Seven cards against the dealer’s seven — set as two hands, five behind and two in front. Beat both of the dealer’s hands and you win; beat one and it’s a push. It’s a slow, friendly game: about 41% of hands push.
Play money only: nothing to buy, no sign-up. The same rules and payouts as below.
The deal
One deck and the joker, 53 cards. The dealer deals seven piles of seven, then shakes three dice and counts round the table from their own place to see who takes the first pile. Piles for empty places go straight to the discards.
Set your hand
Tap two of your cards to put them in front — your two-card hand. The other five go behind, your five-card hand. The five behind must beat the two in front (a pair in front needs a better pair or more behind), or the hand is fouled — the table won’t let you. Then Set. Or ask for the House way, and the dealer sets it for you, the way they set their own.
Win both
Your five against the dealer’s five, your two against their two. Win both: even money, less a 5% commission (taken to the half dollar, never rounded up). Win one and lose one: a push. Lose both: you lose. A copy — a hand exactly the same as the dealer’s — goes to the dealer.
The joker
The joker is an ace — or any card that finishes a straight, a flush or a straight flush. In front it’s an ace. Four aces and the joker are five aces, the best hand there is. A-2-3-4-5 is the second-best straight, under the ace-high one.
The house way
How the dealer sets — and the book. No pair: the highest card behind, the next two in front. One pair behind, the next two best in front. Two pair: split them, the lower pair in front — but keep them together, with the best two cards in front, when the higher pair is sixes or lower and you’ve a king or an ace, or sevens to tens and you’ve an ace. Three pair: the highest pair in front. Three of a kind behind (three aces: a pair of aces behind, an ace in front). A full house: split it, the pair in front. Straights and flushes go behind over one pair or less; over more, only if they leave as good a front. Leave “Show the house way” on in Settings and the table shows it over your cards.
The Bonus
The Bonus pays on your seven cards alone, however you set them and whatever the dealer has: Seven-card straight flush 5,000 to 1 · 7-card straight flush, joker 1,000 to 1 · Five aces 400 to 1 · Royal flush 150 to 1 · Straight flush 50 to 1 · Four of a kind 25 to 1 · Full house 5 to 1 · Flush 4 to 1 · Three of a kind 3 to 1 · Straight 2 to 1.
The tables
The Main Floor — bets $10–$1,000; Bonus $1–$100. The Jade Room — bets $25–$2,500; Bonus $5–$250. High Limit — bets $100–$10,000; Bonus $25–$1,000. The rules and pays are the same at all three.
What every bet pays, and the house edge
The house edge is how much of each bet the casino keeps over the long run — the lower, the better for you.
Bet
Pays
House edge
Bet Your two hands against the dealer’s. Win both: even money, less a 5% commission. Win one: a push. Ties go to the dealer. Edge with both you and the dealer setting the house way.
1 to 1, less 5%
2.75%
Bonus Pays on your seven cards alone — a straight or better — however you set them, whatever the dealer has. Seven-card straight flush 5,000 to 1 · 7-card straight flush, joker 1,000 to 1 · Five aces 400 to 1 · Royal flush 150 to 1 · Straight flush 50 to 1 · Four of a kind 25 to 1 · Full house 5 to 1 · Flush 4 to 1 · Three of a kind 3 to 1 · Straight 2 to 1.
Up to 5,000 to 1
8.05%
Tips
Most hands push: the game is slow on purpose. Take your time setting.
Not sure? The house way is a strong way to set any hand — and it’s how the dealer sets theirs.
Two pair is the big decision: usually split them, the lower pair in front.
Keep the strongest front you can without giving up your five behind: a pair or an ace in front wins a lot of fronts.
Match play from your host (a comp) waits by your rail: tap it and it goes beside your bet. Match it with at least as much of your own. The bet wins and the coupon pays even money, less the commission; it loses and the coupon is taken; a push and it stays for the next hand. Never on the Bonus.
Tip the dealer: drag a chip onto their name tag, or tap the name. Tips are their own line in your stats.