Vegas Three Card Rummy
The online casino game of Vegas Three Card Rummy is enjoying a wave of popularity that compares only to the game it most resembles: Three Card Poker. With players and the dealer receiving three cards, the games are similar, but Vegas Three Card Rummy has better bonus odds for the player, and is actually a point-total poker game.
Played with a single deck of 52-cards, there are no jokers or wild cards in use. Cryptologic Gaming was the first to offer software for the game. For players in the USA, Real Time Gaming also offers software for the game at a number of websites. The basic mechanics of the game are quite similar and the bonuses are set at a standard rate.
Unlike most poker-style games, Vegas Three Card Rummy employs a point system to assign winners and losers, but like many poker table games the dealer must qualify before any raises are paid. Why not try our free Flash game below?
Vegas Three Card Rummy
How to Play Vegas Three Card Rummy
To begin play, each gambler must make an Ante wager. The dealer will then deliver three cards to each player along with three cards to themselves. Aces always count as one-point. Other cards are given their pip value, meaning a five=5 and an eight=8, etc. Tens and face cards=10, but there is a twist. If the hand includes a pair or three of a kind, those cards count as zero, as does a run of two or three suited cards (they must connect, as in a 3 and 4 of spades, or 9 and 10 of clubs).
To win, the player must achieve a lower point total than the dealer, so the player must decide after seeing their three cards whether to place an amount equal to their Ante bet into the spot for a Raise, or fold their hand. Once all players have made their bets the dealer will turn over their cards, and to qualify, the dealer must have a total of 20 points or less, or only the Ante wager will be paid.
The Ante wager always pays even money when it wins, and loses if the dealer’s point total is lower than the player’s. The Raise wager also wins or loses, and is paid 1 to 1, if the player’s total is 6 or under. If the player’s total is 1 to 5, the payoff is 2 to 1. Should the player manage a total of zero (three of a kind, straight flush) they are paid 4 to 1.
The Bonus Wager
Players may also place a Bonus Wager, up to whatever limit the table allows. This wager is quite popular because it pays regularly and offers a large payout.
Bonus Bet Payoffs
| Hand | Payoff |
|---|---|
| Suited Ace-2-3 | 10 to 1 |
| Total Points: Zero Pays | 25 to 1 |
| Total Points: 1 to 6 | 2 to 1 |
| Total Points: 7 to 10 | 1 to 1 |
| Total Points: 11 or 12 | 4 to 1 |
| Total Points: 13 and above | Wager loses |
Optimal Strategy for Vegas Three Card Rummy
Vegas Three Card Rummy is one of very few games where the Bonus wager is nearly as good as the standard (Ante) wager. The house edge on the Ante bet is about 3.25% and the house edge on the bonus bet is closer to 3.5% – so players might as well place both bets and enjoy the big payoffs when a suited Ace-2-3 or a Zero-point hand appears.
Since the dealer only qualifies with a hand of 20 or below, the player should mimic their play and make the Raise wager with any hand of 20 or less points. Hands of 21 or more points should be folded.