There are many different ways you can enjoy online poker nowadays. You can sign up with a reputable site 
that offers the opportunity to play against other players online across a variety of different poker formats, from table games, to small tournaments, to massive tournaments comprising of thousands of players of all abilities.
However, in addition to those games that you can play against other opponents, sites like bet365 Games also offers players the chance to compete against the computer in a selection of different poker games and of those, Casino Hold’em Poker is arguably the most accessible to players.
If you are based in the United States state of Pennsylvania, then bet365 Games is not available in that state as yet, but there are other alternatives where you can find some enjoyable poker to play.
So what is Casino Hold’em and specifically what is the version of the game you can play at bet365 Games? That is precisely what we are going to find out in the pages of this article.
Casino Hold’em at bet365 Games
The first thing to note about this version of Casino Hold’em at bet365 Games is that it is a version of poker that is played against a computerised opponent, the house, as is the case with other popular card games like Blackjack or Baccarat.
As such, with the dearth of human players, the game operates in a different way to standard poker and the key examples of this are:
- The player will always decide whether to bet or not first.
- The dealer’s hand must be a pair of fours or better to qualify.
- Payouts are calculated on whether you win with a hand and what the strength of your hand is (pay out odds are displayed on the screen for both types of bet).
How the game begins
The game begins with a player making a bet, the first bet that players must place to play a hand is the Ante bet. 
This is a minimum of £1.00 but you can bet up to £100 per game if you have the funds to do so.
Alongside the main Ante bet, this version of Casino Hold’em also allows players to place a side bet called an AA bet. This is an entirely optional bet and pays out when a player wins the hand and also has a pair of aces or better in their hand (using the two hole cards, plus the first three community cards you see dealt on the screen).
The odds for an AA bet are also shown on the screen above the place where you put your chips to make this bet.
Once you have placed your bets on the table, you can then click the deal button to begin the game.
The deal
The deal will see the player dealt two cards face up on screen so you can see their suits and value. The banker is also dealt two cards, although these are both shown face down. Three of the five community cards are also dealt face up on screen.
At this point, if you have managed to land a hand that comprises of a pair of aces or better, then if you placed an AA bet, then you will win that bet, depending on the strength of the hand that you have managed to land. Winning this bet is not dependent on you beating the dealer’s hand.
Regarding your Ante bet, the player then has a decision to make based on the strength of their current hand. 
They cannot see the hand the dealer has, so they can’t really infer anything about what strength of hand the dealer holds, so any decisions must be made on the strength of the five cards you can see.
Your options at this point are:
- Fold – You lose the hand and any bets you make are lost (including any AA bets made) and the current game ends.
- Call – You put an amount of double your Ante bet into the pot and the hand continues.
If you call, then the final two cards of the five community cards are dealt. At this point the dealer’s hand is also revealed and the hand you hold is compared to that of the dealers. Both players make up the best five-card poker hand from the two cards they hold in their hand, plus the five community cards.
However, there are some key rules to note about payouts and winning hands in Casino Hold’em at bet365 and these are best summed up as:
- To beat the dealer, the dealer’s hand must qualify.
This means that the dealer must hold a hand of at least a pair of fours or better in order to qualify. If the dealer holds a hand ranked lower than this, then the dealer does not qualify. When this occurs, the players Call bet is 
returned to them and they are paid out their Ante Bet based on the strength of their hand and the values in the payout table shown above that bet.
If the dealer’s hand does qualify, then the hands are compared with the highest-ranking hand winning. If the dealer wins, you lose both your Ante and Call bets. If your hand wins, then you win your Ante bet and are paid out based on the odds shown for the hand that you have landed. Your Call bet always pays out at even money alongside any Ante winnings you receive.
If the dealer and players hand are equal, then the players Call bet is returned as is your Ante bet. Highest value hole cards held, alongside the strength of a hand, can be used to determine which is the strongest hand.
Aids to play
There are a number of buttons a player can use to help them bet quickly in this fast-paced version of poker. The Clear Bets button can be used to remove any erroneous bets made before the start of a game. Double Bet places double the amount of the previous bet, while Rebet places a bet or bets of the same value and type as you played in the last hand.
You can also use Rebet & Deal and Double and Deal buttons to speed up your gameplay still further if you so wish.
Conclusion
Casino Hold’em is a fast-paced variation of poker that is a great chance to play a simple, yet enjoyable game against the casino. You do not need to be an expert poker player to play the game and you are not at a disadvantage if you don’t understand poker to a higher level, although basic poker knowledge, especially about hand rankings, is a benefit.
If you like playing poker and want to play something a little different, then Casino Hold’em is as good an option as any available to you at bet365 Games.
