Hoyle Casino Help Contents Welcome to Hoyle Casino. You can find information you need to play the games in Hoyle Casino in the following sections:

Getting Started Signing In Making a Face in Face Creator Starting a Game Placing a Bet

Baccarat Playing Games Fortune Pai Gow Poker Blackjack Poker 6 Card Charlie Poker Tournaments Face Up Roulette Special 21’s Slot Machines Royal Match 21 Three Card Poker Caribbean Stud Poker Four Card Poker Craps Video Blackjack Horse Racing Video Poker Keno Let It Ride Pai Gow Poker Game Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Playing Games in Full Screen Mode Changing Player Settings Hoyle Computer Players Setting Game Rules and Options Tournament Play Fun Features Managing Games Shortcut Keys Viewing Bet Results and Statistics Bankrolls, Credit Cards and Loans Tutorial Mode Quitting a Game Signing In When you start Hoyle Casino, you must first sign in, choosing a name and a picture to represent yourself. You must create at least one player to play the games, and you can create additional players for yourself, your friends, and your family members. One reason for creating multiple players is that some games allow more than one player on the same computer. Another reason is that your statistics are tracked based on your player name. Each player has a bankroll, which starts at a certain amount and changes as you win or lose money in the casino. Each player also has a credit card. There are various levels of credit cards available. You start with a green credit card and can advance to higher credit cards by winning money in the casino. Besides being a status symbol, your credit level determines the amount of money you can take as a loan from the casino (should your luck turn sour and it become necessary for you to borrow money to continue playing). For more on credit cards and loans, click here: The first time you sign in, you are asked to create a new player. After that, you can sign in as an existing player. You can create new players at any time, and you can change your character face at any time.

To create a new player: 1 Click the New button. 2 Type a name for the new player, and click OK. A setup screen will guide you through some character settings, or you can accept the default setting by clicking Done. Your name will then appear on the front of the credit card on the screen. 3 The default representation for a new player is a silhouette that can't talk, shown in the character window in the upper-right of the sign-in screen. To create a unique character to represent yourself, click the large Face Creator button below the character window. Click here to learn more about using Face Creator: OR Use an existing character. Select Non-Talking to choose from one of the silent, pre-made characters, or select Face Creator to choose a talking character that has already been made using Face Creator. Browse through the existing characters with the scroll bar below the character window. 4 Click OK to assign the image in the character to the new player, and start playing!

To sign in a player created during a previous session: 1 Click the player’s name in the list. If necessary, scroll through the list using the vertical scroll bar. To change the face for this player, see step 3, above. 2 Click OK to start playing games as this player.

Notes: You can remove a player from the list of players by selecting the player name and clicking the Delete button. The player (and all of his or her statistics) is removed permanently. You can sign in as a different player after you’ve started Hoyle Casino. You might do this if someone else wants to play games and you don’t want to exit. From the Main Screen (click Main Screen on the Go To menu if you’re in a game), click Sign In on the File menu to sign in as a different player.

See Also Changing Player Settings Credit Cards and Loans Making a Face in Face Creator Talking w ith Your Character Starting a Game You can start a game from the Go To menu, or you can start a game from the casino floor.

To start a game using the menu: On the Go To menu, click the name of the game you want to play. For Poker, click the name of the game you want to play. For all games except Keno, Horse Racing, and Poker Tournaments, you must also specify betting information: For table games (except Poker), you select the minimum and maximum bet for that table. For example, if you select $10-$2,000, each bet you place must be at least $10, and no greater than $2,000. For Poker, you specify the early bet and the late bet for each game. For Slots, Video Poker, and Video Blackjack, you select what type of machine you want to play. This specifies the amount used for each "credit" you put into the machine. For many games, you can select Tournament to play a tournament version of the game. For more on tournaments, click here:

To start a game from the casino floor: Whenever you are in the casino (but not yet playing a game), move your mouse to point to different areas of the screen. When you point to certain areas, a label appears describing the games played in that area. Click on the area or specific table or machine to move there. You can also move around the casino using the map in the lower-right corner of the screen. Move the mouse over the layout of the casino to see which games are played in different areas. Click the mouse on an area of the schematic layout to move to that area.

To switch from one game to another: Click the Go To menu, click on the name of the game you want to switch to. If you’re in the middle of a hand or turn, you are asked if you are sure you want to exit the current game.

See Also Signing In Customizing Hoyle Casino Setting Game Rules and Options Placing a Bet In the table games (Baccarat, Blackjack, Caribbean Stud, Craps, Let It Ride, Pai Gow Poker, Roulette, and Three Card Poker), you place a bet by first setting the amount you want to bet and then placing the bet in front of you or on the table. In Slots, Video Blackjack, and Video Poker, you click the coin or bill slot on the machine and then specify how many credits you want to put into the machine. In Keno and Horse Racing, you fill out a Keno or race ticket. For detailed information on betting in Hoyle Casino, click the game you’re interested in.

Baccarat Pai Gow Poker Blackjack Poker Caribbean Stud Roulette Craps Slots Horse Racing Three Card Poker Keno Video Blackjack Let It Ride Video Poker Customizing Hoyle Casino In Hoyle Casino, you can change certain environment settings like speed of play, background music, animations, and character speech. All of these settings are changed using options on the Options menu. These settings can be changed from anywhere in Hoyle Casino and affect all the games.

To change the game environment: Click Environment on the Options menu and change settings as described below.

Setting Description Character Speech Sets whether computer players talk while you play. Players only talk when you have the Hoyle Casino CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive. Animations Sets whether computer players and game elements animate. Most animations only play when you have the Hoyle Casino CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive. Background Audio Sets whether you hear background sounds like casino noise while you play the games. Sound Effects Sets whether you hear sound effects during games, such as dealing cards. Show Intro Movie Plays the introductory movie whenever you start Hoyle Casino with the Hoyle CD in your computer. Attitude Sets how talkative and animated computer players are during the game. Move the Character Attitude slider to the left towards Serious for less attitude or to the right towards Talkative for more attitude. Note: The attitude is set for all computer players in the game. You cannot set each player’s attitude individually. Speed Sets the overall speed of all the games. You might want to slow down the games if they don’t perform well on your computer. Move the Game Speed slider to the left (Slow) or right (Fast) to adjust the speed. Show Bet Amounts Shows bet amounts for table games when you roll over players’ chips (or bets on the table). Play Alone Prevents Hoyle computer characters from playing games with you. This must be selected before entering a game to take effect.

See Also Playing Games in Full Screen Mode Setting Game Rules and Options Hoyle Computer Players Playing Games in Full Screen Mode You can make Hoyle Casino fill your entire computer screen so that the games are easier to see.

To play in full screen mode: Click Full Screen on the Options menu. The program resizes to fill the screen.

To return to a windowed mode: Click Window on the Options menu. The program fits in a window again.

Notes: Maximizing the game window will not make the screen bigger; you must go to full screen mode. This may not work on all computers. Windows users: If you open the online help while in full screen mode, the full screen mode is turned off. You can press ALT+ENTER (Apple key+ENTER on the Macintosh) to quickly switch between viewing the program in full screen or in a window.

See Also Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings When you sign in to Hoyle Casino, you are the "host." Up to three other people can play games with you on your computer; this is called "head-to-head" play. All the games except for Horse Racing, Keno, Slots, Video Poker, and Video Blackjack allow head-to-head-play. In addition, in most of the games, Hoyle computer players can play along with you. To learn more about the computer players, click here: When you start a game, all of the actively signed-in people are seated in the game, if possible, along with one or more computer players to fill any empty seats. You can add or remove players only before you enter a game. However, you can substitute one computer player for another at any time, and you can change your player picture at any time.

To change player settings: 1 Within a game, click Players on the Options menu. 2 Change player settings as described below. Some settings can only be changed before a game starts. To replace a player, click the Replace button next to that player. To replace a player with someone who will play with you on your computer, select Real Person; otherwise, select a computer player. You can’t change the host of a game within a game; to change the host, you must go to the Main Screen and use the Sign In command on the File menu. Tip: You can quickly replace players within a game by clicking on the player’s picture in the game, and then selecting a new player on the pop-up menu that appears. To remove a player, click the Clear button next to that player. In games that require a certain number of players, you won’t be able to clear players if you won’t have enough players to play. To add another player to a game, click the Add button in an empty position in the Players dialog box. To add someone who will play with you on your computer, select Real Person; otherwise, select a computer player. To see a description of a computer player, click the Bio button next to that player. To change the face of a human player, click the Face button next to that player. Other settings for players in a game, such as player color, are shown underneath each player.

Note: If you prefer playing without computer players, check the Play Alone box in the Environment dialog. This must be checked before entering a game for it to take effect. Click here for more information: When you start a game that includes computer players, random players are chosen for you. If you want to play with a certain player, you can set that players to be "preferred" so he or she plays with you in every game. To do this, check the Preferred Player box under that player. You can set a few players as preferred, or set all players as preferred but one or two (if there are players you don’t ever want to play games with). The current game always uses the environment and game settings for the host player (the player who signed in when Hoyle Casino started). To change the host player, click Main Screen on the Go To menu, and then click Sign In on the File menu to sign in a new player.

See Also Customizing Hoyle Casino Hoyle Computer Players Hoyle Computer Players Hoyle Casino offers an array of computer players for you to interact with as you play. To learn how to change the computer players playing in a particular game, click here:

Anne is a competitive skeet shooter from Texas; she’s in town for the Sportsman’ s Convention. She’s divorced, owns a ranch, and doesn’t take any guff. Anne is determined to beat the odds at the casino, but she’ll have a good time no matter what.

Anne

Eddie is a tough Vegas cab driver who knows everything there is to know about Sin City. He's sick of hearing about all of his customers' winnings, so he's trying to cash in himself. Eddie is sometimes rude, and often crude, but you can count on him to always call ‘em like he sees ‘em. Eddie

Jessica is a popular lounge singer in the casino. She’s lived in town for several years, and likes to gamble a little in between sets or after a show. It gives her a chance to meet new people, and she’s hoping to eventually hit the jackpot.

Jessica

Joe was an up-and-coming football player when an injury sidelined his career. He moved west to get a fresh start, and now he works as bartender at one of the casinos. He’s heard it all – in a town of big winners and big losers, everybody has a story. Joe will always lend a sympathetic ear if you have a streak of bad luck. Joe

Kelly just got married in a small Vegas chapel, but quickly lost her new husband in the crowded casino. She figures that if she stays in one place long enough, he is bound to come by. While she’s here, she’s trying to make enough money to take her honeymoon in Hawaii. Kelly

Marcus is a successful sports agent. He's got all the right clients and knows all the right people. In the casino, Marcus plans to show you the money, and then take it away from you.

Marcus Michele is a film student from NYU, in town for her first visit. She would love to shoot a student film at the casino, but security won’t let her use a camera. Michele is gambling for research purposes only, since a casino is the perfect place to observe human drama unfolding.

Michele

Nigel's band 'The Wombats' had a brief brush with fame in the late seventies, but worldwide fame has eluded them. The band’s decline sent Nigel to rehab, but now he’s clean and sober. When he's not performing in local nightclubs, Nigel is in the casino, trying to earn money to record his comeback album. Nigel

Tommy has been coming to this casino since the 60’s; he knows the games, he knows the odds, and he’s here to play. Stay close to Tommy and you’ll find out why "the good old days" were so good. Years of gambling have taught him when to go for the big win, and when to go home.

Tommy

Yvonne is an award-winning actress who once starred in classic films like "Yellow Is The Sun" and "Misery’s Child." She's bitter that all of the good roles are going to flavor-of-the month actresses, while she ends up playing their mothers. She spends time in the casino hoping to get free publicity. Yvonne

See Also Changing Player Settings Customizing Hoyle Casino Fun Features Setting Game Rules and Options You can set game rules and options for many games, such as the house rules for the game and whether the dealer speaks. Some games, like Poker and Slot machines, do not have any settings. Once the game has begun, some changes to settings may not take effect until the next hand, spin, or roll.

To set game rules and options: 1 While in the game, click the Settings menu item on the Options menu. (In Blackjack, for example, you would click Blackjack Settings on the Options menu.) 2 Make the changes you want. 3 Click OK to change the settings.

Notes: Tournaments have fixed game settings that cannot be changed.

See Also Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings Tournament Play In Hoyle Casino, you can enter tournaments and compete against other players for cash prizes in the games listed below. Winning tournaments is a great way to overcome the house edge and increase your bankroll. Click a game name for specific tournament information for that game. Note: the Poker Tournament feature in Hoyle Casino is different from the other tournaments. The information below is for all non-Poker tournaments. Please refer to the Poker Tournaments section for full details on Hoyle Casino Poker Tournaments. Baccarat Blackjack Caribbean Stud Poker Craps Let It Ride Pai Gow Poker Roulette Three Card Poker All players enter a tournament with the same amount of money. This money—called the tournament bankroll—is taken from each players’ bankroll and is not a separate stake. Tournaments end after a certain number of hands, turns, or spins, depending on the game: 25 hands in Blackjack, for example, 4 turns in Craps, and 10 spins in Roulette. Play ends even earlier if there are no longer at least two players with enough money to bet. When play is over, the player with the highest bankroll wins the tournament prize. The prize is equal to the tournament bankroll. If two or more players tie for the bankroll, the tournament continues until the tie is broken. There are five levels of tournament play (from $1,000 to $500,000). Each level has its own bankroll, its own prize, and its own requirements for the size of wagers. You can play only at the levels you can afford. If your overall Hoyle Casino bankroll stands at $1,350, for example, you cannot participate above the $1,000 level. The following table lists the tournament bankroll, tournament prize, minimum wager, and maximum wager for each of the five tournament levels available in all games except Poker:

Tournament Tournament Minimum Maximum wager bankroll prize wager $1,000 $1,000 $10 $1,000 $5,000 $5,000 $25 $5,000 $25,000 $25,000 $250 $25,000 $100,000 $100,000 $1,000 $100,000 $500,000 $500,000 $5,000 $500,000

To enter a tournament: 1 On the Go To menu, point to the name of the game in which you want to play a tournament. 2 Click Tournament. 3 Click the level at which you want to play and click OK. If you cannot choose one or more of the levels of play, choose a lower level. A level becomes unavailable to you when you lack sufficient bankroll to play at that level.

See Also Starting a Game Shortcut Keys The following shortcut keys are available to you during game play: In most games you can use the T key to activate the Hint item in the Help menu:

Help Shortcut Hint T The following shortcut keys access the items in the Actions menu in the various games: Loans Actions Shortcut Loan L Baccarat Actions Shortcut Show Scorecard S Blackjack Actions Shortcut Hit H Stand S Double Down D Split P Surrender R Continue Enter Caribbean Stud Poker Actions Shortcut Call C Fold F Craps Actions Shortcut Roll R Continue Enter Horse Racing There are no hot keys for Horse Racing. Keno Pressing the Enter key closes the current Keno card. Let It Ride Actions Shortcut Let Bet Ride C Take Bet Back F Pai Gow Poker Actions Shortcut Continue Enter Poker Actions Shortcut Check C Open O Call C Raise R Fold F Roulette Actions Shortcut Place Last Bets P Continue Enter Slots Actions Shortcut Bet One B Bet Max M Play Max P Spin S Cash Out C Three Card Poker Actions Shortcut Play C Fold F Video Blackjack Actions Shortcut Bet One B Bet Max M Cash Out C Video Poker Actions Shortcut Hold 1 1 Hold 2 2 Hold 3 3 Hold 4 4 Hold 5 5 Hold All A Discard All R Bet One B Bet Max M Deal D Cash Out C Speed Deal (Multi-Hand Only) S (or click anywhere on the screen) Viewing Bet Results and Statistics As you win or lose money, Hoyle Casino keeps track of how you are doing. There are two ways you can review your results. Reviewing Bets on the Table

In table games (Baccarat, Blackjack, Caribbean Stud, Craps, Let It Ride, Pai Gow Poker, Roulette, Three Card Poker), you can examine bets that you or other players place on the table by moving the mouse over the chips. (This option is only available if you have turned it on in the Environment dialog; see Customizing Hoyle Casino.) You are not able to view bets until all players have finished betting. Roulette and Craps offer a special function for viewing the bets of a single player on a crowded table. If you click on a player’s image with the right mouse button (Control+Click for Macintosh users), only bets belonging to that player will be shown on the table while you hold the button down on the player. Reviewing Bets in the Current Game Session

In all games where your player image shows above a nameplate, you can see how you are doing during the current session by clicking on your picture with the left mouse button and holding down the mouse. When you do this, a small window pops up summarizing your current bankroll, how much you wagered in your most recent bet, how much you won or lost in the most recent play, and how much you’ve won or lost overall in the current session. You can click on any player’s picture to see these results. Using the Continue Button

Baccarat, Blackjack, Caribbean Stud Poker, Craps, Pai Gow Poker, Roulette, and Three Card Poker offer another way to view bet results. In the game settings for each of these games, you can enable the Continue button. This means that after each hand, spin, or roll, the game will pause and let you examine the results on the table. By pointing to the various bets on the table, you can see which bets won or lost. The bets are not cleared until you click the Continue button. (When you do not have the Continue button enabled in these games, there is a short pause after each hand, spin, or roll, and then the table clears automatically.) Reviewing Long-Term Statistics

To view statistics: 1 Click Statistics on the File menu. 2 Click the name of the player you want statistics for. 3 Select the name of the game you want statistics for.

Notes: To clear statistics for the current player and game, click the Clear button. Statistics are permanently cleared for that game for that player.

See Also Changing Player Settings Setting Game Rules and Options Tournament Play Bankrolls, Credit Cards and Loans Each player has a bankroll, which starts at a certain amount and changes as you win or lose money in the casino. Each player also has a credit card. There are various levels of credit cards available. You start with a green credit card and can advance to higher credit cards by winning money in the casino. Besides being a status symbol, your credit level determines the amount of money you can take as a loan from the casino should your luck turn sour and it become necessary for you to borrow money to continue playing. If you run out of money during a game, you are presented with three choices: (1) You can reset your player to the initial $5,000, reverting back to the initial green credit card, and losing any statistical information for your player. (2) You can take a loan, the amount of which is based on the credit level you have reached. In this case, you keep your credit card and your statistics, but you have to pay the loan back before being allowed to advance to the next credit level. (3) You can just sit out and watch, and deal with your money problems later. Reaching One Billion Dollars

If your bankroll reaches $1 billion, you will have made more money than Hoyle Casino can count. If you pull this off, you will be named the "Biggest Kahuna" in the Hall of Fame, and your bankroll will be rolled back to $1 million. Repaying a Loan

Once you have taken a loan, you will need to repay it at some point. To do this, go to the loans desk at the back of the main floor of the casino, or click Loans on the File menu. The Fine Print

There are some situations in which you will not be offered a loan. You can’t get a loan if you already have a loan outstanding, if you are playing in a tournament, or if the casino decides you already have enough money and don’t need to borrow more.

See Also View ing Bet Results and Statistics Tutorial Mode Hoyle Casino features a comprehensive, easy-to-use tutorial mode for most of the games. The tutorial mode, along with the associated practice mode, gives you hints, strategic advice, and other information so that you can learn to play the games like a pro. When you play a game in tutorial mode, a small bar labeled "Tutorial" appears in the upper left corner of the screen. When you roll the mouse over this bar, it pops down into a full window, offering a menu of information topics. Turning Tutorial Mode On and Off

You can turn tutorial mode on and off within a game by checking or unchecking Tutorial Mode on the Help menu. To turn off tutorial mode in a game, click the box on the right side of the tutorial bar. To quickly turn tutorials on or off for multiple games, go to the main screen and click Setup Wizard on the Help menu; click Next to get to the tutorials page. Tutorial Topics and When They Are Available

When you point the mouse over the Tutorial bar in the upper left corner of the screen, the Tutorial window generally pops down to offer you information. However, when other players are betting or playing, this information is not available. For instance, if you are playing Poker with seven characters, you may need to wait for each of them to bet before you can view tutorial information about your own bet. The Tutorial window offers several categories of information. To view a particular category, simply drag the mouse over the category title. The first category in the list varies depending on what you are doing. For instance, in Blackjack, if it is your turn to bet, the first category will be titled "Betting," and when you roll over it a window will pop up giving you information on how to bet. On the other hand, if it is your turn to decide whether to hit or stand, the first category will be titled " Play," and when you roll over it a window will pop up explaining your options for play. The second category in the list is always titled "Strategy," and if offers strategic advice for your current bet or play. Use this strategic advice to learn to play like a pro. In the lower half of the Tutorial window are several other topics which offer basic information on performing functions such as making bets and changing players. The Hint Button

At the top of the Tutorial window is the Hint button. (Note: the Hint button is not available in certain situations where Hoyle Casino does not have a specific recommendation.) Click the Hint button to see the play recommended by Hoyle Casino. Clicking the Hint button is the same as clicking Hint on the Help menu. A Note on Poker Hints

Getting a hint in Poker is slightly different than getting a hint in the other Hoyle Casino games. In most games involving a player choice, the statistically correct move is a mathematical certainty, and the hint advice is given accordingly. In Poker, players square off against each other, and decisions are based not only on the odds, but also on the actions of other players. Are they bluffing? Should you bluff? How many players are left? How often does the hand you have win that particular game? These are the questions that make poker a fascinating game, and are also what make suggesting the "correct" play a little less certain. Poker hints in Hoyle Casino represent the advice of the Hoyle character of your choice, based on what that character would do in your shoes. Each Hoyle character plays Poker skillfully; if you are a student of Poker looking for some advice, any of them will steer you in the right direction. Most of the time, their advice will be the same. However, because they differ in their level of aggressiveness, their tendency to bluff, call, raise, and fold, their advice may differ in tough-call situations, where there is no obviously correct play. So pick your favorite character, and take their advice with a grain of salt. There are no absolutes in Poker! Or, to put it another way: every hand's a winner, and every hand's a loser... Practice Mode

In some games, the Tutorial window includes a Practice Mode check box. When this box is checked, Hoyle Casino watches your plays and, when you make a play that is not advisable, automatically pops up the relevant strategic information, and also shows you the hint for the best play. Use this mode to test your knowledge of optimal game strategies. As long as you make the correct decisions, there will be no intervention. But if you take an action that does not align with Hoyle Casino’s recommendation, Hoyle Casino will let you know. See Also Setting Game Rules and Options Quitting a Game You can quit a particular game or exit Hoyle Casino altogether.

To quit a game: Click Main Screen on the Go To menu. You will return to the casino where you can choose a different game to play. Or click a game name on the Go To menu to go directly to that game.

To exit the program: Click Exit on the File menu. Fun Features Hoyle Casino has some additional features to further enhance your playing experience: the Hall of Fame, and a Talking Face Creator. The Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame shines the spotlight on players who have set various records in Hoyle Casino, and can be viewed by clicking File on the menu bar, and selecting Hall of Fame. The Hoyle Computer Players can compete along with you in all categories but "Biggest Kahuna." There are ten categories:

Biggest Kahuna This record is strictly bottom line: who’s got the most dough? If you have the highest current bankroll of any player, you will be immortalized in the top spot of the Hall of Fame…for as long as you can stay on top, that is. Note: If you increase your bankroll to $1 billion or more, you will become the Biggest Kahuna until someone else reaches $1 billion, and your bankroll will be reset to $1 million.

Best Single Session You ever have one of those days where the winning seems easy? You know, those rare occasions where the casino is paying you off so often you feel like a politician. It never lasts, unfortunately, but if you win more money in one session than anyone has before, your name will show up here. A "session" starts when you choose a game, and ends when you exit that game. Tournaments do not count as sessions.

Biggest Comeback Vegas is full of comeback stories…you played for a while, lost your shirt, and then slowly won it all back again. This record is for the best comeback story in Hoyle Casino. It shows the most money lost and then recouped during a single gambling session. A "session" starts when you choose a game, and ends when you exit the game. Tournaments do not count as sessions.

Longest Win Streak There’s nothing like a win streak to put a smile on your face. The fates smile upon you for that brief stretch where you simply cannot lose. The holder of this record made the most consecutive wagers in which they at least doubled their money (before house commission). "Push" wagers do not count towards the streak, nor do they end it. They are treated like they never happened.

Best Tournament Tournaments pit player against player in a race to build the highest bankroll in a limited number of wagers. If you can finish a non-poker tournament with a higher bankroll than anyone has before, you will see your name and face on the pretty plaque.

Best Poker Tournament Poker tournaments have a different structure from the other tournaments, so they get their own category. Winning a poker tournament outright is a tough task to begin with, but if you can do it with the biggest pile in front of you, a spot in the Hall of Fame awaits.

Hottest Shooter Nothing gets folks more excited in Vegas than a hot shooter setting the craps table on fire! After all, when the shooter is hot, everyone else cashes in as well. Whoever can toss those big red dice the most times in a row without crapping out is officially Hoyle Casino’s Hottest Shooter!

Largest Poker Pot If you know when to hold ‘em, and know when to fold ‘em, eventually you are going to have the nuts when a couple of your opponents think they’re the ones with the top hand at the table. When that happens, raise like heck, win a monster pot, and claim your place in the Hall of Fame.

Largest Slot Jackpot The one-armed bandits are fickle beasts, but every once in a while, they come through in a big way. How big? As big as was paid out to this record holder, that’s how big. Play the bandits long enough, and eventually that will be your picture if it isn’t already. Of course, you may have lost a small fortune by then, but come on, we’re talking about getting your name on a plaque, here.

