Top Three Card Poker Sites

By Daniel Bennett on
Are you looking to play three card poker online?. Our team has found the top online casinos offering this super fun and easy to learn poker variant. Compare, pick your favourite and get playing!
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Poker Site Score New Customer Offer Expert Review Secure Sign Up Link Terms
1. Grosvenor Poker
Earn up to 40% Rakeback

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Enjoy Grosvenor's prowess writ large as the host of the UK's biggest live poker events"
Claim Bonus
You will earn two types of points when you play real money games: Status Points (SPs): Status Points dictate your VIP Level. 10 Status Points are earned for every €1 paid in rake/feeCash. Points will expire 12 months after they’ve been earned, should they not be cashed in. Grosvenor Poker’s VIP Club and the rewards that can be enjoyed are provided at the sole discretion of Grosvenor Poker. Grosvenor Poker holds the right to withdraw or change this promotion at any time. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
2. Unibet Poker
Deposit and Get £20 extra + £500 Playthrough Bonus

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Whether you're into Texas Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, or Banzai Poker, Unibet's got you covered"
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New Customer Offer New Customers Only. £20 extra = one cash game ticket of €8 and 4 x UK Tour tournament tickets of €4. £500 Playthrough bonus = €600. Both bonuses are activated upon first deposit from the poker client. Tickets expire after 35 days and the playthrough bonus after 60. £1 GBP = €1.1875. Selected games only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
3. PokerStars Poker
Deposit £10, Get £50 in Spin & Go Tickets

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Land £40 in bonus funds when you sign up to the world-renowned Pokerstars"
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New Customer Offer First depositors only. Min. deposit £10 with code SPINANDGO. Tickets credited over 6 days. Expiry after 24 hours. No withdrawal during bonus period. Terms apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
Highly Trusted 4. 888 Poker
86%
Play With £20 Free

Reviewed & verified by our team

"With a £20 no deposit welcome bonus, 888 Poker's a great destination for new players"
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New Customer Offer New players only. £20 free bonus: includes $1 immediate bonus & $31 in tournament tickets. Bonus will be granted gradually throughout 7 days after claiming. Each part of the bonus expires after 24 hrs. Immediate bonus may be withdrawn after a player has accumulated 2.5 bonus points for every $1 of the received bonus amount. This offer may not be combined with any other offer. Wagering requirements vary by game 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
Editor's Choice 5. Partypoker
81%
Get Up to 40% Cashback every week!

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Partypoker's been in the game long enough to offer everyone a top drawer poker experience"
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New Customer Offer The partypoker Cashback reward programme is straightforward and simple, paying out up to 40% cashback directly into your account every week. There’s no limit to your bonus payment. Once you have achieved the top tier 40% cashback, you’ll continue to earn cashback at that same level for every 200 points you earn! 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
6. GGPoker
Enjoy 200% up to $600

Reviewed & verified by our team

"GGPoker holds the world record for the largest prize pool at an online poker tournament"
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New Customer Offer 18+. New players only. Min deposit $10. First deposit, up to a maximum of $300, will count towards their Welcome Bonus amount with no code needed. Play in any poker game counts towards unlocking the bonus cash, which is released in $10 increments. One $10 increment will be released per $20 paid in net rake and/or tournament fees. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
PayPal Accepted 7. Paddypower Poker
93%
Enjoy 200% up to £200

Reviewed & verified by our team

"PaddyPower Poker's download offers a smooth, tactile live poker experience"
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New Customer Offer New Paddy Power Poker accounts only. Deposit min. £10 for Poker Welcome Bonus. Min 5 Twister tournaments to release free £1 Token. Poker Casino bonus up to £100 has x25 wagering requirements, game weighing may apply. Full T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
Great on Mobile 8. Betfair Poker
87%
Spin for a Bonus up to £10,000

