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. One hidden deck position is tagged as the Golden Joker. It only fires if that card lands in your 2 hole cards or on the flop. When it fires, your hand uses the best possible wildcard substitute; the dealer and Big Hand Bonus still use real cards only. If the Joker fires and you beat the dealer, the side bet pays the Joker paytable. If it fires and you lose, tie, or fold, it pushes. If it does not fire, it loses.
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 fired
Push
Push
Pays per Play paytable
Pays per Joker paytable
You win the hand, Joker did not fire
Push
Push
Pays per Play paytable
Lose
You lose the hand, Joker fired
Lose
Lose
Lose
Push
You lose the hand, Joker did not fire
Lose
Lose
Lose
Lose
Tie, Joker fired
Push
Push
Push
Push
Tie, Joker did not fire
Push
Push
Push
Lose
You fold, Joker fired
Lose
Lose
—
Push
You fold, Joker did not fire
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.
One hidden deck position is tagged as the Golden Joker before the deal.
The Joker only fires if that tagged card lands in your 2 hole cards or the flop (the first 3 community cards). Dealer cards, the turn, the river, and undealt cards do not fire.
When the Joker fires, it acts as a wildcard for your hand, turning into the best possible card to make your best 5-card hand. The dealer does not benefit.
The Golden Joker side bet:
Wins per the paytable below if the Joker fires and you beat the dealer.
Pushes (stake returned) if the Joker fires and you lose, tie, or fold.
Loses if the Joker does not fire.
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 fires 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
Pair / Two Pair / Three of a Kind / Straight / Flush — 1:1
Only the single highest applicable award is paid (no stacking).
Dealer
Community
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 JokerLearnCosts 1× Ante. The Joker fires only from your hole cards or the flop. If it fires, it becomes your best wildcard. Win the hand to earn the Joker paytable; lose, tie, or fold and it pushes. No fire = lose.
Joker
iCosts 1× Ante. One hidden deck position is tagged gold; it only fires in your 2 hole cards or the flop. If it fires, your hand gets the best wildcard. Win to get the Joker paytable; lose, tie, or fold = push. No fire = lose. Dealer and Big Hand Bonus use real cards.
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).