In Let It Ride, players have three hole cards and two community cards, similar to 4th and 5th Street in hold’em poker games. The object of Let It Ride is to build winning poker-style combinations between your three cards (dealt to you face-down) and the two community cards dealt to the dealer. Official guide to Let It Ride Poker. Learn how to play the Let It Ride Game like a pro with these easy strategy tips. Official Let It Ride paytable included. Let It Ride In this casino banking game three cards are dealt to each player and two face down to the dealer. The player is paid according to how good a poker hand is made by the player's three cards plus the dealer's two cards. To play this game you must place three equal stakes before the deal.
This free Let it Ride Poker game, let the excitement begin with the dealing of the first 3 cards, you can either pull to these 3 cards or Let It Ride.
Free Let it Ride poker game wagering: Bets top out at $300 per hand and payouts start out with 10s or better paying 1:1 and the big payout is on a Royal Straight Flush which pays 1000:1.
The free Let it Ride poker Bonus: The bonus payouts range from 2pairs paying $6 to a Royal Straight Flush paying $20,000.
Information from the Wizard Of Odds
Let it Ride was among the first of a wave of new casino games to hit the land casinos of the U.S. in the 90's. It is a simple poker-based game on the poker value of a five-card hand. No dealer hand to beat, just a pair of tens or better is needed to win.
Free Let It Ride Poker Card Game Free
Rules
Unlike most poker-based games where the player can raise his bet after seeing some cards, in Let it Ride the twist is that the player starts with three bets and has two opportunities to pull them back as cards are revealed.
The order of events is as follows:
• Player makes three equal wagers.
• The dealer gives each player three cards.
• The player may pull one bet back or 'let it ride.'
• The dealer deals the first of two community cards.
• The player may pull one bet back or 'let it ride.'
• The dealer deals the second community card.
• All bets are paid according to the poker value of the final five-card hand and the pay table below. Wins are on a 'to one' basis. Anything less than a pair of tens is a loser.
Strategy
For purposes of this strategy, a 'high card' is a ten to an ace.
With three cards you should 'let it ride' if you have:
• Any paying hand (high pair or three of a kind)
• Any three to a royal flush
• Three suited cards in a row except 2-3-4, and ace-2-3
• Three to a straight flush, one gap, with at least one high card.
• Three to a straight flush, two gaps, with at least two high cards
With four cards you should 'let it ride' if you have:
• Any paying hand (high pair, two pair, three of a kind)
• Any four to a flush
• Any four to an outside straight;
• Any four to an inside straight with four high cards
Assuming the player follows this strategy, the house edge is 3.51%. That means the player can expect to lose 3.51% of a single bet per round. For example, if the player starts with three bets of $10, his expected loss is 35.1 cents.
Side Bets
Most Let it Ride games have one or two side bets. One type often seen is based on the poker value of the player's initial three cards. Another is on the poker-value of the final five card hand. Whatever the case, these side bets invariably carry a much higher house edge than 3.51%. It is usually in the 10% to 20% range. Whatever the rules are, I would consider it a sucker bet and stay away. This advice applies to all games.
Conclusion
Of the many poker-based casino games out there, Let it Ride is one of the simpler ones, both in terms of the simplicity of the rules and strategy. The house edge is in the middle of the road, compared to other table games. The hit rate on the game is only 24% but sometimes when it hits, it hits big.
If you like a game with a little strategy, but nothing too complicated, and don't put an emphasis on a thin house edge, then you may enjoy Let it Ride.
On This Page
Introduction
Let it Ride is among the first of the wave of new casino games, starting in the late nineties. It is a simple poker-based game where the player is paid based on his five card hand only. No dealer hand to worry about. The twist is that as the cards are revealed the player has the opportunity to decrease his bet if he doesn't like his cards. As of 2013 Let it Ride is still out there, but its numbers are decreasing.
Rules
- Player makes three bets of equal size.
- Dealer gives player three cards.
