Playing Red Dog
Red Dog Rules
Red Dog is a really simple game. Only three cards are used per game and they are all dealt face up. The object of the game is to bet on the likelihood that the third card's rank will fall between the previous two.
A Red Dog hand is played as follows: first, the player places an opening bet. Then the first two cards are dealt face up. At this point the player has the opportunity to double his bet or stay with the initial amount. When he's made his decision the third card is dealt, also face up. If the rank of the third card falls between the first two the player wins. If it matches or falls outside the bet is lost. The rank of the cards
The rank of the cards in Red Dog: 2 to 10 ranks at face value, J is worth 11, Q is worth 12, K is worth 13, and A ranks as 14.
Payout structure
How much a player wins depends on the spread of the first two cards. The spread is the number of card values between the two initial ones. For example if a 5 and a Q is dealt, the spread will be 6 (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J). The lower the spread, the higher the pay off will be:
- A spread of 4 or higher pays 1 to 1.
- A spread of 3 pays 2 to 1.
- A spread of 2 pays 4 to 1.
- A spread of 1 pays 5 to 1.
Note that the pay offs may differ from casino to casino.
Special rules
- If the first two cards are consecutive (5 and 6 for example) it's a push and the bet is returned to the player. If the first two cards have the same value a third card is placed on the table. If the third card has the same value as the previous two the player wins and gets paid off 11 to 1, otherwise it's a push.
- The suit of the cards has no bearing in Red Dog.
Hand example
The player places a bet. The first two cards are dealt, 7 and 10. This gives a spread of 2 and the player stays with his original bet. The third card is dealt, an 8. The player wins and gets paid off 4 to 1 on his bet.
Red Dog Strategy
If you want to increase your Red Dog winnings there is only one strategy to follow - double your bet when the spread is 7 or larger. When the spread is smaller than that you should stay with your initial bet. The reason for this is purely mathematical. When the spread is 7 or larger you have more than 50 % chance of winning the hand.
The chances of winning are slightly influenced by the number of decks that are used in the game.
The table below is based on a six deck game.
| Spread | Chance of winning |
|---|---|
| 11 | 85 % |
| 10 | 77 % |
| 9 | 70 % |
| 8 | 62 % |
| 7 | 54 % |
| 6 | 46 % |
| 5 | 39 % |
| 4 | 31 % |
| 3 | 23 % |
| 2 | 15 % |
| 1 | 8 % |
You can check out the History of Red Dog for more details on Red Dog.