Most Keno Hits As if you needed more incentive to play the wacky lottery game that is Keno, now you have a Hall of Fame record to shoot for. The nice thing is, you can fill out a low-cost card, keep playing it automatically in the background, and eventually you are sure to grab this spot in the Hall of Fame. Of course, then your friends and family will know you play Keno… Talking Face Creator

If you've played Hoyle games before, you know that the Hoyle Characters are a bit chatty. Now, you finally get to talk back! Each character plaque, including yours, has a happy and sad face button on it. If you click on a Hoyle character's happy face icon, you will say something congratulatory to them. If you click on their sad face icon, you will say something consoling to them. You can use these any time, but they will respond more often if the situation is appropriate for congratulating or consoling them. As for yourself, if you are feeling good or feeling bad, you can say so by clicking the appropriate icon on your plaque. The Hoyle characters may have something to say about the way you feel.

See Also Using Face Creator

Click a letter to display glossary topics.

A all-in anchor ante arm B Back Line bankroll behind the line bet unit bet betting interval Big 6 and Big 8 blackjack blank blind open (small blind) blind raise (big blind) blind bluff board boxcars break bust card bust button C call check chip cold dice Columns bet Combination bet Come bet Come box Come Out roll Corner bet counting cards Craps layout Craps out Craps D dealer button dealer Don't Come bet Don't Come box Don't Pass bet Don't Pass Line (Bar) Don't Place Numbers double down Double Street (six number) bet down-card Dozens bet draw E early surrender Easyway even money F - G face cards Field bet fifth street first base flat bet flop flush fold four of a kind fourth street free odds full house H hard hand Hardway high card (Blackjack) high card (Roulette) high card-rich hit hole card house odds I - K Inside bet insurance L late surrender Lay bet layout (Craps) layout (Roulette) limit Line bet low card low card-rich M miss, miss out N natural numbers O odds bet off one pair one roll bet one-armed bandit open Outside bet P Pass Line bet Pass passing pat card payoff Place Numbers bet point count point pot proposition bets push Q Quad bet Quint bet R raise rank count rank reel resplit right bettor, right betting river roll Roulette layout running count S seven out shoe shooter showdown shuffle slot snake eyes soft hand Split bet split standard bet amount stand stiff card stiff stop stop-loss stop-win Straight bet straight flush straight Street bet Street surrender symbol system T table stakes Ten card third base three of a kind true card count true odds Turn Twenty-one two pair U - V unit up-card W - Z wheel working wrong bettor, wrong betting Baccarat terms Blackjack terms counting cards In Blackjack, keeping track of groups of cards to determine whether the cards remaining in the deck are favorable or unfavorable to a player’s hand. (Also see point count.) double down In Blackjack, doubling a bet on the first two cards. The player then receives only one more card and must stand. down-card In Blackjack, the card in the first two cards of the dealer hand that is dealt face down. (Also referred to as the hole card.) draw The player's decision to request an additional card. (Also referred to as a hit in Blackjack.) early surrender In Blackjack, the player's decision to discard the first two cards of a hand and surrender half the bet, before the dealer checks for Blackjack. The early surrender situation occurs only when the dealer's up-card is an Ace or a Ten-value card. (Also see late surrender.) Note You can only use late surrender in Hoyle Casino Blackjack. first base In Blackjack, the player that sits to the dealer's immediate left and is the first player to start play in a round. hard hand In Blackjack, any hand without an Ace, or with an Ace that is counted as 1. high card-rich In Blackjack, the condition where the cards remaining in a deck contain more High Cards (10, J, Q, K, A) than cards of lower values. A High Card-rich deck is more favorable to the player and less favorable to the dealer. hit (draw) In Blackjack, the player's decision to take another card. A player indicates wanting a hit by pointing at the cards. insurance In Blackjack, a bet allowed to players when the dealer's hand shows an Ace. The player can bet half of the original bet that the hole card has a rank of 10 and the dealer is holding Blackjack. If the dealer has Blackjack, the insurance bet pays off at 2 to 1. late surrender In Blackjack, the player's decision to discard the first two cards of a hand and surrender half the bet, after the dealer's hand is revealed not to have a Blackjack. Note This is the only type of surrender allowed in Hoyle Blackjack. low card-rich In Blackjack, the condition where the cards remaining in a deck contain more low cards (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) than cards of higher values. A low card-rich deck is more favorable to the dealer and less favorable to the player. pat card In Blackjack, a dealer up-card of 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace. When showing a pat card, the dealer is more likely to draw a winning hand. point count In Blackjack, a running tally of card points used for evaluating odds. The points are assigned to each card based on the value of the card. In Hoyle Blackjack, points are assigned as follows: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 = +1 7, 8, 9 = 0 10, J, Q, K, A = -1 rank count In Blackjack, the total number of cards of a certain rank that have been played and counted. resplit In Blackjack, for a hand where a pair of cards have been split: if the next card dealt has the same value and the casino rules allow more than one split per hand, the hand can be split again. running card count In Blackjack, the card point count updated as each card is played or dealt by the dealer. This count reflects the balance of High Cards (10, J Q, K, A) to low cards (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) as they are dealt. (Also see true card count.) soft hand In Blackjack, a hand with an Ace counted as 11, that does not break 21. split (splitting pairs, splitting a hand) In Blackjack, playing two cards of the same value, usually a pair, as two separate hands. The initial bet amount is applied to each hand. stand (stick) In Blackjack, the player's decision not to draw any additional cards to a hand. A player indicates wanting to stand by waving a hand over the cards. stiff In Blackjack, a hand between 12 and 16, where drawing another card can result in the hand going over 21 (bust). stiff card In Blackjack, a dealer up-card of Two, Three, Four, Five, or Six. When showing a stiff card, the dealer is more likely to draw a bust. surrender In Blackjack, the player's decision to discard the first two cards of a hand and surrender half the bet. early surrender The player's decision to discard the first two cards of a hand and surrender half the bet, before the dealer checks for Blackjack. The early surrender situation occurs only when the dealer's up-card is an Ace or a Ten-value card. late surrender The player's decision to discard the first two cards of a hand and surrender half the bet, after the dealer's hand is revealed not to have a Blackjack. Note You can only use late surrender in Hoyle Blackjack. Ten card In Blackjack, a card with a value of 10 (10, Jack, Queen, or King). Ten cards are assigned a point value of -1 in many card counting systems. third base In Blackjack, the player that sits to the dealer's immediate right and is the last player to finish with play before the dealer. (Also referred to as anchor.) true card count In Blackjack, the running count divided by the number of half decks remaining to be dealt. The true count provides a more accurate indication of how favorable or unfavorable the deck is for the player than the running count. Twenty-one In Blackjack, another common name for the game of Blackjack. Craps terms Craps A roll of 2, 3, or 12. layout (Craps) See Craps layout. limit (bet limit) In Craps, the maximum bet than can be placed on the layout, or on a particular bet. Line bet In Craps, another name for a Pass Line or Don't Pass bet. miss, miss out In Craps, a roll where the shooter sevens out. numbers See place numbers. odds bet See free odds. off In Craps, a call by player that a bet will not be working on the next roll of the dice. Also signifies that certain bets are not working this roll, (such as place numbers on a Come Out roll). one roll bets In Craps, bets where the outcome is determined by the next dice throw. Pass In Craps, a winning decision for the dice (or shooter). passing In Craps, a term that the dealer uses to indicate that the dice are winning for the Pass line bettors. Pass Line bet In Craps, a wager with the shooter that the dice will win or pass. payoff In Craps, the collection of a winning bet. Place Numbers, place bets In Craps, a bet on the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 in the Place Numbers area of the layout (the rectangles just below the Place Numbers boxes). Don't Place Numbers, place bets In Craps, a bet against the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 in the Don't Place Numbers area of the layout (the rectangles just above the Place Numbers boxes). point In Craps, the number 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 when rolled on a Come Out roll. proposition bets In Craps, bets made in the center layout. These bets include: Any Seven Any Craps 2 or 12 3 or 11 Hard 4 and 10 Hard 6 and 8 right bettor (right betting) In Craps, a player who bets with the shooter that the dice will pass or win. roll In Craps, a single throw of the dice. The roll can also refer to the entire series of throws up to when the shooter sevens out (also referred to as the shoot). seven out, sevening out In Craps, rolling a 7 after a point has been established. Sevening out ends the roll. shooter In Craps, the player who rolls or throws the dice. The shooter's throws determine all payoffs and losses at the table. snake eyes In Craps, slang for rolling a 2 (double ones). true odds (vs. house odds) In Craps, some bets pay off at house odds rather than true odds. For example, a bet on Any Seven has true odds of 5-1, but the house pays 4 to 1. The house does this to increase its advantage over the player. working In Craps, a term used by the dealer to indicate that bets are on. wrong bettor (wrong betting) In Craps, a player who bets that the shooter (or the dice) will not pass or win. Poker terms ante In Poker, a mandatory bet that is made before cards are dealt in a game. All players must make this bet to play the hand. Seven Card Stud is the only Poker game in Hoyle Casino that requires an ante (40 percent of the lower bet amount). betting interval (betting round) The period in a Poker game in which the player bets to stay in the hand (or folds). Betting intervals take place before the player can receive additional cards. The number of intervals in a hand and the rules that govern the bets for the interval, vary with the type of game. blank In Poker, a card that does not add anything to the hand. blind In Poker, a mandatory bet that begins the first betting interval of each hand in a Poker game. In Hold'em games, two blinds are required, the small blind (blind open) and the big blind (blind raise). In Seven Card Stud, only the blind open is required. Small blind (or blind open). A mandatory bet posted by the player immediately left of the dealer button. This bet is half of the first betting amount (the lower bet amount for the table). Big blind (or blind raise). A mandatory bet posted by the player two places to the left of the dealer button. This bet raises the pot to the level of the first betting amount. This blind is usually the same amount as the small blind, except for cases where the small blind is smaller because the player is all-in. blind open (small blind) In Poker, a mandatory bet posted by the player immediately left of the dealer button. This bet is half of the first betting amount (the lower bet amount for the table). blind raise (big blind) In Poker, a mandatory bet posted by the player two places to the left of the dealer button. This bet raises the pot to the level of the first betting amount. This blind is usually the same amount as the small blind, except for cases where the small blind is smaller because the player is all-in. bluff In Poker, an attempt to make other players in the hand think that you have a stronger hand than what you are actually holding. Players often bluff by betting the upper bet amounts for the table, and an attempt to influence other players into folding. The less players left in a hand, the better your chances for drawing the cards you need to strengthen your hand. board In Poker, the cards that are shared by all players in a Hold'em game. The cards are always turned face up. button See dealer button. call In Poker, to match the current highest bet in the pot. This is referred to as "staying in" the hand. check In Poker, to stay in the hand without having to call or raise. (This could be considered making a bet of "nothing".) You are permitted to check if no player before you has opened with a bet. Each player after you can also check until one of the players makes an actual bet. dealer button In Poker, a round plastic disc (green in Hoyle Casino Poker games) that is moved clockwise around the Poker table to indicate the current dealer position in dealing the cards. A player's position relative to the dealer button effects how he or she might want to bet in a hand. When the dealer button moves to you, or just to the left of you (your player at the table), you have a greater advantage during betting intervals because you are the last to bet. fifth street In Hold'em games, the fifth (last) card dealt to the board. Also called the end or the river. fixed-limit A poker betting structure in which the amount of each bet or raise is a set value. Players only choose whether or not to bet, not how much to bet. flop In Hold'em Poker games, the first set of three cards dealt to the board, which is shared by all players. The flop cards are turned face up at the same time. flush In Poker, a hand of any five cards all of the same suit. A flush with the highest-ranking cards beats another flush hand. If the highest cards from each players hand tie, the next highest-ranking cards determine the winner, and so on. A flush beats a straight or any lower hand. fold In Poker, to turn in your hand and lose any chips you have added to the pot for that hand. four of a kind In Poker, any four cards of the same rank. If two players have four of a kind, the hand with the four higher cards wins. Four of a kind beats a full house or any lower hand. fourth street Term in Hold'em games for the fourth card dealt to the board. Also called the turn. full house In Poker, three of a kind and a pair. The full house with three of a kind with highest-ranking cards wins against another full house with a lower-ranking three of a kind hand. Full house beats a flush or any lower hand. high card In Poker, a hand with no matched cards. With two competing high card hands, the hand with the highest-ranking card wins. If the highest-ranking unmatched cards tie, the next highest-ranking unmatched cards are compared, and so on. one pair In Poker, any two cards of the same rank. The hand with the highest-ranking pair wins against another hand of a pair. If both hands have the same Pair, the highest-ranking unmatched card in the hand determines the winner. If the highest-ranking unmatched cards tie, the next highest-ranking unmatched cards are compared, and so on. One pair beats any hand with no pair (high card). open In Poker, places the first bet in a betting interval. pot In Poker, the pile of chips in the center of the table where all players place their bets. raise In Poker, to match the current highest bet in the pot, then add more money to the pot to become the highest bet in the pot. Each player must at least match (call) this bet to stay in. river In Hold'em games, the fifth (last) card dealt to the board. Also called the end or fifth street. showdown In Hold'em games, the time in the play when betting is complete and all players show their hands and contest the pot. straight In Poker, a hand of any five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit. The straight with the highest-ranking cards at the head of the sequence is the winner against another straight hand. The highest possible straight is A-K-Q-J-10. The lowest possible straight is 5-4-3-2-A. A straight beats three of a kind or any lower hand. straight flush In Poker, five cards in sequence in the same suit. If two straight flushes compete, the hand with the highest-ranking cards in the flush sequence wins. A-K-Q-J-10 (royal flush) beats K-Q-J-10-9. 6-5-4-3-2 beats 5-4-3-2-A. The royal flush is the highest standard hand and beats all other hands. street (fourth, fifth) fourth street Term in Hold'em games for the fourth card dealt to the board. Also called the turn. fifth street Term in Hold'em games for the fifth (last) card dealt to the board. Also called the river or the end. table stakes In Poker, a rule where players do not have to meet a bet for an amount which is larger than all the chips or money that player has on the table. three of a kind In Poker, three cards of the same rank, such as three 8s. The highest-ranking three cards wins against another three of a kind hand. Three aces are the highest; three 2s the lowest. Three of a kind beats two pair or any lower hand. turn In Hold'em games, the fourth card dealt to the board. Also called fourth street. two pair In Poker, two cards of the same rank, and two matching cards of any other rank. The hand with the highest-ranking pair wins against another hand of two pair. If the highest-ranking pair ties, the hand with the second highest-ranking pair wins. If all the pairs in both hands tie, the hand with the highest-ranking fifth card wins. Two pair beats any hand with one pair, or no pair (high card). Roulette terms Split bet In Roulette, a bet that pays 17 to 1. These bets are placed on the layout on lines between any two adjacent numbers. Straight bet In Roulette, a bet that is placed inside the designated bet area on the layout. Street bet (Trio) In Roulette, a bet that pays 11 to 1. These bets are placed on the horizontal line across the top of the layout on any of the twelve columns of three numbers. You get all the numbers in that street. wheel In Roulette, the wheel is spun to determine winning numbers. The Roulette wheel is divided into 38 (in America) or 37 (Europe) sections, each of which has walls to hold a small ball where it lands after the wheel is spun. The sections are numbered from 1 to 36, (half red and half black, half odd and half even) plus a green section marked 0. European wheels have only the 0 green section. American wheels have an additional green section marked 00. The addition of the 00 section greatly increases the odds in favor of the house. For this reason, Roulette is not as popular in United States gambling houses as it is in Europe. Slots terms General casino terms low card In Poker: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and Aces when in a low Straight. In Blackjack: A card (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) that is assigned a point value of +1 in the card count. natural In Craps: 7 or 11 rolled on the Come Out roll. In Blackjack: A natural, also known as Blackjack, is a winning hand made of an Ace and a face card or a Ten, dealt on the first two cards. This hand wins the bet immediately (unless the dealer also has Blackjack and it's a push). push In Blackjack or Pai Gow Poker, a tie between the dealer's and player's hand. In this case, no money is gained or lost by either the dealer or the player. rank The value of each card. In Blackjack: Face cards (Jack, Queen, King) have a rank of 10. Aces have a rank of 1 or 11. All other cards have the same rank as their face value. shoe A box that contains multiple decks of cards. shuffle A point in the game when a predetermined spot in the deck or shoe is reached. The dealer stops play and shuffles the deck. stop-loss A betting strategy where a player stops playing at the point where he or she has lost a predetermined amount (such as 20 percent of his or her total bankroll). stop-win A betting strategy where a player stops playing at the point where he or she has won a predetermined amount (such as 20 percent of his or her total bankroll). system (strategy) A strategy or optimized method of playing that uses specific guidelines for deciding how to bet and play during a Casino game. In Blackjack: The strategy a player uses for deciding when to hit, stand, split, double down, buy insurance, or surrender. A card counting system is also considered part of a player’s strategy. unit (bet unit, standard bet amount) A player's minimum bet amount or standard bet size. In Blackjack: One rule you can use for determining how much to bet is to base your bet unit on the card count. Bet more when the deck appears to be favorable, and less when deck is unfavorable. For example, if your standard bet amount is $5 and the true card count is +5, you should consider betting six times your standard bet unit ($5 x 6 = $30). For details, see "Using the count when betting" in Counting cards (strategy) upcard The card(s) in the dealer or player hand(s) that is dealt face up. Blackjack Blackjack Basics About Blackjack Special Blackjack Plays Counting Cards Playing Blackjack in Hoyle Casino How to Play Blackjack Placing a Bet View ing Bet Results and Statistics Blackjack Tournaments Video Blackjack Topics Customizing Blackjack Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings Special Variants 6 Card Charlie Face Up Special 21’s About Blackjack Blackjack is a casino standard, and the most popular table game at casinos around the country. It is a card game played by one or more players against a casino dealer. To win, your hand must be closer to a total of 21 than the dealer’s hand, but without going over 21. You also win if the dealer’s hand goes over 21 and yours does not.

See Also How to Play Blackjack Placing a Bet in Blackjack Special Blackjack Plays Counting Cards Video Blackjack Topics How to Play Blackjack Hoyle Casino allows up to four players at a Blackjack table. Several variations of Blackjack are available. See Setting Game Rules and Options to view and change these options. Each player places a bet in front of them on the table. Each player, including the dealer, receives two cards. The first two cards are dealt to the players face down in single-deck games, and face up in multiple-deck games. In all games, the dealer receives one card face down and one face up. If any player is dealt blackjack, and the dealer is not dealt blackjack, they win immediately (and blackjack pays 3 to 2). If the dealer is dealt blackjack, players who were not dealt blackjack lose immediately, and those who were dealt blackjack push, neither winning nor losing. If the dealer isn’t dealt blackjack, the dealer works with each player in turn as the players play their hands. When it is your turn, note the total points in your hand and the dealer’s upcard. Then, choose to hit, stand, or make one of Blackjack’s special plays by clicking on your choice in the dialog box. If you go over 21, you bust and lose your bet. Otherwise, you are allowed to hit any number of times to add cards to your hand, trying for a total high enough to beat the dealer’s hand, but not so high that you bust. If desired, use the tutorial mode to get advice from Hoyle Casino. You may also have opportunities to split, double down, or surrender. These are the special plays referred to above, and they may or may not be available, depending on circumstance and game settings; see Setting Game Rules and Options. When all players are done playing their hands, the dealer plays their hand according to fixed rules. The dealer must draw cards as long as the total is less than 16, and must stand when the total is 17 or more. The one exception to this rule is the optional setting of Dealer Hits On Soft 17. If this option is used, the dealer can use an ace as 1 (rather than 11) and hit on 17. This option is more favorable for the casino. If the dealer busts, all players who did not bust win. Otherwise, players win if they did not bust and their hand total is higher than the dealer’s. If a player’s hand total is equal to the dealer’s, it is a push, and the player does not win or lose. Blackjack Card Values

Face cards count as 10. Aces count as either 1 or 11. All other cards count as their face value. Summary of Blackjack Shortcuts

Hit Deals another card to your hand. You can request a hit by pressing the letter H on the keyboard. Alternatively, click with the left mouse button in the middle of the table and hold down the button while dragging the mouse vertically towards yourself. Stand Indicates that you do not want any more cards and ends your turn. You can stand by pressing the letter S on the keyboard. Alternatively, click with the left mouse button in the middle of the table and hold down the button while dragging the mouse horizontally (left to right). Double Doubles the bet for your hand. One more card is dealt, then you must stand. You can double down by pressing the letter D on the keyboard. Alternatively, click with the right mouse button in the middle of the table and hold down the button while dragging the mouse vertically towards yourself. Split Splits the pair of cards in your hand. The original bet amount is then applied to each hand. You can then continue to draw cards to each hand independently. You can split by pressing the letter P on the keyboard. Alternatively, click with the right mouse button in the middle of the table and hold down the button while dragging the mouse horizontally (left to right). Surrender When you think your hand will surely lose, surrendering cuts your losses by folding your hand and forfeiting only half of your bet. You cannot surrender after you have hit. You can surrender by pressing the letter R on the keyboard. See Also About Blackjack Placing a Bet in Blackjack Special Blackjack Plays Counting Cards Suggested Play Charts Hard Hand

Soft Hand

Splitting

See Also About Blackjack Placing a Bet in Blackjack Special Blackjack Plays Counting Cards

Placing a Bet in Blackjack At the beginning of each hand, you must place a bet. The bet you make must meet the minimum bet requirement, but not exceed the maximum bet limit. Chips appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. To view all values of chips available, click the left and right arrow symbols.

To place a bet 1 Click your cursor on the chips you want to bet. To add money to the bet, click the left mouse button on the chip or chips you want to add. To subtract money from the bet, click the right mouse button on the chip or chips you want to subtract. To clear the bet, click on the eraser. 2 When you are satisfied with the amount of your bet, click the bet circle in front of your seat to place your bet. Play begins immediately after you place your bet.

See Also About Blackjack How to Play Blackjack Special Blackjack Plays Doubling Down

After receiving your first two cards, if you think you can beat the dealer with only one more card, you can choose to double down, which means doubling your original bet, drawing one more card, then standing. The types of hands you can double down on vary depending on your game settings; see Setting Game Rules and Options. 11 only. 10 and 11. 9, 10, and 11. Hard hands only. Anything. You can also double down after splitting pairs (if the current rules allow it) for all cards except aces. The strategy for doubling down varies depending on whether you hold a hard or a soft hand. To learn strategies for doubling down, play Blackjack with tutorial mode enabled. Splitting Pairs

If the first two cards dealt to you have the same value, you can split them and play each as a separate hand. Each new hand uses the same bet amount as your original bet. You can split face cards, or a face card and a 10, just as you would any like-pair. The rules for splitting vary depending on your game settings; see Setting Game Rules and Options. How Many Times (Never, 1, or 3). Double Down After Splitting (Yes or No). Resplit aces (Yes or No). When aces are split, the player receives only one more card per ace. If the resplit option is on, you can split again if you are dealt another ace. To learn strategies for splitting pairs, play Blackjack with tutorial mode enabled. Surrendering

After receiving your first two cards, if you don't think you have any chance of beating the dealer, you can choose to surrender (depending on your game options; see Setting Game Rules and Options). At this point, you turn in your cards and the dealer collects only half of your bet. To learn strategies for surrendering, play Blackjack with tutorial mode enabled. Buying Insurance

When you buy insurance, you bet on the probability of the dealer having blackjack. You can only make this bet when the dealer's upcard is an ace. You bet half of your original bet that the hole card has a rank of 10 and the dealer is holding blackjack. If the dealer has blackjack, this bet pays 2 to 1. If an ace is the upcard in the dealer's first two cards, the dealer must ask each player if he or she wants to buy insurance. After all insurance bets are made, the dealer checks the hole card. If the hole card is a 10 or a face card, the dealer shows the blackjack hand to all players and pays off winning insurance bets. If the hole card does not make blackjack, the dealer collects losing insurance bets and continues play without showing the hole card. Counting Cards Card-counting is used to determine the probability of the deck containing cards that are either favorable or unfavorable. Players that count cards attempt to keep a count of the cards as they are dealt, but they pay more attention to specific ratios of important cards, rather than knowing exactly which cards have been dealt and which are left in the deck. Cards are usually counted in ratio of high cards to low cards. A tally of card points is often used for evaluating odds. The points are assigned to each card based on the value of the card. Many different card-counting systems can be used for Blackjack. Hoyle Casino uses the following point system: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 = +1 7, 8, 9 = 0 (neutral cards) 10, J, Q, K, A = -1 Many different strategies for card-counting exist. If you have a card-counting system of your own, you can practice your card-counting while playing Hoyle Casino and use the game's card count totals to validate your strategy.

Viewing the Card Count Window During Play 1 In Blackjack, click Options menu, and then choose Blackjack Settings. 2 On the Setup tab, check Card Count, then click OK.

