Pai Gow poker was the first of what has become a tidal wave of poker-based casino table games that have emerged in the last couple of decades. Casinos are finally starting to realize that there is room on the casino floor for games that require strategy and thinking, and it was Pai Gow poker that was the first game to prove that concept.
But as more and more poker derivative games hit the market, Pai Gow has been forced to evolve to keep up with the competition. It wasn’t long ago that Pai Gow poker offered the biggest and best payouts anywhere in the table games pit, but that isn’t the case these days, and Pai Gow poker has had to mix things up to remain competitive.
One way that Pai Gow poker has managed to stay relevant for so long is the addition of new and exciting side bets. It seems like every time that I walk into a casino, I see new Pai Gow side bets that I haven’t seen before.
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In this article, we are going to take a look at the top 5 most popular Pai Gow side bets, so you know what to look for on your next trip to the casino. Side bets for Pai Gow are always evolving, but right now, these are the Pai Gow side bets that you want to be on the lookout for. With that, let’s jump right into it with TheSportsGeek’s top 5 Pai Gow side bets!
What are the Side Bets for Pai Gow?
In this section, TheSportsGeek’s resident casino expert, Jason Gray, will give you his top 5 Pai Gow side bets. Jason has been a pivotal figure in the Las Vegas gambling scene for over 20 years, and he will bring you everything you need to know about these Pai Gow side bets. Which ones to play, which ones to avoid, and which ones will make you rich!
Pai Gow Side Bets: Fortune Pai Gow
It wasn’t all that long ago that every Pai Gow poker table on the planet had the exact same side bet options. Back then, it was just known as the bonus bet, but nowadays, it is called the Fortune Bonus side bet.
If you have ever played Pai Gow poker, I am sure that you are familiar with the Fortune Bonus bet, as it can be found on basically every Pai Gow table in the world. Many of these other Pai Gow side bets are offered in addition to the Fortune Bonus bet, but I have seen very few that are offered instead of the Fortune Bonus bet.
Let’s take a look at the pay tables for the Fortune Bonus bet below.
| Hand | Payout |
| 7 Card Straight Flush (Natural) | 8,000-1 |
| Royal Flush with Royal Match | 2000-1 |
| 7 Card Straight Flush (Joker) | 1,000-1 |
| 5 Aces | 400-1 |
| Royal Flush | 150-1 |
| Straight Flush | 50-1 |
| 4 of a Kind | 25-1 |
| Full House | 5-1 |
| Flush | 4-1 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3-1 |
| Straight | 2-1 |
The Fortune Bonus bet is your standard Bonus Pai Gow side bet, and while we do see some variations in the pay tables here and there, they don’t stray too far away from these standards. The Fortune Bonus bet is so ubiquitous with Pai Gow poker, that some players don’t even realize it is a side bet. And that is a good thing, as you would be silly to play Pai Gow poker and not play the Fortune Bonus side bet.
Pai Gow Side Bets: Pai Gow Insurance
I have always felt that Pai Gow was a funny name for this game, as instead of being named after a great hand, like blackjack, for instance, a Pai Gow is actually the worst hand that you can make! Bad naming aside, you never want to end up with a Pai Gow, as that means you have no pairs, no straights, no flushes or full houses, no anything!
Casinos realized that players hated to get a Pai Gow when playing Pai Gow, so they added a side bet that pays out when you get that dreaded 7-card stinker.
| Hand | Payout |
| 9 High Pai Gow | 100-1 |
| 10 High Pai Gow | 25-1 |
| Jack High Pai Gow | 15-1 |
| Queen High Pai Gow | 7-1 |
| King High Pai Gow | 5-1 |
| Ace High Pai Gow | 3-1 |
Pai Gow insurance differs from the rest of these Pai Gow side bets in that it acts like a hedge to your main bet. Instead of winning more when you have a great hand, like most of these bets, with Pai Gow insurance, when you are likely to lose your main bet, the bonus will kick in and turn your losing hand into a winner!
Pai Gow Side Bets: Jokolor
This next Pai Gow side bet that we are going to take a look at is called Jokolor. I am going to be honest here, I don’t really love the name of this bet, as it is a play off of joker and color, but just doesn’t roll off the tongue as well as some of the rest of these Pai Gow side bets.
