Live poker now available at US friendly GGL

 

Global Gaming Labs have launched a live poker game. They call it Casino Hold’em Poker. Sound familiar? It should…it’s the same name used by Evolution Gaming and Playtech for their live poker games.

That’s not where the similarities end.

GGL’s Casino Hold’em is identical in almost every respect to its Evolution/Playtech counterparts; same deal sequence, same bet options (including Aces or better bonus bet); same Ante and Bonus bet payouts; same dealer hand qualifying rule.

The only real difference is that the GGL version is available to US players.

For the benefit of American poker players as yet familiar with live dealer poker here’s how the game works.

This is house poker

There’s a saying in poker that goes something like, “if you haven’t identified the donkey(s) at the table, then chances are it’s you.” 

When it comes to Casino Hold’em the good news is that you don’t have to be concerned about any poker sharks at the table. This is a house game…you versus the dealer rather than other players. Of course a strong argument could be mounted that this means there’s absolutely no uncertainly as to who the donkey at the table is, particularly given the fact that there’s a healthy house edge on the Ante bet (2.2%) and an enormous house edge on the Bonus bet (6.3%).

Getting started

An Ante bet gets you in the game, and you’ll be dealt 2 hole cards. The dealer also takes 2 hole cards only theirs are dealt face down. Three community cards (ie the Flop) are also dealt.

If you want to remain in the game and see the Turn and River cards you’ll need to place a Call bet (2x Ante). If you choose not to Call you forfeit your Ante.

Once the Turn and River cards are out, the dealer’s hole cards are revealed and the winning hand is decided according to normal (Texas Hold’em) hand rank rules, and a dealer qualifying hand rule.

How you win and what you win

If you haven’t folded (ie you did place a Call bet), you win if:

• the dealer’s hand doesn’t qualify (pair of 4’s or better), in which case
  – your Ante bet pays according to the below pay table, and
  – your Call bet is returned; or
• the dealer’s hand qualifies but yours is better,  in which case
  – your Ante bet pays according to the below pay table, and
  – your Call pays even money.

Ante bet payouts:

Royal Flush: 100 to 1
Straight Flush: 20 to 1
4 of a Kind: 10 to 1
Full House: 3 to 1
Flush: 2 to 1
Straight or lower: 1 to 1

The Bonus bet

This is an optional bet that the your hole cards plus the flop will include a pair of Aces or better. It pays out according to the below pay table BUT is forfeited when folding, regardless of the hand, so just make sure you don’t fold if you’re in line for a bonus bet payout!

Bonus bet payouts:

Royal Flush: 100 to 1
Straight flush: 50 to 1
4 of a kind: 40 to 1
Full house: 30 to 1
Flush: 20 to 1
Straight or lower: 7 to 1

Couple of other tidbits worth knowing are that its a single deck deal and your dealer will likely be speaking Spanish (Costa Rica studio).