Last updated: 17th July 2024

Why play Caribbean Stud poker online?

There's a lot of hype around real money Caribbean Stud poker. The game has similar rules to five-card poker, but with the key difference that you're only playing against the house. In turn, this means there's no bluffing and no lengthy rounds of betting. Here's just a handful of reasons to play Caribbean Stud poker online:

• The game is simple and easy to play.
• It's single player and you only ever play against the dealer.
• There's no need to bluff or practice your poker face.
• Some Caribbean poker games even come with a progressive jackpot.

• Safety & security

  It goes without saying, we'll only ever recommend safe and secure online gambling sites. We look for Caribbean stud poker online casinos that hold valid state licenses in the US for real money or social play. We also ensure that every gaming site is secure. This means that a casino has up-to-date SSL encryption that protects a player's personal information.

• Caribbean Stud poker games

  As standard, the gaming site has to offer a range of Caribbean Stud casino games. We look for a range of games from top developers like Microgaming and NetEnt. The best sites to play Caribbean Stud poker will even offer live dealer games with plenty of open tables to join. This is why we highly recommend Gambino Slots which offers a range of 10+ poker variants including Caribbean Stud.

• Poker bonuses & tournaments

  Everybody loves casino bonuses and promotions. We look for welcome offers that cater to poker and Caribbean Stud players, and that have fair T&Cs. Not to mention we search for gaming sites that have regular promotions for existing players too. The cherry on the cake is if the gambling site has a range of regular poker tournaments too. These will include buy-in options, prize pools, side bets, and more that are tailored to Caribbean Stud.

• Poker casino apps

  The best online Caribbean Stud poker sites will be well-optimized for mobile devices. In particular, we look for gaming sites that have a dedicated app with plenty of online Caribbean Stud games. Failing that, we only ever recommend sites that have HTML5 technology and that work perfectly on a mobile browser. Top casinos like Gambino Slots fall into this category and offer a seamless mobile gaming experience.

• Customer support

  The hallmark of a top online casino is a great customer support team. The best sites for Caribbean poker online will be easy to contact via multiple methods such as phone, email, or live chat. We also look for sites that have a fully fleshed-out FAQ section that guides customers with common queries. If we can't easily contact a casino, we won't recommend it on our shortlist.

• 1

  Join a Caribbean Stud online poker game

  Head to our shortlist to find some of the best Caribbean Stud poker online casinos.

• 2

  Place an initial bet on the table

  This is also known as the 'Ante'.

• 3

  The dealer then deals you five cards.

  All of the player’s cards are face-up, the dealer reveals just one of their cards.

• 4

  Make your next move

  You can choose to fold or surrender. Alternatively, you can 'call' and continue your hand or 'raise' to double the ante.

• 5

  All cards are revealed

  The dealer needs an Ace-King or better to 'qualify'. If this happens, all ante bets are paid out at even money and raise/call bets are returned.

• 6

  Bets are paid out

  If the dealer does qualify and is beaten, ante bets are paid out at even money and raise/call bets are paid according to the hand. If the dealer qualifies but has the same hand as the player, all bets will be returned.

How to win at Caribbean Stud poker online

There are two ways to win Caribbean Stud poker: beating the dealer's qualifying hand, or if the dealer fails to qualify. The dealer would need to have an ace (A) and a king (K) in order to qualify, and the lowest possible hand needed would be A-K-4-3-2. If the dealer doesn’t have the qualifying cards, and you’re still in the game, you'll get your ante paid out at even money.

• Be cautious with progressive jackpot bets

  Players will have the choice to make a side bet on their next hand. This is where the progressive jackpot element of the game comes into it. Typically, if you get a Flush or higher you're able to release the entire progressive jackpot amount. However, even though a progressive payout can take you to the top in an instant, the actual chances of hitting a high suit is very low. If you’re playing for fun, by all means, go for it, but if you’re playing for keeps you should rather keep your attention on the game at hand.

• Avoid additional side bets

  Side bets can be fun and make the game feel more entertaining, but they aren't going to be your winning strategy. The house edge for Caribbean Stud poker is just over 5% and you want to keep it as close to that as possible. Adding wild side bets can give the house a higher advantage and mean you lose out more. Side bets can be great, but try to avoid getting derailed by them.

Caribbean Stud poker history

While the game might be a fairly recent addition to the online casino and gambling world, there are a lot of stories to tell about the development of Caribbean Stud.

• Caribbean Stud Poker was introduced by casinos in an effort to lure more players to the tables - players who were more interested in poker rooms and home games over table games.
• The origins of the game are up for debate.
• Officially, James Suttle gets credit for creating the game. It’s said that he acquired the game rules from a fellow poker player in Vegas back in the ‘80s, and then sold the concept to Danny Jones, who owned a casino in Aruba.
• The rights to the game were eventually bought by a Nevada distribution company known as Mikhon Gaming.
• Other casino players claim they played Caribbean Stud poker on a cruise ship in Aruba prior to Suttle’s invention of the game.