Reviewed & verified by our team

"Bets, Bluffs, and Bonuses' aplenty are par for the course at Betfair Poker"
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New Customer Offer Sign up, create poker nickname and click through displayed free spin message. Deposit/transfer minimum of £10 into the Poker wallet & opt in to unlock missions. See full T&Cs below. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
🏆 Best Overall Score:
93%
🎁 Largest Free Bet:
£600
🤝 Highest Deposit Match:
200%
💷 Minimum Deposit:
£10

Three Card Poker is much newer than other online casino games, such as roulette and blackjack. Derek Webb first introduced the came in the 1990s, and its only since 1997 that the game we know and love was officially patented. Since then, this popular poker game has made its way into many casinos, and is available across a range of online operators, too. Whether you’re a complete poker newbie, or just want to try out this exciting, fast-paced form of the game, you’ll find everything you need to know, including where you can play the game, right here.

Everything you need to know about online three card poker

The Basics

Three card poker is played using a standard 52-card deck. It’s classed as a form of casino poker as it’s played against the dealer, rather than Texas hold’em or Omaha, in which players play against one another. The objective is for your three cards— known as the poker hand— to rank higher than the dealer’s. The different rankings of poker hands are as follows:

  1. Straight flush – 3 cards in sequence from same suit
  2. Three-of-a-kind – 3 cards all with the same face value
  3. Straight – 3 cards in sequence. Any suit
  4. Flush – 3 cards from same suit. Not in sequence
  5. Pair – 2 cards with same face value
  6. High card – if none of the above hands, the best hand is determined by the highest value card

If you’re familiar with poker you’ll notice that, in three card poker, the rankings of a straight and a flush have traded places.

The Rules

Now you know the winning hands, let’s go through some of the rules.

  • To enter each hand, you must make an ‘ante’ bet. You can also place a ‘Pair Plus’ bet, but this is optional (discussed in more detail below).
  • The (virtual) dealer deals you three cards and itself 3 cards. You’ll be able to view your own cards but the dealer’s will be face down.
  • After assessing your hand, you must decide whether to ‘fold’ or ‘play’. If you fold, the hand is over and you lose your ante bet. If you play, then you must make another bet equal to the size of the ante.
  • The dealer reveals its cards. It needs a Queen high or better to qualify.
  • If the dealer doesn’t qualify, meaning it is holding less than Queen high, you’ll be paid 1:1 on your ante bet and the play bet is pushed, which means it’s returned as is.
  • If the dealer does qualify, both hands are compared to see which is better-see three card poker hand ranks above.
  • If your hand is of higher value, you’ll win 1:1 on both the ante and play bet. If the dealer’s hand wins, you lose both bets. A tie results in a push.
  • If your hand is a straight or higher, then you receive a better ratio payout on the ante bet, regardless of what cards the dealer has. This is called the ante bonus and the paytable for it will be provided on the game interface.
  • If you made the Pair Plus, this is also paid out in accordance with its own paytable.

The Pairs Plus® bet

Part of three card poker is the trademarked Pairs Plus® bet. As the name suggests, it pays out if your three cards— not the dealer’s— are ranked higher than a pair. By placing this extra side bet, the odds are as follows:

  • 40:1 for a straight flush
  • 30:1 for a three-of-a-kind
  • 6:1 for a straight
  • 4:1 for a flush
  • 1:1 for a pair- this bet is paid regardless of the dealer’s hand. Bear in mind that it comes with a house edge of 7.28%, so we don’t recommend you place it too often!

The six card bonus

Six card bonus is a variation of three card poker where, even though you’re only dealt three cards, you still try to make a five-card hand. You do this using a combination of your own cards and the dealer’s, and payouts are made depending on how good of a hand you can make.

Three of a kind will give you the lowest payout for this variant, with 5:1 and a Royal Flush will give the highest, at 1000:1.

Even if the ante bet isn’t paid out, the six card bonus bet still gets paid out.

Prime three card poker

This is standard three card poker, but with an additional prime bet that’s placed before cards are dealt. This particular bet has a return to player (RTP) of 96.38%. Payouts for prime three card poker are as follows:

  • 3:1 if the player’s cards are all the same colour
  • 4:1 if both the player’s and dealer’s cards are all the same colour

Three card poker strategy

A three card poker player essentially has one decision to make— fold or play— and this strategy relies upon these two options. It’s simple: only raise your antre bet if your hand is higher than Queen-Six- Four.

