Let It Ride is a casino poker variant usually listed under the Table Games category at online casinos. Different variations of the name are used by different software providers, such as Let ‘Em Ride, Let Them Ride or Poker Ride. There could also be a difference in the exact rules and pay out tables. This article takes as the basis Let Them Ride Poker offered by Playtech at its online casinos.

The game play is as follows. The player starts by placing three equal bets. In Playtech Let Them Ride Poker the minimum is $5 and the maximum is $200 for each bet. The player is dealt three cards face up and two cards face down. Based on the face up cards the has the option to pull out one of the bets or let all three bets ride. Then the dealer turns over one of the two face down cards. Again the player then has the option to pull out another bet or let the remaining bets ride. The second decision is completely independent of the first one. Finally the second face down card is exposed. If the player has a hand that matches with any of the payout table rankings then all the remaining bets are paid out according to the payout table.

The Playtech Let Them Ride payout table starts with Tens or Better, which pays even money. The hand rankings rise in accordance with the usual poker rankings with a constant increase in the payouts. The highest ranking is Royal Flush that pays 1,000 to 1. The strategy obviously is that the player should let the bets ride if he feels that there is a possibility of ending up with a ranked hand, otherwise he should pull out a bet. The online casino player will need a specific optimum strategy. This is described below. With this strategy the player can expect an average return of 96.5%.

With three cards exposed the player should let the bets ride only if he has any of the following hands:

• Any hand that already pays, which can be Tens or Better or Three of a Kind

• Any three cards to a Royal Flush

• Three suited cards in a row except 2-3-4 and A-2-3

• Three card to a straight flush with a spread of four and with at least one card ranked ten or higher

• Three cards to a straight flush with a spread of five and with at least two cards ranked ten or higher

With four cards exposed the player should let the bets ride only if he has any of the following hands:

• Any hand that already pays, which can be Tens or Better, Two Pairs or Three of a Kind

• Any four cards of the same suit

• Any four cards to an outside straight with at least one card ranked ten or higher

• Any four cards to an inside straight with four cards ranked ten or higher

Playtech Let Them Ride Poker also offers a side bet of fixed denomination of $1. This is paid according to a separate payout table. This starts from Two Pairs at 6 to 1 and goes up to Royal Flush at 20,000 to 1. Online casino players should not be fooled by this. It is a sucker bet with a house edge of over 13%. Let Them Ride Poker can be played at Playtech online casinos like Mansion Casino, Omni Casino and William Hill Casino Club.