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How to play Pai Gow Poker? 2026 guide, rules and winning strategy
How to play Pai Gow Poker? 2026 guide, rules and winning strategy
Last Updated on 01/03/2026
Fact checked by:
Mike McKean
Want a blend of ancient games and poker? Well, look no further than Pai Gow Poker! Learning this Chinese game is easy, and you are in the right place to learn more about the game as a whole!
In this exclusive guide, I will walk you through the basics of Pai Gow Poker and give you step-by-step instructions on playing the game at sweepstakes casinos. I’ve also got news of an exclusive new player promotion you can claim at Stake.us, plus I’ll be taking a look at some of the other best sweeps sites for poker fans.
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Table of Contents
- How to play Pai Gow Poker: Quick facts
- Getting started: Instructions on how to play Pai Gow Poker
- Top tips for playing Pai Gow Poker
- Pros and cons of Pai Gow Poker
- Where to play free sweeps poker: Five of the best sites
- Final thoughts: A fascinating twist on traditional poker games
- How to play Pai Gow Poker: FAQs
How to play Pai Gow Poker: Quick facts
Pai Gow Poker is played using a standard 52 deck of playing cards, plus a joker. This joker can be used as a wild card if it helps to make a flush, a straight, a royal flush or a straight flush. Otherwise, it is treated as an ace.
During the game, each player is dealt a hand containing seven cards, and the objective is to create two poker hands that are both better than the dealer’s:
- High Hand: This is the best five card hand you can create with your seven cards.
- Low Hand: This is the best poker hand you can create with your two remaining cards.
Pai Gow Poker: Hand rankings
Due to the presence of the joker, Pai Gow Poker hand rankings vary slightly from most other poker games:
| Hand | Description |
| Five aces | Four aces plus the joker |
| Royal flush | A straight flush from 10 to ace* |
| Straight flush | Five sequential cards of the same suit* |
| Four of a kind | Four cards of the same value |
| Full house | Three of a kind and a pair |
| Flush | Five cards in the same suit* |
| Straight | Five cards of any suit in sequential order* |
| Three of a kind | Three cards of matching value |
| Two pair | Two sets of cards with matching values |
| One pair | Two cards with the same value |
| High card | The highest value card in your hand |
* This hand can include the joker as a replacement for any card.
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Getting started: Instructions on how to play Pai Gow Poker
Those are the basics of Pai Gow Poker, so now let’s look at how the game works in practice. Here are step-by-step instructions on what you need to do:
- Select your play options: Before starting, consider how many Gold Coins (GC) or Sweeps Coins (SC) you would like to use in gameplay.
- Receive your cards: Each player at the table, plus the dealer, receives seven cards each.
- Arrange your cards: You need to arrange your cards into a High Hand and a Low Hand. The five card High Hand always has to be of a higher value than the two card Low Hand.
- Reveal your hand: Once everyone has arranged their cards, they are revealed. If both of the dealer’s hands are better than yours, you lose your stake. If both of your hands are better than the dealer’s, you win double your stake. In the event that both you and the dealer have one superior hand each, you will receive your stake back. This is known as a push.
Top tips for playing Pai Gow Poker
As you can see, free Pai Gow Poker is a fairly simple game to play. However, that does not mean that you can just rock up at the tables and easily secure a regular flow of wins. Pai Gow Poker requires wit, a little bit of strategy, and a lot of consistent game play if you really want to master the game and increase your chances combined with careful and responsible gaming.
You still need to think strategically, and you still need to play sensibly. With that in mind, here are my four top tips for playing Pai Gow Poker successfully:
🏠 Know the House Rules
If you have read my guide on how to play Caribbean Poker, you will know that the rules of certain games can change from site to site. So whilst I have given you the basics of Pai Gow Poker gameplay, you may find slight variations to these rules. Always (and I mean always) check the house rules before you start to play.
🃏 Find the Best Way of Using the Joker
If you are dealt the joker, try to use it to form straights or flushes. If this is not possible, find the best way of using it as an ace. Remember - there’s only one joker in the pack, so if you have it, you automatically have a significant advantage over the dealer.
🔗 Keep Pairs Together
If you have a pair in your hand, use it as part of your High Hand, along with three other cards. This will give you the best chance of winning both hands.
🚫 Don’t Always Play Full Houses
If you are dealt seven cards containing a full house, the natural assumption is that you should use it to form your High Hand. However, as you need to win both the High Hand AND Low Hand, the sensible option is to use these five cards to form a three of a kind and a pair, as this gives you two strong hands.
