Playtech's new Casino Stud Poker room packs a progressive jackpot punch

The new card game joins Casino Hold'em and Three Card Brag to round out Playtech's live poker lineup. Originally launched at bet365 Casino - the table is now available at all Playtech casinos. What makes the game unique is the addition of two optional side bets.

First of all, we have the 5+1 side bet - which gives you the chance to bet on the dealers up card. But more interesting is the network progressive jackpot. For a mere £1 stake, you can land a life-changing prize.

Following their recent Spread-Bet Roulette launch, Playtech's live casino continues to improve. And Head of Live Casino Innovation, Kevin Kilminster, hinted at new games later this year. He said:

Casino Stud Poker is a 5-card poker game played against a live dealer. If you're familiar with Evolution's Caribbean Stud Poker, then you will feel right at home here. The two games do share similarities in the card action - but not in the look and feel.

Studio Design: Playtech seems to be going for a tropical, cruise ship style vibe with their latest room. Panelled windows and a golden finish makes this an appealing studio setting.

Dealer Quality: As expected of a live dealer poker game, the main focus is the central dealing table. And as this a Playtech powered room, you can expect the croupier to be hospitable and entertaining. 

We have no complaints when it comes to the room design or the user interface layout. Everything is fluid and expertly crafted. So how does the gameplay fare? Let's take a closer look.

You don't need to be a poker pro to enjoy Playtech's latest table game. Of course, previous experience will give you more satisfaction. The aim of the game is to score a better five-card poker hand than the dealer (if they qualify).

The game starts by playing the ante bet - you will then be dealt with five face-up cards. The dealer will then deal themselves one face-up card and four face-down cards. You will then have the option to call the hand (and play 2x the ante) or to fold.

To play any hand, the dealer will first have to qualify. And this means they will need an Ace/King at minimum. If the dealer does qualify, the hands will be compared and one of three things will happen:

* Player beats the dealer: Ante bet is paid at even money - and the call bet is paid based on the paytable (see below).

* Player and dealer have the same hand: All bets are pushed

* Dealer beats the player hand: Call and ante bets are lost

Beating the dealer means your call bet will be paid out at the following ratios:

To keep the poker action spicy, there are also a couple of additional side bets you can take. First, we have the 5+1 side bet, which is paid out separately to the main poker game.

This side bet combines your 5 cards with the dealer's up card to make the best five-card hand possible. To qualify for a prize, you will need a Three of a Kind at a minimum - and there's a 1000x prize available for a Royal Flush win.

For a full list of the 5+1 side bet pays, please see the table below.

The second optional bet is for the networked progressive jackpot. For a £1 stake, the cards in your hand will be matched against the jackpot paytable which is as follows:

The key to victory in Casino Stud Poker is to play any hand that is a King or higher. Keeping an eye on the dealer's upcard is also pretty important. If the card is higher than any of the cards in your hand, then you should fold.

Remember, you can win either by the dealer not qualifying for the game - or if they do qualify and you have a stronger hand. Keep this in mind when you decide whether you should take on the dealer or not.

Playtech's poker offering is now even better with Casino Stud Poker in the portfolio. Thanks to the array of side bets and the varied action, this game will appeal to a diverse range of players. You also get the chance to win slot like prizes by playing a lower house edge casino game.