Caribbean Stud Poker
CASINO POKER-DERIVATIVE GAME (1982) invented by DAVID SKLANSKY. 1+ players + dealer, each dealt 5 CARDS. Player makes ANTE bet, sees own cards + dealer's ONE UPCARD, then decides to CALL (2× ante) or FOLD. Dealer needs A-K high or better to qualify. Progressive jackpot side bet common. Very popular on cruise ships + Caribbean casinos originally; house edge ~5.2%. Fast, simple; less demanding than Texas Hold'em.
Quick facts
Category
Casino & Gambling
Type
Individual
Players
1–7
Duration
~30 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
1982 David Sklansky; commercialized 1988 on Caribbean cruises
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Beat the dealer's 5-card poker hand.
Rules
Basic rules
Place ANTE + optional $1 progressive side bet
2 bets available.
Receive 5 cards; see dealer's 1 upcard
Limited info.
Decide CALL (2× ante bet) or FOLD (lose ante)
Single decision.
Dealer needs A-K high or better to qualify; else ante 1:1, call push
Qualifier rule.
If dealer qualifies + player wins, ante 1:1 + call pays per bonus table
Bonus payouts.
Royal flush hits $1 progressive jackpot
Progressive dream.
Scoring
Even-money ante; call bet has bonus table for premium hands.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush + call bet | 100:1 (also progressive jackpot $10k+) |
| Straight Flush | 50:1 |
| Four of a Kind | 20:1 |
| Full House | 7:1 |
| Flush | 5:1 |
| Straight | 4:1 |
Win condition · Beat dealer 5-card hand.
Equipment
Standard 52-card deck
No jokers
Caribbean Stud table with progressive jackpot
Signature side bet slot
Chips + $1 progressive side-bet marker
Standard casino chips
Terminology
- Progressive jackpot
- Growing pot funded by side bets; won on royal flush.
- Qualify
- Dealer must have A-K high or better.
- Call
- Additional 2× ante bet to see dealer's hand.
Where it is played
Frequently asked
Should I make the progressive jackpot side bet?+
House edge is HIGH (~30%) on the side bet, but the progressive jackpot can grow large enough that expected value flips positive when the pool exceeds ~$260,000+. Serious progressive-jackpot players wait for large jackpots + make the $1 side bet only then.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Caribbean stud poker— Wikipedia