Running Count vs. True Count

Hoyle Casino keeps a running and a true count of cards. The running count is the card point count updated as each card is played or dealt by the dealer. This count reflects the balance of 10-value cards (and aces) to low cards (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) as they are dealt. The true count is calculated by dividing the running count by the number of half decks remaining to be dealt. The true count is often a more accurate indicator than the running count because it accounts for the number of decks used in a game. How to Read the Count

A higher count (any count with a plus [+] sign) means more low cards than high cards have been dealt, so the deck is loaded with high cards, which is more favorable to the player. A deck rich in high cards favors the player, because the player has a better chance of drawing blackjack and the dealer has a better chance of busting. A lower count (any count with a minus [-] sign) means that more high cards than low cards have been dealt, so the deck is more favorable to the dealer. The dealer will bust less often with a lower count. A neutral count is neither favorable nor unfavorable. Using the Count When Betting

You can use the true count to determine how much to raise or lower your bet. Use the following table as a guideline for betting based on the true count. Multiply the unit number by the amount of your minimum bet.

If the true count is… Bet this amount Any negative number (minus sign) 1 unit 0 1 unit +1 2 units +2 to +3 3 units +4 4 units +5 6 units +6 6 units +7 8 units +8 10 units +9 and above 12 units (or maximum bet limit)

Counting Aces

Hoyle Casino tracks the ace count of the deck and indicates whether the deck is ace-rich, ace-poor, or neutral. The running count and true count include aces in the high-card count, however, it is also useful to keep track of the number of aces left in the deck. A high card-rich deck that is also ace-poor yields few blackjacks. Because a deck holds four aces, normal distribution is two aces per half deck. If one ace or zero aces are dealt in a half deck (on average), the remaining half deck is ace-rich. If two or more aces are dealt in a half-deck (on average), the deck is ace-poor. When the true count is positive and the deck is ace-rich, you may want to add an extra unit to your bet. Conversely, if the deck is ace-poor, you may want to subtract a unit from the bet. A True Count Example

A true card count is often a more accurate indicator of whether cards are favorable or unfavorable than a running count because it accounts for the number of decks used in a game. The following example describes how the true count can be more accurate. A single deck of cards is used for this example. The low cards to be counted are 3s, 4s, 5s, and 6s. The high cards to be counted are 10s and face cards. The deck starts with sixteen (16) 10-value cards and sixteen low cards. In a game with two players (and the dealer of course), at the end of the first round of play, assume the running count is +2. If we are counting 3s, 4s, 5s, and 6s as a group, this count indicates that there are two more high cards than low cards in the deck. Eight cards were dealt, which means that four low cards and two 10-value cards were played. The deck now holds 14 high cards and 12 low cards. The running count (+2) indicates a favorable count, but the deck still holds a high number of low cards. Now assume 30 cards have been dealt and the running count is still +2. The deck now holds 10 high cards and eight low cards. Though the running count is the same, the deck is actually much more favorable to the player than when only eight cards had been dealt. The true count is determined by dividing the running count by the number of half decks (26 cards) remaining to be dealt. After eight cards have been dealt, almost two half decks remain. The running count divided by 2 equals +1. The running count after eight cards is +2; the true count is +1. The true count is already slightly more accurate in weighing the higher number of low cards remaining in the deck. After thirty cards have been dealt, the running count (+2) is divided by 0.5 (half of a half deck). The running count after thirty cards is +2; the true count is now +4. In this game, where the running count stays at +2, as more cards are dealt from the deck the true count shifts in favor of the player. Blackjack Tournaments In Hoyle Casino, a Blackjack tournament usually lasts 25 hands, unless there is a tie to resolve. It ends sooner if players run out of money to bet against each other. You can play with one deck or two; you decide between the two when you begin a tournament. The following rules are followed in Blackjack tournaments: Insurance bets are allowed. Surrendering is not allowed. The dealer does not hit on soft 17. Pairs can be split up to three times. Players can double down after splitting. Aces can be resplit. Players can double down on anything.

See Also Starting a Game Tournament Play About Blackjack Blackjack - 6 Card Charlie 6 Card Charlie is a special variation of Blackjack where an unbusted player hand with 6 cards automatically wins. The following rules are followed in 6 Card Charlie: Insurance bets are allowed. Surrendering is not allowed. The dealer does not hit on soft 17. Pairs can be split up to two hands. Players may not double down after splitting. Players can double down only if the first two cards have a count of 9, 10, or 11.

Suggested Play Charts Hard Hand

Soft Hand

Splitting See Also Starting a Game About Blackjack Blackjack - Face Up Face Up is a special variation of Blackjack where both of the dealer’s cards are shown. The following rules are followed in Face Up: Insurance bets are not allowed. Surrendering is not allowed. The dealer stands on hard 17’s. Pairs can be split up to four hands. Players may not double down after splitting. Players can double down only if the first two cards have a count of 9, 10, or 11. Blackjack tie pays even money, dealer wins all other ties.

Suggested Play Charts Hard Hand

Soft Hand

Splitting See Also Starting a Game About Blackjack Blackjack - Special 21’s Special 21’s is a special variation of Blackjack. The following rules are followed in Special 21’s: Single-deck All blackjacks pay 3:2 Special 21’s pay 2:1 All other wins pay 1:1 No splitting pairs Double down on any two cards Insurance offered on dealer ace Player wins on six cards totaling 21 or less, except when dealer has blackjack Dealer hits on 16 or less Dealer stands on 17 or more, and on six cards totaling less than 21 Bet returned on all pushes

The following are Special 21’s: Five-Card Charlie: 21 with exactly five cards pays 2:1 777: 21 with three sevens pays 2:1 Straight Flush: 21 with 6-7-8 of the same suit pays 2:1

Suggested Play Charts Hard Hand

Soft Hand

Splitting See Also Starting a Game About Blackjack Blackjack Card Values Face cards count as 10. Aces count as either 1 or 11. All other cards count as their face value. Craps Craps Basics About Craps How to Play Craps Types of Craps Bets When Bets Can Be Placed and Removed Craps Odds and Payouts The Craps Layout Playing Craps in Hoyle Casino Placing a Bet Review ing the Results Craps Tables and Tournaments Customizing Craps Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Craps Craps is the most popular dice game in the Unites States. It’s a fast and exciting game with lots of action. In terms of intricacy of rules, betting options, and payout ratios, it is unparalleled among casino games. Many Craps bets offer very favorable odds to the player, and if you bet wisely, you can keep the house’s advantage to a very small percentage (about 0.6% in the best cases). Among the best bets are Pass and Come, especially when you take advantage of the associated free odds bets.

See Also How to Play Craps Types of Craps Bets When Bets Can Be Placed and Removed Placing a Bet in Craps Craps Odds and Payouts The Craps Layout How to Play Craps Craps is played by making bets against the casino. Players stand around a large, sunken table. The table is covered with a betting layout, where you can place chips to make different types of bets. One person, the shooter (who may or may not be betting), rolls two dice. The result of the roll determines which bets win or lose. For many types of bets, it can take multiple rolls to determine whether the bet wins or loses. The game is played in turns. At the start of a turn a shooter is chosen. The shooter’s goal is to pass. There are two types of rolls, each involving the possibility of passing or not passing: The initial roll (the come out roll): The first roll of the shooter’s turn is called the come out roll. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 (a natural) on this roll, the shooter passes, various bets are paid out, and the turn ends. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll (called "crapping out"), the shooter does not pass, various bets are paid out, and the turn ends. If the shooter does not roll a natural or craps on the come out roll, the total rolled becomes the point number. A disk labeled "ON" is placed on the point number on the table, to remind players what the point number is. It then becomes the shooter’s goal to roll the point number again before rolling dice totaling 7. Subsequent rolls: If the shooter does not roll a natural or craps on the come out roll, he or she continues to roll until either the initial point number is rolled again, or a 7 is rolled. If the shooter rolls the point number, the shooter passes, various bets are paid out, and the turn ends. If the shooter rolls a 7, the shooter has sevened out and does not pass, various bets are paid out, and the turn ends. For any other roll, various bets are paid out, and the shooter continues to roll, trying again for the point number. After the shooter passes or does not pass, a new turn begins, possibly with a different shooter. Traditionally, the same person can continue to be the shooter as long as he or she doesn’t seven out . Otherwise the next person clockwise around the table has the option to shoot.

See Also About Craps Types of Craps Bets When Bets Can Be Placed and Removed Placing a Bet in Craps Craps Odds and Payouts The Craps Layout Types of Craps Bets There is a vast array of bets that you can make in Craps, but they fall into a few general categories. Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets: Betting on the Pass Line simply means betting that the shooter will pass on his or her current turn. On the contrary, betting on the Don’t Pass Bar means betting that the shooter will not pass on his or her current turn (one important exception is that if the shooter rolls a 12 on the come out roll, you do not win with a Don’t Pass bet). Betting the Pass Line makes you a "right" bettor, because you are betting with the shooter. Betting Don’t Pass make you a "wrong" or "contrarian" bettor, because you are betting against the shooter. Free odds: Suppose you place a Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet and a point number is established on the come out roll. You now have the option of "backing up" your Pass Line or Don’t Pass bets with free odds bet. These bets are situated just behind your original bet. The maximum amount of your free odds bets varies depending on your game settings. Come and Don’t Come bets: These bets are very much like Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets. Conceptually, they are like starting a Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet after the shooter has already established a point number on the come out roll. To understand these bets, consider an example. Suppose you place a Pass Line bet and the shooter rolls a 9 on the come out roll. As explained above, your Pass Line bet will win if the shooter can roll another 9 before rolling a 7 on subsequent rolls. But now, after the initial 9 was rolled, supposed you place a Come bet by putting chips in the box marked COME. The Come bet is like starting a Pass Line bet in the middle of the shooter’s turn. Specifically, on the roll after you place the Come bet, if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the Come bet wins; if on this roll the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12, the Come bet loses. If the shooter rolls any other number, let’ s say it’s a 5, the Come bet moves to the corresponding numbered box at the top of the table. In this case, you are now betting that the shooter will roll another 5 before rolling a 7. Now your Pass Line bet (hoping for a 9) and your Come number bet (hoping for a 5) are both active. Don’t Come bets are just the opposite of Come bets, betting that the shooter won’t Come. Here the very top row of boxes is used to hold the Don’t Come numbers. (Again, there is the exception that if the shooter rolls a 12 on the initial roll after placing your Don’t Come bet, you do not win.) Free odds: Free odds can be placed on Come numbers and Don’t Come numbers, just as they can on Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets. Place bets: Here you place a bet on one of the numbers at the top of the table. You are simply betting that that number will be rolled before a 7. Buy bets. Buy bets are variations of Place bets. They are positioned in the upper-third portion of the Place numbers boxes and are indicated with a "B". When you buy a bet, you pay 5% of the bet value to the casino immediately. In return, winning buy bets are paid out at true odds instead of the normal Place bet odds. Lay bets: Here you place a bet on one of the numbers at the top of the table, and are betting that a 7 will come up before that number is rolled. They are positioned in the upper-third portion of the numbers boxes at the top of the layout and are indicated with an "L". When you lay a bet, you pay 5% of the bet value to the casino immediately. One roll bets: There are a number of places on the table where you can bet that the next roll (whether it’s a come out roll or not) will have certain values. These include: The bets in the area marked ONE ROLL BETS. Among these are betting on a 7, on a craps (2, 3, or 12), on a roll of 2, a roll of 3, a roll of 11, or a roll of 12. Placing a Bet on the area marked HORN BET is equivalent to placing one fourth of the bet on each of the adjacent number bets. The bet areas marked C and E are simply another way to bet on a craps or an 11. Placing a Bet in the box marked FIELD is betting that the next roll will be one of the numbers in the box. Big 6 and Big 8: Here you bet that a 6 or 8 will be rolled before a 7 is rolled. Hardways: In the box marked HARDWAYS you can bet that a certain number will be rolled as a double before a 7 is rolled, or before that number is rolled as a non-double. For instance, a Hardway bet on double 3s wins when double 3s are rolled, but loses when a 7 or any other 6 is rolled, such as a 5/1 or 4/2 combination.

See Also About Craps How to Play Craps When Bets Can Be Placed and Removed Placing a Bet in Craps Craps Odds and Payouts The Craps Layout When Craps Bets Can Be Placed and Removed Pass Line Place any time, cannot be removed Pass Line Odds Place behind established Pass Line bet any time except on come out roll, remove any time Don’t Pass Place on come out roll only, remove any time Don’t Pass Odds Place behind established Don’t Pass bet any time except on come out roll, remove any time Come Place any time except come out roll, cannot be removed Come Number Odds Place behind established Come number bet any time except on come out roll, remove any time Don’t Come Place any time except come out roll, cannot be removed Don’t Come Number Odds Place behind established Don’t Come number bet any time except on come out roll, remove any time Place 6 or 8 Place any time except come out roll, remove any time Place 5 or 9 Place any time except come out roll, remove any time Place 4 or 10 Place any time except come out roll, remove any time

Any Craps Place any time Two Place any time Three Place any time Any Seven Place any time Eleven Place any time Twelve Place any time Hard 4 or 10 Place any time, remove any time Hard 6 or 8 Place any time, remove any time Big 6 or Big 8 Place any time, remove any time The Field Place any time

Buy 4 or 10 Place any time except come out roll, remove any time Buy 5 or 9 Place any time except come out roll, remove any time Buy 6 or 8 Place any time except come out roll, remove any time Lay 4 or 10 Place any time except come out roll, remove any time Lay 5 or 9 Place any time except come out roll, remove any time Lay 6 or 8 Place any time except come out roll, remove any time

See Also About Craps How to Play Craps Types of Craps Bets Placing a Bet in Craps Craps Odds and Payouts The Craps Layout Placing a Bet in Craps Chips appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. To view all values of chips available, click the left or right arrow symbols.

Placing a Bet 1 Click your cursor on the chips you want to bet. To add money to the bet, click the left mouse button on the chip or chips you want to add. To subtract money from the bet, click the right mouse button on the chip or chips you want to subtract. To clear the bet, click on the eraser. 2 When you are satisfied with the amount of your bet, click your cursor (left mouse button) at the exact spot on the Craps layout where you want to place the bet. You can place as many bets as you like. To place a Free-odds bet on a Pass or Don’t Pass bet (after the come-out roll), click on the area behind your original Pass Line bet (just outside the layout line), or on top or just to the right of your original Don’t Pass bet. To place a Free-odds bet on a Come or Don’t Come bet, click on top of your original Come or Don’t Come bet chips (after they have been moved to the Place Number of the point). 3 To bet a different amount on different parts of the layout, repeat step 1 to change the chip value before placing another chip on the layout. 4 If you need to, you can add to or subtract from a bet even after it has been placed. Click the bet on the table to add the current bet amount to the bet. Right-click the bet to subtract the current bet amount from the bet. 5 When you are satisfied with the placement of your bet(s), click Done.

Note: You do not have to place a bet each time the dice are rolled. If you don’t feel lucky for a particular roll, don’t bet anything!

See Also Types of Craps Bets When Bets Can Be Placed and Removed Odds and Payouts for the Various Craps Bets Note that the free odds bets are the only bets where the house has no advantage. Pass Line Payoff: 1 to 1 House advantage: 1.4% Don’t Pass Payoff: 1 to 1 House advantage: 1.4% Come Payoff: 1 to 1 House advantage: 1.4% Don’t Come Payoff: 1 to 1 House advantage: 1.4% Place 6 or 8 Payoff: 7 to 6 House advantage: 1.5% Place 5 or 9 Payoff: 7 to 5 House advantage: 4.0% Place 4 or 10 Payoff: 9 to 5 House advantage: 6.6%

Pass Line/Come Odds (aka Free Odds) 4 or 10 Payoff: 2 to 1 House advantage: 0% 5 or 9 Payoff: 3 to 2 House advantage: 0% 6 or 8 Payoff: 6 to 5 House advantage: 0%

Don’t Pass/Don’t Come Odds (aka Free Odds) 4 or 10 Payoff: 1 to 2 House advantage: 0% 5 or 9 Payoff: 2 to 3 House advantage: 0% 6 or 8 Payoff: 5 to 6 House advantage: 0%

Any Craps Payoff: 7 to 1 House advantage: 11.1% Two Payoff: 30 to 1 House advantage: 13.9% Three Payoff: 15 to 1 House advantage: 11.1% Any Seven Payoff: 4 to 1 House advantage: 16.6% Eleven Payoff: 15 to 1 House advantage: 11.1% Twelve Payoff: 30 to 1 House advantage: 13.9% Hard 4 or 10 Payoff: 7 to 1 House advantage: 11.1% Hard 6 or 8 Payoff: 9 to 1 House advantage: 9.0% Big 6 or Big 8 Payoff: 1 to 1 House advantage: 9.0% The Field Payoff: 1 to 1 or 2 to 1 House advantage: 2.8%

The numbers for the Buy and Lay bets take into account the 5% cost of making the bet. Buy 4 or 10 Payoff: 2 to 1 House advantage: 4.7% Buy 5 or 9 Payoff: 3 to 2 House advantage: 4.7% Buy 6 or 8 Payoff: 6 to 5 House advantage: 4.7% Lay 4 or 10 Payoff: 2 to 1 House advantage: 2.4% Lay 5 or 9 Payoff: 2 to 3 House advantage: 3.2% Lay 6 or 8 Payoff: 5 to 6 House advantage: 4.0%

See Also About Craps How to Play Craps Types of Craps Bets When Bets Can Be Placed and Removed Placing a Bet in Craps The Craps Layout The Craps Layout Click the various sections of the layout to find out about each type of bet you can place.

Examples of Pass and Come Bets with Free-Odds

Examples of Don’t Pass and Don’t Come Bets with Free-Odds

Pass (Line) Bet When you bet on the Pass Line, you are betting with the dice (or the shooter) to win with a natural (first throw), or to make the point before sevening out. When you bet with the dice, it is referred to as right betting. You can place a Pass Line bet on the Come Out roll, and before or after a point is established, but you cannot remove the bet after placing it, then rolling the dice. You can make a free odds bet on the Pass bet after the point has been established on the Come Out roll. You place a free odds Pass Line bet on the area behind your original Pass Line bet (just outside the layout line). Free Odds Bets on Pass Line Bets This wager is made on an original Pass Line bet. You place a free odds Pass Line bet on the area behind your original Pass Line bet (just outside the layout line). You can make free odds bets after the point has been established (on the Come Out roll). The bet can equal the amount you originally bet on the Pass Line, or can be as high as the current free odds setting (the amount of the original bet multiplied by those odds). Don't Pass (Bar) Bet, Free Odds Bets on Don't Pass Bets Don't Pass. When you bet Don't Pass, you bet against the dice (wrong betting). To collect this bet, the shooter must roll a 2 or 3 on the first roll (12 is barred by the house to prevent your advantage over the casino), or seven out before rolling the point. By barring the 12, the casino gains a 1.4% advantage over a Don't Pass bettor. You can only place a Don't Pass bet on the Come Out roll. Free Odds Bets on Don't Pass Bets. This wager is made on an original Don't Pass bet. You place a free odds Don't Pass bet just to the right of the original Don't Pass bet. You can make free odds bets after the point has been established (on the Come Out roll). The bet equals the amount of the payoff for the original Don't Pass bet, or can be as high as the current free odds setting (the amount of the original bet payoff multiplied by those odds). Come Bet When you bet Come, you bet with the dice (or the shooter) to win with a natural (first throw), or to make the point before sevening out. When you bet with the dice, it is referred to as right betting. You can only place a Come bet when a point has been established. When the point is established, the Come bet chips are moved onto the lower portion of the Place Numbers box with that number. Don't Come Bet When you make a Don't Come bet, you bet against the dice (wrong betting). To collect this bet, the shooter must roll Craps (a 2 or 3 on the first roll; 12 is barred by the house to prevent your advantage over the casino), or seven out before rolling the point. You can only place a Don't Come bet when a point has been established. When the point is established, the Don't Come bet is moved above the Place Number of the point, in the rectangles the farthest above the Place Numbers boxes, at the top of the layout. Come Bets, Free Odds on Come Bets, Buy Bets Come Bets. After you make a Come bet and a point is established, the Come bet is moved to the middle portion of the Place Number box of the point. Free Odds Bet on a Come Bet. This wager is made on an original Come bet. You can make this wager after a point is established and the Come bet has been moved to the middle portion of a Place Number box. You place a free odds Come bet just to the lower-right of the Come bet chips. The bet can equal the amount of the original Come bet, or can be as high as the current free odds setting (the amount of the original bet multiplied by those odds). Unlike the original Come bet, this bet is off on a Come Out roll and is returned to you if the original bet is won or lost on a Come Out roll. Buy Bets. Buy bets are placed in the upper-third portion of the Place Numbers boxes. (These bets are indicated by a "B" in a blue circle.) Buying a bet is similar to making a Place Numbers bet; you bet that the number will be made before a 7. But this bet is made slightly differently and the casino's advantage is different as well. You must pay the casino 5% of the amount of the bet you place when you place it. The house commission is taken directly from your bankroll. These bets pay off at true odds. You cannot make a Buy bet on a Come Out roll. After you place a Buy bet, it is valid (working) on all rolls except subsequent Come Out rolls. Don't Come, Free Odds Bets on Don't Come Bets, Lay Bets Don't Come Bets. After you make a Don't Come bet and a point is established, the Don't Come bets are moved to the middle portion of the rectangles above the Place Numbers, at the top of the layout. Free Odds Bet on a Don't Come Bet. This wager is made on an original Don't Come bet. You can make this wager after a point is established and the Don't Come bet is been moved to the middle portion of the rectangles the farthest above the Place Numbers, at the top of the layout. You place a free odds Don't Come bet just to the lower-right of the original Don't Come bet chips. The bet can equal the amount of the payoff for the original Don't Come bet, or can be as high as the current free odds setting (the amount of the original bet payoff multiplied by those odds). Lay Bets. Lay bets are placed in the upper-third portion of the rectangles the farthest above the Place Numbers boxes, at the top of the layout. (These bets are indicated by an "L" in a red circle.) When you make a Lay bet, you make a bet against a number. For example, if you think the next roll will be a 7, you could make lay bets against all numbers instead of making a Don't Come bet. To make this bet, you must pay a 5% commission to the house when you place the bet, based on the payoff. The house commission is taken directly from your bankroll. Lay bets pay off at true odds. You cannot make a Lay bet on a Come Out roll. After you place a Lay bet, it is always working. Place Numbers Bets With this bet, you bet that a particular number will appear before a seven. You can make a place bet after the Come Out roll. You can place a bet on each or every place number. You can remove, reduce or add to a place bet at any time prior to the next roll. Place bets are valid (working) on all rolls except the Come Out roll. These bets are placed in the rectangles just below the Place Numbers boxes. Payoffs for Place Bets

Number House Payoff True Odds House Advantage 4 and 10 9-5 2-1 6.67% 5 and 9 7-5 3-2 4.0% 6 and 8 7-6 6-5 1.52% Field Bets A field bet is a bet on the number 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 being rolled, regardless of what the point is. (This bet is always working, even on the Come Out roll.) The next roll of the dice immediately determines whether this bet wins or loses. 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11 pay at even money. 2 and 12 pay 2 to 1. If a 5, 6, 7, or 8 is rolled, the bet is lost. These bets have higher odds and are less favorable to players. The house has a 5.5% advantage on these wagers. Big 6 or Big 8 For Big 6 or Big 8, the shooter must roll a 6 or 8 before the sevening out. This bet is always working and can be placed at any time. It pays at even money. This is not a good bet to make. The house has a 9.09% advantage on this wager. Any Seven This proposition (or center) bet clearly favors the house and should be avoided. Center bets are always working. In most cases, the next roll determines the outcome of the bet (except for hardway bets). More experienced Craps players avoid these bets; all of their odds greatly favor the house. Any Seven is a terrible bet to make. The house advantage is 16.67%. The house pays 4 to 1 (the true odds are 36-6 or 5-1). Any Craps This proposition (or center) bet clearly favors the house and should be avoided. Center bets are always working. In most cases, the next roll determines the outcome of the bet (except for hardway bets). More experienced Craps players avoid these bets; all of their odds greatly favor the house. Any Craps is a terrible bet to make. The house advantage is 11.1%. The house pays 7 to 1 (the true odds are 8-1). 2 or 12 This proposition (or center) bet clearly favors the house and should be avoided. Center bets are always working. In most cases, the next roll determines the outcome of the bet (except for hardway bets). More experienced Craps players avoid these bets; all of their odds greatly favor the house. 2 or 12 is a terrible bet to make. The house advantage is 13.89%. The house pays 30 to 1 (the true odds are 35-1). 3 or 11 This proposition (or center) bet clearly favors the house and should be avoided. Center bets are always working. In most cases, the next roll determines the outcome of the bet (except for hardway bets). More experienced Craps players avoid these bets; all of their odds greatly favor the house. 3 or 11 is a terrible bet to make. The house advantage is 11.1%. The house pays 15 to 1 (the true odds are 17-1). Hard 4 and 10 A hardway roll is a number made with a matching pair, or doubles. These bets continue until the same number comes up easy , a 7 is rolled, or the shooter rolls a hard 4 or 10 (and collects this bet). The Hard 4 and the Hard 10 are terrible bets to make. The house advantage is 11.1%. The house pays 7 to 1 (though the true odds are 8-1). Hard 6 or 8 A hardway roll is a number made with a matching pair, or doubles. These bets continue until the same number comes up easy , a 7 is rolled, or the shooter rolls a hard 6 or 8 (and collects this bet). The Hard 6 and the Hard 8 are terrible bets to make. The house advantage is 9.09%. The house pays 9 to 1 (though the true odds are 10-1). Horn Bet The Horn Bet is a four way bet combining the 2, 3, 11, and 12 Center bets. It requires four chips to make this bet (or multiples of four). The next roll determines the outcome of the bet. The Horn bet merely enhances the number of bets that favor the house. The house advantage is 12.5%. The casino pays the winning bet and subtracts the other chips from the payoff. C&E Bets Placing a Bet on a C is equivalent to placing the bet on the ANY CRAPS section of the ONE ROLL BETS box. Placing a Bet on an E is equivalent to placing the bet on the 11 (5 plus 6) section of the ONE ROLL BETS box. Craps Tournaments Under normal circumstances, Craps pits each player against the house. But in a Craps tournament, players also compete against each other. Players enter the tournament with equal tournament bankrolls, and the player with the highest bankroll after four turns is the winner. As play progresses, they can easily measure how well they are doing by comparing their current bankrolls with those of the other players. In Hoyle Casino, a Craps tournament usually ends after four turns, unless there is a tie to resolve. It ends sooner if players run out of money to bet against each other. In Craps tournaments, free odds is always set at 2x.

