Play Online Pai Gow For Free

Pai Gow is a fascinating poker game in which you must have two winning hands instead of one.

After being dealt 7 cards, you must group your cards into a high hand comprising 5 and a low hand with 2.

Ultimately, both your hands must be higher than the bankers set to win.

Depending on how the game goes, you can either Win, Lose, Push, or Tie.

It’s a great game for all poker enthusiasts, including noobs. Plus, the house edge is only 2.5%.

If you want to check out the game, register with Gamesville and play it for free.

Keep reading our guide for more insight.

Pai Gow: The Basics

Pai Gow online is a casino card game similar to traditional poker. Where it differs is that you need two winning hands instead of one.

It’s essentially a hybrid between traditional poker and Pai Gow, an ancient Chinese game.

You play the game with a deck of 52 cards plus a Joker. The latter can be used as an Ace or card to complete a Flush or a Straight.

This game is all about arranging your 7 cards to form 2 winning hand combinations. One must be a high five-card hand and the other a low two-card hand.

The general rule of thumb is the high hand value must always be higher than the low card.

The best-case scenario is when the high hand comprises four Aces including the Joker. On the flip side, the low hand will have two Aces.

The game is available in multiple variants, including Pai Gow Plus and Fortune Pai Gow.

You can play it for free here at Gamesville.

How to Play Pai Gow

Getting started with the Pai Gow game is pretty easy. Below is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to go about it:

1. Each player receives 7 cards from the dealer. The dealer throws dice to determine the first player to receive the cards. He will proceed to deal cards to the rest of the players in a counter-clockwise direction from the Banker.
2. Once cards are dealt, your task is to create a high five-card hand and two-card hand according to the house way.
3. The high five-card hand must be higher in value than the low two-card hand.
4. Once all player hands are set, the dealer exposes the banker’s hand which is compared against the players’ hands.
5. The player whose 2 sets are higher than the banker wins the primary wager.

The game has 4 possible outcomes outlined below:

• Win: This is when the player’s five-card and two-card hand values are higher than the dealer’s. You collect double your wager.
• Lose:  If both your hands are lower than the banker’s, the dealer collects your wager.
• Push:  This happens if one hand wins and one hand loses. Your stake is returned but the dealer keeps the commission.
• Tie: This is when your hand value is the same as the dealer’s.

Free Play Pai Gow at Sweepstakes Casinos

Generally, online Pai Gow has relatively high minimum bets starting from $5 and ranging to $500. You won’t be placing any penny stakes here. The good news is you have an option to play the game for free at sweeps casinos.

Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins

Unlike real money casinos, Sweepstakes casinos let you play Pai Gow for free.

Instead of using real money, you use virtual currencies called Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins.

Gold Coins are the fun-to-play currency you use to play games purely for entertainment.

You can usually purchase more Gold Coins if you run out.

You can only get Sweeps Coins from bonuses and promos.

However, this virtual currency is redeemable for cash prizes, usually on a 1:1 basis, once you meet bonus terms.

Legal in most of the US

Besides the free-play aspect, playing the game at sweepstakes casinos makes sense if you want to cross legal lines.

Not all real money casinos are allowed to operate in the US, and not all US states allow real money online casino gaming at all.

On the other hand, sweepstakes casinos operate on a free-to-play gaming model and are legal in most US states.

Testing out rules and strategies

Pai Gow is a poker game. That means some strategy is required to play it.

It takes a lot of trial and error to master the Pai Gow rules using different strategies.

Testing them out is much easier when you play for free with no pressure to win and get a return.

Test out the site

Besides testing out the site, playing with free coins can help you figure out if you like different sweepstakes casinos.

You can use the opportunity to decide if you’ll stay or keep looking for a new site.

Win real cash prizes

The fun doesn’t end with playing free Pai Gow. As mentioned, there’s a real chance you can redeem cash prizes by playing with Sweeps Coins.

As long as you satisfy the playthrough conditions and minimum balance limits, you’re good.

Pai Gow Odds

Pai Gow may have a low house edge, but you can’t dismiss the game just yet.

It is a casino game, after all, so the odds won’t always be in your favor.

What are the chances of forming 2 winning hand combinations using 7 cards? We’ve highlighted the Pai Gow odds below.

