Texas Hold’em Bonus was one of the first table games related to the poker boom in the 2000s. It was popular at that time. However, Ultimate Texas Hold’em and Heads Up Hold’em eventually took most of its market share.
Six years ago, there were 17 Texas Hold’em Bonus tables in Las Vegas. In 2021, that number became one and remains there. Fremont Casino in downtown Las Vegas is the only place to play it in that market. We also found it in Atlantic City, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia casinos. The minimum bet is usually $5 or $10.
Texas Hold’em Bonus is also dealt by casinos online. It is only available at regulated ones in Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. If you live in one of those states, you can learn more about playing online Texas Hold’em Bonus here.
US Casino Advantage is supported through advertisements and sponsors. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Caribbean Hold’em is a similar game
Many online casinos do not have Texas Hold’em Bonus or Ultimate Texas Hold’em. In that situation, Real Time Gaming’s Caribbean Hold’em is often available. In this game, players ante and receive two cards and see a flop. The options are to raise an amount equal to the ante or fold. The dealer must have a pair of 4s to qualify. The pair may be on the board. If the dealer does not qualify, the ante pushes.
Caribbean Hold’em has a progressive bonus side bet. It is $1 to play. Five hands are paid based on the pay table below. Note that the hand must be made on the flop to qualify. The progressive is networked with Caribbean Stud Poker. The odds of hitting the bonus hands are equal in both games.
- Royal flush: 100% of progressive jackpot
- Straight flush: 10% of progressive jackpot
- Four of a kind: $500
- Full house: $100
- Flush: $75
Texas Hold’em Bonus rules
The first step in playing Texas Hold’em Bonus is placing the Ante bet. This must be at least the table minimum bet. Make sure to have at least four times the Ante to account for raises. If you do not have four times the Ante, you don’t have enough to play the game correctly. You technically only need two raises, but it drastically raises the house edge of the game if you can’t raise when getting dealt a big starting hand or hitting a good flop.
While the Ante bet is mandatory, there is a Plus side bet that is optional. This pays on the strength of your two hole cards. If you bet this, the amount must be at least equal to the table minimum.
Once the bets are established, the players and dealer receive two cards. At an online casino, there is only one player hand dealt. At a live game, every seated player with an Ante bet receives two unique cards.
Making a preflop bet
The player sees their two cards and decides whether to raise an amount equal to two Antes or fold. If the player folds, the hand ends. The Ante and side bet, if made, lose. If there is a raise, there is a flop. This consists of three cards. The proper strategy says to flop any starting hand except a deuce with a three, four, five, six, or seven.
After the flop
Once the flop is shown, the player may check or bet. A bet here is equal to the Ante. Checking keeps the bet at the same amount. A fourth card is shown, called the turn.
After the turn
Once the turn is shown, the player has the same options as after the flop. The choices are check or bet an amount equal to the Ante. Once this action is complete, the fifth community card is shown. This is called the river.
Determining the winner of a Texas Hold’em Bonus hand
Once the five community cards are shown, the dealer’s hand is exposed. The dealer determines the strength of the hand and compares it to the players’ hands. The best five cards are used out of the seven available. It may be any combination of the two hole cards and five community ones on the board.
The dealer plays every player at the table individually. Players do not need to worry about what other players hold.
Unlike Ultimate Texas Hold’em and Heads Up Hold’em, Texas Hold’em Bonus does not have a house qualifier. The hands are graded based on strength using this chart:
- Royal flush
- Straight flush
- Four of a kind
- Full house
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a kind
- Two pair
- Pair
- High card
If the dealer wins, the Ante and all raises lose. When the player wins, all raises are paid even money. If the player and dealer have the same hand, all bets push. The Ante pushes on most winning hands. It gets paid even money if the player wins with a straight or better.
Texas Hold’em Bonus Plus side bet
The Texas Hold’em Bonus Plus side bet is optional. The amount of the bet must be at least equal to the table minimum. It wins based on the first two cards dealt to the player. Its hand strength after the community cards are exposed does not affect the Plus side bet.
The payouts are as follows. Multiply the amount wagered by the number below to determine the win.
- Pair of aces: 30
- Suited ace and king: 25
- Suited ace with jack or queen: 20
- Unsuited ace and king: 15
- Pair of jacks, queens, or kings: 10
- Unsuited ace with jack or queen: 5
- Pair of deuces to tens: 3
Buying into a Texas Hold’em Bonus game
At a live table, bring chips or buy some from the dealer with cash. The dealer usually gives red $5 chips as the minimum bet is usually $5 or $10. You can ask for larger denominations if you are betting more.
At an online casino, your balance moves to the Texas Hold’em Bonus table. If you need to deposit, there are several convenient methods, like credit cards, debit cards, electronic checks, and electronic wallets like PayPal.
How to make a bet
At a live casino, place your preferred number of chips into the Ante circle on the felt. You can also put chips into the optional Plus side bet. The bets do not need to be equal. However, each must meet the table’s minimum bet.
At an online casino, scroll through the chip denominations until you get to your preferred size. The options are usually $0.10 up to $25. Click the denomination you want to use, then click the Ante circle the number of times required until the bet size is what you want it to be. You can do the same with the plus side bet if you wish.
When you are done, click deal. Cards are dealt automatically. When the hand is over, you can click the rebet button for the same amount or new wager to change it.
Getting cash for your chips
Once you are done playing live Texas Hold’em Bonus, it is time to cash out your chips from the table. Ask the dealer to color you up if you have enough to get larger denominations. You can use your chips to play at other tables or take them to the casino cage for cash.
If you are playing Texas Hold’em Bonus online, your chips leave the table automatically when you close the game. You can move them to another table or request an online casino withdrawal. The options generally include electronic checks bank wires, prepaid debit cards, and electronic wallets.
Last Updated on July 26, 2023 by John Mehaffey