Red Dog
SIMPLE CASINO CARD GAME. 1+ players + dealer. Dealer draws 2 cards + reveals the SPREAD (gap between them). Player bets whether the 3rd card will fall BETWEEN the two. Pays multiples of the spread size (1-11 pays big; 2-4 pays small). No spread (adjacent ranks) = push; matching pair opens 11:1 for tie-3rd-card. House edge ~2.8%. Fast-paced novelty game; also popular as home/pub gambling under 'IN-BETWEEN' name.
Quick facts
Category
Casino & Gambling
Type
Individual
Players
1–6
Duration
~20 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Early 20th c USA; commercial casino version popular 1960s-80s
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Predict whether 3rd card ranks between first 2 dealt cards.
Rules
Basic rules
Place ante bet
Mandatory.
Dealer draws 2 cards + reveals spread
Spread = ranks between them.
Player may RAISE (up to 1× ante) after seeing spread
Optional double-down.
Dealer draws 3rd card; between = win, outside/equal = lose
Simple outcome.
Consecutive cards = push; matching pair = 11:1 if 3rd card matches
Special cases.
Scoring
Payouts scale with spread; wider spread = smaller payout but higher win probability.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Spread 1 (win) | 5:1 |
| Spread 2 (win) | 4:1 |
| Spread 3 (win) | 2:1 |
| Spread 4+ (win) | 1:1 |
| Consecutive (no spread) | Push (0) |
| Pair + 3rd matches | 11:1 |
Win condition · 3rd card between first 2 cards.
Equipment
Standard 52-card deck
Reshuffled each hand at casino
Red Dog table (spread indicator)
Casino version
Chips
Ante + optional raise
Terminology
- Spread
- Number of ranks between first 2 cards.
- Consecutive
- Cards with no rank between; automatic push.
- In-Between
- Home/pub version of Red Dog.
- Raise
- Optional bet doubling before 3rd card.
Where it is played
Frequently asked
Should I raise on Red Dog?+
Raise ONLY when spread is 7+ (probability of hitting is >50%). Spread 1-3 has poor odds of winning even with high payouts; don't raise. Basic strategy minimizes house edge from 2.8% baseline.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Red Dog— Wikipedia