Joker Texas Hold'em is a casino-style poker
game. You play one hand against the dealer. The goal is to make the
best five-card poker hand from your two cards and five shared
community cards, and have it beat the dealer's.
The Bets
Ante — mandatory. Your entry to the hand.
Blind — mandatory, always equals the Ante.
Play — optional, placed during the hand. Size depends on when you commit:
Pre-flop: 3× or 4× the Ante
After the flop: 2× the Ante
At the river: 1× the Ante
Big Hand Bonus — optional side bet that pays if your final hand is Three of a Kind or better, regardless of the dealer. Also pays a small bonus on pocket aces (2:1) or pocket kings (1:1). The Golden Joker wildcard does NOT apply to this bet — it pays on your real cards only.
Golden Joker — optional side bet equal to the Ante. When active, a random card in the deck becomes a gold wildcard. If it lands as one of your cards or on the board, you may treat it as the single best card for your hand. The dealer still sees it as its real rank and suit. The Golden Joker side bet pays 2:1 at showdown if you win the hand AND the joker was in your cards or on the board. If the joker shows but you don't win, the bet pushes (stake returned). Loses if the joker doesn't show.
The Flow of a Hand
Place your Ante (Blind is set automatically), and any optional side bets.
You and the dealer each get two cards (dealer's face down).
Pre-flop: Bet 3× / 4× the Ante, or Check.
The flop is dealt (3 community cards).
After the flop: if you haven't bet yet, Bet 2× or Check.
The turn and river are dealt (2 more community cards).
At the river: if you still haven't bet, Bet 1× or Fold.
The dealer reveals their hand and the winner is determined.
How Wagers Resolve (House Rules)
One thing to note: the Play bet scales with the strength of your winning hand, and Ante/Blind push on wins (rather than pay even money).
Outcome
Ante
Blind
Play
Golden Joker
You win the hand, joker appeared
Push
Push
Pays per Play paytable
Pays per Joker paytable
You win the hand, no joker
Push
Push
Pays per Play paytable
Lose
You lose the hand, joker appeared
Lose
Lose
Lose
Push
You lose the hand, no joker
Lose
Lose
Lose
Lose
Tie (same hand), joker appeared
Push
Push
Push
Push
Tie (same hand), no joker
Push
Push
Push
Lose
You fold
Lose
Lose
—
Lose
Play Bet Paytable
When you win the hand, your Play bet pays based on your final 5-card hand:
Royal Flush — 200:1
Straight Flush — 10:1
Four of a Kind — 5:1
Full House — 4:1
Flush — 3:1
Straight — 2:1
Three of a Kind / Two Pair / Pair / High Card — 1:1
Big Hand Bonus Paytable
The Big Hand Bonus pays independently of the main hand result, based only on your own final hand:
Royal Flush — 50:1
Straight Flush — 40:1
Four of a Kind — 30:1
Full House — 8:1
Flush — 6:1
Straight — 4:1
Three of a Kind — 3:1
Pocket Aces bonus — 2:1
Pocket Kings bonus — 1:1
Pocket Aces pays 2:1 and Pocket Kings pays 1:1 any time you're dealt the corresponding pair and your final hand is less than Three of a Kind. If your hand reaches trips or better, the bigger paytable payout applies instead.
Important: The Big Hand Bonus uses your real cards only — the Golden Joker wildcard does not apply to this bet.
Golden Joker
Optional side bet = 1× Ante.
A random card is transformed into a Golden Joker card.
The joker only "counts" if it lands in your 2 hole cards or the flop (the first 3 community cards). If it ends up in the dealer's hand, the turn, the river, or stays undealt, the side bet loses.
When the joker counts, it acts as a wildcard for your hand, turning into the best possible card to make the best made hand. The dealer does not benefit.
The Golden Joker side bet:
Wins per the paytable below if the joker shows (in your hand or on the flop) AND you beat the dealer.
Pushes (stake returned) if the joker shows but you don't win the hand.
Loses if the joker doesn't land in your hand or the flop.
Big Hand Bonus does NOT use the Joker — it pays on your real cards only.
Max-bet when you see gold!
Golden Joker Paytable
When the joker shows AND you beat the dealer, your Golden Joker bet pays based on your final (joker-assisted) 5-card hand:
Royal Flush — 150:1
Straight Flush — 25:1
Four of a Kind — 10:1
Full House — 5:1
Flush / Straight / Three of a Kind / Two Pair / Pair — 1:1
Only the single highest applicable award is paid (no stacking).
Dealer
Community
Golden Joker
Royal Flush150:1
Straight Flush25:1
Four of a Kind10:1
Full House5:1
Flush / Straight / Trips / 2 Pair / Pair1:1
Place your Ante here
Try the Big Hand BonusLearnPays out for any Three of a Kind or better in your hand — even if you lose to the dealer. Pocket aces also pays a small bonus.
Try the Golden JokerLearnA random card becomes a gold wildcard. If it lands in your hand or on the flop (first 3 community cards), your hand uses the best possible substitute. Wins per the Joker paytable (1:1 to 150:1 royal) if joker shows AND you win; pushes if joker shows but you don't win; loses if no joker. Costs 1× your ante.
Joker
iA random card becomes a gold wildcard. If it lands in your hand or on the flop (first 3 community cards), your hand uses the best possible substitute. Wins per the Joker paytable (1:1 base, up to 150:1 royal) if joker shows AND you win; pushes if joker shows but you don't win; loses if no joker. Dealer can’t use it. Big Hand Bonus does NOT use the Joker.
Big Hand
iPays out for any Three of a Kind or better in your hand — even if you lose to the dealer. Pocket Aces pays 2:1 and Pocket Kings pays 1:1 when your final hand is below trips. Uses your real cards only (the Golden Joker wildcard does NOT apply).