How to Play
Mississippi Stud Poker
Learn the rules, betting rounds and payouts in less than five minutes.
Mississippi Stud at a Glance
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2 Hole Cards
You receive two private hole cards.
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3 Community Cards
Three community cards are dealt face down.
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3 Betting Rounds
You’ll make raise or fold decisions on each street.
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Best 5-Card Hand
The best five-card hand is paid from the table.
The Table Setup
3rd Street
4th Street
5th Street
- 1Your Two Cards
— Your private hole cards.
- 2Community Cards
— Three community cards dealt face down.
- 3Ante
— Place your Ante bet to start.
- 43-Card Bonus
— Optional side bet based on your two cards + the first community card.
- 5Betting Rounds
— Raise 1x, 2x or 3x, or fold on each street.
The Rules in 4 Steps
Place Your Ante
Place your Ante bet to get dealt into the hand.
Receive Two Cards
You’ll be dealt two private hole cards.
Raise or Fold
After each street, choose to raise 1x, 2x or 3x, or fold.
Make Your Five-Card Hand
Use the best five-card hand from your two cards and three community cards.
How the Betting Rounds Work
3rd Street.
Raise 1x or 3x, or fold.
4th Street.
Raise 1x or 3x, or fold.
5th Street.
Make the final 1x or 3x decision.
You may not check. Every street requires a raise or fold decision.
Mississippi Stud Payout Table
- Royal Flush500 to 1
- Straight Flush100 to 1
- Four of a Kind40 to 1
- Full House10 to 1
- Flush6 to 1
- Straight4 to 1
- Three of a Kind3 to 1
- Two Pair2 to 1
- Jacks or Better1 to 1
- Pair of 6s to 10sPush
A pair of 5s or lower loses.
3-Card Bonus
Optional side bet using your two cards and the first community card.
- Mini Royal50 to 1
- Straight Flush40 to 1
- Three of a Kind30 to 1
- Straight6 to 1
- Flush4 to 1
- Pair1 to 1
Settled whether or not you fold. House edge about 2.14%.
One Complete Hand
1Ante
2Your Cards
33rd Street
4Final Hand
5Payout
Common Rules Questions
Can I check instead of raising?
No. Every street forces a decision: raise 1x, 2x or 3x your ante, or fold. There is no free card in Mississippi Stud, which is exactly what makes the fold decisions matter.
Do I have to use both hole cards?
Your hand is simply the five cards on the table — your two hole cards plus the three community cards. There is no choosing; all five always play.
What happens with a pair of 6s to 10s?
That is a push. Every chip you wagered is returned and you neither win nor lose. A pair of 5s or lower loses everything you put out.
Is the 3-Card Bonus required?
No, it is entirely optional and independent of the main hand. It is settled on your two cards plus the first community card, and it pays whether or not you fold. Its house edge is about 2.14% — respectable for a side bet, but still worse per dollar than the base game.
Can I play for free?
Yes. The table on this site is free, needs no signup and uses play money, and it includes a strategy trainer that shows the correct decision before you act.