Breaking the Ice With Red Dog
To begin playing is a breeze. After your initial bet, you are shown two cards - one from each of the two decks used in Red Dog. You now can place an additional bet by raising your initial wager. You goal is to draw a third card that is in between the two cards being shown. So if a four and a seven are showing and you draw a five, you win. Sound easy? It's like walking the dog.
The Push - Losing Nothing on a Tie
Of course, if the two dog cards are consecutive, there's no way you can win . For example, if the cards are a nine and ten, your money is returned and the round is considered a "push." You didn't win and you didn't lose. Not terrible, but not that exciting either.
Red Dogs and Green Cash
To how much can you win playing Red Dog? It just depends on two things, how much you bet and what the odds are. You determine how much you bet, but it's the cards that determine the odds. So if there is just one card that you need, the odds are 5 to 1. So if the decks are showing four and six and you get a five, you win $50 on a $10 bet. If there is a larger spread, say four cards (a six and a jack), you can still double your money with either a seven, an eight, a nine, or a ten.
Red Dog Poker Strategy
So the best way to play is bet according to your level of risk tolerance. If you like to take chances and want to win a lot in a single round, raise the bet when you see that the spread is small. You might now win as many times, but when you do, you will win much more. If you are more conservative, just let the initial bet ride until you have a large spread, then you can raise.
The Red Dog Triple Play
So the best hit is when both cards match and you draw a third that is the same value. When this happens, you get an eleven to one payout! That's the hand to celebrate and count your cash. Depending on how much you bet, you can come out with a cool stash of cash. And what should you say when that happens? How 'bout "Good Dog." Red Dog that is.