If you have browsed through the lobby of an online casino, then the chances are that you have come across a card game known as Red Dog. The relatively obscure game of chance – also known as red dog poker – is a variant of other card games like acey-deucy and in-between and it is a simple poker game for inexperienced punters to enjoy.

[Casino Table]

[Contents Table]

Red Dog’s Origins

The origins of red dog are unknown, although its roots can be traced back to the general history of poker since it is considered an off-shoot of the larger family of the popular card game which dates back to the 18^th century. While the popularity of the red dog card game has dwindled in recent years, it can still be found at most good online casino sites. You can play red dog at one of our recommended casinos below:

Play For Prizes

It is possible to play red dog poker online for free and for the chance to win some real cash prizes. No matter which way you want to play, you will find that the gameplay is exactly the same, with the same winning hands, the same mechanisms and the same return-to-player percentage. With that in mind, it makes perfect sense to have a few goes of the red dog game for free so that you can get a hang of how it all works. Lucky for you, you can try out a demo version of the red dog card game below:

Simple Table Layout

The table layout in a red dog card game is fairly straightforward to follow once you know the rules. The table has an “ante” spot where the first wager is placed with a “raise” options for players should they wish to up the wager on the third card draw. There is a space for the cards to be placed in the middle of the table with a simple grid which explains the red card game odds according to the size of the spread. You’ll also notice the “cons” and pair” section over “push” with “3 of a kind” over the 11/1 odds.

Red Dog Rules

The beauty of the red dog card game is that it is actually quite simple when it comes down to playing. The red dog card game rules dictate that the game can be played with one to eight standard 52-card decks and the cards are all ranked as in normal poker i.e. ace is always high and the suit is irrelevant. Each hand consists of just 3 cards. To get the game going, the player puts down a wager and the dealer then places two cards face up on the table. There are two ways in which the hand can push (be invalid and return the wager to the player). Firstly, the hand will push if the two dealt cards are consecutive e.g. 5 and 6. Secondly, if the two cards are a pair and the third card does not match the pair on the table, the hand is a push. Should the third card match, a payout of 11/1 is awarded. In the event that the two cards are not consecutive and do no match, the dealer will call the “spread” – this basically means the number of card that are in-between the two cards on the table. So, a 3 card spread will be called if 5 and 9 are on the table since numbers 6, 7 and 8 split the two values. The size of the spread is important since it will determine the odds involved when the third card is drawn, as you can see below: – 1 card spread: odds of 5/1 – 2 card spread: odds of 4/1 – 3 card spread: odds of 2/1 – 4+ spread: odds of 1/1 Before the third card is drawn, players have the opportunity to double their wager. If the third card is of a value in-between the first two cards, players win the bet with a payout according to the spread.

What About Features?

Red dog is a simple gambling game, making it fairly immune to any extravagant features or newfangled bonus elements. The only thing that might differ across different versions of the game is the minimum and maximum bet limits.

House Edge

The house edge in a game of red dog poker depends on the number of decks in play, beginning at 3.155% with just one deck and falling down to 2.751% when the maximum of eight decks are in play. So, it’s fair to say that the red dog card game is not the most favourable card game in the world of gambling when compared to the likes of blackjack. As far as the red dog card game strategy goes, there isn’t really anything too complicated to consider. Essentially, players should only raise their wagers when the spread statistically favours them. This is a spread of 7 cards or more and it doesn’t matter how many decks are used. Of course, you can double the wager on a spread of 1 card for the chance to win some healthy profits, but there is a very high element of risk in this method of playing red dog poker.

Final Thoughts On Red Dog

The red dog card game might not be the most favourable gambling game available to play at online casinos, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth a punt or two. There is something quite satisfying in the simplicity of the game that will appeal to inexperienced players as well as veteran gamblers who are after something a little less heavy on the strategy side of things. The table layout is incredibly simple and intuitive, meaning that it should take players too long to get the hang of how it works. So, why not play the red dog card game for free above before you give it a go for the chance to win some real money prizes.