Carribean Stud Poker
While it hasn't been around for nearly as long as other games in a casino, Caribbean Stud has quickly risen to be one of the more popular table games found both online and in a land-based environment. The game's combination of speed and poker-style play makes it a favorite amongst novice and advanced players alike. Online casino gambling introduced the game to a wider audience, and this also helped to increase the overall popularity.
This page is dedicated to all things Caribbean Stud - where it came from, how it is played, and where to find the best places to play the game online today.
A Brief History of Caribbean Stud
Caribbean Stud Poker, like many other casino games, has several versions of stories of how it was invented and by whom. The game, as you can probably imagine from the name, did originate in the Caribbean, and it seems generally agreed that it was in Aruba. The game grew in popularity after it was introduced in the 1980s, especially with tourists who got to play the game when visiting the islands.
In the late 1980s, the game made its way into casinos in the United States, and while it was a novelty for many gamblers, it didn't really make a ton of money for the operators. It wasn't until the progressive jackpot was added that the game really took off, skyrocketing in popularity. Today, Caribbean Stud is essentially only behind blackjack and roulette when it comes to the table games in a casino.
The Best Caribbean Stud Sites
Caribbean Stud Poker is an excellent game to play online. The game is really a house vs. player game, so it doesn't require any other players around during a hand. We have reviewed as many online casinos as we have been able to find for GamblingSites.org, and from these reviews, we have created the following list of sites we recommend for fans of Caribbean Stud.
| Rank | US Gambling Site | Sign Up Bonus | Get Started |
| #1 |  BetOnline Casino | 50% up to $2,500 | Visit Site |
| #2 |  Slots.lv | 200% up to $5,000 | Visit Site |
| #3 |  Sloto'Cash | 200% up to $1,000 | Visit Site |
| #4 |  SB Casino | 100% up to $1,000 | Visit Site |
| #5 |  Bovada Casino | 100% up to $3,000 | Visit Site |
Each of these sites offers a great version of Caribbean Stud, but there is much more going on at all these sites. Our reviewers have determined that these sites are the best for finding big progressive jackpots. Also, the sites on this list will have excellent bonuses for you to stretch the value of your money, as well as excellent loyalty programs that reward you for playing with the site for long periods of time. Finally, each of these sites gives you the chance to play Caribbean Stud from your mobile device, so you can play conveniently wherever you please.
How to Play Caribbean Stud
Caribbean Stud is actually quite simple to play, especially when you factor in that there is nothing you can do to your hand to improve it once it is dealt to you. To understand how Caribbean Stud works, you should have at bare minimum an understanding of the ranking of poker hands. We realize that many of you already know this, but for those that are new to the game, here are all the possible combinations of hands ranked from highest to lowest.
- Royal Flush - ace, king, queen, jack, and 10 of the same suit
- Straight Flush - Any 5 cards of the same suit in numerical order, i.e. 5-9 of spades
- 4 of a Kind - a hand with all 4 cards of the same number
- Full House - a hand featuring both a 3 of a kind and one pair
- Flush - any five cards of the same suit
- Straight - any five cards in numerical order
- 3 of a Kind - a hand with any 3 cards of the same number
- 2 Pair - any two different pairs of matching cards in your hand
- 1 Pair - having one pair of matching cards in your hand
- High Card - a hand that has no matching cards, straights, or flushes in it
Okay, now you have a sense of what hands you are hoping for when you are playing. Let's look at the gameplay itself. This is a game between the dealer and the player, and there can be several players sitting at one table each receiving their own hand. There are three betting spots in front of each player. The first one is for the ante, which is the bet that every player must place to receive cards.
Once you have placed your bet, the dealer deals 5 cards to each player face-down and a 5 card hand to the dealer spot with one of the 5 cards face-up for the players to see. Each player looks at their hand, finds it on the ranking of hands, and then has a choice to make. A player can choose to fold their hand, in which case the hand is discarded, and the bet is lost. If the player wants to stay in the hand, a bet equal to twice the size of the ante must be placed in the raise spot.
When all betting is complete, the dealer exposes its hand. The dealer has to have a minimum hand to qualify which has to include at least an ace and a king. If the dealer's hand is worse than the minimum, then the hand does not qualify, and all players will receive even money on their ante bet, but the raise bet is not paid out.
If the dealer qualifies, then the dealer's hand is matched against each player hand. If the dealer's hand is stronger, then the player loses both bets. If the hand is a tie, then the player bets are pushed. If the player hand is the higher hand, then the player is paid even money on the ante bet, and the raise is paid according to this table:
| Royal Flush | 100 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind | 20 to 1 |
| Full House | 7 to 1 |
| Flush | 5 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 to 1 |
| Two Pair | 2 to 1 |
| All Other | 1 to 1 |
We mentioned that there are three betting spots - the third is a progressive jackpot bet that is optional for players. If you choose to play this spot, you are rewarded for having a minimum hand regardless of if you win the hand against the dealer. The typical progressive bet pays the following:
- Royal Flush: 100% of progressive jackpot
- Straight Flush: 10% of progressive jackpot
- Four of a Kind: $500
- Full House: $100
- Flush: $50
Once the bets have been paid, the cards are shuffled, and the next hand begins!
Conclusion
Caribbean Stud Poker continues to be one of the easier games in a casino to play, which makes it one of the more popular games for new players. Online Caribbean Stud gives players a chance to play far more hands per hour, and this means more chances to win a progressive jackpot. We think it is a great game for all types of players, and while playing the progressive bet does change the house edge, it is still worth giving it a shot in our opinion.
As always, we encourage our players to try the game for free first to get used to the gameplay and rules. Also, it is important to play with your head and stick to a budget that you are comfortable with so that you can continue to enjoy the entertainment that gambling provides.
