Three Card Poker Pair Plus Explained

Three Card Poker is a fast-paced and exciting casino game that offers multiple ways to win. One of the most popular side bets in the game is Pair Plus, which allows players to win based on their hand strength alone – no need to beat the dealer! Read on to learn more about how the Three Card Poker Pair Plus works, its payouts and odds, and whether it’s a good bet for your strategy.

What is Three Card Poker?

Unlike traditional poker games where players compete against each other, Three Card Poker is played against the dealer. Players have two main betting options: The ante bet in which they compete against the dealer for the best three-card poker hand or the Pair Plus bet, a side bet that pays based on the strength of the player’s hand, regardless of the dealer’s cards.

How Pair Plus Bets Work in Three Card Poker

The Three Card Poker Pair Plus bet is an optional wager that players can make alongside their main ante bet or as a standalone bet. The goal is simple: if your three-card hand contains a pair or better, you win! Unlike the ante bet, Pair Plus does not compete against the dealer – your hand wins or loses based on the paytable. Even if the dealer has a stronger hand, you still get paid as long as your hand qualifies.

Pair Plus Payouts and Odds

Pair Plus payouts vary slightly by casino, but a common paytable looks like this:

Hand	Payout	Odds of Being Dealt
Straight Flush	40 to 1	0.22%
Three of a Kind	30 to 1	0.24%
Straight	6 to 1	3.26%
Flush	3 to 1	4.96%
Pair	1 to 1	16.94%
No Pair (Loss)	-	74.38%

The house edge for the Pair Plus bet is around 2.32 percent, which is lower than many casino side bets. Since the bet is based purely on hand rankings, there’s no skill involved—only luck.

Pair Plus vs. Ante Bet

The Ante Bet and Pair Plus serve different purposes in Three Card Poker. The Pair Plus bet pays based on hand strength, while the Ante bet competes against the dealer. There is no skill involved with the Three Card Poker Pair Plus bet – it is based on pure luck of the draw. The house edge is also lower with a Pair Plus bet – 2.32 percent, compared with 3.37 percent for the Ante bet. But the payouts for a Three Card Poker Pair Plus bet are significantly higher – 40 to 1 for a straight flush, for example, compared to 1 to 1 for a standard win on an Ante bet.

When to Play the Pair Plus Side Bet

You should choose Pair Plus if you enjoy high payouts and don’t want to worry about the dealer’s hand. You should choose the Ante Bet if you prefer strategic gameplay where your choices influence the outcome. You should also choose Pair Plus if you want to diversify your bets, playing it alongside your Ante bet for multiple ways to win.

Play Three Card Poker at Sky Ute Casino

For an exciting Three Card Poker experience, visit Sky Ute Casino! Enjoy live tables with friendly dealers, Three Card Poker Pair Plus side bets for big payouts, and a thrilling casino atmosphere with great promotions. Sky Ute Casino in Ignacio, CO, is the perfect place to test your luck at Three Card Poker!