The Jokolor Pai Gow side bet is a bet that is very simple and focuses only on getting the joker and having cards of the same color. Now, notice I didn’t say the same suit, I said the same color. That is because with this Pai Gow side bet, red and black is what you are looking for, not hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds.
There are only 3 ways to win when playing the Jokolor side bet, let’s take a look at those payouts below.
| Hand | Payout |
| 6 Cards Same Color Plus Joker | 30-1 |
| 7 Cards Same Color Without Joker | 10-1 |
| Any Hand With Joker | 5-1 |
For my money, there aren’t enough ways to win this bet to keep me interested, and the payouts are far too low to get me overly excited. I do like the idea that if you get a joker, you get paid no matter what, as that is somewhat enticing, but the whole same color thing just doesn’t do much for me. This Pai Gow side bet isn’t awful, but we can do better.
Pai Gow Side Bets: Emperor’s Challenge
Now we are talking! The Emperor’s Challenge Pai Gow side bet is one of my all-time favorites, as it combines the classic Fortune Bonus with Pai Gow Insurance to make a banger of a bet! Emperor’s Challenge features many of the same Pai Gow payouts that you have come to know and love, but they also added some Pai Gow Insurance type payouts, to make this a bet where you have lots of different ways to win.
Let’s preview all of those winning combinations for Emperor’s Challenge below.
| Hand | Payout |
| 7 Card Straight Flush (Natural) | 5,000-1 |
| 7 Card Straight Flush (Joker) | 1,000-1 |
| 5 Aces | 500-1 |
| Royal Flush | 150-1 |
| Straight Flush | 50-1 |
| 4 of a Kind | 25-1 |
| Full House | 5-1 |
| Flush | 4-1 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3-1 |
| Straight | 2-1 |
| 9 High Pai Gow | 40-1 |
| 10 High Pai Gow | 5-1 |
| Jack High Pai Gow | 2-1 |
Now, some of these payout odds are going to be a bit lower, to make up for the fact that there are so many ways to win. But for me, it is well worth winning slightly less on a 7-card straight flush to be able to add in payouts for Pai Gows as well. Emperor’s Challenge is my personal favorite Pai Gow side bet, but this final bet that we are going to look at next is giving it a run for its money!
Pai Gow Side Bets: Lucky 8’s
You may have caught on to the fact that when it comes to Pai Gow side bets, I follow a more-the-merrier mentality. I want as many chances to win big money as possible, and when it comes to chances to win, it is hard to beat the Lucky 8’s side bet!
Lucky 8’s is quite similar to the Fortune Bonus, with several juicy extra payouts added to the mix. Check out the below pay table to see what I am talking about.
| Hand | Payout |
| 7 Card Straight Flush (Natural) | 8,888-1 |
| 7 Card Straight Flush (Joker) | 1000-1 |
| 4 8’s Plus Joker | 888-1 |
| 5 Aces | 400-1 |
| Royal Flush | 150-1 |
| Straight Flush | 50-1 |
| 4 of a Kind | 25-1 |
| Full House | 4-1 |
| Flush | 2-1 |
| 3 of a Kind | 2-1 |
Not only does the Lucky 8’s bet have the single highest payout of any of these Pai Gow side bets, at a whopping 8,888-1 for a natural 7 card straight flush, but they also have additional juicy payouts for 4 8’s and 4 8’s with a joker. They did get rid of the payout for a straight, which I don’t love, and the payouts for hands like 3 of a kind, flush, and full house are lower, but they more than make up for that with the additional huge payouts!
Where To Play Pai Gow?
Now that you have seen these top Pai Gow side bets, I am sure you are itching to get in on the action, right? Believe it or not, the best place to find all of these Pai Gow side bets, and many more, is online! Online casinos are known for their massive game selection options, and you won’t find more Pai Gow side bets anywhere than online!
If you are looking for a place to play Pai Gow poker online, look no further than TheSportsGeek’s online poker sites page. There you will find casino reviews and exclusive offers for readers of TheSportsGeek.
Sign-up bonuses, deposit matches, and much more are waiting for you at TheSportsGeek’s online poker sites page, and you won’t want to miss out on all of that free cash! Thanks for reading, and good luck playing Pai Gow poker online!