- Player may pull his first bet back or 'let it ride.'
- Dealer deals the first community card, to be used by all players.
- Player may pull his second back or 'let it ride.'
- Dealer deals the second community card, to be used by all players.
- Player is paid according to the poker value of his five cards, remaining bets, and the posted pay table.
- Side bets are usually available, which are explained below.
The following is the standard pay table most casinos follow. All wins are on a 'to one' basis.
Let it Ride — Standard Pay Table
| Hand | Pays |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 1000 |
| Straight Flush | 200 |
| Four of a kind | 50 |
| Full House | 11 |
| Flush | 8 |
| Straight | 5 |
| Three of a kind | 3 |
| Two pair | 2 |
| Tens or better | 1 |
| Loser | Loss |
The pay table for this and 15 other known Let it Ride pay tables can be found in my Let it Ride appendix 3.
Strategy
The following strategy is for the standard pay table.
With three cards you should only 'let it ride' if you have:
- Any paying hand (tens or better, three of a kind)
- Any three to a royal flush
- Three suited cards in a row except 2-3-4, and ace-2-3
- Three to a straight flush, spread 4, with at least one high card (ten or greater)
- Three to a straight flush, spread 5, with at least two high cards
With four cards you should only 'let it ride' if you have:
- Any paying hand (tens or better, two pair, three of a kind)
- Any four cards of the same suit
- Any four to an outside straight with at least one high card
- Any four to an outside straight with no high cards (zero house edge)
- Any four to an inside straight with 4 high cards (zero house edge)
A lot of people have asked me what I mean by 'inside straight', 'outside straight', 'spread 4', and 'spread 5.'An inside straight is one in which an 'inside' card is missing, such as (4,5,7,8). An outside straight is one in which an outside card is missing, such as (4,5,6,7). Outside straights are much better because there are 8 cards that can complete them as opposed to 4 for an inside straight. Spread4 means that the cards in question span 4 ranks in a row,for example a (5,6,8). Spread 5 means the cards in question span 5 ranks, for example a (5,7,9).
Play Let It Ride for free while learning the strategy.
Aggregate Payout Warning:
Free Let It Ride Poker Card Game Online
The table will probably have a maximum payout. At Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls the maximum aggregate payout is $75,000 per round. As a result the player should not bet more than the maximum payout divided by 3000. Any bet above this quotient will not pay the full odds on a royal flush, thus increasing the house edge.
Analysis
The following table shows the number of combinations, probability, and contribution to the return of all possible outcomes under optimal strategy. The lower right cell shows an expected loss of 3.51% of the minimum bet size. By the end of the hand, the player will have pulled back 1.768 bets, leaving 1.232 on the table. This makes the element of risk, defined as the ratio of expected loss to total amount bet 3.51%/1.232 = 2.85%.
The standard deviation, relative to a single bet, is 5.17.
