Let It Ride Online Gambling

I bet you have needed a break from a blackjack dealer on a hot streak a time
or two, right? We’ve all been there; we think to ourselves, “It’s time to switch
it up and find a new table game.” It’s been hours, and several rotations of
dealers have all coincidently been very good at pulling 21 after 21.

What if I told you there is this fun game where you get to play with the
dealer and not against them?

Let it Ride is among the first of the wave of new casino games, starting in the late nineties. It is a simple poker-based game where the player is paid based on his five card hand only. No dealer hand to worry about. The twist is that as the cards are revealed the player has the opportunity to. The thrill of Caesars, anytime, anywhere in New Jersey, on your terms. Safe, regulated and 100% legal online gaming with the most trusted name in casino gaming and sports wagering. Explore the best real money casino games, including progressives, slots, table games and video poker.

Yep, you read that right. At the Let It Ride poker table you get three cards,
and then you play with the dealer’s two community cards to form the best five
card poker hand.

Gambling is supposed to be entertaining! Winning is awesome, but when
searching for a game to play I at least want my money to last a while. Win or
lose, I just want to have fun, and I bet you do too!

Ready to learn how to play Let It Ride?

Best Let It Ride Casino Sites

  • Slots.lv – #1 Option for US Players
  • Magic Red Casino – #1 Non-US Site

Let It Ride Poker Game Basics

Ultimately the object of the game is to finish with a winning hand and get a
pile of chips! This game began in the late nineties, and it can still be found
in the carnival games pit of most major land casinos and online.

The game is easy to learn, and after a few rounds, you will hopefully have in
your cup holder an ice-cold drink from the pretty cocktail server, and a few
extra chips piled up in front of you.

Let’s start with some fun facts about Let It Ride:

  • The dealer plays with you and not against you.
  • It’s totally fine if you don’t know how to play poker, or what hand beats what.
    Let It Ride is the perfect opportunity to learn!
  • You get to take back two-thirds of your original bet if you don’t like your cards.
  • The entire table can win.
  • Let It Ride is a blast to play with a group of friends.

Step 1 – Get Chips for Betting

Your awesome dealer will help you! Just place your money on the table, and
they will do the conversion from paper money to gaming chips for you.

Let It Ride Online Gambling

Chips have values of $1, $5, $25, $100 and $500 at most tables. Get a few
“whites” from the dealer. These are $1 chips, and you will most likely use
these for the side bet (more on side bets later) or to take care of the dealer.

Step 2 – Place Your Bets

The table layout will have three circles with the symbols 1, 2 and $ on them.
This is where you will place your bets. With Let It Ride poker, you are making
three separate bets, but you get to take two of your three bets back if you
want.

The 1 and 2 bets will be optional after you see your first three cards and
again after the dealer’s community card is revealed. You will only be required
to leave your money on the $ circle bet.

The table will have a minimum bet requirement. There is always a sign that
states the minimum bet (usually in the left corner of the table), and most of
the time it will be between $5 and $25.

If the table minimum is $10, then you will place $30 total on the table. You
put $10 on each of the 1, 2, and $ circles in front of you. Decide to keep (Let
It Ride) or take back your bet on the number 1 circle after you view your first
three cards. Choose to keep or take back the bet on the number 2 circle after
the dealer flips over the first community card.

Step 3 – The Game Begins

The dealer starts dealing from their left, and every player gets three cards
in front of them. You leave the cards on the table until everyone has received
three cards and the dealer has two cards in front of them.

The two cards the dealer placed in front of them will be community cards.
This means that all players at the table will use these cards to make the best
five-card poker hand.

All cards will be face down when dealt, and once the dealer has two cards and
puts the remaining cards in the discard rack, you may look at your cards. Some
casinos have a rule about using one hand to view your cards and others allow you
to use both hands.

It’s a good thing you are here to learn these basic rules about how to play
Let It Ride. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on winning big! The casino has the
authority to not pay out jackpots for breaking the rules, so make sure you know
and understand how the game is played.

