Rules for Let it ride

This casino game is another variation of poker. Let it ride is similar to 5-card Stud but differs in that players don't have to beat other players or a dealer's hand. The goal is to compile a winning poker hand, with a minimum of a pair of tens.

The player opens a round by placing three identical bets on the betting circles. The player is dealt three cards and the dealer places two community cards in the center of the table, face down. Based on the favorability of the three hole cards, the player can withdraw the first bet or "let it ride" and leave it on the table. The dealer then reveals the first community card. Now the player decides whether to withdraw the second bet. The second community card is then revealed and the hand is scored. Note that the third bet stays on the table with no option to withdraw. Also note that withdrawing the second bet is independent of what was done with the first.

The Let It Ride objective is to compile the highest 5-card poker hand (containing at least a pair of tens) from three dealt cards and two community cards while keeping the highest bet on the table.

Betting variations include games where players can win a bonus on top of their payout if they opt to place the additional $1 Bonus or Side bet and draw Three-of-a-Kind or better. These are sucker bets and though the specific odds vary from house to house they're all bad and I say forget the bonus.

The skill of the player is in knowing when to stay and when to withdraw based on the cards known. If the player qualifies with at least a pair of tens, the payoff is determined by the hand quality.

While the odds are marginally better for the player than in Caribbean Stud, Let It Ride still carries about a three point edge for the casino even with optimal play.