If you have ever walked through the gambling pit of a major casino, you may have passed a card games section with a 4 Card Poker table and been curious about the game, but too shy to ask about the rules.
To help you out, we have created this 4 Card Poker guide, which covers everything from the most basic rules, hand rankings, and payouts, to the best 4 Card Poker strategy you should apply at the tables.
By the time you are done reading, you will be ready to play Four Card Poker optimally, and perhaps even beat the house with a little bit of luck.
What Is 4 Card Poker?
4 Card Poker is a fairly simple casino poker game. The main difference between it and poker games like Texas Hold’em is that this game is played against the house, rather than other players.
Somewhat confusingly, each hand of 4 Card Poker starts with the player being dealt five cards, and the dealer being dealt six cards.
However, both the player and the dealer can only use four of their cards to make the best possible poker hand, in accordance with the slightly altered poker hand rankings used in this game.
The gameplay is simple, and payouts are straightforward, but some strategy is required for optimal results. So, let’s start by looking at the betting options at your disposal in 4 Card Poker.
4 Card Poker Bets Explained
In total, there are four betting options available in 4 Card Poker, and they are the Ante bet, the Play bet, the Aces Up bet, and the Progressive Jackpot bet.
Let’s review each one and explain how it works.
The Ante Bet
The Ante bet is the most basic bet in 4 Card Poker and the only one that is mandatory. To receive dealt cards in 4 Card Poker, you must place an Ante bet.
Once an Ante bet is active, you can get dealt into the hand. The value of this bet will determine the value of your Play bet as well, and determine the payouts you can get.
The Ante bet pays 1:1 at showdown if your hand is better than the dealer’s. Unlike many other casino poker games, 4 Card Poker has no qualification requirement; the dealer qualifies with any hand.
As long as your hand is better than the dealer’s at showdown, you will get an even money payout on your Ante bet, along with the Ante bonus if you make Three of a Kind or better.
| Poker Hand | Ante Bonus Payout |
| Four of a Kind | 25:1 |
| Straight Flush | 20:1 |
| Three of a Kind | 2:1 |
The Play Bet
The Play bet option is activated once you are dealt your five cards. After looking at your cards, you have the option of folding them, placing a 1x Play bet, or a 3x Play bet.
If you fold, you will forfeit your Ante bet and will not be required to add any additional chips to the pot.
If you decide to place a Play bet, its value will be determined by your Ante bet. For example, if your Ante bet is $10, you will have the option of placing a $10 or a $30 Play bet.
If the Play bet is active, it will pay at 1:1 anytime you beat the dealer at showdown. There is no qualification requirement for this bet either, and payouts are made purely based on the value of your and the dealer’s hand.
The Aces Up Bet
The Aces Up is an optional side bet in 4 Card Poker, which you can place before the cards are dealt. If you place an Aces Up bet, you will receive an additional payout anytime you have a pair of Aces or better.
It is important to understand that Aces Up payouts are made regardless of the hand outcome. For example, if you make two pairs and lose to the dealer’s flush, you will still receive the Aces Up payout.
You can bet as much as you want on Aces Up, within the table limits, regardless of your Ante bet. For example, even if you bet $100 on the Ante, you can still place a $10 bet on Aces Up, and vice versa.
The Aces Up bet pays according to a preset paytable that looks like this:
| Poker Hand | Aces Up Payout |
| Four of a Kind | 50:1 |
| Straight Flush | 30:1 |
| Three of a Kind | 7:1 |
| Flush | 6:1 |
| Straight | 5:1 |
| Two Pair | 2:1 |
| Pair of Aces | 1:1 |
Progressive Jackpot Bet
The final bet in 4 Card Poker is the Progressive Jackpot bet, which is available at most 4 Card Poker tables, and it gives you a chance to win a huge jackpot whose value increases with every hand played.
The Progressive Jackpot bet is usually capped at $1 per hand, and placing that $1 bet qualifies you to win the Progressive Jackpot.
The value of the jackpot varies from one casino to the next, but it often starts at $10,000 and increases with every bet made.
To win the jackpot, you will need to get dealt four Aces. Consolation prizes are also available, as the Progressive Jackpot bet pays a few hundred dollars anytime you make Four of a Kind or a Straight Flush, as well as a small payout for Three of a Kind ($15 is common).
4 Card Poker Gameplay: Step-by-Step Walkthrough
We’ve touched on all the bets you can make in 4 Card Poker, but you may still be a bit confused as to the flow of play in this game.
To clear it all up, let’s walk you through a hand of 4 Card Poker and explain it every step of the way.