Step 4 – Check Out Your Three Cards

View your cards, but remember to protect your hands! Just like in poker at
any casino table, you want to be the only one seeing your cards. Be smart, and
be sure to follow the rules of the casino. If you don’t know the rules or have a
question about the game, you can always just ask the dealer.

Did you get a winning hand on your first three cards?

Well, if you have a pair of 10’s or better, then you did, and you will want
to tuck. Tucking is marvelous, because you win on all three of your bets
automatically, and you don’t have to do any more thinking. It’s time just to sit
back and hopefully watch your hand get better with the dealer’s two community
playing cards. I’ve seen many tucked pairs turn into a 4-of-a-kind!

It’s okay if you didn’t get a gift from the card gods with your first three
cards, because you get two more chances to make a winning hand with the dealer’s
two community cards.

Step 5 – Let’s Play Let It Ride

You must choose your hand after seeing the first three cards. The good news
is there are mathematically calculated probabilities you can use to help you
make smart decisions regarding your poker hand. Math wizards have tested,
recorded and concluded the best move to make 100% of the time.

You have options for those two community cards. You might want to see another
card and then decide to stay (leave your bet) or take it back (receive your
original bet). I have seen gut instinct, dumb luck, and a “feeling” win more
times than I can count.

Take the following recommendations as your guide and up your chances of
winning at your next Let It Ride poker table. Oh, and if your cards stink, you
can still win if the dealer shows a winning hand with those two community cards!

Stay or Let It Ride on your first (1) bet of the table if you have the
following:

  • Pair of 10’s or better (10-J-Q-K-A)
  • Three of a kind
  • Three cards to a straight flush (cards
    should be 3-4-5 or better)
  • Three cards to a straight flush with at
    least one high card (10-J-Q-K-A) and one gap
  • Three cards to a straight flush with at
    least two high cards (10-J-Q-K-A) and two gaps

Let It Ride on your second (2) bet of the table if you have the following:

  • Pair of 10’s or better (10-J-Q-K-A)
  • Two pair
  • Three of a kind
  • Any four cards of the same suit (flush
    draw)
  • Any four cards in a row (open-ended
    straight) with at least one high card (10-J-Q-K-A)
  • Any four high cards (10-J-Q-K-A)

Deciding between taking back a bet or keeping a bet on the table will
ultimately come down to the next card or cards drawn. Keep your bet on the table
until you reach a winning hand or a good draw.

One of the best bonuses in Let It Ride is when the dealer has a pocket pair
of 10’s or better. When this occurs, everyone WINS! Cheers, chips, and smiles
all around for everyone.

Watch Let It Ride Online

Step 6 – Pay the Winners and Play Another Round

The cards are all shown, and you are paid on the highest 5-card poker hand
you make. The dealer will again start on their left and turn over each players
hand. Below are the most common payouts for Let It Ride poker. The payout for
the game you are playing will always be posted up at the table.

Each player will be paid out according to the payout schedule. If you don’t
make a hand with a pair of 10’s or better, then you will be donating your
remaining chips on the table to the house. The dealer finally collects all
cards, shuffles up the deck and deals the next hand.

A maximum payout per player, per hand, may limit your total winnings on the
basic payout schedule. Be sure to take note of this when you are betting more
than the minimum table requirement.

Side Bets

Most casinos will offer players a side bet or two. Specific rules of each
side bet featured will be dependent upon the casino you are at, so make sure to
check out your table and ask the dealer for guidance if needed.

There are two commonly played side bets. The most common is an additional bet
(usually $1) that players place on the outcome of the 5-card hand. A progressive
jackpot is commonly tied to this side bet. Rewards are given out to the top
hands, and these bets are made at the same time you place your other three table
bets.

The second bonus bet you will likely find at the Let It Ride table is a
3-card bonus bet. With this side bonus bet, you get rewarded for making a 3-card
poker hand on your first dealt cards. This bet will pay for any pair, flush,
straight, 3-of-a-kind, straight flush or mini royal (Q-K-A of the same suit).

Please Note

Side bets give the house a greater advantage. So
“technically” the side bets are not the best bets, but you will never win that
progressive prize jackpot if you never play.

