Red Dog

Online Casino Table Games

Online Red DOg

Red Dog is a table game that was introduced to casinos in the 1980s. It’s also known as yablon, and is a variation of Acey-Deucey or In Between. Though its popularity in land-based casinos has declined, it’s now popular in many online casinos because it’s easy to quickly pick up the rules and win a decent amount of money. It differs from other online casino table games in that the player is not trying to beat the dealer.

How to play Red Dog

Red Dog is played with one to eight 52-card decks. The more decks there are, the lower the house edge, so try to pick a game that uses more than one deck. To start things off, the player makes a bet and clicks the ‘Deal’ button. Two cards are dealt parallel to one another. Both face up.

The player then has to decide whether the value of a third card will fall between the two cards already dealt. If yes, the player can raise. If no, the player doesn’t raise. The third card is dealt and a winner is determined. It’s that simple!

Of course, there are a few rules that you should keep in mind while playing to maximize your chances of winning:

  • Numbered cards are worth face value.
  • Jacks are worth 11, Queens are worth 12, Kings are worth 13 and Aces are worth 14.
  • A game is considered a Push if the two dealt cards are consecutive or the same.
  • All bets are paid out according to the spread outlined in the pay table. The spread is equal to the number of cards that fall between the two dealt cards. For example:
    • Spread / Payout
    • 1 card 5:1
    • 2 cards 4:1
    • 3 cards 2:1
    • 4+ cards 1:1
    • Three of a kind pays 11:1

Red Dog Strategy

Believe it or not, there is a strategy for Red Dog. Like the game, it’s pretty simple to learn and is based on the probability of winning and the player’s edge. Outlined below you will see a strategy that is based on a game of Red Dog using six decks.

Expected Gain by Raising
Spread Pays Probability of Winning Player's Edge
1 5 0.077419 -0.535484
2 4 0.154839 -0.225806
3 2 0.232258 -0.303226
4 1 0.309677 -0.380645
5 1 0.387097 -0.225806
6 1 0.464516 -0.070968
7 1 0.541935 0.083871
8 1 0.619355 0.238710
9 1 0.696774 0.393548
10 1 0.774194 0.548387
11 1 0.851613 0.703226

As you can see, based on the player’s edge, it’s only profitable to raise on a spread of seven or more. Fortunately, this is true no matter how many decks are being used, making this strategy useful across all games of Red Dog. Now that you’ve learned a thing or two about Red Dog, check out one of our recommended online casinos to play a few hands. It’s a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which allows you to relax and have a good time while you bring in a few extra dollars.