Pai-gow in California casinos

I have a couple of questions about both pai-gow poker and tiles in california casinos where you can bank. The rules I am familar with are the "corporation" banks for 2 banks and then you can bank for 2 banks at a cost of 3 dollars per bank. Say you bet the table minimum of $25 (plus 1 collection for the house) when corporation banks and when it is your turn to bank you can bank your whole bankroll.

How much action from other players would you need to break even considering they play a basic house-way?

Also if no other players bet you can "buy action" pay $5 to have the corporation bet $100 against you. At the vip tables it is $10 for 300. The hands are set house-way by the dealer. Say you were to buy $300 at the 6 available seats for $60 and pay 3 dollars to bank. Is the banker edge greater than the cost to buy action?

Hmm... I'm really familiar with banking on Pai-Gow, both in Nevada and in California, but what you're describing is totally foreign to me. What I've seen is that no matter what, at the start of play the house bank's the first hand. After that, player's can bank every other hand, alternating spot one to seven as desired by the Players. The Player-Banker will take over the house's advantage of winning ties and can dictate what the house will wager. The first hand will be house vs. Player-Banker, then the Dealer will play the Player-Banker's hand against all other Player's hands. All winnings will go to the Player-Banker, and the 5% commission gets charged off of final winnings only. The only requirement is that the Player-Banker has to have a bankroll large enough to cover an entire table's worth of losses. You don't have to buy you're way into it. Because the Player-Banker get's the house edge (except for commission) the more players there are on the table, the lower the house edge becomes. Hope this helps!

This form of pai-gow is in Los angeles and the S.F. bay area for pai-gow poker and tiles. You pay 1 dollar per 100 and 3 dollars per bank no matter how much money is being bet against you. There is no 5% commision, you aren't playing against the casino you are playing against other players and 3rd party company "corporaion". The order of banking is by seat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and everyone has chance to bank for 2 banks and if they pass it moves to the next seat.

Anybody help with the math questions above?

This thread is really old, but I will answer your question. Short answer, No it isn't to your advantage. Long answer, banking pai gow gives the banker a @1.25% advantage, tiles is even lower @.8%. That translates into for every $100 bet against you you are expected to win $1.25 in the long run. So if you pay $60 for $1800 in action, $1800 x 1.25%(.0125) Is @$22.50. Since you are paying $63 you would be expected to lose @$40 in the long run. Corporations make money because they are charging you $5 for $100, 5% they are giving up the 1.25% edge which leaves 3.75% minus the $1 for collection 1% of the $100 they bet, leaving 2.75% advantage. If you are paying $10 for 300, that gives them a 3.33% minus the 1.25 and 1 gives then almost the same edge as banking. Corporations want you to buy action if there isnt any. Bottom line to make any sort of money, if $3 is the collection you need at least $300 in action ( not buy bets) to break even.