Let It Ride Poker Online: How to Play, Strategy, Tips
- Let It Ride is one of the most relaxed and entertaining forms of Video Poker.
- Let It Ride has a universal pay table based on poker pay lines - the same in online casinos and land casinos.
- Playing with an optimal Let It Ride Poker strategy sees an RTP (Return-to-Player) of 96.5%.
Let It Ride Poker is a fast-paced casino poker game widely available in many online casinos' video poker libraries.
Also available in brick-and-mortar casinos, Let It Rider poker is similar to games like Jacks or Better and Ultimate Texas Hold'em as players compete against the house rather than each other.
In this article, you can expect a complete guide to Let It Ride Poker, which will include the following:
What is Let It Ride Poker?
Let It Ride Poker was invented in 1993 by developer Shuffle Master Gaming, quickly establishing itself as a favorite of the casino floor renowned for its relaxed and fun gameplay.
Let It Ride is a variation of the poker game Five-Card Stud, with winning hands likely to be familiar to poker fans as many match combinations that are found in more commonly played poker variants.
Handily, Let It Ride is a straightforward game to pick up, so let's move on now and look at how to play Let It Ride Poker.
Did you know? Let It Ride Poker was initially invented to fuel demand for Shuffle Master Gaming's new playing card shuffling machine!
How to Play Let It Ride Poker
Let It Ride Poker uses a standard 52-card deck and has space for seven players around a table and a dealer. Crucially, you're not playing against other players, just the House, which means you don't have to worry about aggressive tactics or poker table sharks eyeing your chips.
A winning Let It Ride hand must consist of Tens or Better 10♦10x - but more on winning pay lines in the next section - with any lower pairs not qualifying as a winning hand.
Firstly, Let It Ride poker players need to place three bets on the trio of circles on the table before the action can begin. These mandatory bets precede the start of every hand, with each of the three bets needing to be the same size for the game to work. Don't worry - you'll get the chance to take back 2/3 of these bets if you're not happy with the cards you're dealt.
Looking for a Beginner's Guide to Video Poker? Look no further than our simple How to Play Video Poker Guide!
The First Action
Once your mandatory bets are placed, the dealer will then deal each player three cards face-down and two community cards also face-down. While the cards dealt to you are yours and yours alone, the community cards can be used by all players at the table, like a Flop in a game of Texas Hold'em.
Now, you can look at your cards, but remember not to show them to other players, or you will forfeit the hand.
Once you've digested the strength of your hand, you need to decide whether you want to forfeit the first of your three bets or you trust your cards enough to commit to it and to continue to play (you "Let It Ride"). You take this decision based on your three cards alone, with no knowledge of the value of either community card.
The Second Action
Irrespective of whether you still have two bets or three in front of you, the action moves on to the second stage of a Let It Ride hand. Next, the dealer will expose one of the community cards in the middle of the table, which you may use in combination with your three dealt cards.
Here is when you need to decide on your second bet. You can forfeit it and get the whole bet back, or you can Let It Ride and keep it in the game.
This choice is relatively easy for you. You base it on your three cards plus the fourth community card, meaning you already know 80% of the cards.
The Final Action
Finally, the dealer will reveal the second community card to complete your five-card hand.
Unlike the earlier stages of the game, you can't withdraw your third bet - meaning you are stuck with it, and you either win it or lose it!
The minimum winning hand is 10s or Better, while the maximum is the coveted Royal Flush! Any winning hands will then be paid in accordance with your stake and the pay table, which we will discuss now...
Let It Ride Poker Payouts and Odds
Unlike many other video poker variants, Let It Ride Poker has a consistent paytable that is the same at all land and online casinos. This keeps things nice and simple; whether you play Let It Ride at a Casino in Las Vegas, at the glamorous Monte-Carlo Casino, or on a Let It Ride site online, the game always pays the same.
Here is a full table of winning Let It Ride Hands with examples and the payout odds for each winning hand:
| Hand | Example of Winning Hand | Payout Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 10♦J♦Q♦K♦A♦ | 1,000-1 |
| Straight Flush | 5♠6♠7♠8♠9♠ | 200-1 |
| Four-of-a-Kind | K♣K♠K♥K♦8♦ | 50-1 |
| Full House | J♦J♥7♥7♠7♣ | 11-1 |
| Flush | 2♣4♣7♣10♣A♣ | 8-1 |
| Straight | 2♣3♠4♠5♥6♦ | 5-1 |
| Three-of-a-Kind | 10♣10♠10♥6♠3♦ | 3-1 |
| Two Pair | 5♠5♥Q♥Q♦A♠ | 2-1 |
| Tens or Better | 10♣10♥6♦A♠2♦ | 1-1 |
Let It Ride Poker Side Bets - 3 Card Bonus
The 3-Card Bonus is a unique side bet included in the casino card game of Let It Ride Poker. This bonus activates when a player receives a pair or better on the first three cards.
