Bitcoin Poker Guide: Strategies, Popular Games & Tips

Crypto casinos offer two types of Bitcoin poker: RNG and live dealer. RNG-powered poker uses software to determine what cards are drawn and the outcome of the round. Meanwhile, live dealer poker has a host drawing and dealing cards on a real table, which is then live-streamed back to the players.

Both game types have their strong suits. RNG poker is more convenient, as it allows users to take things at their own pace. You can take as long as you want between each hand, which is handy if you’re just starting out. RNG poker also has more variants, allowing players to try different types of poker to see which ones suit them best. Finally, most RNG poker titles can be tried at no cost using demo mode, allowing you to keep your Bitcoin in the bag until you feel more comfortable with the game.

Meanwhile, live dealer poker is more immersive. You can interact with the host and other players using live chat, and the backgrounds are designed to be reminiscent of real-world casinos. Live casino poker also has its own share of variants that you cannot get with RNG-operated poker.

RNG and live casino poker have their upsides, which is why I recommend giving both a chance. If you’re totally new to online poker, I’d start with RNG poker, as it doesn’t have the pressure of a timer. Otherwise, both game types will be equally attractive to crypto gamblers.

Players who want to try Bitcoin poker tend to feel slightly overwhelmed at first. To help them, I’ve compiled the following step-by-step guide on playing poker at Bitcoin casinos. These steps primarily apply to Texas Hold ’em, the poker version you’ll find at most crypto gambling casinos. That said, some slight variations may be present depending on the title.

The most important thing you need to master before playing any poker game is poker hand rankings. Learning poker hand rankings is vital for understanding what beats what, or more precisely, which combination of cards is better. The answer lies in the number of cards that match in number, suit, or both. To put it simply, the better the cards in your hand, the stronger the hand, meaning you can pocket some BTC.

I recommend consulting the list I put together below until you get the hang of which Bitcoin poker hands are best. It ranks all possible poker hands from least to most valuable, along with example hands to give you an idea of what to expect.

• Pair – two cards with the same number (ex: ♠5, ♦5, ♣8, ♥2, ♠4)
• Jacks or better – a pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces (ex: ♦A, ♣A, ♥3, ♦4, ♠9)
• Two pair – two sets of cards with matching numbers (ex: ♣J, ♦J, ♠5, ♣5, ♦7)
• Three of a kind – three cards with the same number (ex: ♣7, ♦7, ♥7, ♣3, ♠8)
• Straight – five cards in a sequence with different suits (ex: ♦4, ♣5, ♥6, ♣7, ♠8)
• Flush – any five cards that share a suit but aren’t in a sequence (ex: ♣K, ♣9, ♣7, ♣8, ♣3)
• Full House – a three of a kind and a pair (ex: ♥J, ♣J, ♦J, ♣8, ♥8)
• Four of a kind – four cards that share the same number (ex: ♦K, ♣K, ♥K, ♥K, ♣8)
• Straight Flush – five cards in a sequence with the same suit (ex: ♥6, ♥7, ♥8, ♥9, ♥10)
• Royal Flush – A, K, Q, J, and 10 sharing the same suit (ex: ♠A, ♠K, ♠Q, ♠J, ♠10)

Crypto casinos offer many different flavours of poker. So much so that there is no way to give you a strategy that works for every single iteration. The slight differences between them can add up and change what the most optimal decision is. However, there are still a few guiding principles that will put you ahead if you follow them.

If you’re looking to try your luck with Bitcoin poker titles, you’ll be happy to hear there are many different games at your disposal. Below, I’ve outlined a few of my favourites, which I think you will thoroughly enjoy.

Three Card Poker

This is the most frequent poker variant at crypto casinos. As its name implies, players form winning hands using three cards instead of five, significantly decreasing the game’s complexity. This title also does not have community cards. Instead, six cards are dealt in total: three to the player and three to the host. The hands are then compared to determine the winner.

The dealer must have a Queen High or better to win the round. Alongside the main bet, this release also features two side bets. The first is Pair Plus, which grants cash prizes if you form a pair or better. The second is the 6 Card Bonus, which attempts to create a five-card poker hand with all six cards visible on the table. Thanks to the latter side bet, the game’s top prize is 1,000:1.

Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean Stud Poker is a variant of Texas Hold’em, the most popular type of poker game. This Bitcoin poker game draws five cards for both player and dealer and tasks players with beating the host’s hand. At the start of the round, players get five cards, while the host only draws one. After they decide whether to continue with the round, the host reveals his final four cards.

There’s just one side bet in this release: the 5+1 bonus. The goal is to get the best possible poker hand using your five cards and the dealer’s single visible card. The top prize is 1,000:1 for landing a Royal Flush.

In Between Poker

Another exciting version of Bitcoin poker you can look forward to is In Between Poker. Here, the player is dealt five cards every round. The first is added to the poker pair field, while the second and third are on the leftmost and rightmost spots.

You then receive the fourth card in a face-down position between the second and third cards. If the fourth card’s number is between the second and third (ex: 3, 5, 7), then the player wins the round. However, if the fourth card’s number is higher or lower (ex: 3, 8, 7 or 3, 2, 7), then the player loses the In Between payout.

The final card is dealt to the poker pair field. If it forms a pair with the first card, the player wins the Pocket Pair payout.