See Also Starting a Game Tournament Play About Craps Horse Racing Horse Racing Basics About Horse Racing Playing Horse Racing in Hoyle Casino How to Play Hoyle Derby Customizing Horse Racing Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino About Horse Racing Racing in general has been a popular sport for many hundreds of years. In ancient Rome, chariot races were the entertainment of the day. In today’s culture, we have everything from camel racing to greyhound racing. Racing can be found on nearly every continent in some form or another. As long as racing has been around, it is likely that betting on the members of the race has been around as well. Horse racing is particularly popular in the United States and Australia. The rules are fairly simple: pick a horse that you like and place a bet that will pay depending on what place the horse comes in at. The player has three choices: bet that the horse will come in at win, place, or show. Win simply means that you are betting that your horse will come in first. You will see the longest odds and the biggest payouts for win bets. Place means that you are betting that your horse will come in either first or second. The odds are slightly better here than for win bets. Show means that you are betting that your horse will come in either first, second, or third. The odds tend to be much better for show bets. Odds

Odds are paid out as follows: On the main screen (where you make your bets), you will see a list of the horses. To the right of each horse is a list of odds for win, show, and place. Odds will usually say something like "7 – 1" or "3 – 2". For a 7 – 1 bet, if the horse wins, for every dollar you put down, you will get seven dollars back. For example, if you place $1000 place bet on Bye Bye Blue and his place odds are 7 – 1 and he comes in either first or second, you will get back $7000. The higher the odds, the less likely it is that the horse will come in first, second, or third.

See Also How to Play Hoyle Derby How to Play Hoyle Derby Placing a Bet

When you first go into Horse Derby, you will be taken to a main screen that shows each of the five horses and the odds associated with each of them for win, show, and place bets. About halfway down the screen, you will be able to place bets. To bet on a horse, do the following: A cursor will be flashing where you can place a bet. The minimum bet is two dollars and the maximum bet is 1000 dollars. Enter the amount that you would like to bet on the horse. Now, click on one of the colored buttons to the right of the bet amount. To make a "win" bet, click on the blue button; "place" is the red button; "show" is the yellow button. Using either the mouse pointer or the Tab key, move your cursor to the next horse that you want to bet on and repeat the above steps. Continue doing the above steps until all bets that you want have been placed. To clear a bet, simply move the cursor to the bet to be erased and hit Backspace. To change the place that you believe the horse will come in, simply click on the lit button and select a new one (if you are removing the bet, you can leave the button unselected). To remove all bets, select the Clear button from the lower right corner. On the right of the screen, you will see what the odds are for each horse that you bet on, and what position you bet on. You will also see the amount that will be paid out to you should you win. When you are done placing bets, click on the Submit button in the lower right corner. This will take you to the main racing screen. Watching a Race

In the upper left corner of the main racing screen, you will see a shaded box. During the race, the box will show the placement of each horse in the race. The horse(s) that you bet on will be highlighted so that you can track how they are doing in the race. The horse racing announcer will also keep you updated on where each horse is in the race. Race Results

When the race is over you will be taken to the Race Results screen. On this screen you will see how each horse did. It will also show you how much money you won and on which horse(s). Winnings are automatically credited to the player’s bank account. Occasionally the race is very close and you will first see a "Photo Finish" screen. When done viewing the Photo Finish screen, click on the Results button in the lower right corner of the screen and it will take you to the Race Results screen. When done viewing Race Results, you can either bet on another race by clicking on the Next Race button, or you can exit to the main screen by selecting the Exit button, both in the lower right corner.

See Also About Horse Racing Keno Ke no Basics About Keno Playing Keno in Hoyle Casino How to Play Keno Placing a Bet The Keno Dialog Box and the Keno Room Customizing Keno Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino About Keno Keno is a type of lottery similar to state lotteries common throughout North America. These games have a long tradition of success (at least from the perspective of the lotteries’ sponsors). Keno is no exception. Lotteries are unique in that, unlike many forms of gambling, they are not only state-sanctioned but they are often state-sponsored. It is likely that arguments over the propriety of state-run "gambling" have been going on for millennia. Augustus Caesar held the first recorded public lottery; his purpose was to raise funds to beautify the city of Rome. As played in American casinos, Keno is the direct descendant of the Chinese Lottery. Keno uses a transparent plastic globe called the cage that contains small air-blown balls. This device is used to generate the random, winning numbers in Keno.

Keno Play

You play Keno by filling out a Keno ticket and then turning it in. The games occur at different intervals, depending on the time that you set in the Keno Setup dialog box. Each Keno ticket has 80 numbers, corresponding to the 80 numbers printed on balls contained in the Keno cage, from which the winning numbers are derived. When you turn in a ticket, you are registered for the next game. When the game begins, the numbered balls are spit from the Keno cage into the goose, an outlet that takes the balls one at a time. The number on each ball is flashed on a brightly lit screen located in the Keno lounge. The numbers remain lit until the game is completed (that is, when 20 numbers are drawn). You win if you picked a sufficient number of correct numbers, based on the payoff chart provided for the bet you made. The Ticket

In addition to showing the 80 numbers you can bet on, the tickets contain boxes for other information including: Name The number of games (bets) Price per game The total amount of money you’re betting (this equals the number of games you’re playing times the amount of each bet). You fill out the tickets by clicking on the numbers you are picking to win. In Hoyle Casino, you can pick 1-15 numbers or 20 numbers. Ticket Registration

In Hoyle Casino, you can submit your Keno ticket at any time from any room by clicking the Go To menu and selecting Keno. This brings up a dialog box in which you can create and submit tickets. When you submit your ticket in the Keno lounge, you also hand in your bet. You can view your Keno tickets in the Keno lounge. This ticket shows all the numbers you marked off, the game number, and the number of games for which your ticket is valid. The time your game takes place is also provided during ticket registration. Winning

You must go to the Keno room to get credit for any winning tickets. (Note: If you are playing in a casino, it is very important to head for the Keno counter if you win something. If a subsequent game begins before you’ve presented your winning ticket, you will forfeit all winnings, whether this happens to be $1 or $50,000. Heed this warning and make sure you cash out a winning ticket!) Replaying a Ticket

For your convenience, the casino also allows you to replay your tickets. You may want to do this if you have a fondness for the numbers you picked, if it was a winning ticket, or if you have a premonition, etc. The best reason (in our opinion) to replay your tickets is to avoid filling out a new card and going through the process of selecting new numbers. To use a duplicate ticket, all you need to do is click Duplicate on the ticket form, and it’s treated just like an original. You can keep handing in your duplicates for as long as you want.

To replay a Keno ticket: 1 Click the Duplicate button on the Keno ticket form. 2 Click the Submit button on the Keno ticket form.

See Also How to Play Keno Placing a Bet The Keno Dialog Box and the Keno Room How to Play Keno When you are in the Hoyle Casino, you can play your Keno tickets from any game room, or you can go to the Keno game room to watch the numbers as they are picked.

To play Keno in the Keno room: Click the Go To menu and then choose Keno Room.

To play Keno from anywhere in the Casino: Click the Go To menu and then choose Keno Tickets.

To fill out a Keno ticket: 1 Click each number that you want. A black X appears on each of your selections. You can pick between 1 and 15 numbers or exactly 20 numbers. 2 Click Submit to turn in your card. To play additional tickets, click New for each ticket that you want to play and repeat steps 1 and 2. You can then wait for the clock to tick down until the drawing starts, or you can click the Quick Play button to play the card immediately along with any other submitted cards. To play the same numbers in a different drawing, click Duplicate. To close the Keno setup window, click OK.

To change your Keno game setup When filling out a Keno ticket, you can select the time interval between games and choose special betting options. For more on betting options, click here:

See Also About Keno Placing a Bet The Keno Dialog Box and the Keno Room Placing a Bet in Keno Most bets in Keno are designated by the number(s) you pick. For example, a "one-spot straight ticket" is a bet on a single number. A "two-spot straight ticket" is a bet on two numbers. The amount of money you can bet in Keno depends on the type of bet you’re making. These bets usually range from $1-20 for straight tickets. The most common bet is a five-spot straight ticket at a price of $1, in which five numbers are picked. For this bet to win, three of the numbers you pick must come up on the balls. This particular bet pays even money if you pick three numbers right. If you pick four winning balls, you are paid off at 9 to 1. If, in this example, you guess all five balls right you’ve hit the jackpot, paying 800 to 1. As another example, the payoffs for a common $2 bet (in this case, a 10 spot straight ticket) are shown here: Catch: Win: 10 50,000 9 8,000 8 2,000 7 260 6 40 5 4 In addition to straight bets, other types of bets are available. These include specials, the edge, top/bottom, and left/right bets. The specials bets include four-, five-, and six-spot specials. When you bet on 4 to 6 numbers, a Specials checkbox appears in the Spots box on the Keno ticket. Click on the checkbox to change your ticket to a specials bet. Specials bets are more expensive to place, but pay at better odds than a standard four- to six-spot straight ticket. The edge bet selects all the numbers around the edge of the Keno ticket as winning numbers. The top/bottom bet is a bet that a high number of winning numbers will occur in the top or bottom half of the Keno ticket. No spots are marked on the ticket. Instead, you are betting that there will be many more numbers picked on either the top or bottom halves of the ticket. The greater the imbalance between top and bottom, the higher the payoff. The left/right bet is a bet that a high number of winning numbers will occur in the left or right half of the Keno ticket. No spots are marked on the ticket. Instead, you are betting that there will be many more numbers picked on either the left or right halves of the ticket. The greater the imbalance between left and right, the higher the payoff.

See Also About Keno How to Play Keno The Keno Dialog Box and the Keno Room The Keno Dialog Box and the Keno Room You can play Keno from anywhere in the Casino using the Keno dialog box. If you go to the Keno room, you can play Keno and also watch the big screen as the numbers are selected. If you play outside the Keno room using the Keno dialog box, you need to go to the Keno room to collect any Keno winnings.

To play Keno in the Keno room: Click the Go To menu and then choose Keno Room.

To play Keno from anywhere in the Casino: Click the Go To menu and then choose Keno Tickets. If you win Keno money while outside of the Keno room, a message will appear informing you of your win. Go to the Keno room at your convenience to collect your winnings.

See Also About Keno How to Play Keno Placing a Bet Pai Gow Poker Pai Gow Poker Basics About Pai Gow Poker Ranks of Pai Gow Poker Hands Playing Pai Gow Poker in Hoyle Casino How to Play Pai Gow Poker Placing a Bet Review ing the Results Pai Gow Poker Tournaments Customizing Pai Gow Poker Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Pai Gow Poker Pai Gow Poker is an Americanized version of an ancient Chinese dominoes game, pai Gow (literal translation, " To make nine"). You can easily distinguish pai Gow from Pai Gow Poker. The former is played on Chinese dominoes, while the latter is played with cards. If you find pai Gow in a casino, you may also find that Asians are playing it. This is because the numbers printed on the dominoes are in Chinese, which gives would-be gamblers a good reason to shy away from pai Gow in its original form. Pai Gow Poker is a game that provides great winning opportunities, and its pace is slower than Blackjack. Therefore, the game gives players an opportunity to relax a little while they play. The casino’s usual advantage over a player is about 2.5 percent, but playing as the banker when the opportunity arises can lower the house edge to as little as 1.27 percent.

See Also How to Play Pai Gow Poker Ranks of Pai Gow Poker Hands Placing a Bet Ranks of Pai Gow Poker Hands The hand rankings in Pai Gow Poker, ranked from highest to lowest, are almost identical to Poker. One exception is that an A-2-3-4-5 is considered the second highest straight (or straight flush), ranking just behind the A-K-Q-J-10, and just ahead of the K-Q-J-10-9 (this is an optional rule in Hoyle Casino). Five Aces

Four aces plus the joker form five aces. This is the highest-ranking hand in Pai Gow Poker. Straight Flush

Five cards in sequence in the same suit are called a straight flush. If two straight flushes compete, the hand with the highest-ranking cards in the flush sequence wins. The highest-ranking straight flush is called a royal flush (A-K-Q-J-10). Four of a Kind

Any four cards of the same rank form four of a kind. If two players have four of a kind, the hand with the four higher cards wins. Full House

Three of a kind and a pair form a full house. The full house with the highest-ranking three of a kind wins against another full house. Flush

A hand of any five cards all of the same suit is called a flush. A flush with the highest-ranking cards beats another flush hand. If the highest cards from each players hand tie, the next highest-ranking cards determine the winner, and so on. Straight

A hand of any five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit is a straight. The straight with the highest-ranking cards at the head of the sequence is the winner against another straight hand. The A-2-3-4-5, as the second highest hand in Pai Gow Poker, is the only exception. Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank, such as three 8s, form three of a kind. The highest-ranking three cards wins against another three of a kind hand. Three aces are the highest, three 2s the lowest. Three of a kind beats two pair or any lower hand. Two Pair

Two cards of the same rank, and two matching cards of any other rank form two pair. The hand with the highest-ranking pair wins against another hand of two pair. If the highest-ranking pair ties, the hand with the second highest-ranking pair wins. One Pair

Any two cards of the same rank form one pair. The hand with the highest-ranking pair wins against another hand of a pair. If both hands have the same pair, the highest-ranking unmatched card in the hand determines the winner. High Card

A hand with no matched cards is called high card. With two competing high card hands, the hand with the highest-ranking card wins. If the highest-ranking unmatched cards tie, the next highest-ranking unmatched cards are compared, and so on.

See Also About Pai Gow Poker How to Play Pai Gow Poker How to Play Pai Gow Poker In Pai Gow Poker, each player receives seven cards and sets (arranges) the seven cards into a five-card and a two-card hand. The only stipulation for setting hands is that the five-card hand (high hand) must outrank the two-card hand (low hand). The deck used in Pai Gow Poker is a standard 52-card deck with the addition of one joker. The joker is not a traditional wild card; it can only be used as an ace or as a card that completes a straight or a flush. To win a bet, you must beat both the banker’s five-card and two-card hand. One player is designated the banker. The house dealer is the default banker, but each human player will have the opportunity to be the banker every five hands when this option is turned on. See Playing as Banker for more details. How Play Proceeds

Before play begins, each player places their bet on the table in front of them. Starting at a randomly selected seat, the dealer deals seven cards face down to the banker and to each seat at the table, regardless of whether a player is present there or not. Each player in turn sets his hand to form one five-card hand (the high hand) and one two-card hand (the low hand). Likewise, the banker also sets his or her hand. When the dealer is the banker, the hand must be set according to fixed rules.

Setting Your Hand Click the two cards for your low hand, then click OK to proceed. Player’s hands are compared against the banker’s hands to see who is the winner. In order to win a bet, the banker or player must win both the five-card and the two-card hand. If one hand is won and one is lost, this is a push and no money is exchanged. The banker wins tie hands, which are called copies. A 5 percent commission is paid to the casino for any winning bets by the player regardless of whether he or she is the banker (5 percent of net winnings).

Playing as Banker Players have the opportunity to act as banker by selecting the "Allow player bankers" option in the Pai Gow Poker Settings window. When this feature is turned on, a white "banker" marker makes its way around the table, moving one seat to the right after every hand. When the marker reaches you, if you can cover the maximum allowable bet for each other player at the table and the dealer, you are asked if you would like to be the banker. Player banking is not offered at tables with no maximum bet, and computer players never choose to bank. If you choose to bank, it means that in the upcoming hand, the other players and the dealer wager against your hand, not the dealer’s hand. You do not place a bet when you are banking. Players make their wagers, and the dealer places a house wager equal to the table minimum near the middle of the table. Cards are dealt and hands are set as normal. Even though you are playing as the house, you do not have the house restrictions on how to set your hand. You can set it however you like, as long as it is legal. Once all hands are set, they are revealed and compared to yours. You win all tie hands, which gives you an advantage you don’t have when the house banks, and lowers the house edge. Winners are paid off from your bankroll, and losing wagers are added to your bankroll. The house still takes a 5% commission on all wins, so banking does not eliminate the house edge completely, but it does lower it.

See Also About Pai Gow Poker Ranks of Pai Gow Poker Hands Placing a Bet in Pai Gow Poker At the beginning of each hand, you must place a bet. The bet you make must meet the minimum bet requirement, but not exceed the maximum bet limit. Chips appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. To view all values of chips available, click the left and right arrow symbols.

To place a bet: 1 Click your cursor on the chips you want to bet. To add money to the bet, click the left mouse button on the chip or chips you want to add. To subtract money from the bet, click the right mouse button on the chip or chips you want to subtract. To clear the bet, click on the eraser. 2 When you are satisfied with the amount of your bet, click the bet circle in front of your seat to place your bet. Play begins immediately after you place your bet.

See Also About Pai Gow Poker How to Play Pai Gow Poker Ranks of Pai Gow Poker Hands Pai Gow Poker Tournaments Under normal circumstances, Pai Gow Poker pits each player against the house. But in a Pai Gow Poker tournament, players also compete against each other. Players enter the tournament with equal tournament bankrolls. As play progresses, they can easily measure how well they are doing by comparing their current bankrolls with those of the other players. In Hoyle Casino, a Pai Gow Poker tournament usually lasts 25 hands, unless there is a tie to resolve. It ends sooner if players run out of money to bet against each other. The following rules are followed in Pai Gow Poker tournaments: 5-4-3-2-A is the lowest-ranking straight. Players cannot be the banker.

See Also Tournament Play About Pai Gow Poker In real casinos, the house wager is equal to the last wager the banking player made against the house. "Tie hands" refers to identical five or two-card hands in a showdown, not pushes. If a player and the banker both have a two-card hand of Q-7, the banker wins the two-card hand. Poker

Poker basics

About Poker Ranks of Poker Hands How Betting Works in Poker Playing Poker in Hoyle Casino

How to Play Poker Texas Hold'em Omaha Hold'em Omaha Hold'em Hi-Lo Seven Card Stud Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Five Card Draw Five Card Draw Low ball Placing a Bet Poker Tournaments Customizing Poker

Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Poker Poker is a popular game throughout the world. It combines principles of card games known hundreds of years ago in Europe and probably long before that in Asia, but in its present form it is of distinctly American origin. There are many variations of Poker, but they all follow the same basic principles and differ mostly in details. A person who has learned these principles can play without difficulty in any game. Poker is a game of betting which player holds the best hand. In most cases, the best hand contains the five highest-ranking cards, but what is considered the best hand can vary in some types of Poker. In a Hi-lo Poker game, two players have the opportunity to win and split the pot. The player with the highest-ranking hand and the player with the lowest-ranking hand both win. All bets made by all players go in a pile of chips in the center of the table, called the pot. No player can compete for the pot unless he or she is willing to meet the highest bet made by another player. Because of this rule, players are able to bluff and win the pot. The object of the game is to win the pot. A player can win the pot in one of two ways: After all bets are in, all players that are still in show their hands. The player with the best hand wins. If, during betting, a player makes a bet that no other players are willing to meet, that player wins the pot without showing his or her cards. All cards of the 52 card deck are used. The cards are dealt one at a time, clockwise motion (number of cards varies with game). Aces are high, but Aces rank low in the sequence A-2-3-4-5. There are actually many variations of Poker with slightly different rules. For the specific details on each of the Poker games in the Hoyle Casino, see that game's description. Texas Hold'em Omaha Hold'em Omaha Hold'em Hi-Lo Seven Card Stud Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Five Card Draw Five Card Draw Lowball

Hoyle Casino offers different Hold'em, Stud, and Draw tables, based on lower and upper bet amounts. The lower and upper bet amounts you make at each betting interval will vary depending on the game you are playing and the rules for the betting interval at that point in the game. If you want to join a table with higher stakes, be sure you have enough cash to stay in the game.

See Also How to Play Poker Ranks of Poker Hands Betting in Casino Poker games Placing a Bet Ranks of Poker Hands Before you play a game of Poker, you should learn the ranks of hands that you can win with. The following combinations of cards rank the same in every form of Poker. They are listed in order from highest to lowest value. Aces rank high in all hands except the straight (or straight flush), or in a low hand (hi-lo games). In a straight, the Ace can rank either high or low, depending on the card sequence. The ace is high in the sequence A-K-Q-J-10. Aces rank low in the sequence 5-4-3-2-A. You cannot use the ace to wrap a lower sequence with a higher sequence, such as 3-2-A-K-Q. High-Low Note: In a high-low Poker game, two players have the opportunity to win and split the pot. The player with the highest-ranking hand and the player with the lowest-ranking hand win. When determining the value of low hands, ace is the lowest rank, and straights and flushes do not count. The best low hand possible is 5-4-3-2-A, but it would also count as a straight for the high hand. Royal Flush

A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit. It is a straight flush by definition, but as the highest-ranking straight flush possible, it has earned its own name. The royal flush beats all other hands in Poker without wild cards. In a game with wild cards, five of a kind beats a royal flush. Since there are no wild cards in Hoyle Casino Poker, five of a kind is not possible. Straight Flush

Five cards in sequence in the same suit. A straight flush beats four of a kind or any lower hand. If two straight flushes compete, the hand with the highest-ranking cards in the flush sequence wins. For example, 6-5-4-3-2 beats 5-4-3-2-A, and Q-J-10-9-8 beats J-10-9-8-7. Four of a Kind

Any four cards of the same rank. If two players have four of a kind, the hand with the four higher cards wins. Four of a kind beats a full house or any lower hand. Full House

Three of a kind and one pair. The full house with the highest-ranking three of a kind wins against another full house. Full house beats a flush or any lower hand. Flush

A hand of any five cards all of the same suit. If two flushes compete, the flush with the highest-ranking card wins. If the highest cards from each player’s hand tie, the next-highest-ranking card determines the winner, and so on. A flush beats a straight or any lower hand. Straight

A hand of any five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit. The straight with the highest-ranking cards at the head of the sequence wins against another straight hand. The highest possible straight is A-K-Q-J-10. The lowest possible straight is 5-4-3-2-A. A straight beats three of a kind or any lower hand. Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank, such as three 8s. The highest-ranking three cards wins against another three of a kind hand. Three aces are the highest; three 2s the lowest. Three of a kind beats two pair or any lower hand. Two Pair

Two cards of the same rank, and two matching cards of any other rank. The hand with the highest-ranking pair wins against another hand of two pair. If the highest-ranking pair ties, the hand with the second highest-ranking pair wins. If the pairs in both hands tie, the hand with the highest-ranking fifth card wins. Two pair beats any hand with one pair, or no pair (high card). One Pair

Any two cards of the same rank. The hand with the highest-ranking pair wins against another hand of one pair. If both hands have the same pair, the highest-ranking unmatched card in the hand determines the winner. If the highest-ranking unmatched cards tie, the next highest-ranking unmatched cards are compared, and so on. One pair beats any hand with no pair (high card). High Card A hand with no matched cards. With two competing high card hands, the hand with the highest-ranking card wins. If the highest-ranking unmatched cards tie, the next highest-ranking unmatched cards are compared, and so on.