Side bets make the game more
entertaining and fun, so feel free to gamble a few bucks for a chance at winning
big and having a great casino story for the grandkids!

Play with the Dealer

Tipping is never required, but it’s always appreciated. There are a few ways
you can take care of a good dealer, and you can even play for them with a tip if
you want.

Traditionally, when you win on a big hand or hit that jackpot, you tip out
the dealer. The gratuity amount is completely up to you, and honestly, I tip all
kinds of different ways when playing.

You might not know that you can also place a bet for the dealer. A tip bet
can be placed on the side of your bet or alongside the side bet of yours or the
dealer’s choice.

Standard practice is a few dollars here and there if you are on a winning
streak. I prefer a combo of playing a few for the dealer on my original bets or
a side bet. The dealer “being in the game” adds extra entertainment value!

The Changing of the Cards

Cards are handled by players in Let It Ride; they will be changed out every
two or so hours. This means that the pit boss or floor person in charge of the
game will set up the dealer with brand new cards several times daily.

Casino gift shops have these cards for sale. Cards make great souvenirs to
take home. Reminisce later about your Vegas adventures, usually available for
under $1!

Some might say that a new deck is a perfect opportunity to hit a winning hand
since the cards are new and they were just in chronological order. It’s not the
case since the dealers scatter the deck all over the table, hand shuffle and
then put those new cards into the auto shuffler that does a really good job of
mixing.

This is not to say that magic matching of the cards doesn’t occur with new
cards, because it can! Odds-wise though, each hand independently has the same
likelihood of winning. New cards, hot cards or old cards make no difference.

Playing Let It Ride Online

Practice makes perfect, right?

It’s no big secret that the more you play a
game, the better you will become. The same logic also applies to Let It Ride,
and you can play online before hitting up the land-based casino.

I even found a great practice site for you to play on. Check out this online
Let It Ride game and
you will be a pro player in no time. Remember to check the “enable advice” box to
learn how to best play according to standard strategy.

It’s been a great journey with you through the basic rules and strategies of
Let It Ride poker, and I hope you learned some great tips along the way. It was
a pleasure being your guide, and I wish you luck in all your future Let It Ride
poker game adventures!

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On This Page

Let It Ride Poker Online Gambling

Let

Introduction

Let it Ride is among the first of the wave of new casino games, starting in the late nineties. It is a simple poker-based game where the player is paid based on his five card hand only. No dealer hand to worry about. The twist is that as the cards are revealed the player has the opportunity to decrease his bet if he doesn't like his cards. As of 2013 Let it Ride is still out there, but its numbers are decreasing.

Rules

  1. Player makes three bets of equal size.
  2. Dealer gives player three cards.
  3. Player may pull his first bet back or 'let it ride.'
  4. Dealer deals the first community card, to be used by all players.
  5. Player may pull his second back or 'let it ride.'
  6. Dealer deals the second community card, to be used by all players.
  7. Player is paid according to the poker value of his five cards, remaining bets, and the posted pay table.
  8. Side bets are usually available, which are explained below.

The following is the standard pay table most casinos follow. All wins are on a 'to one' basis.

Let it Ride — Standard Pay Table

HandPays
Royal Flush1000
Straight Flush200
Four of a kind50
Full House11
Flush8
Straight5
Three of a kind3
Two pair2
Tens or better1
LoserLoss

The pay table for this and 15 other known Let it Ride pay tables can be found in my Let it Ride appendix 3.

Strategy

The following strategy is for the standard pay table.

With three cards you should only 'let it ride' if you have:

  • Any paying hand (tens or better, three of a kind)
  • Any three to a royal flush
  • Three suited cards in a row except 2-3-4, and ace-2-3
  • Three to a straight flush, spread 4, with at least one high card (ten or greater)
  • Three to a straight flush, spread 5, with at least two high cards

With four cards you should only 'let it ride' if you have:

  • Any paying hand (tens or better, two pair, three of a kind)
  • Any four cards of the same suit
  • Any four to an outside straight with at least one high card
  • Any four to an outside straight with no high cards (zero house edge)
  • Any four to an inside straight with 4 high cards (zero house edge)

A lot of people have asked me what I mean by 'inside straight', 'outside straight', 'spread 4', and 'spread 5.'An inside straight is one in which an 'inside' card is missing, such as (4,5,7,8). An outside straight is one in which an outside card is missing, such as (4,5,6,7). Outside straights are much better because there are 8 cards that can complete them as opposed to 4 for an inside straight. Spread4 means that the cards in question span 4 ranks in a row,for example a (5,6,8). Spread 5 means the cards in question span 5 ranks, for example a (5,7,9).

