Vegas Three Card Rummy Guide

Comprehensive Vegas Three Card Rummy Guide

For a game that’s homegrown in America, look no further than Vegas Three Card Rummy. This game is fairly new to the world of casino card games - especially when you compare it to classics like poker and blackjack. But despite its recent emergence, it has a very big following in North America. And as you may have gathered from the name, it’s based on the game of rummy.

Most people in America have played rummy at some point in their lives; it’s a popular drawing card game played by between two to six players that awards points for landing three-card sets. Every turn starts with the player whose turn it is drawing a card from the deck (or discard pile) and concludes with that same player discarding one of their cards. Sound familiar? Even if you're a die-hard rummy fan, you won’t be able to apply your established rummy strategy to the casino version, as it has a unique twist. In order to win, aim to get fewer points than your opponent. 

Traditional rummy has you build up an empire of sets, which are each worth varying amounts of points depending on the cards in the sets, and whoever has the most points when the first player runs out of cards in their hand wins. As you'll see, when you play Vegas Three Card Rummy at Bovada Casino, the gameplay is simpler than the original card game, and you have just one opponent: the Dealer. In this table games guide, we'll teach you how to play Vegas Three Card Rummy like a pro by explaining the rules, payouts, house edge, and a bit of basic strategy to get you started on the right foot. If you're not sure whether the game is right for you, we'll provide three reasons to give it a try that you may not have considered up to this point. We’d like for Vegas Three Card Rummy to make it onto your list of go-to games when you play casino games online.

What is Three Card Rummy?

Vegas Three Card Rummy is a table game played with a single 52-card deck that pits you against the Dealer. You’re dealt three cards each, and the value of your hand depends on the strength of your cards, with the majority of cards having pip value. If both you and the Dealer pursue the round, whoever’s hand has fewer points wins. In order for the Dealer to qualify, he cannot exceed 20 points. If the Dealer does not qualify and you raise, you win. 

In Vegas Three Card Rummy, your action is limited to just one decision (unless if you count the decision to participate in the side bet for bonus money). Once you receive your three-card hand, you choose to “Raise” and (potentially) face off with the Dealer, or “Fold” and end the round right away, forfeiting your initial bet. Hitting raise means you have to double your bet. The Dealer gets the same two options and will fold when his score is above 20 points. 

Three Card Rummy Rules

To be able to play Vegas Three Card Rummy, you need to know the rules of the game. The following five rules apply to the version available at Bovada Casino:

• A standard 52-card deck is used and shuffled after each round.
• Once you make an “Ante” bet, you and the Dealer receive three cards each. The Dealer’s three-card hand is placed face down on the table until you choose your action.
• Your hand score will be tallied and displayed on the screen. Choose to Fold, or Raise for a second wager equal to the initial one.
• In order for the Dealer to qualify for the round, he cannot exceed 20 points. Otherwise, you win your Ante bet only.
• Ace is considered the lowest card in Vegas Three Card Rummy, so while Ace-Two can make up a suited run, Ace-King does not.

If you haven’t played rummy before, the scoring may appear unusual at first glance, so we’ll go through the value of each card with you. This is for your own information because when you play Vegas Three Card Rummy online, the scores are tallied automatically and displayed on the screen. 

• Aces are worth 1 point.
• Twos to Tens are worth face value.
• Face cards are worth 10 points.

In the true spirit of rummy, there are major benefits to having rummy sets, which are pairs, triples, and two-card runs (two-card runs comprise two cards that are of consecutive rank and the same suit, like 7h8h). Since the lowest score wins in the casino version of rummy, having any of these sets within your three-card hand means the set is worth zero instead of whatever the cards add up to. For example, if you land a Jh,Js,5d, the pair of Jacks combine for zero, and the 5 is worth five points, giving you a total score of 5 points. A 6h,7h,Qc is worth 10 points because the 6 and 7 of hearts make up a run and count for zero points.

Rummy Paytables, Odds and Payouts

In Vegas Three Card Rummy, there are three ways to win a payout: get a lower score than the Dealer, raise when the Dealer fails to qualify, or win the bonus bet. Each scenario has a unique payout that ranges from 1:1 to 100:1.

Ante Bet Payout

The initial bet laid on the table at the start of the round is known as the “Ante” bet, and it pays even-money (1:1) when you win the round by either beating the Dealer, or raising when the Dealer fails to qualify. You lose the Ante when the Dealer qualifies and has a lower score than you. You also lose the Ante when you fold your hand instead of raising. The house edge on the Ante bet is 3.23%.

Raise Bet Payout

After being dealt your three-card hand, you have the option to raise by putting down a second bet equal to the Ante bet. In order to win this bet, the Dealer must qualify for the round by having a score of 20 or less, and you must beat him by having the lower score. If the Dealer doesn’t qualify, the Raise bet is considered a push, and your money is returned. There are three payouts for the Raise bet that vary in size depending on the strength of your score.

If you and the Dealer tie, the result is a push and your raise bet is returned to you.

Bonus Bet Payout

When looking at the Vegas Three Card Rummy table, you’ll notice a spot for placing a “bonus bet.” You can put anything between $1 and $500 on the bonus bet after you place your Ante bet, and this bet pays out if you’re dealt a three-card hand with a score of 12 points or less—regardless of what the Dealer’s score is. You lose the bonus bet if you get a score of 13 or more, or forfeit the round. The payouts for this side bet depend on the value of the hand. The house edge on the bonus bet is 3.46%.

Three Card Rummy Strategy for Beginners

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to Three Card Rummy strategy—the house has already figured out the optimal Fold/Raise point. And since you and the Dealer follow the exact same rules, it makes sense to follow suit and raise with a 20 and below, and fold with a 21 and above. 

Three Reasons to Try Three Card Rummy

Now that you know how to play Vegas Three Card Rummy, you may want to know why you should play it. Here are three reasons why it should be on your radar the next time you visit Bovada Casino.

Try something new. 

Most of our card-based table games are variations of the same game. For example, there are nine ways to play Blackjack, two ways to play Baccarat, and five ways to play table game poker. But there’s just one way to play rummy, and it plays unlike any of our other table games.

You can win 100X your payout.

Not many of the card games in the Table Games section of our casino offer 100X your payout. Blackjack, for example, maxes out at 3:2. With the bonus bet, you get 100:1 if you land Ace-Two-Three suited, and you can put anything from $1 to $500 on it.

You can try it with zero-risk to your bankroll.

Through Practice Play mode, you can play Vegas Three Card Rummy risk-free. You get $1,000 of fun money, and you can place bets just like you would with real money. There’s no better way to get your feet wet and learn the game than through the Practice Play mode. Give it a try today and see what you think of this fascinating card game.