See Also About Poker How to Play Poker How to Play Poker In Poker, turns (opportunities to check, call, raise, fold, show, and so on) pass from player to player in clockwise rotation. The cards are dealt this way as well. The number of cards dealt to the player or to the board, the time that cards are dealt, and betting intervals varies with the type of Poker game. For details, see: Texas Hold'em Omaha Hold'em Omaha Hold'em Hi-Lo Seven Card Stud Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Five Card Draw Five Card Draw Lowball

See Also About Poker Ranks of Poker Hands How Betting Works in Poker Placing a Bet How Betting Works in Poker Betting takes place during periods of the game called betting intervals. The number of intervals varies depending on the game. In Hoyle Casino, all Poker games are fixed-limit. This means the amount of each bet or raise is predetermined, and players only choose whether or not to bet, not how much to bet. During each betting interval, a player has the first right or obligation to bet (open). In the first betting interval of the game, the player to the immediate left of the dealer opens. The responsibility for the first opening bet changes to a new player with each hand. In Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hold'em, Five Card Draw, and Five Card Draw Lowball games, the dealer button indicates which player must open in each betting interval of the game. The player to the left of the dealer button always begins the betting. In Seven Card Stud games, the player with the lowest-ranking card showing must open in the first betting interval. If there is a tie in card rank, the player closest to the left of the dealer opens. In subsequent betting intervals, the player with the highest-ranking card showing must open. Again, if there is a tie in card rank, the player closest to the left of the dealer opens. In Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo games, the player with the highest-ranking card showing must open in the first betting interval. If there is a tie in card rank, the player closest to the left of the dealer opens. In subsequent betting intervals, the player with the lowest-ranking card showing must open. Again, if there is a tie in card rank, the player closest to the left of the dealer opens. In all Hoyle Casino Poker games, the first betting interval begins with a mandatory bet called a blind. In Hold'em games, two blinds are required: the small blind (blind open) and the big blind (blind raise). Small blind (or blind open). Half of the first betting amount (the lower bet amount for the table). Big blind (or blind raise). A raise to bring the pot to the level of the first betting amount. This blind is usually the same amount as the small blind, except for cases where the small blind is smaller because the player is all-in. You can stay in the hand by doing one of three things: Call. Match the current highest bet in the pot. This is referred to as "staying in" the hand. Raise. Match the current highest bet in the pot, then add more money to the pot to become the highest bet in the pot. Each player must at least match (call) this bet to stay in. Note In all betting intervals, if more than two players are betting, there is a limit of three raises amongst all players (not counting the blind raise in the first betting interval of a Hold'em game, or the first partial raise after a blind bet in a Stud game). If only two players are in the hand, the number of raises is unlimited. In tournament mode, there is a three-raise limit at all times, even if there are only two players left in the hand. Check. In all of the Poker games in Hoyle Casino, you are permitted to check if no player before you has opened with a bet. When you check, you stay in the hand without having to call or raise. Each player after you can also check until one of the players makes an actual bet. You can also drop out of the pot by folding. When you fold, you turn in your hand and lose any chips you have added to the pot for that hand. You can fold at any time. Betting continues until all bets are equalized. Bets are considered equalized when the turn comes around to the player who in his or her turn made the highest bet, and when every other player either called the bet or folded. Hoyle Casino Poker uses table stakes for betting, which means that a player does not have to meet a bet for an amount which is larger than all the chips or money that player has on the table. A player in this situation is all-in, and can put all of his or her money in the main pot (even if it does not cover the bet) and stay in the hand. This player no longer participates in the betting. If more than two players are still in a hand in which one player is all-in, bets made after that point are added to a side pot, which is only available to the players who have paid in the required bets. If the player who is all-in wins the main pot (which he or she contributed to), the best hand of the other players wins the side pot.

See Also About Poker How to Play Poker Ranks of Poker Hands Placing a Bet

Placing a Bet in Poker In Hoyle Casino, all Poker games are fixed-limit. This means the amount of each bet or raise is predetermined, and players only choose whether or not to bet, not how much to bet. You bet by clicking your desired action (open, call, or raise) in the Poker Betting dialog box when the bet comes around to you. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts described below.

Control/Option Description Call Bet the minimum amount required to stay in the hand. Click Call, press C on the keyboard, or select Call from the Actions menu. Raise Raise the amount each player must bet to stay in the hand. Click Raise, press R on the keyboard, or select Raise from the Actions menu. Check Stay in the hand without placing a bet. This option is only available if no one has placed a bet yet during that betting interval. Click Check, press C on the keyboard, or select Check from the Actions menu. Open Places the first bet in a betting interval. Click Open, press O on the keyboard, or select Open from the Actions menu. Fold Drop out of the current hand and forfeit any chips that you have bet. Never fold if you still have the option to check. Click Fold, press F on the keyboard, or select Fold from the Actions menu.

See Also About Poker How Betting Works in Poker How to Play Poker Texas Hold'em Omaha Hold'em Omaha Hold'em Hi-Lo Seven Card Stud Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Five Card Draw Five Card Draw Low ball Ranks of Poker Hands Texas Hold'em In Texas Hold'em, seven cards are available to each player. Players' hands consist of two cards dealt face down to each player and five cards dealt face up to the board, which are shared by all players in the game. Players can construct their final hands using any five cards from the two cards in their own hands and the five cards from the board. A player wins by having the highest-ranking hand of five cards. Each hand can start with eight players or fewer. Opening betting rotates clockwise with each new hand using a dealer button and blinds. The blind bets are mandatory bets made by the first two players to the left of the dealer button. The last player to bet usually has the advantage. Because the dealer button moves to each player, each player has the chance to benefit from this advantage. For details on blinds and the betting process, see How Betting Works in Poker. How Play Proceeds

Play begins with each player receiving two cards face down, followed by the first betting interval. The player immediately to the left of the dealer button must open the betting. The first bet is called a blind open (or small blind) and is equal to half of the lower bet amount for the table. The second bet is called a blind raise (or big blind) and raises the pot to be equal to the lower bet amount. The player to the left of the blind open is responsible for the blind raise. The player to the left of the blind raise must call the mandatory bet amount, raise an amount equal to the size of the bet, or fold. Betting then passes around to each player as it would normally. If all players either call or fold, the player who made the blind raise then has the option of checking or raising. In all betting intervals, if more than two players are betting, there is a limit of three raises amongst all players (not counting the blind raise in the first betting interval). If only two players are in the hand, the number of raises is unlimited. In tournament mode, there is a three-raise limit at all times, even if there are only two players left in the hand. The Flop

The next three cards dealt face up to the board are called the flop. The dealer turns all three cards over at the same time, for all players to use in their hands. The second betting interval begins with the first player to the left of the dealer button. This player can check, fold, or open with a bet. The lower bet amount is required at the flop. Each player then has the option to check, call, raise, or fold. The betting continues as long as players keep raising their bets. Betting stops when all players have called (the betting has equalized). The Turn

The fourth card dealt face up to the board is called the turn. A third betting interval ensues, again starting with the player to the left of the dealer button and ending with all bets equalized. The upper bet amount is now in force. The River

The fifth and final card dealt face up to the board is called the river or fifth street. The final betting interval takes place, starting with the player to the left of the dealer button and ending with all bets equalized. The upper bet amount is still in force. The Showdown

When betting is complete, all players who are still in show their hands. The player with the highest-ranking five cards wins the pot. If hands tie, the pot is split between the winners. Summary of the Deal

Two cards dealt to each player (face down), first betting interval. Third, fourth, and fifth cards dealt to the board (face up), second betting interval. Sixth card dealt to the board (face up), third betting interval. Seventh and final card dealt to the board (face up), final betting interval.

See Also How Betting Works in Poker Omaha Hold'em Omaha Hold'em is a variation of Texas Hold'em, but nine cards are available to each player instead of seven. Players' hands consist of four cards dealt face down to each player and five cards dealt face up to the board, which are shared by all players in the game. Players must construct their final hands using two cards from their own hands and three cards from the board. A player wins by having the highest-ranking hand of five cards. Each hand can start with eight players or fewer. Opening betting rotates clockwise with each new hand using a dealer button and blinds. The blind bets are mandatory bets made by the first two players to the left of the dealer button. The last player to bet usually has the advantage. Because the dealer button moves to each player, each player has the chance to benefit from this advantage. For details on blinds and the betting process, see How Betting Works in Poker. How Play Proceeds

Play begins with each player receiving four cards face down, followed by the first betting interval. The player immediately to the left of the dealer button must open the betting. The first bet is called a blind open (or small blind) and is equal to half of the lower bet amount for the table. The second bet is called a blind raise (or big blind) and raises the pot to be equal to the lower bet amount. The player to the left of the blind open is responsible for the blind raise. The player to the left of the blind raise must call the mandatory bet amount, raise an amount equal to the size of the bet, or fold. Betting then passes around to each player as it would normally. After all players either call or fold, the player who made the blind raise then has the option of checking or raising. In all betting intervals, if more than two players are betting, there is a limit of three raises amongst all players (not counting the blind raise in the first betting interval). If only two players are in the hand, the number of raises is unlimited. In tournament mode, there is a three-raise limit at all times, even if there are only two players left in the hand. When the bet comes around to the human player in Hoyle Casino, the two cards that make the player’s best possible hand at that point are marked with black diamonds. The Flop

The next three cards dealt face up to the board are called the flop. The dealer turns all three cards over at the same time, for all players to use in their hands. The second betting interval begins with the first player to the left of the dealer button. This player can check, fold, or open with a bet. The lower bet amount is required at the flop. Each player then has the option to check, call, raise, or fold. The betting continues as long as players keep raising their bets. Betting stops when all players have called (the betting has equalized). The Turn

The fourth card dealt face up to the board is called the turn. A third betting interval ensues, again starting with the player to the left of the dealer button and ending with all bets equalized. The upper bet amount is now in force. The River

The fifth and final card dealt face up to the board is called the river or fifth street. The final betting interval takes place, starting with the player to the left of the dealer button and ending with all bets equalized. The upper bet amount is still in force. The Showdown

When betting is complete, all players who are still in show their hands. The player with the highest-ranking five cards wins the pot. If hands tie, the pot is split between the winners. Summary of the Deal

Four cards dealt to each player (face down), first betting interval. Fifth, sixth, and seventh cards dealt to the board (face up), second betting interval. Eighth card dealt to the board (face up), third interval. Ninth and final card dealt to the board (face up), final betting interval.

See Also How Betting Works in Poker

Omaha Hold'em Hi-Lo Omaha Hold'em is a variation of Texas Hold'em, but nine cards are available to each player instead of seven. In a Hi-lo Poker game, more than one player has the opportunity to win and split the pot. Players' hands consist of four cards dealt face down to each player and five cards dealt face up to the board, which are shared by all players in the game. Players must construct their final hands using two cards from their own hands and three cards from the board. A player wins by having the highest-ranking or lowest-ranking hand of five cards (or both). In the same hand, the low hand and high hand can use different sets of cards. This form of Omaha Hold'em is also known as "Eights or Better." To qualify as a low hand in Omaha Hi-Lo, the hand must be an 8-high (8 as the high card in an unmatched hand) or better (such as 7-high). In low hands, straights and flushes are ignored, and aces count as low cards. The best low hand possible is 5-4-3-2-A, though it is also a straight. It is possible for no player to have a low hand. At least three different cards of 8 or less must be on the board for a low hand to be possible. Each hand can start with eight players or fewer. Opening betting rotates clockwise with each new hand using a dealer button and blinds. The blind bets are mandatory bets made by the first two players to the left of the dealer button. The last player to bet usually has the advantage. Because the dealer button moves to each player, each player has the chance to benefit from this advantage. For details on blinds and the betting process, see How Betting Works in Poker. How Play Proceeds

Play begins with each player receiving four cards face down, followed by the first betting interval. The player immediately to the left of the dealer button must open the betting. The first bet is called a blind open (or small blind) and is equal to half of the lower bet amount for the table. The second bet is called a blind raise (or big blind) and raises the pot to be equal to the lower bet amount. The player to the left of the blind open is responsible for the blind raise. The player to the left of the blind raise must call the mandatory bet amount, raise an amount equal to the size of the bet, or fold. Betting then passes around to each player as it would normally. After all players either call or fold, the player who made the blind raise then has the option of checking or raising. In all betting intervals, if more than two players are betting, there is a limit of three raises amongst all players (not counting the blind raise in the first betting interval). If only two players are in the hand, the number of raises is unlimited. In tournament mode, there is a three-raise limit at all times, even if there are only two players left in the hand. The Flop

The next three cards dealt face up to the board are called the flop. The dealer turns all three cards over at the same time, for all players to use in their hands. The second betting interval begins with the first player to the left of the dealer button. This player can check, fold, or open with a bet. The lower bet amount is required at the flop. Each player then has the option to check, call, raise, or fold. The betting continues as long as players keep raising their bets. Betting stops when all players have called (the betting has equalized). The Turn

The fourth card dealt face up to the board is called the turn. A third betting interval ensues, again starting with the player to the left of the dealer button and ending with all bets equalized. The upper bet amount is now in force. The River

The fifth and final card dealt face up to the board is called the river or fifth street. The final betting interval takes place, starting with the player to the left of the dealer button and ending with all bets equalized. The upper bet amount is still in force. The Showdown

When betting is complete, all players who are still in show their hands. The players with the highest- and lowest-ranking five cards (two from player's hand, three from the board) split the pot. If no player has a low hand, the highest-ranking hand wins the pot. If there is a tie between high hands or low hands, the high or low portion of the pot is then split between those hands. For example: Pot = $100 Player 1 wins high and gets $50. Player 2 ties low and gets $25. Player 3 ties low and gets $25. Summary of the Deal

Four cards dealt to each player (face down), first betting interval. Fifth, sixth, and seventh cards dealt to the board (face up), second betting interval. Eighth card dealt to the board (face up), third betting interval. Ninth and final card dealt to the board (face up), final betting interval.

See Also How Betting Works in Poker Seven Card Stud Players' hands consist of seven cards dealt to each player. The first two are dealt face down. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth cards are dealt face up. The final (seventh) card is dealt face down. A player wins by having the highest-ranking hand of five cards. Each hand can start with seven players or fewer. If eight players are sitting at the table, one has to sit out for the hand. How Play Proceeds

Play begins with each player adding his or her ante to the pot. The ante for Seven Card Stud at the Hoyle Casino is 40 percent of the lower bet amount. Each player receives two cards face down and one card face up, followed by the first betting interval. The player with the lowest-ranking card showing must open the betting. (If there is a tie in low card rank, the player closest to the left of the dealer opens.) This is called the blind open. The blind open bet is half the amount of the lower bet amount for the table. Each player then has the option to call, raise, or fold. The first raise increases the size of the bet to the size of the lower bet amount for the game. The betting continues as long as players keep raising their bets (up to three raises, not counting an opening partial raise). If only two players are in the hand, the number of raises is unlimited. In tournament mode, there is a three-raise limit at all times, even if there are only two players left in the hand. Betting stops when all players have called (the betting has equalized). On the next three rounds of dealing, each active player receives a face-up card, then another betting interval takes place. Cards are dealt face up until the player has four face-up cards (and two face down). The betting intervals at this stage of the game begin with the player who has the highest-ranking cards showing. This player can check, fold, or open with a bet. Each player then has the option to check, call, raise, or fold. The betting continues as long as players keep raising their bets. Betting stops when all players have called (the betting has equalized). During the first and second betting intervals, the lower bet amount for the table is in force for bets. On the third, fourth, and final betting intervals, betting must open and continue at the higher bet amount for the table. Finally, the last card is dealt to each player (seventh card, face down). The highest hand showing starts the betting. When betting is complete, all players who are still in show their hands (the showdown). The players with the highest-ranking five cards split the pot. If hands tie, the pot is split. Summary of the Deal

Three cards dealt to each player (two down, one up), first betting interval. Fourth card dealt to each player face up, second interval. Fifth card dealt to each player face up, third interval. Sixth card dealt to each player face up, fourth interval. Seventh card dealt to each player face down, final betting interval.

See Also How Betting Works in Poker Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo In a Hi-lo Poker game, more than one player has the opportunity to win and split the pot. Players' hands consist of seven cards dealt to each player. The first two are dealt face down. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth cards are dealt face up. The final (seventh) card is dealt face down. A player wins by having the highest-ranking or lowest-ranking hand of five cards (or both). In the same hand, the low hand and high hand can use different sets of cards. Each hand can start with seven players or fewer. If eight players are sitting at the table, one has to sit out for the hand. How Play Proceeds

Play begins with each player adding his or her ante to the pot. The ante for Seven Card Stud at the Hoyle Casino is 40 percent of the lower bet amount. Each player receives two cards face down and one card face up, followed by the first betting interval. The player with the lowest-ranking card showing must open the betting. (If there is a tie in low card rank, the player closest to the left of the dealer opens.) This is called the blind open. The blind open bet is half the amount of the lower bet amount for the table. Each player then has the option to call, raise, or fold. The first raise increases the size of the bet to the size of the lower bet amount for the game. The betting continues as long as players keep raising their bets (up to three raises, not counting an opening partial raise). If only two players are in the hand, the number of raises is unlimited. In tournament mode, there is a three-raise limit at all times, even if there are only two players left in the hand. Betting stops when all players have called (the betting has equalized). On the next three rounds of dealing, each active player receives a face-up card, then another betting interval takes place. Cards are dealt face up until the player has four face-up cards (and two face down). The betting intervals at this stage of the game begin with the player who has the highest-ranking cards showing. This player can check, fold, or open with a bet. Each player then has the option to check, call, raise, or fold. The betting continues as long as players keep raising their bets. Betting stops when all players have called (the betting has equalized). During the first and second betting intervals, the lower bet amount for the table is in force for bets. On the third, fourth, and final betting intervals, betting must open and continue at the higher bet amount for the table. Finally, the last card is dealt to each player (seventh card, face down). The highest hand showing starts the betting. When betting is complete, all players who are still in show their hands (the showdown). The players with the highest- and lowest-ranking five cards split the pot. If there is a tie between high hands or low hands, the high or low portion of the pot is then split between those hands. For example: Pot = $100 Player 1 wins high and gets $50. Player 2 ties low and gets $25. Player 3 ties low and gets $25. Summary of the Deal

Three cards dealt to each player (two down, one up), first betting interval. Fourth card dealt to each player face up, second interval. Fifth card dealt to each player face up, third interval. Sixth card dealt to each player face up, fourth interval. Seventh card dealt to each player face down, final betting interval.

See Also How Betting Works in Poker Five Card Draw Hands consist of five cards dealt to each player, all face down. From these five cards, the player can choose to discard several cards (three cards maximum) and draw the same number of cards to replace them. A player wins by having the highest-ranking hand of five cards. Each hand can start with eight players or fewer. How Play Proceeds

Play begins with a blind open and blind raise from the players to the immediate left of the dealer. The betting continues clockwise as long as players keep raising their bets (up to three raises, not counting the blind raise). If only two players are in the hand, the number of raises is unlimited. In tournament mode, there is a three-raise limit at all times, even if there are only two players left in the hand. Betting stops when all players have called (the betting has equalized). The dealer then deals replacement cards to make each player’s hand total five cards. The second (and final) betting interval takes place. After the second betting interval, all players who are still in show their cards. The player with the highest-ranking hand of five cards wins. If hands tie, the pot is split.

See Also How Betting Works in Poker Five Card Draw Lowball Players' hands consist of five cards dealt to each player, all face down. From these five cards, the player can choose to discard several cards (three card maximum) and draw the same number of cards to replace them. A player wins by having the lowest-ranking hand of five cards (5-4-3-2-A is the lowest hand possible). Each hand can start with eight players or fewer. How Play Proceeds

Play begins with a blind open and blind raise. These are played by the players to the immediate left of the dealer button. The betting continues clockwise as long as players keep raising their bets (up to three raises, not counting the blind raise). If only two players are in the hand, the number of raises is unlimited. In tournament mode, there is a three-raise limit at all times, even if there are only two players left in the hand. Betting stops when all players have called (the betting has equalized). The dealer then deals replacement cards to make each player’s hand total five cards. A second betting interval follows. After the second betting interval, all players who are still in show their cards. The player with the lowest-ranking hand of five cards wins. If hands tie, the pot is split.

See Also How Betting Works in Poker Roulette Roulette Basics About Roulette Roulette Bets and Odds The Roulette Layout Playing Roulette in Hoyle Casino How to Play Roulette Placing a Bet in Roulette Review ing the Results Roulette Tables and Tournaments Customizing Roulette Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Roulette Roulette was developed around the turn of the century and is one of the most popular gambling games in the world. It is played in virtually every gambling house in North and South America and in Europe, where it is even more popular. The game uses a special wheel, a betting layout, and chips. The wheel is divided into 38 (American) or 37 (European) sections, each of which has walls to hold a small ball where it lands after the wheel is spun. The sections are numbered from 1 to 36, (half red and half black, half odd and half even) plus a green section marked 0. European wheels have only the 0 green section. American wheels have an additional green section marked 00. The addition of the 00 section greatly increases the odds in favor of the house. For this reason, Roulette is not as popular in United States casinos as it is in Europe. When Atlantic City rules are used in Roulette: For any even-money bets, if the ball lands on 0 or 00, half of the amount of any even-money bet is returned to you. If Nevada rules are in force, you lose the entire even-money bet on 0 or 00. Numbers 1-18 are considered the lows; numbers 19-36 are the highs. Roulette is a banking game: all bets are placed against the house.

See Also How to Play Roulette Placing a Bet in Roulette Roulette Bets and Odds The Roulette Layout How to Play Roulette Players make bets by placing chips in various locations on the table. After all bets are placed, the croupier spins the wheel in one direction and tosses the small ball in the opposite direction. The ball then comes to rest on one number – the winning number for the spin. The bank pays or collects from each bettor. Bets can then be placed again for the next spin. Players often choose the bets they like to make and stick with them for a series of spins. Use Place Last Bets in the Actions menu to do this. A history of the most recent numbers appears above the Roulette table.

See Also About Roulette Placing a Bet in Roulette Roulette Bets and Odds The Roulette Layout Placing a Bet in Roulette Chips appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. To view all values of chips available, click the left and right arrow symbols.

To place a bet: 1 Click your cursor on the chips you want to bet. To add money to the bet, click the left mouse button on the chip or chips you want to add. To subtract money from the bet, click the right mouse button on the chip or chips you want to subtract. To clear the bet, click the eraser. To place your last bet again, select Place Last Bets from the Actions menu, or press P. 2 When you are satisfied with the amount of your bet, click your cursor (left mouse button) at the exact spot on the Roulette layout where you want to place the bet. You can place as many bets as you like. 3 To bet a different amount on different parts of the layout, repeat step 1 to change the chip value before placing another chip on the layout. 4 If you need to, you can add to or subtract from a bet even after it has been placed. Click the bet on the table to add the current bet amount to the bet. Right-click the bet to subtract the current bet amount from the bet. 5 When you are satisfied with the placement of your bet(s), click Done. Play begins immediately after you place your bet.

Note: You do not have to place a bet each time the roulette wheel spins. If you don’t feel lucky for a particular spin, don’t bet anything!

See Also About Roulette How to Play Roulette Roulette Bets and Odds The Roulette Layout Roulette Bets and Odds There are many different types of bets available in Roulette. Different bet types pay off different odds. Inside bets

Straight-Up Bets Pay 35 to 1. Place a chip on any single number. Split Bets Pay 17 to 1. Place a chip in between any two adjacent numbers. Quad (Corner) Bets Pay 8 to 1. Place a chip between any four number groupings (for example 11-12-14-15), and you get all four numbers in that group. Street (Trio or Three Num ber) Bets Pay 11 to 1. Place a chip on the horizontal line across the top of the layout on any of the twelve columns of three numbers. You get all the numbers in that street. Two other street bets are available: you can also place a chip in the intersection between 0-1-2 or in the intersection between 00-2-3. Quint Bet Pays 6 to 1. The only possible five number grouping in the Roulette layout is 0-00-1-2-3. Place the chip on the upper horizontal line between the 00 and 3. This bet favors the house by more than 7 percent. Double Street (Six Num ber) Bets Pay 5 to 1. Place a chip in between streets that are side by side to get all six numbers in the double streets. Outside Bets

Black, Red, Odd, Even, 1-18, 19-36 Pay 1 to 1. Dozen Bets: 1st 12, 2nd 12, 3rd 12 Pay 2 to 1. Column Bets Pay 2 to 1. Place a chip in a box at the end of one of three columns.

See Also About Roulette Placing a Bet The Roulette Layout How to Play Roulette The Roulette Layout The chips in the illustration below are examples of the different types of bets you can place on the Roulette layout. Click on the chips and various sections of the layout to find the payout for each type of bet. Dozen Bets Pay 2 to 1. Column Bets Pay 2 to 1. Black, Red, Odd, Even, 1-18, 19-36 Pay 1 to 1. Straight-Up Bets Pay 35 to 1. Split Bets Pay 17 to 1. Street (Trio or Three Number) Bets Pay 11 to 1. Quad (Corner) Bets Pay 8 to 1. Quint Bet Pays 6 to 1. Double Street (Six Number) Bets Pay 5 to 1. Roulette Tournaments Under normal circumstances, Roulette pits each player against the house. But in a Roulette tournament, players also compete against each other. Players enter the tournament with equal tournament bankrolls, and the player who finishes with the highest bankroll is the winner. As play progresses, they can easily measure how well they are doing by comparing their current bankrolls with those of the other players. In Hoyle Casino, a Roulette tournament usually ends after 10 spins, unless there is a tie to resolve. It ends sooner if players run out of money to bet against each other.

See Also Setting Game Rules and Options Tournament Play About Roulette Caribbean Stud Poker Caribbean Stud Poker Basics About Caribbean Stud Poker Ranking Hands in Caribbean Stud Poker Playing Caribbean Stud Poker in Hoyle Casino How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker Placing Bets in Caribbean Stud Poker Payoffs in Caribbean Stud Poker Caribbean Stud Poker Tournaments Customizing Caribbean Stud Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Caribbean Stud Poker Caribbean Stud Poker is a card game that pits players against a casino dealer. The object of the game is to beat the dealer's five-card hand according to the ranking of cards used in Poker. Players make an Ante wager to get into the game and then a Bet wager if they want to stay in the game and compete against the dealer. No one can compete against the dealer, however, unless the dealer's hand qualifies with an ace and a king or higher. If the dealer's hand does not qualify, all Ante wagers still in play receive even money, no matter how bad the hands may be. And all Bet wagers are returned without payoff, no matter how good the hands may be. For some players, the greatest attraction of Caribbean Stud Poker is the optional wager on the bonus jackpot. For just a $1 side bet, a player stands to win thousands of dollars. Before betting on the bonus jackpot, however, consider the odds. The top payoff, for a royal flush, is $200,000, but the odds of getting a royal flush are 1 in 649,739!