Play Let It Ride for free while learning the strategy.

Aggregate Payout Warning:

The table will probably have a maximum payout. At Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls the maximum aggregate payout is $75,000 per round. As a result the player should not bet more than the maximum payout divided by 3000. Any bet above this quotient will not pay the full odds on a royal flush, thus increasing the house edge.

Analysis

Let it Ride — Standard Pay Table

HandPaysBetWinCombinationsProbabilityReturn
Royal Flush100033,000800.0000020.004617
Royal Flush100022,00000.0000000.000000
Royal Flush100011,00000.0000000.000000
Straight Flush20036003520.0000070.004063
Straight Flush20024003680.0000070.002832
Straight Flush200120000.0000000.000000
Four of a kind5031507,8720.0001510.022717
Four of a kind5021004,6080.0000890.008865
Four of a kind5015000.0000000.000000
Full House1133333,4080.0006430.021210
Full House1122241,4720.0007980.017553
Full House1111100.0000000.000000
Flush832410,0080.0001930.004621
Flush821692,1520.0017730.028366
Flush81800.0000000.000000
Straight53154,4640.0000860.001288
Straight521088,6560.0017060.017056
Straight515110,8800.0021330.010666
Three of a kind339364,5600.0070140.063122
Three of a kind326328,9680.0063290.037973
Three of a kind313404,7120.0077860.023358
Two pair236574,1280.0110450.066272
Two pair224682,7760.0131360.052542
Two pair2121,214,1360.0233580.046716
Tens or better1332,571,6360.0494740.148423
Tens or better1222,647,5600.0509350.101870
Tens or better1113,228,8040.0621170.062117
Loser-13-353,0760.001021-0.003063
Loser-12-2937,8240.018042-0.036085
Loser-11-138,576,7000.742156-0.742156
Total51,979,2001.000000-0.035057

5-Card Bonus Bet

I don't know if this bet even has a name, so I am titling it the '5-Card Bonus Bet.' It is a $1 side bet, which pays based on the poker value of the final five-card hand. This is a sucker bet, that should be avoided. Based on a small sampling of casinos in Las Vegas and Laughlin, the house edge varies from 13.77% (Lady Luck) to 36.52% (New York, New York). Below are some casinos, their payoff table, and their house edge, in order from best to worst. Wins are on a 'for one' basis, meaning the player does not get his original bet back, even on a win.

Let it Ride Side Bet Pay Tables

HandTable 1Table 2Table 3Table 4Table 5Table 6Table 7Table 8Table 9
Royal flush200002000020000200002000010000200002000025000
Straight flush200010002000200010002000200010002500
Four of a kind100100100400400100300300400
Full house75757520020075150150200
Flush505050505050505050
Straight252525252525252525
Three of a kind948558555
Two pair634004000
Tens or better010000000
House edge13.77%23.73%25.39%25.53%26.92%26.93%35.14%36.52%24.07%

The following is a list of which casinos have which pay tables based on my small sampling. Unless otherwise stated all casinos are in Las Vegas:

  • Table 1: Lady Luck
  • Table 2: Las Vegas Club, Freemont, Californian,Plaza, Main Street Station, Ballys, Circus Circus,Hilton, Grand (Biloxi), Beau Rivage (Biloxi), Horseshoe(Tunica), Grand (Tunica)
  • Table 3: Golden Gate
  • Table 4: Bellagio, Excalibur, Mandalay Bay, Harrah's,Imperial Palace, Paris, Venetian
  • Table 5: MGM Grand, Golden Nugget
  • Table 6: Colorado Belle (Laughlin), Sky City (New Mexico)
  • Table 7: Four Queens, Flamingo Hilton
  • Table 8: New York New York
  • Table 9: Rivers casino in Pittsburgh, PA

The next table shows the probability and return for every hand under pay table 2 above. The return of 76.27% reflects a house edge of 100.00% - 76.27% = 23.73%. Again, all pays are on a 'for one' basis.

