Caribbean Stud Poker Casino Game Free Lessons
Caribbean Stud Poker Game Rules Strategy
Caribbean Stud Poker is a form of 5-card stud poker, except with a progressive jackpot. In land-based and online casinos, Caribbean stud poker is fast gaining popularity at levels that known poker games like Texas Hold'em, 7-card stud, and Omaha poker have enjoyed.
What makes this casino game so appealing is that it combines the challenge-based aspect of a table game with the luck-based aspect of a progressive jackpot game. With an estimated 50 million players in the United States alone, poker is considered America's most popular card game.
How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker
Caribbean stud poker makes use of a standard deck of 52 cards. 
The Caribbean stud poker table resembles a blackjack table, with seven spots and three betting spots. One is marked "Bet", another is marked "Ante", and a third one is a drop slot for the progressive jackpot. As in any poker game with an ante, the ante bet is mandatory and must be posted before a game begins.
The progressive jackpot bet is optional. Placing this bet entitles you to winning the progressive jackpot by the end of the game, depending on your poker hand. If you make the jackpot-winning poker hand but did not place the optional bet, you get the regular payoffs but do not win the progressive jackpot.
A game of Caribbean Stud Poker begins when five cards each are dealt to the dealer and the player. The dealer must expose the last one of the five cards he deals to himself, known as the up card. An unexposed card is known as a hole card.
Upon seeing your five cards, you have the option to raise or fold your bet . Raising signifies your wish to proceed with the game while folding signifies your wish to get out of the game. If you raise, you must double the ante by placing a raise bet, which is equal in amount to your original bet. If you fold, you forfeit your ante bet.
Once all players have either raised or folded their bets, the dealer then collects the forfeited antes of those who have folded. Next, the dealer exposes his four hole-cards to continue the game with those who have raised.
To qualify, the dealer's hand must be Ace-King or higher. If the dealer does not qualify, the hand is over. You ante bet is paid even money and your raise bet is returned.
If the dealer qualifies, a showdown takes place, in which all participants expose their poker hands to determine who has the highest hand. If the dealer has a higher hand than yours, you lose both your ante bet and raise bet. If your hand is higher than the dealer's, you win both the ante bet and raise bet. Your ante bet is paid even money and your raise bet gets payoffs according to your five-card hand.
| Poker Hand | Standard Payout |
| Royal Flush | 100:1 |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 |
| Four of a Kind | 20:1 |
| Full House | 7:1 |
| Flush | 5:1 |
| Straight | 4:1 |
| Three of a Kind | 3:1 |
| Two Pair | 2:1 |
| Ace-King / Pair | 1:1 |
Should the dealer and the player be holding the same hand, the hand having the highest card wins.
If you win and have placed a progressive bet, you are entitled to the following jackpot payouts based on your final hand:
| Poker Hand | Progressive Jackpot |
| Royal Flush | 100% |
| Straight Flush | 10% |
| Four of a Kind | $100 |
| Full House | $75 |
| Flush | $50 |
Related Pages: Caribbean Stud Poker Game | Caribbean Stud Poker Game Sites | Caribbean Stud Poker Strategy