See Also Caribbean Stud Poker Tournaments How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker Payoffs in Caribbean Stud Poker Placing Bets in Caribbean Stud Poker Ranking Hands in Caribbean Stud Poker Ranking Hands in Caribbean Stud Poker Cards are ranked in Caribbean Stud Poker as they are in Poker. If you aren't familiar with this ranking, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it before playing Caribbean Stud Poker. Aces rank high in all hands except the straight (or straight flush). In a straight, the ace can rank either high or low, depending on the card sequence. The ace is high in the sequence A-K-Q-J-10, but it’s low in the sequence 5-4-3-2-A. You cannot use the ace to wrap a lower sequence with a higher sequence, such as 3-2-A-K-Q. The following card combinations are ranked in order from highest to lowest. Royal Flush

A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit. The royal flush beats all other hands. Straight Flush

Five cards in sequence in the same suit. A straight flush beats four of a kind or any lower hand. If two straight flushes compete, the hand with the highest-ranking cards in the flush sequence wins. For example, 6-5-4-3-2 beats 5-4-3-2-A, and Q-J-10-9-8 beats J-10-9-8-7. Four of a Kind

Any four cards of the same rank. If two players have four of a kind, the hand with the four higher cards wins. Four of a kind beats a full house or any lower hand. Full House

Three of a kind and one pair. The full house with the highest-ranking three of a kind wins against another full house. Full house beats a flush or any lower hand. Flush

A hand of any five cards all of the same suit. If two flushes compete, the flush with the highest-ranking card wins. If the highest cards from each player’s hand tie, the next-highest-ranking card determines the winner, and so on. A flush beats a straight or any lower hand. Straight

A hand of any five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit. The straight with the highest-ranking cards at the head of the sequence wins against another straight hand. The highest possible straight is A-K-Q-J-10. The lowest possible straight is 5-4-3-2-A. A straight beats three of a kind or any lower hand. Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank, such as three 8s. The highest-ranking three cards wins against another three of a kind hand. Three aces are the highest; three 2s the lowest. Three of a kind beats two pair or any lower hand. Two Pair

Two cards of the same rank, and two matching cards of any other rank. The hand with the highest-ranking pair wins against another hand of two pair. If the highest-ranking pair ties, the hand with the second highest-ranking pair wins. If the pairs in both hands tie, the hand with the highest-ranking fifth card wins. Two pair beats any hand with one pair, or no pair (high card). One Pair

Any two cards of the same rank. The hand with the highest-ranking pair wins against another hand of one pair. If both hands have the same pair, the highest-ranking unmatched card in the hand determines the winner. If the highest-ranking unmatched cards tie, the next highest-ranking unmatched cards are compared, and so on. One pair beats any hand with no pair (high card). High Card

A hand with no matched cards. With two competing high card hands, the hand with the highest-ranking card wins. If the highest-ranking unmatched cards tie, the next highest-ranking unmatched cards are compared, and so on. In Caribbean Stud Poker, the highest high card hand consists of an ace and a king. See Also About Caribbean Stud Poker Caribbean Stud Poker Tournaments How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker Payoffs in Caribbean Stud Poker Placing Bets in Caribbean Stud Poker How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker Caribbean Stud Poker is played on a customized blackjack table, using a single deck of cards. In front of each player are betting areas marked "Ante" and "Bet." There’s also a small unmarked drop slot for the bonus jackpot. At a Caribbean Stud Poker table in Hoyle Casino you are joined by three other players. (Or you can play alone.) Play moves clockwise around the table. It’s your turn when your nameplate lights up. You get two turns per hand.

On your first turn: 1 Place your Ante wager. You must leave yourself with enough remaining cash to cover the potential Bet wager, which is equal to twice your Ante. 2 If you want to make a $1 side wager, place your wager on the bonus jackpot. 3 Click the Done button. The dealer deals each player five cards, facedown. The dealer keeps five cards and turns the last one face up. Look at your cards. Compare your cards and the upturned card of the dealer to the Caribbean Stud Poker Card Rankings, and decide whether to fold or call.

On your second turn, do either of the following: Click the Call button to place a Bet wager equal to twice your Ante wager. OR Click the Fold button to withdraw from the hand and lose your Ante wager. All of the dealer’s cards are now revealed, and play is over. Wagers are paid off according to Caribbean Stud Poker Payoff Schedules.

See Also About Caribbean Stud Poker Caribbean Stud Poker Tournaments Payoffs in Caribbean Stud Poker Placing Bets in Caribbean Stud Poker Ranking Hands in Caribbean Stud Poker Placing a Bet in Caribbean Stud Poker Placing an Ante Wager

At the beginning of each hand, you must place an Ante wager that meets both the minimum and maximum requirements of the table. You must leave yourself with enough remaining cash to cover the potential Bet wager, which is equal to twice your Ante. You set the amount of your Ante wager using the chips that appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. The chips represent different values: $5, $10, $25, and so on. To display more values, click the left or right arrow symbol on either side of the chips.

To place an Ante wager: 1 Set the amount for the wager: Click on any of the chips in the lower right corner of the screen. To increase the amount, click the left mouse button on one or more of the chips. (To set $15, for example, click the $5 chip and the $10 chip.) To decrease the amount, click the right mouse button on one or more of the chips. The current amount appears below the chips. To reset the amount to zero, click the eraser symbol to the left of the chips. 2 Click on the Ante circle in front of your position. 3 Click the Done button. Placing a Wager on the Bonus Jackpot

On your first turn, you have the chance to place a $1 wager on the bonus jackpot. A meter at the upper left corner of the Caribbean Stud Poker screen shows the current value of the jackpot (in Hoyle Casino, this value is always $200,000).

To place a wager on the bonus jackpot: Click on the unmarked drop slot above the Ante circle.

See Also About Caribbean Stud Poker Caribbean Stud Poker Tournaments How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker Payoffs in Caribbean Stud Poker Ranking Hands in Caribbean Stud Poker Payoffs in Caribbean Stud Poker What happens to your Ante and Bet wagers depends on the dealer’s hand and whether it "qualifies." To qualify, the dealer’s hand must include at least an ace and a king, a pair, or better. For example, a dealer’s hand containing A-K-3-7-10 or 3-3-7-9-2 qualifies whereas a hand containing A-Q-2-4-8 does not. Remember, too, your hand competes only with the dealer’s hand, not with the hands of the other players. What happens to each player’s Ante and Bet is summarized in the following table.

Dealer’s hand qualifies Dealer’s hand does not qualify Dealer’s hand is Player loses both the AnteNo matter which hand is better and the Bet. better, player wins even money on the Ante, and the Bet is returned without payoff. Player’s hand is Player wins even money better on the Ante and wins on the Bet according to the Bet payoff schedule. Hands tie Both the Ante and the Bet are returned with-out payoff. Ante Payoffs

Payoffs made on Ante wagers are always even money. Bet Payoffs

Payoffs on Bet wagers are made according to the following schedule.

Hand Payoff Royal Flush 100 to 1 Straight Flush 50 to 1 Four of a Kind 20 to 1 Full House 7 to 1 Flush 5 to 1 Straight 4 to 1 Three of a Kind 3 to 1 Two Pair 2 to 1 One Pair even money Bonus Jackpot Payoffs

The meter in the upper left corner of the Caribbean Stud Poker screen displays the value of the bonus jackpot (in the Hoyle Casino, this value is always $200,000). Bets on this jackpot are paid off according to the following schedule.

Hand Payoff Royal Flush $200,000 Straight Flush $20,000 Four of a Kind $500 Full House $100 Flush $50 See Also About Caribbean Stud Poker Caribbean Stud Poker Tournaments How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker Placing Bets in Caribbean Stud Poker Ranking Hands in Caribbean Stud Poker Caribbean Stud Poker Tournaments Under normal circumstances, Caribbean Stud Poker pits each player against the dealer. In a Caribbean Stud Poker tournament, players still compare their hands to the dealer’s, but they compare their bankrolls against each other. Players enter the tournament with equal tournament bankrolls, and the winner is the player with the highest bankroll after 25 hands. The opening stake is taken from the players’ own bankrolls and is not a separate stake. As play progresses, players can easily measure how well they are doing by comparing their current bankrolls with those of the other players. In Hoyle Casino, a Caribbean Stud Poker tournament usually lasts 25 hands, unless there is a tie to resolve. It ends sooner if players run out of money to bet against each other.

See Also About Caribbean Stud Poker How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker Payoffs in Caribbean Stud Poker Placing Bets in Caribbean Stud Poker Ranking Hands in Caribbean Stud Poker Starting a Game Tournament Play Let It Ride Let It Ride Basics About Let It Ride Ranking Hands in Let It Ride Playing Let It Ride in Hoyle Casino How to Play Let It Ride Placing Bets in Let It Ride Payoffs in Let It Ride Let It Ride Tournaments Customizing Let It Ride Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Let It Ride Let It Ride is a card game with a simple goal: Get a good Poker hand. It’s you against the cards, and if your cards don’t measure up to expectations, you have two chances to take back part of your wager—or let it ride. You bet on getting a winning five-card Poker hand using the three cards dealt to you and the two cards the dealer reserves as "community cards," for use by all players. There are no draws or discards. At the outset, you place three wagers of equal value. You can take back one of these wagers after looking at the three cards you are dealt. You can take back another wager after the dealer reveals one of the two community cards. The third wager remains in play no matter what. Winning hands—a pair of 10s or better—receive payoffs according to the Let It Ride payoff schedule.

See Also How to Play Let It Ride Let It Ride Tournaments Payoffs in Let It Ride Placing Bets in Let It Ride Ranking Hands in Let It Ride Ranking Hands in Let It Ride Cards are ranked in Let It Ride as they are in Poker. If you aren't familiar with this ranking, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it before playing Let It Ride. Royal Flush

A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit. Straight Flush

Five consecutive cards of the same suit. Four of a Kind

Any four cards of the same rank. Full House

Three of a kind and one pair. Flush

A hand of any five cards of the same suit. Straight

A hand of any five consecutive cards, but not of the same suit. Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank, such as three 8s. Two Pair

Two cards of the same rank and two cards of another other rank, such as two 4s and two 9s. Pair of 10s or Better

Two 10s, jacks, queens, kings, or aces.

See Also About Let It Ride How to Play Let It Ride Let It Ride Tournaments Payoffs in Let It Ride Placing Bets in Let It Ride How to Play Let It Ride Let It Ride is played on a customized Blackjack table, using a single deck of cards. In Hoyle Casino you are joined at a Let It Ride table by as many as three other players. (Or you can play alone.) In front of each player are three betting circles marked 1, 2, and $. Before cards are dealt, each player puts wagers of equal value into the three circles. If the table minimum is $5, for example, your wagers total $15. Play moves clockwise around the table. It’s your turn when your nameplate lights up.

On your first turn: Click on any one of the three betting circles to place your wagers. The dealer then deals each player three cards facedown. (Two other cards are reserved as "community cards," which you will share with the other players to complete your hands.)

On your second turn: 1 Look at your cards and compare them to the ranking of Let It Ride hands. 2 Depending on the cards you were dealt, take back the wager in circle 1 or leave it in play: Click the Take It Back button to remove the wager in circle 1. Click the Let It Ride button to keep the wager in play. The dealer then reveals the first of the community cards.

On your third turn: 1 Look at your cards as well as the upturned community card, and compare them to the ranking of Let It Ride hands. 2 Depending on your cards, take back the wager in circle 2 or leave it in play: Click the Take It Back button to remove the wager in circle 2. Click the Let It Ride button to keep the wager in play. The second community card is revealed, and play ends. Wagers are paid off according to Let It Ride Payoff Schedules.

See Also About Let It Ride Let It Ride Tournaments Payoffs in Let It Ride Placing Bets in Let It Ride Ranking Hands in Let It Ride Placing a Bet in Let It Ride There are three wagers in Let It Ride. You place them all at once, in equal amounts, at the beginning of each hand. There are betting circles in front of each player marked 1, 2, and $. One wager goes into each betting circle. You set the amount of each wager using the chips that appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. The chips represent different values: $5, $10, $25, and so on. To display more values, click the left or right arrow symbol on either side of the chips. Remember that you are setting an amount for each of the three wagers; if you set an amount of $25, for example, your three wagers would total $75.

To place your three Let It Ride wagers: 1 Set an amount for each wager: Click on any of the chips in the lower right corner of the screen. To increase the amount, click the left mouse button on one or more of the chips. (To set $15, for example, click the $5 chip and the $10 chip.) To decrease the amount, click the right mouse button on one or more of the chips. The current amount appears below the chips. To reset the amount to zero, click the eraser symbol to the left of the chips. 2 Place all three wagers at once: Click on any of the three betting circles.

See Also About Let It Ride How to Play Let It Ride Let It Ride Tournaments Payoffs in Let It Ride Ranking Hands in Let It Ride Payoffs in Let It Ride At the end of play, players are paid on all remaining wagers, according to the following table.

Hand Payoff Royal Flush 1,000 to 1 Straight Flush 200 to 1 Four of a Kind 50 to 1 Full House 11 to 1 Flush 8 to 1 Straight 5 to 1 Three of a Kind 3 to 1 Two Pair 2 to 1 Pair of 10s or better Even money

See Also About Let It Ride How to Play Let It Ride Let It Ride Tournaments Placing Bets in Let It Ride Ranking Hands in Let It Ride Let It Ride Tournaments Under normal circumstances, Let It Ride is as noncompetitive as a card game can be. If you want to play Let It Ride in competition against other players, however, you can enter a tournament. Players enter a tournament with equal bankrolls, and the player with the highest bankroll after 25 hands is the winner. The stake money is taken from the players’ own bankrolls and is not a separate stake. As play progresses, players can easily measure how well they are doing by comparing their current bankrolls with those of the other players. In Hoyle Casino, a Let It Ride tournament usually lasts 25 hands, unless there is a tie to resolve. It ends sooner if players run out of money to bet against each other.

See Also About Let It Ride How to Play Let It Ride Payoffs in Let It Ride Placing Bets in Let It Ride Ranking Hands in Let It Ride Tournament Play Three Card Poker Three Card Poker Basics About Three Card Poker Ranking Hands in Three Card Poker Playing Three Card Poker in Hoyle Casino How to Play Three Card Poker Placing Bets in Three Card Poker Payoffs in Three Card Poker Three Card Poker Tournaments Customizing Three Card Poker Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Three Card Poker In Three Card Poker, players can: Bet that their hands will include a pair or better. Bet their hands against the dealer’s hand. Bet on their own hands and against the dealer. Betting on your hand is a simple matter of making a Pair Plus wager. You know whether you have won a Pair Plus payoff as soon as you look at your cards. (There is no raising or discarding, and the dealer’s cards are irrelevant.) Pair Plus payoffs are made according to a schedule that begins with even money for a pair. Betting against the dealer starts with an Ante wager. After looking at your cards, you might decide to continue against the dealer by placing a Play wager equal to the Ante. Or you might decide to fold, losing your Ante as well as any Pair Plus wager you may have made. In the end, the fate of your Ante and Play wagers depends on the dealer’s cards. If the dealer’s cards "qualify" with a Queen high or better—and your hand is better than the dealer’s—you win even money on your Ante wager as well as your Play wager. If the dealer’s cards do not qualify, you win even money on your Ante wager (no matter how bad your cards may be), but your Play wager is returned without payoff (no matter how good your cards may be). Betting against the dealer makes you eligible for Ante Bonus payoffs: With a hand that includes at least a Straight you are eligible for an Ante Bonus payoff even if the dealer’s hand fails to qualify or you lose to the dealer’s hand.

See Also How to Play Three Card Poker Payoffs in Three Card Poker Placing Bets in Three Card Poker Ranking Hands in Three Card Poker Three Card Poker Tournaments Ranking Hands in Three Card Poker The ranking of hands in Three Card Poker differs from Poker in important ways. Because there are only three cards to a hand, a straight is harder to form than a flush and ranks higher. And three of a kind beats them both. Aces rank high in all hands except in 3-2-A. The following card combinations are ranked in order from highest to lowest. Straight Flush

Three cards of the same suit in sequence. The highest straight flush is A-K-Q; the lowest is 3-2-A. A straight flush beats Three of a Kind and any lower hand. Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank, regardless of suit. Three aces rank highest and three 2s lowest. Three of a kind beats a straight and any lower hand. Straight

Three cards in sequence but not of the same suit. The highest straight is A-K-Q; the lowest is 3-2-A. A straight beats a flush and any lower hand. Flush

Three cards of the same suit but not in sequence. A flush beats a pair and any lower hand. One Pair

Two cards of the same rank. Two aces rank highest and two 2s lowest.

See Also About Three Card Poker How to Play Three Card Poker Payoffs in Three Card Poker Placing Bets in Three Card Poker How to Play Three Card Poker Three Card Poker is played on a Blackjack-style table, using a single deck of cards. In Hoyle Casino you are joined at a Three Card Poker table by as many as three other players. (Or you can play alone.) In front of each player are three betting areas: a Pair Plus circle, an Ante circle, and a Play square. Play moves clockwise around the table. It’s your turn when your nameplate lights up.

On your first turn: 1 Place your Pair Plus wager, Ante wager, or both wagers. 2 Click the Done button. The dealer deals each player three cards and keeps three cards. Look at your cards and compare them with the ranking of Three Card Poker hands.

On your second turn: Click the Fold button to drop out of the hand. (When you fold, you lose your Ante wager as well as any Pair Plus wager you may have made.) OR Click the Play button to place a Play wager equal to your Ante wager. The dealer’s cards are now revealed, and play is over. Wagers are paid off according to the Three Card Poker payoff schedules.

See Also About Three Card Poker Payoffs in Three Card Poker Placing Bets in Three Card Poker Ranking Hands in Three Card Poker Placing a Bet in Three Card Poker Placing Pair Plus and Ante wagers

You place Pair Plus and Ante wagers by clicking on the Pair Plus and Ante circles in front of you. You set the amount of these wagers using the chips that appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. The chips represent different values: $5, $10, $25, and so on. To display more values, click the left or right arrow symbol on either side of the chips. You can place just one of these wagers—or both wagers in equal or different amounts.

To place a Pair Plus wager or an Ante wager: 1 Set an amount for the bet: Click on chips in the lower right corner of the screen. To increase the amount, click the left mouse button on one or more of the chips. (To set $15, for example, click the $5 chip and the $10 chip.) To decrease the amount, click the right mouse button on one or more of the chips. The current amount appears below the chips. To reset the amount to zero, click the eraser symbol to the left of the chips. 2 Click on the Pair Plus circle or the Ante circle in front of you. 3 Click the Done button. Placing a Play wager

When your second turn comes around, you can make a Play wager equal to your Ante wager. Or you can fold without placing the wager.

To place a Play wager: In the Actions dialog box, click the Play button. An amount equal to your Ante wager automatically appears in the Play area. To fold instead of placing the wager, click the Fold button.

See Also About Three Card Poker How to Play Three Card Poker Payoffs in Three Card Poker Ranking Hands in Three Card Poker Payoffs in Three Card Poker Pair Plus payoffs

Payoffs on Pair Plus wagers are made according to the following schedule, regardless of the dealer’s hand:

Hand Pair Plus Payoff Straight flush 40 to 1 Three of a kind 30 to 1 Straight 6 to 1 Flush 4 to 1 Pair Even money Note: You are not eligible for a Pair Plus payoff if you fold. By folding, you lose not only your Ante wager but your Pair Plus wager, too. Ante and Play payoffs

What happens to your Ante and Play wagers depends on the dealer’s hand and whether it "qualifies." To qualify, the dealer’s hand must include at least a queen or better (for example, Q-J-8 or 3-3-7). If it qualifies, your cards are compared with the dealer’s according to the unique Three Card Poker rankings. Remember, your hand competes only with the dealer’s hand, not with the hands of the other players. What happens to each player’s Ante and Play is summarized in the following table.

Dealer’s hand qualifies Dealer’s hand does not qualify Dealer’s hand is Player loses both the AnteNo matter which hand is better and the Play. better, player wins even money on the Ante, and the Play is returned without payoff. Player’s hand is Player wins even money better on the Ante and the Play.

Hands tie Both the Ante and the Play are returned with-out payoff. Ante Bonus payoffs

Even if the dealer’s hand fails to qualify or beats your hand, you may have one more chance at winning money: A hand with a Straight or better qualifies for an Ante Bonus payoff. Ante Bonuses are paid on the Ante wager (not the Play wager) according to the following schedule:

Hand Ante Bonus payoff Straight flush 5 to 1 Three of a kind 4 to 1 Straight Even money Flush None Pair None

See Also About Three Card Poker How to Play Three Card Poker Placing Bets in Three Card Poker Ranking Hands in Three Card Poker

Three Card Poker Tournaments Under normal circumstances, Three Card Poker pits each player against the dealer. But in a Three Card Poker tournament, players also compete against each other. Players enter the tournament with equal tournament bankrolls, and the player who finishes the tournament with the highest bankroll is the winner. As play progresses, players can easily measure how well they are doing by comparing their current bankrolls with those of the other players. In Hoyle Casino, a Three Card Poker tournament usually lasts 25 hands, unless there is a tie to resolve. It ends sooner if players run out of money to bet against each other.

See Also About Three Card Poker Tournament Play Poker Tournaments

Poker Tournament Basics

About Poker Tournaments Playing Tournament Poker in Hoyle Casino

How to Play in a Poker Tournament Strategies for Winning Poker Tournaments Customizing Poker Tournaments

Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Poker Tournaments Playing regular Poker at a casino or card room involves sitting down at a table for an undefined stretch of same-stakes hands. Each hand is a separate, unrelated event, and there is no specific end or overall objective other than to leave with more money than you brought to the table. Poker tournaments add excitement and a sense of greater purpose to the game by applying a structure and a goal beyond playing to win each individual hand. Hoyle Casino offers tournament play in all seven of its Poker variations, as well as a Triple Crown tournament, in which a different game is played in each of the tournament’s three rounds. For details on how to play any individual game, click on the name of a game below. For more information on playing in Hoyle Casino Poker tournaments, go on to Poker Tournament Rules. Texas Hold'em Omaha Hold'em Omaha Hold'em Hi-Lo Seven Card Stud Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Five Card Draw Five Card Draw Lowball

See Also How to Play Poker Poker Tournament Rules Strategies for Winning Poker Tournaments Poker Tournament Rules Understanding the structure of a Poker tournament is important to doing well in it. Poker tournaments have different rules for the buy-in, advancing and elimination, stakes, and prizes. The Hoyle Casino rules are outlined below.

The Buy-In Players buy-in at the beginning of the tournament and receive an amount of tournament chips equal to the buy-in. The tournament chips have no value outside of this one tournament, and they cannot be cashed in. There are five buy-in levels: $1,000, $5,000, $10,000, $25,000, and $50,000. You may not buy into a $50,000 tournament until you have won a tournament in the same game at a lower buy-in.

Advancement & Elimination Each tournament starts with 49 entrants at seven tables, and lasts for three rounds. Each table plays 14 hands in the first round. The three players with the highest bankrolls after 14 hands advance to the second round. Each table plays 28 hands in the second round. The two players with the highest bankrolls after 28 hands advance to the third round. Players who make it to the third round play until only one payer has all of the chips. The order in which players are eliminated in the third round determines the placing for cash prizes. If you are eliminated, you may choose to stay and watch the rest of the round, or you can leave the tournament.

The Stakes The stakes in all Hoyle Casino Poker tournaments are fixed-limit. The bets in the later betting rounds of each hand are twice as much as the bets in the early betting rounds. The limits increase every seven hands. In a $1,000 buy-in tournament, the stakes increase as follows:

Round & Hands Early Bet-Late Bet Round 1, Hands 1-7 $5-$10 Round 1, Hands 8-14 $10-$20 Round 2, Hands 1-7 $20-$40 Round 2, Hands 8-14 $30-$60 Round 2, Hands 15-21 $40-$80 Round 2, Hands 22-28 $50-$100 Round 3, Hands 1-7 $100-$200 Round 3, Hands 8-14 $200-$400 Round 3, Hands 15-21 $300-$600 Round 3, Hands 22-?? Add $100-$200 to the limit every seven hands until the tournament ends The stakes for tournaments with higher buy-ins are multiplied accordingly. For example, the stakes in a $5,000 tournament are five times as high as the stakes listed above. The stakes for a $50,000 tournament are 50 times the stakes listed above.

Prizes Since the tournament chips are not worth anything outside of the tournament, top-finishing players are rewarded with cash prizes. The seven players who make it to the last round receive a prize, but 4th-7th place finishers only receive a reimbursement of their buy-in. Here is the prize structure for a $1,000 buy-in tournament: Finish Prize First Place $30,000 Second Place $10,000 Third Place $5,000 Fourth Place $1,000 Fifth Place $1,000 Sixth Place $1,000 Seventh Place $1,000 The prizes for tournaments with higher buy-ins are multiplied accordingly. For example, the prizes in a $5,000 tournament are five times as high as the stakes listed above. The prizes for a $50,000 tournament are 50 times the amounts listed above. If two or more players are eliminated in the same hand, the prize money for those spots is added together and divided evenly among the players eliminated. For example, if there are four players remaining and two of them are eliminated in the same hand, the third and fourth place prizes are added together and divided evenly between the two eliminated players.