The Betting Round
The first step in any 4 Card Poker hand is the betting round. A minimum Ante bet is a prerequisite to getting dealt into a hand, while all other bets are optional.
During the betting round, you can also place your Aces Up bet and your Progressive Jackpot bet, if you choose to.
It’s worth noting that the size of the Aces Up bet is not directly tied to the Ante bet, and you can bet any amount on either of these, within the table limits.
Getting Your Cards
Once all bets have been placed, the dealer will deal five cards to all active players and six players to himself.
Once you have received your five cards, you will have the option to fold or place a Play bet of 1x or 3x your Ante bet.
If you decide to fold the cards, you will no longer be eligible for any Ante bet payouts. However, you will still get paid for your Aces Up bet.
If you do place a Play bet, the hand will proceed to a showdown, where your hand will be compared to the dealer’s.
The Showdown
Once all players have decided whether to play, the dealer will show their cards, and the hands will be compared.
There is no minimum qualifying hand in 4 Card Poker, so even if the dealer’s hand is very weak, players will get paid in full on all their bets.
At showdown, you will need to beat the dealer’s hand to get paid at even money on your Ante and Play bet. The Aces Up and Progressive Jackpot payouts will be made regardless of the outcome of the hand.
4 Card Poker Strategy: How to Play Optimally
Just knowing how to play a hand of Four Card Poker is not enough, as playing the wrong way can cost you money and significantly increase the overall house edge.
For that reason, it’s key to understand the basic 4 Card Poker strategy and apply it every time you play. Fortunately, the basic strategy is very simple, and it comes down to the following rules:
- Fold your hand if you don’t have at least one pair
- Place a 1x bet if you have a pair of Deuces to Nines
- Place a 3x bet if you have a pair of Tens or better
If you play according to these three simple rules, you will minimize the house edge to about 4%, and you won’t be leaving money on the table.
This strategy can be further refined by paying attention to the card the dealer turns face up immediately after the cards are dealt.
If you have a pair of Tens or better, you should still place a 1x bet if the dealer’s up card is higher than your pair, but place a 3x bet if the card is lower.
This minor strategic adjustment will apply only in rare hands and won’t materially affect your bottom line, but it can reduce the house edge by a small percentage.
Four Card Poker Tips & Tricks
As long as you apply the basic strategy we covered in the previous section correctly, the house edge will remain low, and you will get optimal results.
However, we have a few additional tips to help you further increase your chances and enhance your playing experience.
Tip #1 – Be Careful with Your Bankroll
Practicing conservative bankroll management is the first step to maximizing your value in 4 Card Poker. It can be tempting to bet big, but 4 Card Poker can be quite volatile, and both losing and winning streaks are the norm.
If you want to avoid busting your bankroll too fast, you should make sure you have enough money to play at least 10 hands and place the 3x bet without winning any of them.
So, if your Ante bet is $10, you should look to have $400 in your balance to be safe, as you may run into a streak where you lose multiple $30 Play bets in a row.
You should be even more careful with your bankroll if you plan to place Aces Up bets, as those can be even more volatile, and the big payouts can take quite a few hands to arrive.
Tip #2 – Minimize the Side Bets
Side betting action in Four Card Poker is designed to make the game more fun and exciting, and it definitely does. However, side bets also increase the house edge and dramatically increase the game’s volatility.
If you want to make Aces Up bets despite the increased house edge, limit your exposure by making the Aces Up bet significantly lower than your Ante bet.
For example, if you are betting $25 per hand on the Ante, place $5 per hand on Aces Up. This way, you can still get paid big if you score a hand like four of a kind or a straight flush, but you won’t be bleeding too much money along the way.
Tip #3 – Track the Progressive Jackpot
Unlike Aces Up, the Progressive Jackpot bet can be lucrative if you start placing it at the right time. You should only bet on the Progressive Jackpot once it has grown substantially higher than the seed amount.
For example, if the Progressive Jackpot at your casino starts at $10,000, and it has reached $22,000 after some days, you may want to start placing the $1 bet every time you play a hand.
The likelihood of getting four Aces is still very low, but the payout you can expect is now significantly higher than what it was at the start.
It’s Time to Play 4 Card Poker
Our short guide to Four Card Poker has taught you all you need to know about the game, along with a few extra tips that most players aren’t even aware of.
You are now ready to start playing the game and practicing your 4 Card Poker strategy. We recommend starting with small stakes online or demo play, then gradually increasing your bets once you are fully comfortable at the tables.
Remember to always play responsibly and stick to the stakes you can truly afford to play without any risk to your overall financial status.