The Best Casino Card Games to Play

The Best Casino Card Games to Play

Discover the best Pennsylvania online casino card games to play with our PennStakes.com guide. On this page, we have rounded up the most popular casino card games to play for fun or real money. Learn the basic rules of classic games like blackjack, Casino Hold’em and baccarat. We’ll even show you one or two top tips for improving your game.

Read up on the top PA casino table games with cards in 2020. Then sign up to one of our best-rated online casinos through these exclusive links.

Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the simplest casino card games to learn and play. You’ll find at least one variant at every PA casino, and the house edge can be as low as 0.17%.

In blackjack, the aim is to beat the dealer’s total without going over 21. You and the dealer receive two cards. You must then decide to receive more cards (hit) or take no further action (stand). Picture cards are worth 10, aces 1 or 11, and all other cards their pip value.

You’ll win 3/2 on a winning blackjack (an ace and a picture card), and 1/1 just for beating the dealer’s hand. If the hands are tied, it’s a push and your stake is returned.

You can find good blackjack strategy and tips right here at PennStakes. Learn when to double down, split pairs and hit or stand. Make the most optimal moves and you can reduce the house edge every time.


CHECK OUT: Which Casino Game Has The Lowest House Edge?


Baccarat

Baccarat is a classic casino table game played between the “Player” and the “Banker.” Each player is dealt a two-card hand. You place a bet on which will have a total closest to 9 – the player's hand or the banker’s hand. Number cards are worth their face value, while picture cards are worth zero. Aces are worth 1. When totaling the hand, you are only counting the “ones” digit (a hand of 6 and 7, which equals 13, would be worth 3).

You can bet on the Player to win for a return of 1/1. A Banker win pays 19/20 (1/1 minus a 5% casino commission). You can also bet on the hands ending in a Tie at 8/1.

In some cases, the Banker will receive a third card, depending on the Player’s total. That’s why the smart money is to bet on the Banker, despite the 5% commission.

Learn the rules on our baccarat page and play this great casino game for free at most online casinos in PA. Live casino baccarat lets you pit your skills against a human croupier.

Online Poker

Online poker is 100% legal in Pennsylvania in 2020. You’ll find a selection of regulated poker sites operating in the state. Choose between popular Texas Hold’em games, or hit the Omaha tables for an exciting 4-card variant.

Online poker is played between players rather than against the house. The poker room will take a fee for any tournament entry paid or qualifying cash game hand.

The best poker sites in Pennsylvania run a wide range of cash games and tournaments to suit all stakes. If you’re a beginner, hit the micro-stakes tables and play for cents. Alternatively, play your big bankroll on higher-stakes cash tables, Sit ‘n Gos, or multi-table tournaments (MTTs). You can even enter satellites to win entry into large live tournaments across the US.

Video Poker

Video poker transports the classic casino card game to your computer. Play simple Jacks or Better or take on Bonus Poker with big multipliers.

In video poker, the aim is to make the best 5-card poker hand possible. A player receives five cards to start with. They must decide which cards to hold and which to discard. The discarded cards are replaced with new ones to complete the player's hand.

You will earn a payout depending on the quality of your hand. There is always a minimum qualifying hand, displayed in the paytable on the screen. In Jacks or Better, for instance, you win a prize by having a pair of jacks minimum. You can hit the jackpot by getting a Royal Flush.

You’ll find a variety of great video poker games from developers like IGT and Microgaming. The house edge varies from game to game but is usually around 0.46-0.60%.

Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em is the easiest poker game to learn and is perfect for beginners and experts alike.

In Texas Hold’em, you must make the best 5-card hand with your own two cards and five community cards that are shared by all players. In No Limit Hold’em, there is no upper limit to the betting, which is one of the reasons why it’s so popular with gamblers.

The beauty of Texas Hold’em is that skill, bluffing and psychology play as much a part in the game as luck. You can force players off hands when you hold an inferior hand and change your fortunes with the turn of a card.

Online poker is popular in Pennsylvania, and there are currently around half a dozen sites. Most are aligned to existing casinos. Play Hold’em cash games, tournaments, or satellites, or jump into a Sit ‘n Go and play a quick single-table tournament 24/7.