Special Game Notes The Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo and Omaha Hold’em Hi-Lo tournaments may take longer to finish because of their split pots, but they will end. Omaha Hold’em Hi-Lo frequently does not have a low hand, and it is possible to win both the high and the low in Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo. The Triple Crown tournament has a different game in each round: Omaha Hold’em Hi-Lo in the first round, Seven Card Stud in the second round, and Texas Hold’em in the third round.

See Also How to Play Poker About Poker Tournaments Strategies for Winning Poker Tournaments Strategies for Winning Poker Tournaments Winning in a Poker tournament requires strategy beyond that used in a regular Poker game. Here are some things to keep in mind when playing a Hoyle Casino Poker tournament: Advancing to the next round is the bottom line. If you are nearing the end of the first or second round and you are not in a position to make the cut, play more aggressively; you have nothing to lose. If you are nearing the end of the first or second round and you are in a position to make the cut, play a bit more conservatively, but not too conservatively. You don’t want to let another player pass you, and you want to build up your bankroll as much as possible for the next round. The computer players have different poker-playing abilities. If you take advantage of the weaker players in the early rounds, you can build up your bankroll to give you an advantage when you advance to the next round. The top seven finishers each receive a cash prize, and everyone else walks away with nothing. With this structure, the only thing that matters is advancing to the third round. In the third round, always work to eliminate other players. If a player has gone all-in in round three and you are not sure you have them beat, you may want to check instead of opening. This will help keep other players in who might otherwise fold, and there will be a better chance that someone will have a hand to beat the all-in player. Play more conservatively in the third round. The computer opponents will be better players, and it will take better, more conservative play to beat them. Also, by playing conservatively, you may be able to stay in while other players eliminate themselves. If you can make it to third place, you will actually make money in the tournament. If you finish fourth through seventh, you only get your buy-in back.

See Also How to Play Poker About Poker Tournaments Poker Tournament Rules fixed-limit A poker betting structure in which the amount of each bet or raise is a set value, usually with an early round and late round bet amount. In a fixed-limit game, players only choose whether or not to bet, not how much to bet. buy-in The initial stake or entry fee required to compete in a gambling tournament. Baccarat

Baccarat Basics

About Baccarat How to Play Baccarat Playing Baccarat in Hoyle Casino

Placing a Bet in Baccarat The Baccarat Scorecard Baccarat Tournaments Customizing Baccarat

Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Baccarat Baccarat is a classic casino game commonly associated with elite high rollers and extravagant trappings. Despite its highbrow reputation and somewhat complicated card-drawing rules, however, Baccarat is one of the more straightforward casino games you’ll find. Simply place a bet on which of the two hands, Player or Banker, you think will come closer to a total of nine. If you’re right, you win; if you’re wrong, you lose. The dealer plays out each hand according to some strict drawing rules, but as far as the players are concerned, it’s that simple. Baccarat also has good odds relative to most casino options, which is one reason it is so popular with the high rollers. If you want to play a simple game of chance with a low house advantage, Baccarat awaits.

See Also How to Play Baccarat Placing a Bet in Baccarat The Baccarat Scorecard Baccarat Tournaments How to Play Baccarat In Baccarat, no matter how many players are at the table, only two hands are dealt: the Player hand and the Banker hand. Players wager on the hand they predict will total closest to 9 (or they wager on a tie) by placing chips in the appropriate box on the table layout in front of their seat. The act of placing a bet is the end of the player’s decision-making. The round is then played out according to a strict procedure involving no player choices. You could skip to Baccarat Payouts at this point and not be any worse off than someone who knows the Baccarat rules backwards and forwards. For the record, though, here is how a Baccarat hand plays out: 1. Two cards are dealt face down to the Player hand, followed by two cards face down to the Banker hand. The dealer first reveals the Player hand, and then the Banker hand. 2. The dealer assesses the current value of the hands. The value of a hand is determined as follows: Tens and face cards count as zero. Aces count as one. Cards 2 through 9 count as their face value. When a hand totals more than nine, the first digit is dropped: for example, a hand of a 9 and a 4 totals three, not 13. A hand of two 10s totals zero, not 20. This means that all hands have a value from 0 to 9. 3. If either hand totals 8 or 9, it is called a natural, and the hand ends. If neither hand is a natural, the dealer then determines if either of the hands requires a third card based on the Baccarat drawing rules. No Baccarat hand ever has more than three cards. 4. The dealer determines if the Player hand or Banker hand is closer to nine, or if they are tied. The dealer pays off winning bets according to Baccarat payout rules, and collects losing bets.

Baccarat Drawing Rules If either the Banker or Player hand is dealt an 8 or a 9 (a natural), the round ends. If not, the dealer first follows the rules on the Player Hand Drawing Chart, and then, if necessary, follows the Banker Hand Drawing Chart.

Payoffs in Baccarat Once the hand has played out, the dealer announces whether Player or Banker is the winner, or whether it was a tie. Winning Player bets are paid off at even money. Winning Banker bets are paid off at even money, and the house takes a 5% commission. Winning Tie bets are paid off at 8-1, and all Player and Banker bets are a push (they neither win nor lose). The Banker hand is a bit more likely to win than the player hand, which is why the house takes the 5% commission on winning Banker bets. Taking the commission into account, the house edge is 1.24% on Player wagers, 1.06% on Banker wagers, and 14.36% on Tie wagers. Obviously, the Tie wager is a sucker bet that should be avoided unless you are clairvoyant, in which case, skip Baccarat altogether and play the lottery instead. As for Banker vs. Player, you may be thinking, if the house edge is lower on the Banker bet, I should bet it every time, right? While it is true that the numbers support the Banker wager as the statistically better bet, the difference is slight. If you sit down at a Baccarat table and bet Banker all night, you are trading the fun of going with your gut and mixing it up a bit in exchange for a very small statistical gain.

See Also About Baccarat Placing a Bet in Baccarat The Baccarat Scorecard Baccarat Tournaments Placing a Bet in Baccarat At the beginning of each hand, you have the option to place a bet. If you make a bet, it must meet the minimum bet requirement, but not exceed the maximum bet limit. Chips appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. To view all values of chips available, click the left and right arrow symbols.

To place a bet: 1 Click on the chips to add to or subtract from your intended bet. To add money to the bet, click the left mouse button on the chip or chips you want to add. To subtract money from the bet, click the right mouse button on the chip or chips you want to subtract. To clear the bet, click on the eraser. 2 When you are satisfied with the amount of your bet, click on the type of bet you want to place: Player, Banker, or Tie. You can place as many bets as you like. When you are finished betting, click Done, and play will begin.

See Also About Baccarat How to Play Baccarat The Baccarat Scorecard Baccarat Tournaments The Baccarat Scorecard Like most casinos, Hoyle Casino offers Baccarat players a scorecard for tracking the Player and Banker wins. Many Baccarat players swear by various methods of tracking Player-Banker patterns to predict future outcomes. Unfortunately, there is no statistical basis for the notion of finding predictable patterns in the chaos of well-shuffled cards. The fact that most casinos provide a Baccarat scorecard should be any gambler's first clue that there is no advantage to doing it. However, keeping score does add to the fun of Baccarat, and in Hoyle Casino, we keep score for you! To view you scorecard, click the scorecard next to your character.

Scorecard Notation Wins are recorded in red, and losses are recorded in black. The number used to record each Player and Banker result represents how many times that hand has won in the current shoe. This gives you a running total of Player and Banker wins at a glance. Ties are recorded as dashes through the Player and Banker spaces. When you sit out the hand, Player and Banker results are recorded in black with a circle around them. Tie results when you sit out are not circled. Important Scorecard Note: the scorecard is designed to track the wins and losses of a player placing one bet per hand. If you elect to place multiple bets (on Player and Tie, for example), the scorecard will record the hand as if you sat out, regardless of whether you win or lose money.

See Also About Baccarat How to Play Baccarat Placing a Bet in Baccarat Baccarat Tournaments Baccarat Tournaments Under normal circumstances, Baccarat is not played against the other players at the table. In a Baccarat tournament, players are still trying to predict whether the Player hand or the Banker hand will win, but they compare their bankrolls against each other. Players enter the tournament with equal tournament bankrolls, and the player with the highest bankroll after 25 hands (or more in case of a tie) is the winner. The opening stake is taken from the players’ own bankrolls and is not a separate stake. As play progresses, players can easily measure how well they are doing by comparing their current bankrolls with those of the other players.

See Also About Baccarat How to Play Baccarat Placing a Bet in Baccarat The Baccarat Scorecard Tournament Play Starting a Game Video Blackjack

Video Blackjack Basics

About Video Blackjack How to Play Video Blackjack Playing Video Blackjack in Hoyle Casino

Choosing a Video Blackjack Machine Placing a Bet in Video Blackjack Customizing Video Blackjack

Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Video Blackjack Video Blackjack is a machine-based version of the classic table game. It offers lower stakes, faster play, a sense of solitude, and, even in an actual casino, the freedom to count cards openly. Whether these factors are a reason to play Blackjack video-style or a reason to head back to the table game depend upon what you are looking for in your Blackjack experience, but there is certainly an argument to be made for playing against the machine. Video Blackjack follows the same basic structure of its table-game forefather, so if you are familiar with the rules and strategies of Blackjack, you will be right at home in front of a Video Blackjack machine. If you are new to Blackjack, you should review the Blackjack Help section. Video Blackjack machines all follow the same basic principles of standard Blackjack play, but there are usually subtle differences in the rules of Video Blackjack that can raise or lower the house advantage. Picking a favorable machine is the first and most important step in winning at Video Blackjack. Once you have picked a machine, you place your bets and communicate your actions to the dealer-in-the-machine through pressing the appropriate on-screen buttons, or using the shortcut keys.

See Also How to Play Blackjack How to Play Video Blackjack Choosing a Video Blackjack Machine Placing a Bet in Video Blackjack How to Play Video Blackjack

To play a Video Blackjack machine, click the bill slot on the machine, and choose how many credits you want to play with. You can bet anywhere from one to five credits at a time. You have two options in betting: Click the Bet One button once for each credit you wish to bet. Click the Bet Max button to bet five credits.

When you bet five credits, the machine automatically deals the cards. When you bet less than five credits, you must click the Deal button to start the hand. After you click the Deal button, you will be dealt two cards face up, and the dealer will be dealt one card face down and one card face up. At this point you must choose from the actions available to you. Your options will be lit up at the bottom of the screen If you win, you then accumulate credits. To collect your credit(s), click the Cash Out button.

Summary of Video Blackjack Actions

Bet One Bets one credit. Use this option to specify the exact number of credits, without making a maximum bet. To quickly make the maximum bet, click Bet Max. You can only use this option if you have credits on the machine. You can bet one from credit during play by: Clicking Bet One. Pressing the letter B on the keyboard. Choosing Bet One from the Actions menu.

Bet Max Bets the maximum number of credits. To specify the exact number of credits, without making a maximum bet, click Bet One for each play. You can only use this option if you have enough credits on the machine. You can make a maximum coin bet during play by: Clicking Bet Max. Pressing the letter M on the keyboard. Choosing Max Bet from the Actions menu.

Deal Starts game play by dealing the cards. You start the deal by clicking Deal when the button is lit.

Hit Deals another card to your hand. You can hit during play by clicking Hit when the button is lit.

Stand Indicates that you do not want to perform any more actions on the current hand. You can stand by clicking Stand when the button is lit.

Split Separates an opening pair of same-value cards into two new hands, and places a second bet equal to your initial bet on the second hand. Each hand is played out separately, and each hand will automatically receive a second card. When you split aces, only one more card will be dealt to each hand. To split your pair, click Split when the button is lit.

Double Doubles your bet and adds one more card to your hand, after which you must stand. This can only be done on hands with two cards. You can double by clicking Double when the button is lit. Pressing the letter M on the keyboard. Choosing Max Bet from the Actions menu.

Insurance Yes/No Insurance is offered when the dealer’s upcard is an ace. Choosing Yes places a side bet equal to half your original wager that the dealer has blackjack. If the dealer does have blackjack, you win 2:1 on your insurance bet. Accept or reject insurance by clicking Yes or No button when you are offered the choice.

Cash Out Pays out all credits in the Video Blackjack machine. The credits include any winnings on the machine to that point. You can cash out during play by: Clicking Cash Out when it is lit. Pressing the letter C on the keyboard. Choosing Cash Out from the Actions menu.

See Also About Video Blackjack How to Play Blackjack Choosing a Video Blackjack Machine Placing a Bet in Video Blackjack Choosing a Video Blackjack Machine The first step for maximizing your return at Video Blackjack happens before you ever place a bet: picking the right machine. Traditional Blackjack games have many rule variations, and Video Blackjack is no different. Some rules improve the odds for the player while some improve the odds for the house, and it is important to know how the most common variations affect your expectation. Hoyle Casino offers two Video Blackjack machines. The rules for each machine are listed below, as well as information on the impact of these rules on your expectation. Classic Blackjack

Rules Single-deck Blackjack pays 3:2 All other wins pay 1:1 Split on any pair Split aces get one more card each only Double down on any two cards Insurance offered on dealer ace Player wins on six cards totaling 21 or less, except when dealer has blackjack Dealer hits on 16 or less Dealer stands on 17 or more, and on six cards totaling less than 21 Bet returned on all pushes This is a machine with rules reflecting the typical Las Vegas Strip table game, but it is a single-deck game, and is therefore a fairly even expectation game. The only departure from the standard rules is the fact that the player wins on six cards totaling less than 21, and that the dealer must stand on six cards totaling less than 21. These rules are in place to limit the number of cards in any hand to six, since there is limited space on a video screen. The six-card limitation on the dealer and the six-card win for the player is an advantage for the player. It won’t help you often, but it will help often enough that it makes this machine a slightly better than even game (about 100.1%) if played correctly. Special 21’s

Rules Single-deck Blackjack pays 3:2 Special 21’s pay 2:1 All other wins pay 1:1 No splitting pairs Double down on any two cards Insurance offered on dealer ace Player wins on six cards totaling 21 or less, except when dealer has blackjack Dealer hits on 16 or less Dealer stands on 17 or more, and on six cards totaling less than 21 Bet returned on all pushes

Special 21’s Five-Card Charlie: 21 with exactly five cards pays 2:1 777: 21 with three sevens pays 2:1 Straight Flush: 21 with 6-7-8 of the same suit pays 2:1 This machine offers a trade-off: you cannot split pairs, which brings your expectation down, but it also offers a nice 2:1 payout when you get one of the three "Special 21’s." 777 and the Straight Flush are hard to come by, but Five-Card Charlie happens often enough to offset the edge the house gains from your inability to split pairs. In the end, it works out about even, but don’t chase the Special 21’s. Play a basic Blackjack strategy (see manual), and let Five-Card Charlie come to you.

See Also About Video Blackjack How to Play Blackjack How to Play Video Blackjack Placing a Bet in Video Blackjack Placing a Bet in Video Blackjack To place a bet in Video Blackjack, click the bill slot on the machine, and choose how many credits you want to play with. You can bet anywhere from one to five credits at a time. You have two options in betting: Click the Bet One button once for each credit you wish to bet. Click the Bet Max button to bet five credits. When you bet five credits, the machine automatically deals the cards. When you bet less than five credits, you must click the Deal button to receive your cards.

See Also About Video Blackjack How to Play Blackjack How to Play Video Blackjack Choosing a Video Blackjack Machine Slot Machines Slot Machine Basics About Slot Machines Playing Slot Machines in Hoyle Casino Choosing a Slot Machine Playing Slot Machines Customizing Slot Machines Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Slot Machines There are four categories of slot machines in Hoyle Casino: Fun & Video, Single Line, Multiple Line, and Progressive. Each slot machine has its own theme, different credit amounts required for play, and different payouts. See Choosing a Slot Machine for details on each category and each machine.

Bet Levels All slot machines in Hoyle Casino are all multi-coin machines. For the Fun & Video and Single Line machines, the number of coins in play determines which pay column is used (pay columns are shown in the lighted panel above the reels). For example, betting two coins activates the second pay column. The Multiple Line and Progressive machines use multiple paylines instead of successive pay columns. Betting multiple coins activates additional paylines, either horizontally above or below the middle payline, or diagonally.

Slots Odds The house advantage for the machines is generally about 16 to 20 percent. These odds are not very good compared to the odds for most other casino games. However, you will find that some slot machines are "looser" than others, meaning they pay out more money.

Going for a Jackpot Each reel has at least one jackpot symbol, and to win a jackpot you must get each reel to stop on this jackpot symbol. For a 20 stop, three-reel machine with one jackpot symbol per reel, the odds of lining up all three jackpot symbols are 20 x 20 x 20, or 8000 to 1. Some machines have more than one jackpot symbol per reel, which improves the odds of hitting a jackpot, but the payout for a jackpot on these machines will usually be lower.

See Also Choosing a Slot Machine Playing Slot Machines Choosing a Slot Machine There are four categories of slot machines in Hoyle Casino: Fun & Video, Single Line, Multiple Line, and Progressive. Click on any category to learn more about that kind of slot machine, and click on any name to learn about that machine. To choose from the available machines while playing Hoyle Casino, click the Go To button on the menu bar, select Slot Machines, select the category of slot you want to play, pick a machine, and then choose the bet level you want. Fun & Video Alien Invasion Monster Slots Bug Out Shoes Cover the Spread Sweet Success Flying High Road Pizza (Video) Funny Money Three Wishes (Video) Single Line Emerald Oasis Piñata Payout Ruby River Shooting Stars Sapphire Sea Six Shooter Cold Cash Sugar Daddy Margarita Madness Wild Wheel Multiple Line Emerald Oasis (3 Line) Emerald Oasis (5 Line) Ruby River (3 Line) Ruby River (5 Line) Margarita Madness (3 Line) Margarita Madness (5 Line) Progressive Emerald Oasis Margarita Madness Ruby River Progressive Fruit

At each machine, you must insert a minimum bet. The following bet levels are available: 5¢ 10¢ 25¢ $1 $5 $10 $25 $50 $100 $250 $500 $1000

See Also About Slot Machines Playing Slot Machines Fun Slots Fun slot machines are variations on the classic fruit slot machines, each with a unique theme. They are all single line slot machines that follow the straightforward fruit model: there is one cherry-style symbol that pays a small payout when one or two show up, and there is one lemon-style symbol that is worth nothing, even with three in a row. For all other symbols, get three in a row and win! Single Line Slots Single Line slots, like Fun slots, have one payline, with the number of coins determining the pay column used. Unlike Fun slots, they use the more traditional bar and 7 symbols, as well as special, machine-specific symbols. Click on the name of any single line slot to learn more about it. Multiple Line Slots Multiple Line slot machines let players bet on additional paylines by adding more coins. Each additional coin activates an additional payline up to the 3 or 5 line maximum, depending on the machine. Multiple Line slots use the traditional bar and 7 symbols, as well as special, machine-specific symbols. Click on the name of any Multiple Line slot to learn more about it. Progressive Slots Progressive slots are similar to their Multiple Line counterparts. Progressive slots, however, have an ever-increasing super jackpot tied to a network of multiple machines. The jackpot progressively increases each time someone plays a machine in the network. When a player eventually hits the progressive jackpot, it resets to a base starting point and begins building again. Click on the name of any Progressive slot to learn more about it. Video Slots Video slots are relative newcomers to casinos. Instead of the usual reels and gears, Video slots use a video screen and a computer. With all the action happening through computer-generated animation, Video slots aren’t limited by three spinning reels, only by the imaginations of their creators. Click on the name of a Video slot machine to learn more about it.

Alien Invasion is a five-coin, single-line machine.

Bug Out is a three-coin, single-line m achine.

Cover the Spread is a three-coin, single-line m achine.

Flying High is a three-coin, single-line m achine.

Funny Money is a three-coin, single-line m achine.

Monsters is a three-coin, single-line m achine.

Shoes is a three-coin, single-line m achine.

Sw eet Success is a three-coin, single-line m achine.

Road Pizza is a tw o-coin video slot machine. The Pizza symbol is wild and matches any other symbol. Four pizza slices starts a two-minute timer. Every unique winning combination you hit in those two minutes adds to a Toppings bonus, paid out at the end of the two minutes. Watch out for carrots! If you get four carrots in a row during the two minutes, the Toppings are cleared.

Three Wishes is a three-coin video slot machine. If three Hands of Fatima symbols appear, any payout on your next spin is multiplied by the amount shown next to the magic lamp multiplier. This can increase your payout by up to twenty-five times!

Em erald Oasis is a three-coin, single-line m achine. The Emerald Oasis symbol is wild and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Emerald Oasis symbol pays 4x the payline. Two Emerald Oasis symbols pay 16x the payline. Three Emerald Oasis symbols pay the top payline jackpot!

Ruby River is a three-coin, single-line m achine. The Ruby River symbol is wild and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Ruby River symbol pays 9x the payline. Two Ruby River symbols pay 81x the payline. Three Ruby River symbols pay the top payline jackpot!

Sapphire Sea is a three-coin, single-line m achine. Any Ring Up Symbol rises when it stops below the payline. Any Ring Down symbol lowers when it stops above the payline. The Wild Sapphire symbol is wild and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Wild Sapphire symbol pays 2x the payline. Two Wild Sapphire symbols pay 4x the payline. Three Wild Sapphire symbols pay the top payline jackpot!

Cold Cash is a three-coin, single-line m achine. Three Cold Cash symbols on a three-coin bet pay the jackpot!

Margarita Madness is a tw o-coin, single-line m achine.

Piñata Payout is a three-coin, single-line m achine. The Piñata Payout symbol is wild and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Piñata Payout symbol pays 2x the payline. Two Piñata Payout symbols pay 4x the payline. Three Piñata Payout symbols pay the top payline jackpot!

Shooting Stars is a three-coin, single-line machine. The Shooting Stars symbol is wild, and matches any other symbol on the payline.

Six Shooter is a three-coin, single-line m achine. Two or three Six Shooter symbols on the payline win six free same-wager spins!

Sugar Daddy is a three-coin, single-line m achine Any Candy Bar symbol rises when it stops below the payline. Any Hard Candy symbol lowers when it stops above the payline. The Sweet! symbol is wild and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Sweet! symbol pays 2x the payline. Two Sweet! symbols pay 4x the payline. Three Sweet! symbols pay the top payline jackpot!

Wild Wheel is a five-coin, single-line machine. The Wheel Bar symbol rises when it stops below the payline. The Wild Wheel symbol is wild and matches any other symbol on the payline.

Em erald Oasis (3 Line) is a three-coin, three-line m achine The Emerald Oasis symbol is wild, and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Emerald Oasis symbol pays 4x the payline. Two Emerald Oasis symbols pay 16x the payline. Three Emerald Oasis symbols pay the top payline jackpot!

Ruby River (3 Line) is a three-coin, three-line m achine. The Ruby River symbol is wild and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Ruby River symbol pays 9x the payline. Two Ruby River symbols pay 81x the payline. Three Ruby River symbols pay the top payline jackpot!

Margarita Madness (3 Line) is a three-coin, three-line m achine.

Em erald Oasis (5 Line) is a five-coin, five-line m achine. The Emerald Oasis symbol is wild, and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Emerald Oasis symbol pays 2x the payline. Two Emerald Oasis symbols pay 4x the payline. Three Emerald Oasis symbols pay the top payline jackpot!

Ruby River (5 Line) is a five-coin, five-line m achine. The Ruby River symbol is wild and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Ruby River symbol pays 3x the payline. Two Ruby River symbols pay 9x the payline. Three Ruby River symbols pay the top payline jackpot!

Margarita Madness (5 Line) is a five-coin, five-line m achine.

Em erald Oasis (Progressive) is a three-coin, three-line, progressive m achine. The Emerald Oasis symbol is wild, and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Emerald Oasis symbol pays 4x the payline. Two Emerald Oasis symbols pay 16x the payline. Three Emerald Oasis symbols on a three-coin bet pay the progressive jackpot!

Ruby River (Progressive) is a three-coin, three-line, progressive m achine. The Ruby River symbol is wild and matches any other symbol on the payline. One Ruby River symbol pays 9x the payline. Two Ruby River symbols pay 81x the payline. Three Ruby River symbols on a three-coin bet pay the progressive jackpot!

Margarita Madness (Progressive) is a three-coin, three-line, progressive m achine. Red-White-Green 7s on a three-coin bet pay the progressive jackpot!

Progressive Fruit is a three-coin, three-line, progressive m achine. Three bars on a three-coin bet pay the progressive jackpot! How to Play Slot Machines

To play a slot machine: 1 Click on the bill slot on the front of the machine. You will be asked to enter how many credits you want to put into the machine. Click OK when done. 2 Bet the amount you want for the current spin by clicking Bet One, Bet Max, or Play Max. 3 Spin the reels by clicking the arm, clicking the Spin button, pressing S on the keyboard, or choosing Spin from the Actions menu. If you win, you accumulate credits. You can then bet your credits (instead of inserting more coins) for the next spin. You can bet from one coin up to the maximum number of coins available by clicking the Bet One or Bet Max buttons. To collect your credits, click Cash Out. Your bankroll will be automatically credited.