Let it Ride — Standard Pay Table
| Hand | Pays | Bet | Win | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 1000 | 3 | 3,000 | 80 | 0.000002 | 0.004617 |
| Royal Flush | 1000 | 2 | 2,000 | 0 | 0.000000 | 0.000000 |
| Royal Flush | 1000 | 1 | 1,000 | 0 | 0.000000 | 0.000000 |
| Straight Flush | 200 | 3 | 600 | 352 | 0.000007 | 0.004063 |
| Straight Flush | 200 | 2 | 400 | 368 | 0.000007 | 0.002832 |
| Straight Flush | 200 | 1 | 200 | 0 | 0.000000 | 0.000000 |
| Four of a kind | 50 | 3 | 150 | 7,872 | 0.000151 | 0.022717 |
| Four of a kind | 50 | 2 | 100 | 4,608 | 0.000089 | 0.008865 |
| Four of a kind | 50 | 1 | 50 | 0 | 0.000000 | 0.000000 |
| Full House | 11 | 3 | 33 | 33,408 | 0.000643 | 0.021210 |
| Full House | 11 | 2 | 22 | 41,472 | 0.000798 | 0.017553 |
| Full House | 11 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0.000000 | 0.000000 |
| Flush | 8 | 3 | 24 | 10,008 | 0.000193 | 0.004621 |
| Flush | 8 | 2 | 16 | 92,152 | 0.001773 | 0.028366 |
| Flush | 8 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0.000000 | 0.000000 |
| Straight | 5 | 3 | 15 | 4,464 | 0.000086 | 0.001288 |
| Straight | 5 | 2 | 10 | 88,656 | 0.001706 | 0.017056 |
| Straight | 5 | 1 | 5 | 110,880 | 0.002133 | 0.010666 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 3 | 9 | 364,560 | 0.007014 | 0.063122 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 2 | 6 | 328,968 | 0.006329 | 0.037973 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 1 | 3 | 404,712 | 0.007786 | 0.023358 |
| Two pair | 2 | 3 | 6 | 574,128 | 0.011045 | 0.066272 |
| Two pair | 2 | 2 | 4 | 682,776 | 0.013136 | 0.052542 |
| Two pair | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1,214,136 | 0.023358 | 0.046716 |
| Tens or better | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2,571,636 | 0.049474 | 0.148423 |
| Tens or better | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2,647,560 | 0.050935 | 0.101870 |
| Tens or better | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3,228,804 | 0.062117 | 0.062117 |
| Loser | -1 | 3 | -3 | 53,076 | 0.001021 | -0.003063 |
| Loser | -1 | 2 | -2 | 937,824 | 0.018042 | -0.036085 |
| Loser | -1 | 1 | -1 | 38,576,700 | 0.742156 | -0.742156 |
| Total | 51,979,200 | 1.000000 | -0.035057 |
5-Card Bonus Bet
I don't know if this bet even has a name, so I am titling it the '5-Card Bonus Bet.' It is a $1 side bet, which pays based on the poker value of the final five-card hand. This is a sucker bet, that should be avoided. Based on a small sampling of casinos in Las Vegas and Laughlin, the house edge varies from 13.77% (Lady Luck) to 36.52% (New York, New York). Below are some casinos, their payoff table, and their house edge, in order from best to worst. Wins are on a 'for one' basis, meaning the player does not get his original bet back, even on a win.
Let it Ride Side Bet Pay Tables
| Hand | Table 1 | Table 2 | Table 3 | Table 4 | Table 5 | Table 6 | Table 7 | Table 8 | Table 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 20000 | 20000 | 20000 | 20000 | 20000 | 10000 | 20000 | 20000 | 25000 |
| Straight flush | 2000 | 1000 | 2000 | 2000 | 1000 | 2000 | 2000 | 1000 | 2500 |
| Four of a kind | 100 | 100 | 100 | 400 | 400 | 100 | 300 | 300 | 400 |
| Full house | 75 | 75 | 75 | 200 | 200 | 75 | 150 | 150 | 200 |
| Flush | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Straight | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Three of a kind | 9 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Two pair | 6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tens or better | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| House edge | 13.77% | 23.73% | 25.39% | 25.53% | 26.92% | 26.93% | 35.14% | 36.52% | 24.07% |
The following is a list of which casinos have which pay tables based on my small sampling. Unless otherwise stated all casinos are in Las Vegas:
- Table 1: Lady Luck
- Table 2: Las Vegas Club, Freemont, Californian,Plaza, Main Street Station, Ballys, Circus Circus,Hilton, Grand (Biloxi), Beau Rivage (Biloxi), Horseshoe(Tunica), Grand (Tunica)
- Table 3: Golden Gate
- Table 4: Bellagio, Excalibur, Mandalay Bay, Harrah's,Imperial Palace, Paris, Venetian
- Table 5: MGM Grand, Golden Nugget
- Table 6: Colorado Belle (Laughlin), Sky City (New Mexico)
- Table 7: Four Queens, Flamingo Hilton
- Table 8: New York New York
- Table 9: Rivers casino in Pittsburgh, PA
The next table shows the probability and return for every hand under pay table 2 above. The return of 76.27% reflects a house edge of 100.00% - 76.27% = 23.73%. Again, all pays are on a 'for one' basis.
