Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker is a variant of the popular Texas Hold’em Poker but differs in that it is played against the house rather than against other players and there is no bet after the River card.
Game Rules
The game uses one 52-card deck which is shuffled after each game round.
- All players play the same hand.
- To begin the game, the player must make an ANTE bet (initial bet).
- If interested, the player can make the optional BONUS bet (ANTE bet is required).
Both the player and dealer receive two starting cards (the hole cards).
- The player’s cards are dealt face-up.
- The dealer’s cards are dealt face-down.
The player has a choice after these initial cards are dealt:
- FOLD (surrender their ANTE bet) in which case the hand is over, or
- Make a PLAY 2x bet of 2x their ANTE.
The dealer deals three FLOP cards and the player has a choice:
- PLAY 1x (1x ANTE)
- CHECK (No bet)
The dealer deals one TURN card and the player has a choice:
- PLAY 1x (1x ANTE)
- CHECK (No bet)
The dealer then deals a final card, called the RIVER, and reveals his/her cards.
The ANTE bet is evaluated by comparing the player’s and dealer’s best five-card poker hand out of the seven dealt cards (your two cards, the dealer’s two cards and the five community cards).
Texas Hold’em Bonus By Evolution Gaming
Side Bets
BONUS bet
The BONUS bet is an optional bet and can be placed after your minimum ANTE bet is placed. Simply place your bet on the BONUS bet spot.
The BONUS bet is evaluated based only on the player’s and dealer’s initial cards, according to the Bonus pay table.
BONUS bet
| Hand | Payout |
| A-A (Player & Dealer) | 1000 to 1 |
| A-A (Player Only) | 30 to 1 |
| A-K (Suited) | 25 to 1 |
| A-Q or A-J (Suited) | 20 to 1 |
| A-K (Unsuited) | 15 to 1 |
| K-K or Q-Q or J-J | 10 to 1 |
| A-Q or A-J (Unsuited) | 5 to 1 |
| 10-10 through 2-2 (Pairs) | 3 to 1 |
You win your BONUS bet if you have a Pair or better, according to the Bonus bet paytable, no matter what hand the dealer achieves. The combination is evaluated on the basis of the two cards dealt to the player, except for the “A-A (Player & Dealer)” combination, which also takes into account the two cards dealt to the dealer.
Winning Hands
The individual cards are ranked in descending order: Ace (high or low), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.
An Ace can be the highest value card in a Straight of A, K, Q, J, 10 or the lowest value card in a Straight of 5, 4, 3, 2, A.
Possible hands from the highest payouts to the lowest:
- Royal Flush is a Straight Flush that contains the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 all in the same suit. In the case of a tie, the player gets their initial bet back and the outcome of the game is a PUSH.
- Straight Flush is a hand that contains five cards in sequence, all of the same suit, for example: Nine, Eight, Seven, Six and Five, all Hearts. Two Straight Flushes are ranked by comparing the highest card of each. In the case of a tie, the player gets their initial bet back and the outcome of the game is a PUSH.
- Four of a Kind is a hand that contains all four cards of one rank plus any other card. For example, four Aces in your hand would be Four of a Kind. Quads with higher ranking cards defeat those with lower ranking cards. If two Four of a Kinds are of equal rank the fifth card (the ‘Kicker’) is used to break the tie. In the case of a tie, the player gets their initial bet back and the outcome of the game is a PUSH.
- Full House is a hand that contains three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank, e.g. three Kings and two Sixes. Between two Full House hands, the one with the higher ranking three cards wins. In the case of the three cards being of the same value in Full House (and therefore tied), the two cards of the same value are ranked against each other. In the case of a tie, the player gets their initial bet back and the outcome of the game is a PUSH.
- Flush is a hand where all five cards are of the same suit, but not sequential, e.g. five cards that are all Clubs. Two Flushes are compared as if they were high card hands; the highest-ranking card in each hand is compared to determine the winner. If both hands have the same highest card, then the second-highest ranking card is compared, and so on until a difference is found.
- Straight is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank in at least two different suits, e.g. Nine, Eight, Seven, Six and Five in two or more suits. Two Straights are ranked by comparing the highest card in each hand. Two Straights with the same high card are of equal value and therefore tie, as suits are not used to separate them.
- Three of a Kind is a hand that contains three cards of the same rank, plus two cards which are not of this rank or the same as each other. For example, a player having three Kings in their hand would have Three of a Kind. Higher-valued Three of a Kind defeats lower-valued Three of a Kind. If two hands contain Three of a Kind of the same value, the Kickers (that is, the other two cards in the hand) are compared to break the tie.
- Two Pairs is a hand that contains two cards of the same rank, plus two cards of another rank (that match each other but not the first pair), plus any card not of either rank. An example of this would be having two Aces and two Kings. To rank two hands both containing Two Pairs, the higher ranking pair of each is first compared, and the higher pair wins. If both hands have the same top pair, then the second pair of each is compared. If both hands have the same two pairs, the highest value Kicker determines the winner.
- Pair is a hand that contains two cards of one rank (e.g. two Kings), plus three cards which are not of this rank or the same as each other. Pair is the lowest hand you can be paid out for. Higher ranking pairs defeat lower ranking pairs. If two hands have the same pair, the Kickers are compared in descending order and the highest value Kicker determines the winner.
- High Card is a poker hand made of any five cards not meeting any of the above requirements. Essentially, no hand is made, and the only thing of any meaning in the player’s hand is their highest card. If two hands have the same High Card value, the other cards in the hand are compared in descending order to determine the winner.
Game Outcomes and Payouts
The outcomes are determined by comparing the player’s and dealer’s best five-card hands (combining the player’s initial two cards, the dealer’s initial two cards with the five community cards). The higher hand wins. If the dealer has a higher hand the player will lose all bets, except:
- Possibly the BONUS bet, which is evaluated separetely.
If the player has a higher hand the Flop, Turn, and River bets will pay even money. If the player has a Straight or higher the Ante bet will also pay even money, otherwise it will push.
If the player and dealer have hands of equal value the Ante, Flop, Turn and River bets will all push.
Outcomes quick-reference table
The quick way to check game outcomes, whether you win, lose or push.
| Result | ANTE | FLOP | TURN | RIVER |
| Player has a higher hand (Straight or higher) | 1:1 | 1:1 | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Player has a higher hand (lower than Straight) | Push | 1:1 | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Dealer has a higher hand | Lose | Lose | Lose | Lose |
| Dealer and you tie | Push | Push | Push | Push |
| Player folds | Lose | – | – | – |
Bonus bet pays according to the BONUS payout table below.
BONUS bet
| Hand | Payout |
| A-A (Player & Dealer) | 1000 to 1 |
| A-A (Player Only) | 30 to 1 |
| A-K (Suited) | 25 to 1 |
| A-Q or A-J (Suited) | 20 to 1 |
| A-K (Unsuited) | 15 to 1 |
| K-K or Q-Q or J-J | 10 to 1 |
| A-Q or A-J (Unsuited) | 5 to 1 |
| 10-10 through 2-2 (Pairs) | 3 to 1 |
Return to Player
The theoretical Return-To-Player assuming perfect play is:
- Main game: 97.96% based on the Ante bet and 99.47% based on Total bet.
- Bonus bet: 91.46%