To play the 3-card bonus side bet, you must place an extra bet before the game begins. The fact this bet is placed blind means it cannot be recommended as part of any strategy. However, it may be appealing to players who want non-stop action throughout the entire hand, even before the first cards are dealt.
Let It Ride Poker Strategy
Although Let It Ride Poker is not as strategic as some other casino games, there are still important video poker strategies to employ that are essential for long-term success in the game.
Alongside sensible bankroll management, assessing the table properly, and not playing emotionally, the following Let It Ride strategies reveal the best way to play the three-card & four-card stages of a Let It Ride poker hand.
The Best Let It Ride Strategy - Three-Card Stage
Before seeing either of the two community cards and being faced with withdrawing one of your three initial bets, these are the scenarios to let all three bets ride at the three-card stage:
- You have achieved any paying hand already - Tens or Better.
- You have three cards contributing to a Royal Flush. E.g. 10♦Q♦A♦
- You have three consecutive cards to a Straight Flush, where a '3' is the lowest card. E.g. 3♣4♣5♣
- You have three near-consecutive cards to a Straight Flush, with one card being ten or higher. E.g. 7♦8♦10♦
- You have further but still near-consecutive cards to a Straight Flush, with two of the cards being ten or higher.8♠10♠J♠
The Best Let It Ride Strategy - Four-Card Stage
The four-card stage is much more straightforward as far more information about the table has been revealed by this time. These are the following ways to play the four-card stage of a Let It Ride hand:
- You have four cards to a Royal Flush. E.g. 10♥J♥Q♥K♥
- You have four cards to a Straight Flush. E.g. 4♠5♠6♠7♠
- You have four cards to a Flush. E.g. 3♦7♦9♦A♦
- You have four consecutive cards to a Straight with at least one card above ten. E.g. 7♠8♥9♥10♦
- You have achieved any other paying hand - Four-of-a-Kind, Three-of-a-Kind, Two Pair, Tens or Better
What is the House Edge in Let It Ride Poker?
Playing with the correct strategy, as discussed above, will see a house edge of around 3.51%. This is a larger edge than some other video poker games like Jacks or Better but is smaller than lots of other popular casino games like many slots, for example.
Where Can I Play Let It Ride Poker?
Ready to put your Let It Ride Poker skills to the test?
Look no further as we reveal the best online casino to play Let It Ride Poker in your area! Check out our favorite online casino sites below, and possibly even grab a bonus if you're a new player.
With real-money casino and free-to-play social casinos aplenty, we've got an option to suit every player in every region.
Just click the link below, and we'll transport you to the best online casino for Let It Ride poker for you!
Find a full guide to The Best Online Casinos for Video Poker here!
Play Let It Ride Poker for Real Money
The button below is your gateway to playing Let It Ride Poker for real money. Please be aware that this will vary depending on location, as will any bonus information. If you decide to play, remember the strategy, gamble responsibly, and have fun!
Play Let It Ride Poker for Real Money!
Play Let It Ride Poker for Free
Playing games online for free is a brilliant way to test out new strategies, have fun, or get involved in the casino fun if real money play is not allowed in your location. Click the button below to play free video poker today (this will vary by location):
Play Let It Ride Poker for Free!
Let It Ride Video Poker - FAQs
How do you play Let It Ride Poker?
- To begin the game, you need to place three bets — all of the same size.
- The dealer deals three cards to each player in the hand.
- Once the players have the cards, they can choose to fold (and forfeit one bet) or continue (aka. let it ride).
- After all players decided if to continue or fold, the dealer places the first community card on the board.
- The players can either pull the second bet or continue and let it ride once more.
- The dealer places the second community card on the board.
- The players are now paid according to the strength of their five-card poker hand (community cards + hole cards) and a few other factors highlighted in this article.
What is the payout for Let It Ride Poker?
Let It Ride Poker has a consistent system of pay outs which you may find in the article above. These range from 1-1 for a Tens or Better hand to 1,000-1 for a Royal Flush.
How many cards do you get in Let It Ride Poker?
Personally, you receive three cards which you can then use in combination with the two community cards that the dealer will place on the table.
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