5-Card Bonus
| Hand | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 20,000 | 4 | 0.000002 | 0.030782 |
| Straight flush | 1,000 | 36 | 0.000014 | 0.013852 |
| Four of a kind | 100 | 624 | 0.000240 | 0.024010 |
| Full house | 75 | 3,744 | 0.001441 | 0.108043 |
| Flush | 50 | 5,108 | 0.001965 | 0.098270 |
| Straight | 25 | 10,200 | 0.003925 | 0.098116 |
| Three of a kind | 4 | 54,912 | 0.021128 | 0.084514 |
| Two pair | 3 | 123,552 | 0.047539 | 0.142617 |
| Tens or better | 1 | 422,400 | 0.162527 | 0.162527 |
| Loser | 0 | 1,978,380 | 0.761220 | 0.000000 |
| Total | 2,598,960 | 1.000000 | 0.762730 |
3-Card Bonus Bet
Some casinos offer a side bet based on the value of the player's three cards, similar to the Pair plus bet in Three Card Poker. The main difference is in Let It Ride the bet has a separate win for a 'Mini Royal', defined as a suited ace, king, and queen. The following table table shows the most common pay table for this bet.
3-Card Bonus
| Hand | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Royal | 50 | 4 | 0.000181 | 0.00905 |
| Straight flush | 40 | 44 | 0.001991 | 0.079638 |
| Three of a kind | 30 | 52 | 0.002353 | 0.070588 |
| Straight | 6 | 720 | 0.032579 | 0.195475 |
| Flush | 3 | 1096 | 0.049593 | 0.148778 |
| Pair | 1 | 3744 | 0.169412 | 0.169412 |
| Nothing | -1 | 16440 | 0.743891 | -0.743891 |
| House Edge | 22100 | 1 | -0.070950 |
The next pay table shows other possible variants of the Three Card Bonus bet.
3-Card Bonus
| Hand | Table 1 | Table 2 | Table 3 | Table 4 | Table 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Royal | 50 | 50 | 200 | 100 | 50 |
| Straight flush | 40 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 40 |
| Three of a kind | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Straight | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Flush | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Pair | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Nothing | -1 | -1 | -1 | -1 | -1 |
| House edge | 7.10% | 5.39% | 4.38% | 4.20% | 2.14% |
The only casino I am aware of that offers pay table 5 is the Borgata in Atlantic City (source).
6-Card Bonus
Some casinos add on a side bet known as the 6-Card Bonus. This side bet is found on multiple poker-derivative games, so I created a special page for it. For more information, please see my page on the 6-Card Bonus.
Millionaire Progressive
This is a $5 'red light' progressive side bet that pays $1,000,000 for a royal flush in spades, using the player's five-card hand. For all the rules and analysis, please see my page on the Millionaire Progressive.
Seeing Extra Cards
Although players are not supposed to share information, you can often accidentally see other player cards, or this rule is ignored and players voluntarily show each other their cards. Seeing other cards can make the difference in borderline plays, namely the zero house edge straights listed under the 4-card strategy above. In his book Mastering the Game of Let It Ride, author Stanley Ko offers a strategy for these situations. He doesn't state how much it lowers the house edge, but James Grosjean does in his book Beyond Counting (Exhibit CAA). According to Grosjean, if you can see every player card in a 7-player game, and made perfect use of the information, it would lower the house advantage from 3.51% to 2.34% only.
Inside Links
- Appendix 1: Details on how the strategy and expected return were determined.
- Appendix 2: Details on the Isle of Capri (Black Hawk, Colorado) rules.
- Appendix 3: Analysis of 16 different Let it Ride pay tables.
Outside Links
German translation of this page.
Written by:Michael Shackleford