Texas Hold-em Poker is the most popular version of poker played in poker rooms around the world and online.

Many of the poker variations played today (Example: Omaha) are based on Texas Hold-em so learning to play Texas is probably the best way to start.

Due to movies and popular culture you will probably be more familiar with draw poker where each player is dealt 5 cards but Texas Hold-em variations are different. Each player is dealt a 'pocket hand' and then a set of community cards is dealt face up. These community cards are used by all players in order to create a 5 card poker hand - in Texas Hold-em you get 2 pocket cards and 5 community cards.

The full betting process will be dealt with in another lesson, this tutorial is aimed at teaching you the basic rules and format of the game.

In Blackjack, the player (you) plays against the dealer (the house), independently of other players. Your goal is to draw cards ("hit") until your hand adds up to 21, or comes as close as possible without exceeding 21. If your first two cards total 21, you have Blackjack.

Blackjack Rules

Once a player (you) has bet, both the player and the dealer are dealt two cards each. The player's cards are dealt face up. The dealer's first card is dealt face down. The Ace can be used as a 1 or 11 points.

Any card combined with an Ace, other than a card that has a value of 10, is considered a "soft hand". Meaning that if the player has 4 and an Ace, it would be considered 5 or soft 15. The King, Queen, Jack and Ten are 10 points each; all other cards, are worth their face values. If the players first two cards total 21, then it's a natural Blackjack. Blackjack is the highest hand.

If you are dealt any two cards other than a Blackjack, you may "stand" (refuse any further cards), or "hit" ( accept another card). A player who stands will not receive additional cards. Cards are dealt until the player stands or "busts" (exceeds 21). When you bust, you immediately lose your bet regardless of the dealer's hand result.

After the player's final actions, the dealer reveals the down card. If the dealer's hand is 16 or less, the dealer must continue to "hit" until reaching 17 or more. The dealer must stand on soft 17 and cannot take additional cards. If the dealer exceeds 21 ("bust"), and the player has stood without busting, the player wins. When the dealer stands on 17 or greater and has a higher count than the player - the dealer wins; if the player has the higher count - the player wins. If the player and the dealer have the same totals, it's a "push" (tie).

Blackjack Betting Options

Splitting
When a player is dealt two cards with equal values, they have the option of "splitting" them into two separate hands. In order to "split", the initial bet has to be matched. Each hand is then played separately. If the player splits two Aces, only one more card is dealt to each hand. A hand can only be split once.

Doubling Down
A player may double on their first two cards other than a Blackjack. When a player doubles, only one more card is dealt and the original bet has to be matched. Essentially, the player bets the hand can be won with one more card. You can also "double down" after "splitting" a pair.

Insurance
When the dealer's up card is an ace, the player is offered "insurance". Taking insurance means the player makes a second bet (of half the original bet) that the dealer's face down card is a ten card. If this is the case, the player is paid 2 to 1 on the insurance bet and the initial bet loses as it is beaten by the dealer's Blackjack. If the dealer does not have a natural Blackjack, the insurance bet is lost and the hand is played out as normal.

Even Money
If the player (you) has a Blackjack and the dealer's up card is an Ace, the player is offered 'even money'. Taking even money means the player will be paid 1 to 1 on the Blackjack and not 3 to 2 as normal. Taking even money means the player believes the dealer's face down card is a ten card. If the player chooses not to take even money and the dealer reveals a Blackjack, both hands tie. If no even money is taken and the dealer has no Blackjack, the player is paid at 3 to 2.

*The Dealer has none of these options.

Blackjack Payouts

In American Roulette, the player tries to predict which number slot on the Roulette wheel that the ball will land on.

American Roulette Rules

The roulette wheel is marked with numbers 1 through 36, with an additional "0" and "00". The numbers are alternately colored red and black, and the "0" and "00" are green.

The roulette layout is divided into different sections - individual numbers and group bets. Bets made on individual or adjacent numbers or small groups of numbers are referred to as 'inside bets' whilst the bets covering groups of 12 or 18 numbers (e.g. red, odd, etc.) are known as 'outside bets'.

Roulette Types of Bets

Roulette Inside Bets

Roulette Outside Bet

7)	Column Bet	A bet on an entire column, placed on a 2-1 box at the end of a column.
8)	Dozen Bet	A bet on a group of 12 numbers, placed on the 1st 12 box (numbers 1-12), 2nd 12 box (numbers 13-24), or 3rd 12 box (numbers 25-36).
9)	Colour Bet	A bet on all of the red numbers or all of the black numbers, placed on the red box (all red numbers) or the black box (all black numbers).
10)	Even/Odd	A bet on all even numbers or all odd numbers, placed on the even box (all even numbers) or the odd box (all odd numbers).
11)	Low/High Number	A bet on all low numbers or all high numbers, placed on the low box (numbers 1-18) or the high box (numbers 19-36). * If 0 or 00 is spun, all outside bets are halved and returned to the player.

Roulette Payouts

There is a common misconception that craps is a complicated game to play but it isn't, it's quite easy to learn and great fun to play. In craps, the player bets on whether the dice roll will result in a win or loss.

Craps Rules

Craps is played with two dice. Poker chips are used to place bets.

The Shooter and the Come Out Roll

The player rolling the dice is called the shooter. The "come out" roll is the shooter's first roll.

2 Bets Before the Come Out Roll

Craps Pass Line bets

The Pass Line is an even money bet. When you make a "pass line" bet, you are betting the shooter WILL be successful. The results for the "pass line" "come out" rolls are as follows...

