Let It Ride is a poker-based table game where you play against a fixed pay table, not against the dealer or other players. You start with three equal bets, can pull back two of them as the cards come out, and win with a pair of 10s or better. With correct strategy the house edge is about 3.5%.
The game was created by Shuffle Master in 1993 and is now a Light & Wonder product, often dealt with a 3 Card Bonus side bet and sometimes a progressive. If you like pay-table games, it sits in the same family as Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.
Let It Ride at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Owner | Light & Wonder (created by Shuffle Master) |
| Deck | One 52-card deck |
| Bets | Three equal base bets, marked 1, 2 and $ |
| Winning hand | Pair of 10s or better |
| Top base payout | Royal flush, 1,000 to 1 on the standard table |
| House edge | About 3.5% with optimal play (standard pay table) |
| Side bets | 3 Card Bonus, progressive (varies by casino) |
| Last checked | November 2026 |
How to play Let It Ride
- Make three equal bets. One goes on each of the circles marked 1, 2 and $. You can also add any side bets the table offers.
- Look at your three cards. Each player gets three cards, and two community cards are set face down. You then either pull back bet 1 or let it ride.
- First community card. The dealer turns over the first community card. You decide again, this time on bet 2. This choice does not depend on what you did with bet 1.
- Second community card. The dealer turns over the last card. Bet $ can never be pulled back, so it is always in play.
- Settle. Your three cards plus the two community cards make your five-card hand. A pair of 10s or better wins; anything less loses every bet still on the table.
On a felt table you do not touch your chips to pull a bet back. Scratch the table with your cards and the dealer pushes the bet back to you. After your second decision you tuck your cards under the remaining bet.
Let It Ride pay table
Each bet still in play is paid at these odds. This is the standard table used by most casinos; some use variations, and many cap the total payout on a single hand, so check the placard at the table.
| Hand | Pays |
|---|---|
| Royal flush | 1,000 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 200 to 1 |
| Four of a kind | 50 to 1 |
| Full house | 11 to 1 |
| Flush | 8 to 1 |
| Straight | 5 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 3 to 1 |
| Two pair | 2 to 1 |
| Pair of 10s or better | 1 to 1 |
Because the royal pays 1,000 to 1 on every bet left in play, a royal flush with all three $10 bets riding is worth $30,000 before any table cap. Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, for example, caps Let It Ride payouts at $50,000 per hand.
Let It Ride strategy
The strategy is short. Pull your bet back unless you hold one of the hands below.
First decision (three cards)
- Any paying hand: a pair of 10s or better, or three of a kind
- Three to a royal flush
- Three suited cards in a row, except 2-3-4 and A-2-3
- Three to a straight flush with one gap (such as 8-9-J suited), if at least one card is a 10 or higher
- Three to a straight flush with two gaps (such as 9-J-K suited), if at least two cards are 10 or higher
Second decision (four cards)
- Any paying hand
- Four to a flush
- Four to an open-ended (outside) straight
- Four to a straight flush
Everything else gets pulled back. Following this strategy keeps the house edge near 3.5%; letting bets ride on weaker hands only adds to it.
3 Card Bonus side bet
The 3 Card Bonus pays on your first three cards only, whatever happens with the community cards and your base bets. It uses three-card hand rankings, where a straight beats a flush. Pay tables vary. One table approved in Washington state, with a Mini Royal, looks like this:
| Three-card hand | Pays |
|---|---|
| Mini Royal (suited A-K-Q) | 50 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 40 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 30 to 1 |
| Straight | 6 to 1 |
| Flush | 3 to 1 |
| Pair | 1 to 1 |
Other approved versions drop the Mini Royal, pay 5 to 1 on a straight or 4 to 1 on a flush. Side bets carry a higher house edge than the base game, so treat them as optional.
Let It Ride progressive
Some tables add a progressive side bet based on your final five-card hand. At Ocean Casino Resort, for example, a royal flush wins the Mega jackpot and a straight flush the Major, with smaller fixed prizes for lesser hands, and other players at the table who made the bet collect an “Envy” bonus when someone hits. The cost of the bet, the jackpot amounts and the pay table differ from casino to casino.
Where to play Let It Ride
Let It Ride is less common on casino floors than it once was, but it still runs in several US markets, including Atlantic City and Washington state. Licensed online casinos in regulated states carry digital versions too; FanDuel’s online version lists a 96.49% return. Offshore sites such as Bovada and the other online casinos we review are not licensed by US state regulators, so check a site’s licence and game list before you deposit.
Let It Ride FAQ
What is the house edge in Let It Ride?
About 3.51% on the standard pay table when you follow the strategy above. Side bets have a higher edge.
Can you take back all three bets?
No. You can pull back bet 1 and bet 2, but the third bet ($) always stays in play.
What is the lowest winning hand?
A pair of 10s. A pair of 9s or lower loses.
Do you play against the dealer?
No. Every hand is paid against the pay table, so other players’ cards and the dealer’s cards do not affect your result.
Please gamble responsibly. If gambling is causing problems for you or someone you know, call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET.