 | 4 to 1 |
| Pair | 1 to 1 | 1 to 1 |
| House edge | 7.28% | 2.32% |
The only difference between those two tables is the flush, paying 3 versus 4. That single step moves the edge from about 2.32% to about 7.28%. It is the clearest example on the whole felt of why you read the pay table before you bet.
6 Card Bonus
The 6 Card Bonus combines your three cards with the dealer's three and pays on the best five-card poker hand, from three of a kind up to a royal flush. It does not care who wins the hand. Because it draws on six cards, the qualifying hands are far richer than in the base game.
| Hand | Chance | Example payout |
|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 0.00092% | 1000 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 0.00813% | 200 to 1 |
| Four of a kind | 0.07203% | 100 to 1 |
| Full house | 0.8153% | 20 to 1 |
| Flush | 1.01084% | 15 to 1 |
| Straight | 1.77626% | 10 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 3.59633% | 7 to 1 |
The chances above are exact, enumerated over all 20,358,520 six-card combinations. On the example pay table shown, the house edge is about 8.561%. Lower payouts on the common hands, especially three of a kind, push that edge up quickly.
Common questions
How does Pair Plus work?
Pair Plus pays on your three cards alone, win or lose on the main game. On the common 1-3-6-30-40 table the house edge is about 7.28%. On the older 1-4-6-30-40 table it is about 2.32%.
How does the 6 Card Bonus work?
It pays on the best five-card poker hand made from your three cards plus the dealer's three, for a total of six cards. It pays on three of a kind or better and ignores who wins the hand. Payouts and edge vary a lot by table.
Are the side bets worth playing?
They add volatility and a shot at a big multiplier, but every published side-bet table carries a higher house edge than the base game. Treat them as entertainment, not as a way to lower your cost.