For example, if the shooter's "Come Out" roll is an eight that will become the "point", the shooter continues to roll until an eight or seven is rolled. A roll of eight wins, a roll of seven loses, called a "seven-out". All intervening rolls are irrelevant to the "Pass Line" bet. Once either the seven or point has been rolled, the next roll becomes the new come out roll.

Craps Don't Pass Line bets

The Don't Pass Line is an even money bet. When you make a "don't pass line" bet, you are betting that the shooter WILL NOT be successful. The opposite of a "pass line" bet except rolling a 12 ties (a "push"), when you make a "don't pass" bet, if the come out roll is:

You win after the first roll if the shooter rolls a seven before making his point. However, you lose if the shooter successfully make his point. For example, if the shooter's "Come Out" roll is an eight, the shooter continues to roll until an eight or seven is rolled. A roll of eight loses, a roll of seven wins. All intervening rolls are irrelevant to the "don't pass line" bet.

Once either the seven or point has been rolled, the next roll becomes the new "Come Out" roll.

8 Bets after the Come Out Roll

If the shooter is winning, the dice are not passed on. The dice are only passed to the next player if the shooter sevens-out (rolls a seven) or decides not to continue rolling. In the Internet version of craps, the player loses if there is a seven-out and can end the game at any time provided there are no bets placed.

Pass Line and Don't Pass Line bets are made on the shooter's "Come Out" roll. All other bets are placed after the come out, once a "point" has been determined, and work independent of the "pass line" and "don't pass" bets.

1) The Come Bet
Made any time after the initial "Come Out" roll when a shooter has a point to make, you win on the first roll of the come bet with a natural (7, 11) and lose on craps (2, 3, 12). Any other number that comes up is a come point. You win on a come bet if this number is rolled again before a 7.

2) The Don't Come Bet
Opposite of the come bet, except the 12 is a tie. Made any time after the initial "Come Out" roll when a shooter has a point to make, you lose on the first roll of the don't come bet with a natural (7, 11) and win on craps (2, 3). Any other number that comes up is a come point. You lose on a don't come bet if this number is rolled again before a 7.

3) Odds Bet
You can accompany your Pass Line, Come, Don't Pass, or Don't Come bet with an additional bet called an "odds bet". Once point has been established, the odds bet is popular because it pays "true odds" on your bet. True odds are based on comparing the chance of your number being rolled before the 7, are paid out accordingly. To illustrate, using the True Odds Chart, you can see that the 7's chance of coming up is twice that of the 4. When you place an odds bet on the four, it will pay 2 to 1, the true odds.

Determining True Craps Odds

The following chart will display the number of ways a 7 can be made, as opposed to the number of ways any other combination of points can be rolled at a given time.

An odds bet on the "pass line" and the "come" is called "taking odds". The payouts on taking odds are:

An odds bet on the "don't pass" and the "don't come" is called "laying odds". The payouts on laying odds are:

Points	True Odds
4 and 10	1 - 2
5 and 9	2 - 3
6 and 8	5 - 6

4) Place Bet
Betting a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 will be rolled before a 7. This is similar to Come bets except unlike an Odds Bet, you do not have to place a bet in the Come or Pass Line bet first.

Points	True Odds
4 and 10	9 - 5
5 and 9	7 - 5
6 and 8	7 - 6

Because of the payout ratios above, Place bets on the 4, 5, 9, or 10 should be made in multiples of 5, and bets on 6 or 8 should be made in multiples of 6 because payouts are rounded down to the nearest dollar. To make a place bet, click on the space marked "place bets" below the desired number square.

5) Lay Bet
Betting a 7 will be rolled before a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 is rolled. The Lay bet pays true odds less a 5% commission fee or "vig", rounded down to the nearest dollar. You can make a lay bet without making a "don't pass" or "don't come" bet first. To make a lay bet, click on the space marked "lay bets" above the desired number square.

When a player is dealt two cards with equal values, they have the option of "splitting" them into two separate hands. In order to "split", the initial bet has to be matched. Each hand is then played separately. If the player splits two Aces, only one more card is dealt to each hand. A hand can only be split once.

6) Buy Bet
Betting a four, five, six, eight, nine or ten will be rolled before a seven, opposite of the Lay bet. The Buy bet pays true odds less a 5% commission fee or "vig", rounded down to the nearest dollar. You can make a Buy bet without making a "pass line" or "come" bet first. To make a buy bet, click on the desired number square.

7) Big 6 and Big 8
Betting a six or an eight will be rolled before a seven. This area is located near the corner with a big 6 and 8. It is similar to a Place bet on the six or eight except you get paid even money.

Craps Field Bet

A one roll bet that the next roll will be a two, three, four, nine, ten, eleven or twelve. A roll of two and twelve pays double or 2 to 1. A roll of three, four, nine, ten and eleven pays even money.

Craps Proposition Bets

In addition to the 8 different bets described above, you can also place Proposition Bets, located on the right side of the Internet craps table. To make a proposition bet, click on the desired square.

Craps Hard Ways

When both dice come up with the same number, i.e. two 2's, it's called the "hard way". The only numbers considered hard ways are 4, 6, 8, and 10. The 2 and 12 are not considered Hard Ways because the only way to make them is with a double (1+1, 6+6).

The following are the Hard Ways bets you can make:

Craps One Roll Bets