Pai Gow Poker - EV

Are some of you Pai Gow Poker players? For a long time the game was a mystery to me. Then I did a little research & found it's not so complicated. I played it for the first time @ Grand Sierra resort in Reno about a month ago & had beginner's luck.

My question concerns the EV. I originally thought 50% of the hands s/b pushes, but an experienced player said the figure is actually 48%, since a tie with the dealer's hand counts as a loss, not a push. Let's say I'm playing 100 hands at a $10/minimum table and have $1,000 in chips. Based on what that player said, if I had a statistically average session, I'd win 25 hands, lose 27 and push 48. And the house takes a 5% (0.50) commission on wins. 25 x .50 = $12.50

So (ignoring the Progressive & Fortune Side bets) at the end of those 100 hands I'd have $480 + $250 + $250 - $12.50, which is $967.50. Does a 96.75% EV seem correct? Thanks, folks.

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Jack in San Francisco

If you have a statistically average session, you will end up with even more money than you said. Instead of going into the details, I recommend you check out the Wizard of Odds Pai Gow Poker page at: https://wizardofodds.com/games/pai-gow-poker/

I have been playing Pai Gow Poker for years and enjoy it very much. As a rule I only play games with positive EV, but this is the game I play when I feel like sitting back and enjoying lots and lots of free drinks! Depending on the number of players, the game usually moves at a snail's pace. And with all the pushes your money lasts forever. In your case...betting $10 with a $1000 bankroll, you will need to go upstairs and sleep long before you lose your bankroll. Obviously, the casinos are well aware of this so don't expect to get much in comps other than free drinks for active players.