Let’s take a look at some poker hand examples to see how it works:

Q-6-4 versus Q-7-2

In this situation, the Queens cancel each other out. The seven is higher than six, bet on this hand.

Q-6-4 versus J-10-8

In this situation, the Queen beats the Jack, which means you must fold. It doesn’t matter that the second and third cards are higher because the Queen has already won the hand.

Using this strategy, the casino has a lifetime house edge of 3.45%. This means a player can expect a payout of £99.55 from every £100 wagered over a prolonged period. As with all tips for betting and gambling, you can’t always guarantee a win.

How to play:

  1. Choose a top online casino
    To begin playing three card poker online, you’ll need to find a casino that this increasingly popular game. We’ve saved you the hard work and our expert review team has found the best online casinos offering three card poker. Whether you’re looking for live dealer variations of the game, a big welcome bonus or a casino that accepts PayPal, we’ve got you covered.
  2. Sign up
    Once you’ve picked the best casino for you, follow our link to sign up. You’ll be taken straight to the registration page where you’ll need to enter some personal information. This will only take a minute or two.
  3. Deposit & claim bonus
    You’ll need to deposit some money to start playing real money three card poker. Just head to the cashier and select the deposit option- most featured operators accept a range of different payment methods, including e-wallet options such as Neteller and Skrill. You’ll also be able to claim your welcome bonus— which might include free bets— at this point, if one is on offer.
  4. Play!
    You can start playing as soon as the funds are available in your account. Think about how much you want to wager before you jump into the game- bankroll management is a crucial part of playing at online casinos, so set yourself a realistic budget and stick to it. Casinos implement a range of different methods to protect players from spending more than they can afford to lose.
  5. Try out live dealer three card poker
    Once you’re comfortable with three card poker, why not try your hand at live dealer variations of the game? Evolution Gaming offers fantastic live dealer three card poker games, which are great if you want a more realistic and immersive poker experience.

Ready to play? Compare and bet!

We’ve covered all bases with fast and furious three card poker, so are you ready to challenge yourself on the real money poker table? Take a look at our list of the top gambling providers offering this exciting poker game to pick your favourite, sign up and start playing! Remember that, unlike other games of chance, poker is about skill, so it’s unlikely you’ll become a poker pro overnight, and don’t forget to look out for demo games if you need a little practise before gambling real money!

Do many online casinos offer three card poker?

You should three card poker at a variety of different poker sites. Bear in mind that it might go by a different number, such as high speed poker, triple edge poker, poker three and tri card poker.

How do you choose the casinos on the list?

Firstly, we ensure that the casino is licensed by a trusted governing body, such as the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). We know these licences holders run safe and fair establishments in accordance with the tight regulations set forth. Our team then sets about conducting a thorough examination of each site, reviewing everything from bonuses, promotions and software providers to customer service, games library and withdrawal speeds.

Is it worth placing the Pairs Plus bet?

While there is the potential to win big with this bet, we recommend avoiding it. This is primarily because the bet reduces the the RTP, which means that you stand to less money playing many games with this bet than if you didn’t place it.

Is three card poker easier than other poker games?

Yes, simply because there are fewer cards. However, you should remember that, as with all poker games, there’s still some skill, strategy and decision-making involved, though it’s not as complex as other variations.

Is it worth trying out three card poker for free?

Yes. It can be difficult to get to grips with any poker game, so it’s definitely worth taking advantage of free three card poker games. Playing these games for free can help you get to grips with hands and their rankings before you move onto real money variations.

The people behind this page

Compare.bet's online gambling content experts helped write, edit and check this page:

Daniel is a contributor at Compare.bet. He has half a decade of experience writing on topics including sports betting, online casino and the NBA. Daniel also helped cover Premier League football for Compare.bet news and has interviewed Louis Saha, Richard Dunne and Gary Pallister. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys film photography and making Spotify playlists.