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Online casino games |
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Thursday, August 28th 2008 |
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Casino War is the easiest card game to play in the casino. Any player who has ever played war as a child, or simply made a bet on who could draw the highest card, will find Casino War instantly familiar.
The following are the specific rules:
The game is played with six decks. Cards are ranked as in poker, except aces are always high. Suit does not matter.
After the players have made a wager each player and the dealer gets one card.
Each player's card must be compared with the card the dealer has. If the player has the higher card, he wins even money. If the dealer holds the higher card, the player loses.
In the event of a tie the player has two choices: (1) surrender and forfeit half the bet or (2) go to war.
If the player elects to go to war he must then raise his bet by an amount equal to his original wager. The dealer then does the same, but this is for show.
The dealer then burns three cards and gives the player and dealer another card each.
If the player's second card equals or beats the dealer, then the player wins even money on the raise only and the original wager shall push. If the dealer's second card is greater, the player loses both bets.
At some casinos, such as the Mirage and Casino Niagara, tie after ties result in a bonus equal to the original wager. At the Casino Niagara the raise pays 3:1, but the initial bet loses, which is mathematically the same thing.
A tie bet is also available, which pays 10:1 if the first two cards tie.
Bonus Rules
At some casinos the player will win even money on an original wager and raise in the event of consecutive ties.
House Edge
Although the probability of winning is 50%, the house edge comes from when there is a war the player either wins one unit or loses two. For example, if a player originally bet $5 they have to double their bet, risking $10, to win only $5.
Some Internet casinos use unusual number of decks. The following table shows the house edge under the bonus rules, normal "no bonus" rules, surrendering on ties, and the tie bet itself.
Casino War House Edge
| Number of Decks |
Bonus |
No Bonus |
Surrender |
Tie Bet |
| 1 |
2.06% |
2.42% |
2.94% |
35.29% |
| 2 |
2.24% |
2.70% |
3.40% |
25.24% |
| 3 |
2.29% |
2.79% |
3.55% |
21.94% |
| 4 |
2.31% |
2.84% |
3.62% |
20.29% |
| 5 |
2.32% |
2.86% |
3.67% |
19.31% |
| 6 |
2.33% |
2.88% |
3.70% |
18.65% |
| 7 |
2.34% |
2.89% |
3.72% |
18.18% |
| 8 |
2.34% |
2.90% |
3.73% |
17.83% |
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