3-card poker bonus unpaid.

There were two things I had an "understanding" about when I went to the casino recently and played three-card poker.

1) I once saw a sign that said A-2-3 was the second highest straight to a A-K-Q

and 2) The ante bonus was paid even if you lost the hand.

In one hand I was informed both were incorrect. I lost my A-2-3 to the dealers 4-5-6. I got paid a couple bucks on the bonus bet. but lost my main and raise bets and did not get my ante bonus sense i lost to the house rank.

I called BS on both, saying I seen the previous rule about A-2-3.. but now I needed it I coudl not find it and I told them that everywhere else I coudl think of Ive been told the ante bonus pays regardless of loss.

I felt had.

I then proceeded to Blackjack where I turned my $400 into $1025 "to teach them a lesson". lol

Everywhere I play, I see "A-2-3 is the lowest straight" on the table sign.

And you always should be paid the ante bonus, win or lose. I would sit there until I had someone look up the rules. I believe this is one of the Wizard's pet peeves, casinos not paying the ante bonus even on a loss.

A23 lose to 456
Ante bonus still get paid on loser..

The ante bonus is a side bet and had nothing to do with the main game.

It should have been paid.

If you ever have a situation like that in the future, as to see the rule, or ask for a gaming control person. If you're still not satisfied, have them write it up so it can be pursued at a later date.

Granted, they will discourage each of these steps, trying to get you to give it up for the few bucks at stake, but it's only a few bucks to them!

Was this an Indian casino, perchance?

Quote: DJTeddyBear

The ante bonus is a side bet and had nothing to do with the main game.

You must be thinking of the Pair+bet. The ante bonus is part of the ante bet.

The Pair+ gets paid whether you win the hand or not, except when the player folds. Harrahs' 6 card bonus pays even if the player folds (which tells you just how bad a bet it is).

Quote:

It should have been paid.

I think so, too.

Last trip to Vegas many dealers were sloppy about paying it. Usually I had to remind them. The one exception was the dealer at Fitzgeralds. He wasn't particularly nice, but he never missed a bonus payment.

Quote: Malaru

1) I once saw a sign that said A-2-3 was the second highest straight to a A-K-Q

You probably saw this on a Pai Gow Poker table. It is my experience that it is highly unusual, in Pai Gow, that A-2-3-4-5 is not the second highest straight.

I have also seen electronic 3 CP that did not pay any ante bonus at all!!!! Definitely stay away from that.

Quote: Mosca

And you always should be paid the ante bonus, win or lose. I would sit there until I had someone look up the rules. I believe this is one of the Wizard's pet peeves, casinos not paying the ante bonus even on a loss.

Two questions for the crowd:
1) What would the house edge be on the game if this were actually the rule (ante bonus is not paid on a loss). The Wizard has a page on the game but the numbers aren't sufficiently granular to determine the answer.
2) How pervasive is not paying the ante bonus if the player loses? What percentage of casinos would you estimate get this wrong?

I don't know the math question, but I'd bet it changes the house edge substantially.

I think it is dealer error that the house doesn't mind, not house policy. The pay tables are printed right on the felt.

Microgaming Internet casinos used to score A23 as the second highest straight. I think it was a programming error, which I used to warn about on my site. A23 is supposed to be the lowest straight. In pai gow poker only do they sometimes have the stupid rule that A2345 is the second highest straight.

Quote: MathExtremist

What would the house edge be on the game if this were actually the rule (ante bonus is not paid on a loss).

No.

Quote: MathExtremist

How pervasive is not paying the ante bonus if the player loses? What percentage of casinos would you estimate get this wrong?

Very. I've seen this error lots of times. I answered your question in an Ask the Wizard column last year, I can't remember which one.

I'm confused by this discussion because I guess to me it doesn't make sense.

Three card poker has two games. The Pair-Plus bet, and the Ante-Play bets.

The Pair-Plus bet is straight against the schedule. You either have a pair (or better) and win, or you don't and you lose. What the dealer has is irrelevant.

If the dealer qualifies, you must beat the dealer. If you do not, you lose both your Ante and Play bets.

How you can expect to be paid a bonus on a losing bet?

I mean, think about some of the other games that have "Super Bonus" bets (Crazy 4, Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em). All of those bonus bets require that you beat the dealer in order to get paid. You might make a straight flush, but if the dealer turns over a higher straight flush, you lose. End of story.

Am I totally wrong on this? Doesn't a bet have to WIN in order to be paid a bonus?

Quote: swweber

Am I totally wrong on this? Doesn't a bet have to WIN in order to be paid a bonus?

Yes. The Ante bonus is paid for a staight or better even if you lose the hand. You do not have to played the PairPlus to recieve this. The only place I have seen 3 CP where this did not apply was on an electronic game at Harrahs Cherokee. They did not even pay any ante bonus on winning hands.

You must not have folded, which of course you would not if you had a straight.

From Shuffflemaster website:

"With premium hands of a straight or higher, players win an Ante Bonus payout even if the dealer doesn’t qualify, or even if they lose to the dealer. "

http://www.shufflemaster.com/02_eu_products/entertainment_products/table_games/three_card_poker.asp

Quote: Fleaswatter

From Shuffflemaster website:

"With premium hands of a straight or higher, players win an Ante Bonus payout even if the dealer doesn’t qualify, or even if they lose to the dealer. "

Well, then, the Gosspel truth.

I wonder if it would help to carry around a printout from the Shufflemaster website.