Ezugi has added the Razz side bet to its live Casino Hold’em tables. You’re rewarded for creating low-value hands that payout up to 100:1! (Image from Ezugi’s YouTube channel)
While the rest of us recover from hangovers and stuffed stomachs, Ezugi has been using the festive period to add some exciting new elements to some of its popular live casino table games. Just a couple of days before Christmas Day, we announced the firm had added the Perfect 11 and Ten20 side bets to some of its blackjack tables, and now they’re at it again. This time, Ezugi has brought an additional side bet for its popular Live Casino Hold’em tables.
If you’re a poker fan and know how to play the Razz variant of poker, you will instantly understand why this side bet is called the Casino Razz side bet. That is because similar to the poker game, the bet pays out when you get the lowest possible hands. Razz is a lowball variant of poker where the best possible hand is the suited A, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Compare this to more common poker variants such as Texas Hold’em and Stud poker whereby the best hand is the Royal Flush (suited 10, J, Q, K, and A) and you will understand the difference.
So why add a side bet that rewards lower-ranking hands when winning at Casino Hold’em requires the opposite? For exactly that reason. You stand a chance of offsetting losses or even bringing in big wins when your main hand loses out when low scoring cards come out instead. This bet will payout on hands you’re normally going to lose via your main bet.
Razz is a poker variant first made popular in the 70s and 80s. However, due to the rise in popularity of variants, including Hold’em and Omaha, that popularity waned for the next couple of decades. Since then, it has made a comeback, mainly because of the increased popularity of mixed poker games. H.O.R.S.E (Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Stud, Eight or Better Stud) is the biggest example of these mixed games that involve each variant playing for a certain amount of time before changing to the next variant.
How Does the Razz Side Bet Work?
The Razz side bet pays out independently of the main bet when playing Casino Hold’em. This means it will pay regardless of the result of your main bet. You’re not under obligation to use it, but it can add another layer of excitement if you do. It uses the player’s cards and the Flop (first three community cards) to create a 5-card hand. However, instead of high-value hands, it pays out on low-value hands.
The minimum hand required to win a payout is a Jack high. This pays out 2:1, however, the lower valued your hand is, the better odds you receive. For the best payouts, you need to land a low straight from A to 5 (50:1) or a suited low straight from A to 5 (100:1).
So, what do you think? Is this a side bet that you think is worth backing? It only has an RTP of 95.02%, but used with the correct betting strategy, it is one that could bring some dividends.
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Jack High | 2 to 1 |
| 10 High | 4 to 1 |
| 9 High | 6 to 1 |
| 8 High | 8 to 1 |
| 7 High | 10 to 1 |
| 6 High | 25 to 1 |
| Unsuited Straight (A to 5) | 50 to 1 |
| Suited Straight (A to 5) | 100 to 1 |
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