Online three-card poker is made up of two games: Ante and Play, and Pair Plus. You can either play the games separately or together at the same time.

In Ante and Play, the player makes an ante wager before the cards are dealt. After the deal, the player can choose to either fold, losing their ante bet or they may choose to play and increase their wager. The dealer then reveals his card. If they have a Queen-high or better, then they qualify. If the dealer does not qualify, there is a push and the player wins even money. If the player holds a strong hand, they receive a bonus:

-    5:1 for a straight flush

-    4:1 for a three of a kind

-    1:1 for a straight

In Pair Plus, the player does not play against the dealer, whose cards are irrelevant. The player places a bet before their cards are dealt and once they are revealed, the player receives a payout according to the strength of their hand:

-    40:1 for a straight flush

-    30:1 for a three of a kind

-    6:1 for a straight

-    4:1 for a flush

-    1:1 for a pair

When playing both games concurrently, the player places bets on the same hand twice, first for Ante and Play and again for Pair Plus once the cards are revealed.

Strategy

Pair Plus is based solely on luck. You’re dealt the cards you’re given and pray for a pair, which is guaranteed at least 25% of the time. However, Ante and Play is a completely different story, where you’re pitted against the dealer. The strategy for this game requires you to examine the odds before placing your bet.

If you have a pair, flush, three-of-a-kind, a straight or a flush, then you should bet. These are all winning hands, and if you have any of them you will most likely beat the dealer. If you have none of these hands and are relying on a high-card win, only bet if you have a minimum of a Queen/6/4 hand. The highest high card hand to bet on is a KQ10. These hands are loss limit plays, meaning they will lose less if you bet on them than if you were to forfeit your hand. If you have a Queen/6/4 or higher, it pays to bet.  Using this strategy, the house only has a 3.4% advantage.

Another useful strategy is simply to play both games at once, placing unequal bets on the two games you are currently playing. This will increase your odds of a winning by a longshot. To be conservative bet one unit on Pair Plus and two on Ante and Play, or place equal bets on both. If you want to take a bigger risk, bet more on pair plus. Many players start out with conservative bets before getting aggressive and placing more money on pair plus.