Pros and cons of Pai Gow Poker
Pros and Cons
- Easy to understand
- Low house edge
- Strategic gameplay
- Not available at many sweepstakes casinos
Where to play free sweeps poker: Five of the best sites
If you like the sound of Pai Gow Poker or simply love free-to-play online poker games in general, you will be delighted to know that there are plenty of top sweepstakes casinos offering free poker games. Here’s a look at five of my favorites:
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Stake.us: Pros & Cons
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- No Stake.us app for Android
I love a great sweeps casino new player offer, and in my opinion, the new player offer at Stake.us is the very best around. As well as getting a whopping 560,000 Gold Coins and 56 free Stake Cash, you can also receive a 5% rakeback as soon as you open your account if you use the promo code STFSOCIAL when registering your account. On top of that, Stake players can also claim a daily login bonus, join a high value loyalty program and take part in regular slot tournaments.
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RealPrize: Pros & Cons
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The Real Prize game library may not be one of the biggest around, but it is jam-packed with top drawer sweepstakes slots from many of the world's leading developers. Similarly, Real Prize’s library of table games is not the most vast on the market, but the quality of the games is second to none, including a small selection of video poker titles.
Clubs Poker - An exciting newcomer
Clubs Poker Sweepstakes Casino: Pros & Cons
- Free-to-play online poker platform
- Generous welcome bonus
- Log in every day to claim free Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins
- Impressive first-purchase bonus
- Fully compliant with US sweepstakes laws
- Clubs Poker doesn’t have a mobile app
You may not yet be familiar with the name Clubs Poker, but trust me, this is a brand you need to have on your radar. Since launching in July 2024, Clubs Poker has rapidly established itself as a high class provider of free-to-play online poker. The site’s poker platform is so good that you could be forgiven for thinking that you were playing at a real money casino. Better yet, there are also over 500 sweeps slots on offer, including the likes of Gates of Olympus 1000 and Wanted: Dead or Alive.
The promotions at Clubs Poker include a daily login bonus worth 2,500 GC and 0.50 SC, daily freeroll opportunities and a Bad Beat Jackpot feature that rewards you if you have a strong losing hand in selected games. Plus, to help you get started, there is a first purchase offer that gives you 200,000 Gold Coins, plus 40 free Sweeps Coins, when you buy your first Gold Coin bundle.
ClubWPT - All round quality
ClubWPT: Pros & Cons
- Competitive welcome bonus
- Hourly bonus
- Great social poker games
- Regular poker tournaments
- Few payment methods
One of the oldest sweeps poker brands in the US, ClubWPT continues to enjoy an excellent reputation for top notch poker games and rock solid supporting features. The site’s poker platform is slick, user-friendly, and contains a huge selection of tables. And if you fancy a change of pace, there are over 300 sweeps slots to try out.
Away from the games, ClubWPT has a superb FAQ section featuring guides such as how to play Mississippi Stud Poker, plus a host of other useful articles. Meanwhile, mobile players can download a superb app that compares favourably with many real money poker apps. When you also factor in a rapid email support service and an impressive array of daily promos, it is clear to see why ClubWPT is such a beloved brand.
Global Poker - A classic sweeps poker experience
Global Poker: Pros & Cons
- Generous welcome offer
- Smooth user experience
- Frequent promotions & tournaments
- Limited payment options
Global Poker is another classic sweeps poker brand that has retained its popularity in the face of an ever-growing array of competitors. A key reason for this is the incredible range of poker tables offered by the site. The site has separate lobbies for Gold coins and Sweeps Coins play, but regardless of your preferences, you will be able to find an excellent variety of tables to play at and tournaments to enter.
In addition to that fantastic poker platform, Global Poker also has an attractive welcome bonus (100,000 Gold Coins, plus 20 free Sweeps Coins), some heavily discounted Gold Coin packages and plenty of other ways to add extra value to your gameplay.
Final thoughts: A fascinating twist on traditional poker games
I only discovered Pai Gow Poker recently, but I have already grown to love the game and I am looking forward to seeing it appear at more and more sweepstakes casinos. I particularly like the fact that the game uses the joker and requires you to make two hands. Both of these elements add a fun twist to standard poker play and provide an extra strategic element to proceedings.
If you’re looking to start (or continue) your sweepstakes poker adventure, then I can thoroughly recommend joining Stake.us (just remember to use the STFSOCIAL promo code) and the other world class brands featured in this guide. They all provide a super sweeps poker experience and are full of fun features to enhance your gaming. Enjoy!
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How to play Pai Gow Poker: FAQs
🔎 Where is the best place to play free Pai Gow Poker?
Brands such as Stake.us, Real Prize and Global Poker all offer excellent free poker games. Read my Pai Gow Poker guide for details of which sweeps sites currently have the game.
📏 What are the rules of Pai Gow Poker?
Pai Gow Poker is a version of poker that requires you to beat the dealer by forming a hand containing five cards, plus a hand containing two cards. To find out more on how to play Pai Gow Poker, make sure you check out my exclusive guide.
🤔 What is the best Pai Gow Poker strategy?
There are a variety of different strategies you can deploy when playing Pai Gow Poker. In my ‘How to play Pai Gow Poker’ guide, I take a close look at some of these strategies.
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