Summary of Slot Machine Buttons

Bet One Bets one coin from your credits to play a single row. On a multi-coin machine, use this option to specify the exact number of coin plays you want, without making a maximum coin bet. You can only use this option if you have credits on the machine. You can bet one coin from your credits during play by: Clicking Bet One (when it is lit). Pressing the letter B on the keyboard. Choosing Bet One from the Actions menu.

Bet Max Bets the maximum number of coins from your credits to play all available rows (and bets) on a multi-coin machine. You can only use this option if you have enough money in your bankroll to cover the maximum bet amount. You can make a maximum coin bet during play by: Clicking Bet Max (when it is lit). Pressing the letter M on the keyboard. Choosing Bet Max from the Actions menu.

Play Max Bets the maximum number of coins from your credits to play all available rows (and bets) on a multi-coin machine and automatically starts the spin for play. You can only use this option if you have enough credits on the machine. You can play the maximum bet by: Clicking Play Max (when it is lit). Pressing the letter P on the keyboard. Choosing Play Max from the Actions menu.

Spin Spins the reels to play. You can spin by: Clicking the arm on the slot machine. Clicking Spin (when it is lit). Pressing the letter S on the keyboard. Choosing Spin from the Actions menu.

Cash Out Pays out all credits and coins bet in the machine. When you cash out, the coins fall out the bottom of the machine or are immediately credited to your bankroll. You can cash out by: Clicking Cash Out (when it is lit). Pressing the letter C on the keyboard. Choosing Cash Out from the Actions menu.

See Also About Slot Machines Choosing a Slot Machine Video Poker Video Poker Basics About Video Poker How to Play Video Poker How to Play Multi-Hand Video Poker Playing Video Poker in Hoyle Casino Choosing a Video Poker Machine Placing a Bet in Video Poker Customizing Video Poker Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings About Video Poker Video Poker, a man-against-machine electronic version of Poker, is one of the more popular games in casinos today. Some people enjoy the solitude that Video Poker provides. It can be easier to concentrate on winning without distractions that inevitably occur where a human dealer and other human players are involved. In Video Poker, you don’t have to think about bluffing, betting, and whether you’re giving out too much information; you just think about the cards, and play. You also don’t have to wait for shuffling and dealing. The machine makes these things happen instantaneously. Many Video Poker enthusiasts are blazingly fast players, but this is a matter of choice. You can set your own pace in this game. Another reason for the game’s great popularity is that some Video Poker machines offer an opportunity to win money from the casino. A few machines pay out a 102 percent return on your money if you adhere to an optimal strategy. Now those are worthwhile odds!

See Also How to Play Video Poker How to Play Multi-Hand Video Poker Choosing a Video Poker Machine Placing a Bet in Video Poker How to Play Video Poker In Video Poker, the object of the game is to build the best Five Card Draw Poker hand possible. If you are not familiar with the ranking of Poker hands, see Ranks of Poker Hands from the Poker section. Unlike regular Poker, however, you are not trying to get a better hand than other players; you are simply trying to build a good enough hand to earn a payout. What hand is good enough to earn a payout depends upon the machine. See Choosing a Video Poker Machine for details on the payouts of each machine. The payout scale for the machine is also shown in the lighted panel above the buttons. Your payout for a given hand will also depend on the number of credits you bet. For the most part, increasing your bet simply multiplies the one-credit payout by the number of credits you bet. For example, betting three credits will multiply the one-credit payout for each hand by three. The exception is usually the five-credit payout for the best possible hand. If you bet five credits (the maximum) and get the best hand possible (usually a royal flush or five of a kind), the payout is more than five times the one-credit payout for that hand. This is to encourage players to bet the maximum every time, and you should. You may never get a royal flush, but you want to get the full payout if you do. After placing a bet and clicking the Deal button, five cards appear on the screen. At this point you must choose the cards you want to keep. You are allowed one re-deal, and can draw anywhere from zero to five new cards. Each card must be individually selected if you wish to keep it. You can keep a card by clicking it, at which point the word Held shows up on the screen above the card. Cards marked by the word Held will not be replaced when you draw new cards. You can easily change your mind about keeping a card by clicking it a second time. Make sure the Held notation disappears when you do so. If you have a pat hand (five good cards), you can click the Hold All button to quickly mark each card with Hold. Conversely, the Discard All button unmarks each card. When you’re ready to draw new cards, click the Deal button. The cards not marked by the word Held will be replaced, resulting in your final hand. If you win, you then accumulate credits. To collect your credit(s), click the Cash Out button.

Summary of Video Poker Buttons & Shortcuts

Deal Starts game play by dealing the first set of cards. Also deals the next set of cards after the discard. You start or continue the deal by: Clicking Deal. Pressing the letter D on the keyboard. Choosing Deal from the Actions menu.

Hold 1 Holds the first card (on the far left) for your current hand. You hold the first card by: Clicking on the first card. Pressing the number 1 on the keyboard. Choosing Hold 1 from the Actions menu.

Hold 2 Holds the second card (second from the left) for your current hand. You hold the second card by: Clicking on the second card. Pressing the number 2 on the keyboard. Choosing Hold 2 from the Actions menu.

Hold 3 Holds the third card (third from the left) for your current hand. You hold the third card by: Clicking on the third card. Pressing the number 3 on the keyboard. Choosing Hold 3 from the Actions menu.

Hold 4 Holds the fourth card (fourth from the left) for your current hand. You hold the fourth card by: Clicking on the fourth card. Pressing the number 4 on the keyboard. Choosing Hold 4 from the Actions menu.

Hold 5 Holds the fifth card (fifth from the left) for your current hand. You hold the fifth card by: Clicking on the fifth card. Pressing the number 5 on the keyboard. Choosing Hold 5 from the Actions menu.

Hold All Holds all the cards for your current hand. You hold all cards by: Clicking Hold All (when it is lit). Pressing the letter A on the keyboard. Choosing Hold All from the Actions menu.

Discard All Discards all the cards for your current hand. You discard all cards by: Clicking Discard All. Pressing the letter R on the keyboard. Choosing Discard All from the Actions menu.

Bet One Bets one credit. Use this option to specify the exact number of credits, without making a maximum bet. To quickly make the maximum bet, click Bet Max. You can only use this option if you have credits on the machine. You can bet one from credit during play by: Clicking Bet One (when it is lit). Pressing the letter B on the keyboard. Choosing Bet One from the Actions menu.

Bet Max Bets the maximum number of credits. To specify the exact number of credits, without making a maximum bet, click Bet One for each play. You can only use this option if you have enough credits on the machine. You can make a maximum coin bet during play by: Clicking Bet Max (when it is lit). Pressing the letter M on the keyboard. Choosing Max Bet from the Actions menu.

Cash Out Pays out all credits bet for the Video Poker machine. The credits include any winnings on the machine to that point. You can cash out during play by: Clicking Cash Out (when it is lit). Pressing the letter C on the keyboard. Choosing Cash Out from the Actions menu.

Speed Deal (Multi-Hand Video Poker Only) Instantly reveals all hands after exchanging cards, instead of revealing the hands one by one. You can speed deal after starting the card exchange by: Clicking anywhere on the screen. Pressing the letter S on the keyboard.

See Also About Video Poker How to Play Multi-Hand Video Poker Choosing a Video Poker Machine Placing a Bet in Video Poker How to Play Multi-Hand Video Poker Take the popularity of Video Poker and multiply it by fifty. What do you get? Multi-Hand Video Poker, of course— one of the hottest casino games around! It plays just like regular Video Poker, except you can play up to fifty hands at once! This is not as overwhelming as it may sound. Really, you are playing one hand of video poker, but getting up to 50 different results on the draw. First, choose the number of hands you wish to play by clicking one of the numbers across the bottom of the video poker screen on the screen: 1, 5, 10, 25, or 50. Then, place a bet and click the Deal button. Clicking Bet Max will play five credits for every hand you chose to play. The maximum you can bet is 250 credits, five credits for each of 50 hands. After you click Deal, you are presented with five cards. Each hand you are playing contains these five cards. At this point, just like regular Video Poker, you must choose the cards you want to keep. You are allowed one re-deal on each hand, and you can draw anywhere from zero to five new cards. The cards you choose to keep are kept for each hand you are playing. You can keep a card by clicking it, at which point the word "Held" shows up on the card. That card is also turned up on all the additional hands you are playing, indicating that it will not be replaced in any of the hands. If you change your mind about keeping a card, click it a second time. Make sure the word "Held" disappears, and the card flips back over on all the additional hands. If you have a pat hand (five good cards), you can click the Hold All button to quickly mark each card with Hold. When you’re ready to draw new cards, click the Deal button. For each hand you play, a random set of replacement cards is drawn for each hand. As the final hands are revealed, your winning hands are tallied to the left and right of the main hand. Each winning hand has a color-coded outline representing the type of hand it is. Rolling the cursor over any of the small-sized hands pops up an enlarged version of it for easier viewing. If you win, you accumulate credits. To collect your credit(s), click the Cash Out button. The keyboard shortcuts are the same in Multi-Hand Video Poker as they are in Single Hand Video Poker.

Notes The odds for multi-hand video poker are the same as their single-hand video poker counterparts. The strength or weakness of each starting hand is magnified by playing it multiple times, but overall, the odds don’t change. Therefore, strategies for optimizing your return at the single-hand versions carry over to the multiple-hand versions.

See Also About Video Poker How to Play Video Poker Choosing a Video Poker Machine Placing a Bet in Video Poker Choosing a Video Poker Machine There are three types of Video Poker machines: Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, and 10s or Better. To learn more about the types of machines or any individual machine, click on the names below. When you join a Video Poker game, you must choose a bet level, and you must observe the minimum bet amounts during play. To choose from the available machines while playing Hoyle Casino, click the Go To menu, select Video Poker, choose Multi-Hand or Single Hand, pick a machine, and then choose the bet level. The machines have different payoff percentages. Advertised payoff percentages can be misleading, though. When a casino says they have a machine with a 99% payoff percentage, it doesn’t mean the machine produces a win 99% of the time. It means that in the long run, the odds are you will win back 99% of the money you wager. Click on the name of any machine to see its payoff percentage and its payouts.

Note The odds for a Multi-Hand machine are the same as its Single Hand counterpart. Easy Money, Wild Thing, and Wild Party are available as Multi-Hand Video Poker machines. Jacks or Better Machines Easy Money Jack’s Back Crawdad De uces Wild Machines Wild Country Born to Be Wild Wild Thing Wild Party 10s or Better Machines A-10 Shun Hang 10

At each machine, you must insert a minimum bet. The following bet levels are available: $1 $5 $25 $100 There is also a $.25 bet on Multi-Hand Video Poker machines.

See Also About Video Poker How to Play Video Poker How to Play Multi-Hand Video Poker Placing a Bet in Video Poker Jacks or Better Machines The Jacks or Better machines pay out 98 percent to 100 percent at the top end. Expect an even game when playing the Jacks or Better machines, with not as many extremes of winning and losing streaks as you get with the Deuces Wild machines. Deuces Wild Machines Some Deuces Wild machines offer great potential for winning money, with a few offering returns up to 102 percent. Naturally, with four wild cards the minimum winning hand is going to change; expect Deuces Wild machines to display three of a kind as a minimum hand. Expect a roller coaster ride of great winning streaks sandwiched between losing streaks. When playing Deuces Wild machines, make sure you never discard your 2s; it’s easy to forget how valuable they are! 10s or Better Machines Some of the earliest Video Poker machines are 10s or Better machines. It’s usually difficult to find a 10s or Better machine that offers a high return, although it’s possible to find some wheat among the chaff. A few machines may offer close to a 100 percent return, but most are in the 90-95 percent range. You can expect the payoffs for a 10s or Better machine to be lower than the Jacks or better machine. This is natural, since a lower hand (a pair of 10s) brings a win in the 10s or Better machines. Easy Money Payoff: 100%. This machine is called a 9/6 Jacks or Better machine. The 9/6 refers to the payoff for the full house (9 to 1) and the flush (6 to 1). 9/6 Jacks or Better machines with a high five-coin royal flush payout are among the better Video Poker machines you will find, and will pay even money if you adhere to an optimal playing strategy.

Jack’s Back Payoff: 95.5%. This machine is called a 6/5 Jacks or Better machine. The 6/5 means the full house pays 6 to 1 and the flush pays 5 to 1.

Crawdad Payoff: below 93%. This machine pays out big credits for four of a kinds formed with face cards and aces, but the overall payoff is low.

Wild Country Payoff: below 94%. Wild Country is the only Deuces Wild machine to pay 4-1 on full houses, but it pays lower on straight flushes, five of a kind, and wild royal flushes. In the short run, the 4-1 full house is nice, but when you finally hit that five of a kind, you’ll wish you were on a different machine. Born to Be Wild Payoff: below 95%. Born 2 Be Wild offers lower payouts than Wild Thing on straight flushes or better, and it doesn’t offer higher payouts on the lower hands to compensate. Accordingly, the payoff percentage on Born 2 Be Wild is lower than it is on Wild Thing.

Wild Thing Payoff: below 96%. The higher payouts for straight flushes or better make this a relatively good Deuces Wild machine.

Wild Party Payoff: 99%. In addition to the four deuces, a wild joker is also included with Wild Party. There is a nice 3-1 payoff on flushes, and the 800-1 payout on a natural royal flush is better than any of the other machines. There is a much lower payout on four of a kind through four deuces, but the additional wild card means you will hit payoffs more often. The extra straights and flushes will make up for the lower jackpots on the high hands. Wild Party also has a 4000-1 payoff for 5 wild cards!

A-10 Shun Payoff: 99.1%. A-10 Shun has a lower payout than Hang 10 on flushes and full houses, but pays 2-1 on two pairs, compared to a 1-1 two-pair payout on Hang 10.

Hang 10 Payoff: below 95%. Compared to A-10 Shun, Hang 10 offers nice payoffs for the full house and straight, but low payoffs for two pair. Placing a Bet in Video Poker To place a bet in Video Poker, click the bill slot on the machine, and choose how many credits you want to play with. In Multi-Hand Video Poker, first choose how many hands you would like to play by clicking on the 1, 5, 10, 25, or 50 buttons on the game screen. You can bet anywhere from one to five credits at a time. You have two options in betting: Click the Bet One button once for each credit you wish to bet. Click the Bet Max button to bet five credits. In Multi-Hand Video Poker, you are betting one credit for each hand you are playing. For example, clicking Bet Max when playing 50 hands means you are wagering 250 credits, five for each hand. When you bet five credits, the machine automatically deals you five cards. When you bet less than five credits, you must click the Deal button to receive your first five cards.

See Also About Video Poker How to Play Video Poker How to Play Multi-Hand Video Poker Choosing a Video Poker Machine Making a Face in Face Creator You can use Face Creator to create a unique picture to represent yourself while you’re playing games. This picture is shown on the screen when you play games on your computer. You can make just one face to represent yourself, or you can make several different faces and choose a different face each time you play! Click one of the topics below to learn more about Face Creator: Starting Face Creator Using Face Creator The Face Creator Screen Starting Face Creator There are several different ways to start Face Creator.

To start Face Creator: In the Sign In dialog box, click the Face Creator button. OR From the Main Screen, click the Face Creator picture on the screen, or click Face Creator on the Go To menu. OR In the Players dialog box, click the Face button next to your face. You will be taken to a Settings screen; click the Face Creator button to start Face Creator. Note: If you start Face Creator from the Sign In screen, the face you make is automatically assigned to the currently selected player. And if you make a face when you’re already signed in, it is automatically assigned to you.

To change an existing Face Creator face: In Face Creator, click the Load button, select the face you want to change, and then click OK to load that face into Face Creator. Click here to learn how to use Face Creator:

See Also Using Face Creator The Face Creator Screen Talking w ith Your Character Using Face Creator You can create a unique picture for yourself using Face Creator. You can start with a new face, or load a previously created face by clicking the Load button. For a detailed explanation of the Face Creator screen, click here:

To make a face in Face Creator: 1 Click a feature (head, eyes, nose, and so on) on the Face Creator screen. The feature will be selected, and pictures you can use for the feature appear in the 12 feature boxes at the top of the screen. You can select features in any order, and you don’t have to specify every feature (your face can have no nose, for example). 2 Select the picture you want to use for that feature. To see additional screens of pictures, click on the numbered buttons or on the left and right arrows under the two rows of pictures. Note: For eyes and eyebrows, you can select matching pairs, or you can select different left and right eyes and eyebrows, if you like. When you click on eyes or eyebrows, a selection box pops up with the choices left only, right only, and both. Click on which side or sides you wish to change (both is the default choice), then select the new feature. 3 You can move features around on the face by clicking the arrow buttons surrounding the sample face or by clicking the arrow keys on your keyboard. All features except the body, head, and clothes can be moved. If you move a feature and want it moved back where it was originally, click the Center button. 4 Add any other features you want. 5 Select one of the four skin tones for your face. 6 Choose a voice for your character. There are five male voices, and five female voices. Click on the Voice Selection Menu right below your character to select a voice. You can preview the selected voice by clicking on the speaker icon 7 Click Exit to exit Face Creator. Your face is saved automatically. If you want to make multiple faces before exiting, you can click save to save your current face before making a different one. If you loaded a different face earlier and made changes to that face, you are asked if you want to save the new face you created over the old face. Click OK to save the face over the old face, or click Cancel to save the face as a new face. Assign faces you have made to players using the Sign In screen.

To remove a feature from the face: 1 Select the feature you want to remove. 2 Click the Clear button.

To clear the entire face: Click the New button to start a new face from scratch. Your current face will be cleared.

To delete a Face Creator face: You can remove any Face Creator faces that you no longer want in the Sign In dialog box. Select the face you want to delete using the scroll bar below the face window, then click the Delete button to the right of the face. (You can do this when you sign in to start the game, or you can open the Sign In dialog box by clicking Sign In on the File menu from the Main Screen.)

Notes and Tips: Moving eyebrows to different heights is a good subtle way to add personality to your face. Moving a nose downward can create an impression of a longer nose; moving it upward can make a shorter nose. Be creative! Many items can be moved anywhere on the face. Clothing is specific to the body you select. If you select an article of clothing and then change your body, you may need to select new clothes for your new body. To quickly create a unique new face, click the Random button. (This is good if you’re not feeling creative, but still want a change.) You can still make changes to the random face, if you want. Be careful when using this button as this will erase the face currently on the screen. See Also Starting Face Creator The Face Creator Screen Talking w ith Your Character Talking with Your Character In previous versions of the Hoyle products, your character would sit quietly while the Hoyle characters did all the talking. Now, you can get in on the conversation! Each character plaque, including yours, has a happy and sad face button on it.

If you click on a Hoyle character's happy face icon, you will say something congratulatory to them. If you click on their sad face icon, you will say something to console them. You can use these buttons any time, but you will get a response more often if the situation is appropriate for congratulations or consolations. As for yourself, if you are feeling good or feeling bad, you can say so by clicking the appropriate icon on your plaque. The Hoyle characters may have something to say about the way you feel, too.

See Also Starting Face Creator The Face Creator Screen Using Face Creator The Face Creator Screen Click the picture of Face Creator below to get help with that part of Face Creator:

To get a step-by-step description of how to use Face Creator, click here: Facial Features Shows all of the available options for the current feature you are working with. Click the left and right arrow buttons to move through the pages of options, or click a numbered button to move to a specific page. Head Selects the shape of your head. Body Selects your body type. Both male and female body types are shown. Skin Tone Selects the skin tone for your head and body. Eyebrows Selects eyebrows. To select matching eyebrows, just click the mannequin head on the picture of eyebrows you want. To select a different left or right eyebrow, click left only or right only above the eyebrows selection area and then select the eyebrow picture you want . Eyes Selects eyes. To select matching eyes, just click the mannequin head on the picture of eyes you want. To select a different left or right eye, click left only or right only above the eyes selection area and then select the eye picture you want . Eye/Eyebrow selection area Appears when you select eyes or eyebrows. This lets you individually select eyes or eyebrows to add character to a face. To select just the left eye or eyebrow, select left only, to select just the right eye or eyebrow, select right only. To select both eyes or eyebrows (the normal selection), select both. Nose Selects a nose. Move the nose up and down to lengthen or shorten it. Mouth Selects a mouth. Face Shows the face in progress, with any features you have added to your face. Click on the arrows to move the currently selected feature around on the face. All features except the body and clothes can be moved. Click the Center button to center the current feature, or click the Clear button to clear the feature you just added to the face. Center button Centers the currently selected feature if it has been moved. Clear button Removes the currently selected feature from your face. arrow Moves the currently selected feature in the face in the direction indicated. All features except the body and clothes can be moved. Hair and Hats Selects hair and hat combinations. Clothes Selects clothing for your body. You will only see clothes that fit the body shape you chose. Eye wear Selects glasses or other accessories for your eyes. Some glasses will hide your eyes. Facial Hair Selects a variety of types of facial hair. Save button Resets the current face, and removes all of the face’s features, so you can start a new face from scratch. Load button Loads an existing Face Creator face so that you can make changes to it. Help button Brings up this help file. Exit button Exits Face Creator, saving the current face. If you loaded a face into Face Creator, you have the option to overwrite the old face or save the face as a completely new face.

Voice Selection Choose a voice for your Face Creator charater. Voice Sample Click to hear a sample line from the currently selected voice. New Button Click to make a new face Random Button Click to make a face from random Face Creator parts.

Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Missing topic found during conversion. Four Card Poker Four Card Poker features head-to-head play against the dealer and an optional bonus bet. It is similar to Three Card Poker®, but with one major difference. In Three Card, the Play wager must equal the Ante; in Four Card, players may bet up to three times their Ante when staying in the game.

How To Play: All players first make an Ante bet to compete with the dealer and have the option to also make an Aces Up bet to play against the paytable.

Each player receives five cards to make four-card poker hands. Four-card straights are straights, four-card flushes are flushes.

The Dealer’s Hand: The dealer gets six cards to make his four-card hand. One of the dealer's cards is dealt face-up.

Stay or Fold? After seeing your hand, you may fold or stay in the game by making a Play wager. You may bet one to three times your Ante if you choose to stay in the game.

Winning & Losing: The dealer reveals his hand and compares it to each player’s hand. If a player beats (or ties) the dealer, his Play and Ante bets win even money. If the dealer beats the player, the Play and Ante bets lose. Note: The dealer always qualifies.

Automatic Bonuses: Premium hands—three-of-a-kind and higher—receive automatic payouts. These are paid on the Ante wager. Automatic Bonuses always win, even if the player loses to the dealer.

Aces Up: The Aces Up side bet wins when the player has a pair of Aces or better.

Ranking of Hands: Four-of-a-Kind, Straight Flush, Three-of-a-Kind, Flush, Straight, Two Pair, Pair Paytable: Automatic Aces Up Bonus Four-of-a-Kind 25 to 1 50 to 1 Straight Flush 20 to 1 40 to 1 Three-of-a-Kind 2 to 1 9 to 1 Flush 6 to 1 Straight 4 to 1 Two Pair 2 to 1 Pair of Aces 1 to 1

Three Card Poker Basics About Three Card Poker Customizing Four Card Poker Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings Royal Match 21 Royal Match 21 is an optional bonus bet for Blackjack that considers the first two cards the player receives. If the cards are the same suit or a Royal Match (a King and Queen in suit), the player wins. The Crown Treasure Bonus is paid if the player and the dealer each receive a Royal Match.

Playing the Game:

To begin each round, players make their standard Blackjack wagers and the Royal Match wager. The dealer then follows house procedures for Blackjack. Once the players have two cards, the dealer settles winning Royal Match wagers. If players have two suited cards, they win according to the paytable. If their first two cards are not suited, they lose their Royal Match wager. Note: All bonus payouts apply to the first two cards only. Paytable: Royal Match 25 to 1 Two Suited Cards 2.5 to 1 Crown Treasure $1,000

Blackjack Basics About Blackjack Customizing Royal Match 21 Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino Changing Player Settings Fortune Pai Gow Poker Fortune Pai Gow Poker is a variant and is played the same way Pai Gow Poker is with the following exceptions. To begin each round, players make their standard Pai Gow wagers and the Fortune bonus wager. If a player wagers at least $5 on the Fortune bonus, the dealer must place an "Envy" button next to it. The dealer then follows house procedures for Pai Gow poker. While reconciling the standard pai gow poker wagers, the dealer also reconciles Fortune bonus bets. If the player's hand qualifies for payouts, the dealer pays him according to the posted paytable. If the player's hand does not qualify for payouts, the dealer takes his Fortune wager. The dealer pays any Envy Bonuses at the end of the round. If at least one player has a four-of-a-kind or higher, all players with envy buttons win according to the posted paytable. In the event more than one player has at least four-of-a-kind, all players with envy buttons win multiple payouts.

Hand Pays Envy 7 card straight flush 5,000 to 1 $1,000 Royal Flush + Royal Match 1,000 to 1 $250 7 card straight Flush with Joker 750 to 1 $100 Five Aces 250 to 1 $50 Royal Flush 100 to 1 $25 Straight Flush 50 to 1 $10 Four-of-a-Kind 20 to 1 $5 Full House 5 to 1 Flush 4 to 1 Three-of-a-Kind 3 to 1 Straight 2 to 1 Three Pair Push

Pai Gow Poker Basics About Pai Gow Poker Customizing Fortune Pai Gow Poker Setting Game Rules and Options Customizing Hoyle Casino