The game of caribbean stud poker is a variation of poker played on a caribbean stud poker sized table.

Following is how the game is played:

First, place a wager, this is called the caribbean stud poker ante.
Second, each player and the dealer is dealt their own five card hand. One of the caribbean stud poker dealer's cards is face up the other four are face down. Third, decide to stay in or fold. If you fold you forfeit your caribbean stud poker ante. If you stay in you must add to your bet double the amount of the ante. Fourth (assuming the player is still in), the caribbean stud poker dealer looks at his/her cards. If the caribbean stud poker dealer does not have at least an ace/king then the player automatically wins even money on the caribbean stud poker ante and the additional wager is returned. If the caribbean stud poker dealer does have at least ace/king then a comparison is made between the caribbean stud poker player's hand and the dealer's hand. If the caribbean stud poker player has the higher hand he/she wins even money on the caribbean stud poker ante, and the additional wager pays according to the payoff table below. If the caribbean stud poker dealer's hand beats the caribbean stud poker player's hand he loses both the ante and raise.

The caribbean stud poker progressive jackpot side bet

In caribbean stud poker the player has the choice to make a side bet of $1 which pays for hands of a flush or better. The specific payoff tables vary from place to place but always feature a progressive jackpot, paying 100% of the jackpot meter for a royal flush and 10% for a straight flush. In the very unlikely event that two players had a royal flush in the same hand at most places the first one to the caribbean stud poker dealer's left would win the jackpot and the second would win whatever the jackpot is reseeded to, usually $10,000 or $20,000. Some places would split the jackpot between the two players. In the event that two caribbean stud poker players received a straight flush at the same time the first one to the caribbean stud poker dealer left would get 10% of the meter and the second would get 10% of what was left after the first player was paid. In other words it pays to sit as close as possible to the caribbean stud poker dealer's left.

The caribbean stud poker side bet jackpot payoff table:

Below is a key to some of the casino where each caribbean stud poker payoff table above can be found. Unless otherwise stated the casino is in Las Vegas.

• Table 1; Ballys, Paris, California, Las Vegas Club, Hilton
• Table 2; Luxor, Excalibur, Mandaley Bay, Monte Carlo
• Table 3; Bellagio, Venetian, Rio, Every casino in Atlantic City, Casino Niagara (Niagara Falls, Ontario), Grand (Tunica), Gold Strike (Tunica), Ballys (Tunica), Sheraton (Tunica), Isle of Capri (Tunica), Hollywood (Tunica), Harrah's (Tunica)
• Table 4; Harrah's, Circus Circus
  Table 5; Flamingo Hilton
• Table 6; Imperial Palace, Horseshoe (Tunica)