Casino Hold’em

Casino Hold’em is one of the most popular gambling card games in Pennsylvania. You can find tables at most brick-and-mortar casinos, but you can also play online. With optimal play, the house edge in Casino Hold’em is around 2.18%.

Casino Hold’em is a variant of Texas Hold’em played against the house. The aim of the game is to form the best 5-card hand from two hole cards plus five community cards which are shared by everybody.

At the start of a game, you receive two cards face up after making an Ante bet. The dealer receives two face down. Three community cards are also dealt face up, called the flop.

You will get to see a fourth card (Turn) and fifth card (River) if you decide to Call. The Call bet is worth double the ante wager. You can also fold and discard your hand without making a further bet.

You win if the dealer's hand doesn’t qualify (a pair of fours or better), or you beat the dealer's hand. You can also earn an AA Bonus if your hand contains a pair of aces or better after the flop has been dealt.

Three Card Poker

Three Card Poker is a fun casino card game played against the dealer. You can play online at most casinos or take on the human croupier in a live casino setting. It’s easy to learn, and the house edge is around 2.4%.

In Three Card Poker, you and the dealer both receive three cards. You start by placing an ante bet on the circle provided. You must decide whether to place a Play wager based on the strength of your hand. If you beat the dealer's hand after showdown, you win.

The dealer's hand must qualify in order to play. A qualifying dealer hand contains a queen high card at minimum. You get your Play wager back if the dealer has jack-high or lower. If you beat the dealer’s hand, you win 1/1. You’ll also receive a bonus worth 1/1 to 5/1 by having a straight, three of a kind or straight flush.

You can also earn special payouts by betting the Pair Plus bonus. Earn 1/1 for a pair, 3/1 for a flush, 6/1 for a straight, 30/1 for three of a kind or 40/1 for a straight flush.

Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is similar to gambling card games like Chinese Poker. Although it was only invented in the 1980s, Pai Gow Poker is now popular all over the world. You can even play it for free at PA online casinos.

In Pai Gow Poker, you play against the dealer. You receive seven cards and must make two poker hands, one with five cards and one with just two. Your five-card hand must be stronger than your two-card hand.

You win by beating both of the dealer’s poker hands. If you win just one of the hands, it’s a push and you get your stake back.

Predictably, then, Pai Gow Poker is a casino card game with lots of pushes. But you can improve your payouts by betting the Bonus. This is a special prize for hitting a three of a kind, flush or straight flush.

Omaha Poker

Omaha is a form of Texas Hold’em popular with high-stakes poker players and online cash players. It’s played between card players rather than against the house.

In Omaha, each player receives four cards. They must use two cards in their hand, plus any three of five community cards, to form the best poker hand.

Omaha is usually played pot limit. That means the maximum raise at any time is the size of the current pot after a call has been made.

The best poker sites in Pennsylvania spread hundreds of Omaha games at all stakes. Play cash games from $0.01/$0.02 or enter big-money tournaments and Sit ‘n Gos.

Casino Card Games FAQ

How many casino card games are there?

You can play around 5-10 different gambling card games at online casinos in Pennsylvania. Play blackjack, baccarat or Casino Hold’em against the house, or jump into a Texas Hold’em poker game against fellow gamblers.

Which casino card game has the best odds to win?

Video poker and blackjack have the lowest house edge of casino table games. Played with optimal strategy, the house edge in these games can be as low as 0.5%.

What’s the best card game to play at a casino?

Blackjack is one of the easiest casino card games to play. The rules are simple to learn and you can enjoy a very low house edge against the casino.

What’s the best casino card game to win money?

The biggest payouts can be found in bonus games like Perfect Pairs Blackjack and Pai Gow Poker. You won’t always find these games at brick-and-mortar casinos in the US, but you’ll find them at the top online casino sites.

Make sure to always use the latest in PA casino bonuses to win the most.

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Author

Jon Young

Jon Young is a writer & magazine editor with over 12 years' experience in the gaming sector. He has written on everything from poker, slots, mobile gambling, sportsbooks & online casinos in Pennsylvania. When not trying to take down the Mega Moolah jackpot he can be found playing poker tournaments in casinos.

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