5-Card Bonus

HandPaysCombinationsProbabilityReturn
Royal flush20,00040.0000020.030782
Straight flush1,000360.0000140.013852
Four of a kind1006240.0002400.024010
Full house753,7440.0014410.108043
Flush505,1080.0019650.098270
Straight2510,2000.0039250.098116
Three of a kind454,9120.0211280.084514
Two pair3123,5520.0475390.142617
Tens or better1422,4000.1625270.162527
Loser01,978,3800.7612200.000000
Total2,598,9601.0000000.762730

3-Card Bonus Bet

Some casinos offer a side bet based on the value of the player's three cards, similar to the Pair plus bet in Three Card Poker. The main difference is in Let It Ride the bet has a separate win for a 'Mini Royal', defined as a suited ace, king, and queen. The following table table shows the most common pay table for this bet.

3-Card Bonus

HandPaysCombinationsProbabilityReturn
Mini Royal5040.0001810.00905
Straight flush40440.0019910.079638
Three of a kind30520.0023530.070588
Straight67200.0325790.195475
Flush310960.0495930.148778
Pair137440.1694120.169412
Nothing-1164400.743891-0.743891
House Edge221001-0.070950

The next pay table shows other possible variants of the Three Card Bonus bet.

3-Card Bonus

HandTable 1Table 2Table 3Table 4Table 5
Mini Royal505020010050
Straight flush4040405040
Three of a kind3030303030
Straight65666
Flush34334
Pair11111
Nothing-1-1-1-1-1
House edge7.10%5.39%4.38%4.20%2.14%

The only casino I am aware of that offers pay table 5 is the Borgata in Atlantic City (source).

6-Card Bonus

Some casinos add on a side bet known as the 6-Card Bonus. This side bet is found on multiple poker-derivative games, so I created a special page for it. For more information, please see my page on the 6-Card Bonus.

Millionaire Progressive

This is a $5 'red light' progressive side bet that pays $1,000,000 for a royal flush in spades, using the player's five-card hand. For all the rules and analysis, please see my page on the Millionaire Progressive.

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This is definitely a positive safeguarding measure that will help many people at risk of harm from gambling.' Gambling firms saw their shares slide in reaction to the new legislation to ban the use of credit cards for online bets when the markets opened.Online specialist 888 saw shares slide 3.3 per cent, William Hill shares fell 3.2 per cent, Ladbrokes owner GVC Holdings dropped 2.8 per cent and Paddy Power owner Flutter sank 1.4 per cent in early trading. And SNP MP Ronnie Cowan, who has spoken out about the gambling industry, said: 'This is welcomed but we mustn't take our eyes off the prize and that's a completely new Gambling Act.' This house would ban online gambling. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usualWe will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline.

Seeing Extra Cards

Although players are not supposed to share information, you can often accidentally see other player cards, or this rule is ignored and players voluntarily show each other their cards. Seeing other cards can make the difference in borderline plays, namely the zero house edge straights listed under the 4-card strategy above. In his book Mastering the Game of Let It Ride, author Stanley Ko offers a strategy for these situations. He doesn't state how much it lowers the house edge, but James Grosjean does in his book Beyond Counting (Exhibit CAA). According to Grosjean, if you can see every player card in a 7-player game, and made perfect use of the information, it would lower the house advantage from 3.51% to 2.34% only.

Let It Ride Casino Game

Inside Links

  • Appendix 1: Details on how the strategy and expected return were determined.
  • Appendix 2: Details on the Isle of Capri (Black Hawk, Colorado) rules.
  • Appendix 3: Analysis of 16 different Let it Ride pay tables.

Outside Links

Free Let It Ride Poker

German translation of this page.