Casino War is the simplest table game that uses cards. You probably played something similar as a kid. Casino War requires virtually no skill. The winner is usually known as soon as two cards are dealt.
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Casino War rules
Playing a hand of Casino War starts with the player making a bet. A flat bet is required. There is also an optional tie side bet that pays 10/1, or 11/1, depending on the casino.
Once the bet is made, the cards are dealt. Six decks are used. Casino War is usually dealt out of a continuous shuffling machine at a live casino. At an online casino, the cards are often reshuffled after every hand.
The player and dealer each receive one card. If the cards are not the same, the highest card wins. When the dealer has the higher card, the bet loses. If the player has the highest card, the bet wins even money. The hand is over.
Suits are irrelevant in Casino War. It does not matter if the cards are clubs, diamonds, hearts, or spades. If the cards are the same rank, the player has two options.
The first choice is to surrender half the bet. The dealer will take your bet and return half that amount. The other option is to go to a war.
If the player chooses to go to a war, an additional wager is required. Three cards are burned to simulate the kid’s game, but this does not affect anything. If the player wins or ties in a war, the raise is paid even money. The original bet pushes.
Some live and online casinos pay an additional bonus if the player ties the dealer twice. In this instance, the ante and war raise are paid.
Should you go to a war?
If the Casino War game pays a bonus on an additional tie, you should always go to war. That is because about 7% of the time, you will get paid an additional bet. If the Casino War game pays the same on a tie, making the raise is the same as playing a new hand. There is no advantage or disadvantage to this.
Casino War house advantage
The Casino War house advantage is 2.9% when a double tie pays even money. If a double tie pays the ante and war raise, the house edge is 2.3%.
The tie bet has a house edge of 18.6% when it pays 10/1. When the payout is 11/1, the house advantage is 11.3%.
You should probably avoid playing Casino War
Casino War may seem like a fun way to pass the time. It requires no thought. While it is better than slots and keno, and about the same as single zero roulette, there are several reasons to avoid Casino War. The house edge being 2.3% to 2.9% is just one of the reasons.
Casino War is a fast game. At a live casino, it can deal 200 or more hands an hour. The typical minimum bet is $10 to $25. At a $10 bet, and the double win on a tie, the player theoretically loses $46 an hour. At a $25 bet, that becomes $115 an hour. If the Casino does not pay double on a tie, the expected loss goes up to $58 an hour at $10 and $145 at $25.
An online casino can deal 500 or more hands an hour. If the minimum bet is $0.10, the expected loss is only a dollar or two. Many online casinos have a $1 minimum bet for Casino War. The expected loss per hour at that bet is about $5. If you must play Casino War, do it at an online casino where the limits are small, and stick to it. However, there are still far better games to play.
Another reason to avoid Casino War is the lack of variance. You are betting coin flips with a house edge close to 3%. You slowly grind down with little hope of a big pop without betting the tie side bet with a house edge that is five times or more the main wager.
If you learned the easy strategy on games like Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Mississippi Stud, or Crazy 4 Poker, you would add variance to the game. This gives you a chance at a big win.
Single zero roulette has a similar house edge to Casino War. You can make bets on the felt that fit the level of variance you can handle. This gives you a much higher chance of winning than the slow-bleed Casino War offers.
Where to play Casino War
Casino War is available at live and online casinos. It is dealt at Cosmopolitan and Wynn in Las Vegas. We also found it in Pennsylvania and Atlantic City casinos.
Playing Casino War with an online casino bonus
When available and if table games are permitted, Casino War may be played to clear an online casino bonus. There are usually much better games available for online casino bonuses. The wagering requirement is 75 up to 300 times the bonus when playing online casino Casino War, depending on the site.
Casino War FAQs
What is the usual minimum bet for Casino War?
At a live casino, it usually has a $15 or $25 minimum.
Can I play Casino War in Las Vegas?
Cosmopolitan and Wynn deal Casino War in Las Vegas.
Last Updated on August 25, 2023 by John Mehaffey