Poker hand	Odds
Royal Flush including 2 2s	2,000,000:1
7 Card Straight Flush	800,000: 1
Five Aces	140,000:1
Royal Flush	6,000:1
Straight Flush	750:1
Four-of-a-Kind	500:1
Full House	36:1
Flush	25:1
Three-of-a-Kind	20:1
Straight	14:1
Two Pair	9:1
Pair	5:2
Nothing	13:2

Pai Gow Strategy

Ultimately, when you play Pai Gow online, it’s all about strategic hand setting.

There are several hand combinations you can create from the seven cards.

Here are a few strategies with different scenarios you can lean into to build winning hands.

Play the highest card.

Should you find yourself without a Straight, Flush, or Pair, you must always play the highest card with your five-card hand.

Similarly, you should play the next two highest cards in the low two-card hand.

Know when to Split

Consider splitting if the top pair is an Ace or King. However, don’t split if the other pair is made of Deuces. Rather, play them together and then play the two highest remaining cards in the low hand.

Three-Pair

When you wind up with a Three Pair, always play the highest pair in the low hand to increase your winning chances.

Three-of-a-Kind

You should always play together except for when the cards comprise Aces. If that’s the case, play a pair of Aces in the five-card hand. And a single Ace with the next highest card in the two-card hand.

Full House

If you find yourself with a Full House, split the pair in the low card hand. That’s unless you have a second pair in which case you can then play the highest of the two pairs in the low card.

Straights and Flushes

Anytime you have a Straight or Flush in the high hand, go with whichever gives you the highest card for the low card. The only case this doesn’t apply is if you have two pairs. In this case, you Split.

Otherwise, always keep Straights and Flushes together in the five-card hand unless, of course, you have two tens or better.

Quickfire Tips for Pai Gow Beginners

Pai Gow can seem intimidating to the newbie, but it’s pretty easy to master. Use the following pointers to navigate the game and find your footing:

• Learn hand rankings: Your first Pai Gow strategy is probably to learn and understand the basic Pai Gow hand rankings before you dive in.
• Make the Pair a priority: You should always put a pair in the five-card high hand and the remaining two highest cards in the two-card hand.
• Split Pairs: Always split Pairs unless you have an Ace or Joker that you can include in your high hand.
• High hand must be a priority:  When arranging cards for your low hand, always pick the highest remaining cards. Make sure, though, that they still create a lower hand than the high hand.
• When to use the Joker: Ideally, you must use the Joker to complete a Straight or Flush in your five-card hand or as an Ace where necessary.

Where to Play Pai Gow for Real Money

You could play Pai Gow for real money and put your cash on the line.

Or, you can explore it for fun at sweepstakes casinos using sweepstakes coins.

The latter is desirable, considering you get to win real cash prizes even after playing for free.

You can also play the game here at Gamesville for free.

Choosing the Right Online Pai Gow Sweepstakes Casino

Loads of sweepstakes casinos are at your disposal online if you want to play free Pai Gow.

The following factors are the markings of a good sweepstakes casino.

Fantastic bonus

Look for a casino that offers a generous bonus paired with fair terms to kick off play.

You’ll want to try and ensure that you can get some Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins upon sign-up.

Game Selection

Check out the Pai Gow variants available and if your favorites are present.

A diverse selection of other casino games also means you won’t have time to be bored.

Payment Methods

Go through the banking options and check for safe, secure, and reliable methods that accommodate deposits and withdrawals.

Customer Support

No matter how upstanding a casino is, issues will arise now and again as you play the game.

When this happens, you want a support system that resolves your queries promptly.

Security

Even though you’re playing for free, your security is paramount at a sweepstakes casino.

After all, you may need to share your banking details when it’s time to redeem prizes.

Opt for SSL-encrypted sites that protect your personal and financial information.

Pai Gow Glossary

When playing free Pai Gow, you’ll come across all sorts of jargon you must familiarize yourself with to understand the game better. Here’s a list of popular terms you must know:

• Banker: The person in charge of taking on the bets
• Copy: If the player and dealer hand values are the same
• Dealer: The person dealing the cards
• High hand: Hand with five cards
• Low hand: Hand with two cards
• Houseway: Predetermined configurations of the hands according to the casino
• Joker: A wild card used as a Complete  or Straight
• Push: Tie between the dealer and player’s hands