INTRODUCTION TO LET IT RIDE

The name Let it Ride doesn’t automatically associate itself to poker, but in fact, it is a variation of the popular 5-card game. This game is slow-paced and popular with casino players of every age because it allows players to draw back their bets if their hand is weak. It’s an especially great game for beginners for the very same reasons.

Let it Ride Screenshot

HOW TO PLAY LET IT RIDE

In Let it Ride, players play against the casino only with one, standard deck of cards (52 cards) that is re-shuffled after every hand. Players receive three cards, which are not shown to other players or the dealer) and dealer receives two cards, face down, which are considered community cards – these cards are used by all players at the table to make their best 5-card poker hand.

On the Let it Ride table, each player has three different spots for bets marked ‘1’, ‘2’, and ‘3’. Players are required, at the start of the game, to place a bet in each spot. Players are then dealt their cards and the game begins. The dealer will then ask each player at the table if they wish to pull back one of their bets or ‘let it ride’, which means to leave all the bets in play. After this round of betting ends the dealer will turn over one of the community cards. He will then ask each player again if they would like to stand or let it ride. Finally the dealer turns the second community card over, compares hands and awards (or takes away) any chips. In essence, even though you are laying three bets, only 1/3 is actually at risk. This allows players to bet big and win big if they end up with a great hand from the start of the game.

Sounds easy right? Well, one rule to Let it Ride is that makes it a bit more difficult for the player is that only pairs of ten’s or better count towards a payout. Below are the payouts most online casinos use for Let it Ride:

1.    Royal flush        1,000 to 1

2.    Straight flush        200 to 1

3.    Four of a kind        50 to 1

4.    Full house        11 to 1

5.    Flush            8 to 1

6.    Straight        5 to 1

7.    Three of a kind        3 to 1

8.    Two pairs        2 to 1

9.    Pair of 10’s or better    1 to 1

Let it Ride Strategy

As mentioned above, only a pair of tens or better is considered a payable hand and the goal is to make the best hand using the three cards dealt to the player and the two community cards. Players simply need to evaluate their hand and decide on whether to pull a bet back or let their bets ride.

Here are some basic rules to follow:

Pull back your first bet unless you have:

•    Any paying hand

•    Any 3 cards that could lead to a royal flush

•    Any 3 cards that are suited and connected where the lowest card is a 3 or above (i.e. 3, 4, 5 of hearts)

•    Any 3 cards leading to a straight flush, spread over 4 numbers, one of which is higher than 10 (i.e. 7, 8, 10 of spades)

•    Any 3 cards leading to a straight flush, spread over 5 numbers, with at least two cards that are higher than a 10 (i.e. 8, 10, queen)

Pull back your second bet unless you have:

•    Any paying hand

•    Any 4 cards that could lead to a flush

•    Any 4 cards that could lead to an outside straight (a hand with four of the five cards needed cards in sequence but is missing the first or last card)

•    Any 4 cards that could lead to an inside straight (a hand with four of the five cards needed for a straight, but missing one in the middle) and only if 4 of the cards are a 10 or higher

These are the best tips we can give you for playing Let it Ride. Follow them and the house advantage becomes just about 3.5%. All hand rankings are the same as in poker (see the Guide to Poker for more details).