Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker

Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker came about during the height of the “poker boom.” A ton of Hold’em variants hit the scene between 2003 and 2006 after accountant and amateur card player Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event.

Games like Hold’em Challenge, Heads Up Hold’em, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em came and went, each one attempting to replicate the essence of “the Cadillac of Poker.”

In 2004 the Mikohn Gaming Corporation released their take on a hybrid table game known as Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker. The company, founded in 1986, developed both table game concepts and the technology and equipment used to operate those games. In 1998, Mikohn Gaming acquired the rights to Caribbean Stud Poker and its purchase of rival Progressive Games.

With the launch of Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker, they sought to capitalize on No-Limit Hold’em popularized through ESPN’s broadcasts of the WSOP. At the time, Bob Parente, who served as Mikohn Gaming’s Executive Vice President of Sales, issued a statement explaining the genesis of the new game:

“The resurgence of interest in the game of poker as a result of the multitude of tournaments and televised events makes the introduction of Texas Hold ‘Em Bonus Poker a natural. With its similarities to regular Hold ‘Em, we expect Texas Hold ‘Em Bonus Poker to attract both poker and table game newcomers, as well as cater to regular poker players waiting for a seat in the poker room.”

The concept of Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker is quite simple. It transforms the player versus player gameplay of traditional Hold’em poker into a player versus dealer table game. The same basic structure is used across both games, so players start with two personal cards (the “hole” cards) before seeing five community cards dealt out. By combining one or both of your hole cards with the community cards, you form the best possible five-card poker hand – or at the very least, one that beats the dealer’s.

If that construct reminds you of another game known as Casino Hold’em, your intuition is correct. Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker plays out in almost the same fashion as Casino Hold’em, with only a few small adjustments to the betting pattern and payouts. Since Casino Hold’em was invented four years before Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker, it’s only natural to assume they draw on each other.

Although the poker boom eventually ended, Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker carved out a significant niche within the crowded table game industry. Most land-based casinos in North America, Europe, and Australia spread the game regularly through dedicated installations.

Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker was even successfully adapted for play online, and several major software providers created versions of the classic game.

Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker has changed hands on more than one occasion during the last few years. First, Mikohn Gaming got purchased by a rival game development firm known as Progressive Gaming International in 2004. By 2009, the combined company, now operating under the Progressive Gaming name, was forced to sell its assets to International Gaming Technology following a bankruptcy liquidation.

At some point, Bally Technologies acquired the rights to Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker. Then in 2014, Bally was taken over by Scientific Games, which now operates both the Bally and SHFL Entertainment brands.

Regardless of the constant state of fluctuation on the backend, Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker has persevered to become one of the more widely played table games of the modern era. With that in mind, we wrote this page to provide all the information a beginner needs to get started. We’ll run through the rules and gameplay procedures, including available wagers, player actions, and payouts, along with a running example hand to help clarify specific points. Next up is a guide to locating the game in your favorite casinos, followed by a strategy section designed to improve your play and understanding of the game.

Rules and How to Play

Before diving into the nuts and bolts of Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker, we recommend starting out with our page on Casino Hold’em. It’s good to have a firm understanding of both games so you can tell the differences between the two.

The game uses a standard 52 card deck of playing cards, and all cards hold their traditional poker values, so 2s are the lowest rank while Aces are the highest.

A single deck is used and reshuffled upon completion of each hand, instead of the multiple deck shoe used in many table games.

The game’s objective is to combine your two hole cards with the five community cards on the board to form the best possible five-card poker hand. You may use either one or both of your hole cards in combination with the community cards, but you can’t “play the board” – or use all five community cards to form your hand.

Just in case you need a refresher course on how poker hands are valued, take a look below for the traditional poker hand hierarchy:

Step #1: Place an Ante Bet

To begin the game, players must put up a mandatory Ante bet. At this time, you can also make an optional wager known as the Bonus bet (which will be described in detail after we explain the base game rules).

Throughout the rest of this section, we’ll return to a running example hand as a way of showing you how crucial gameplay concepts work from the player’s perspective. So for the betting round, we’ll put up a simple $5 wager on the Ante bet, along with $5 more on the Bonus side bet.

Step #2: The Dealer Distributes the Cards

When all players have anted up, the dealer will then toss two cards face down to each player, along with two cards face down to themselves. You can look at your cards, but be careful not to flash your hand.

In the running example hand, we get dealt the 6h 6c to start the hand with one “pocket” pair of sixes. The term pocket pair simply refers to paired hole cards rather than a pair made using one hole card and one community card.

Step #3: Players Decide to Fold or See the Flop

Once you’ve taken a peek at your hole cards, the game’s first player decision point has arrived: Fold or see the Flop.

By folding, you give up the hand without further contest, parting ways with any bets you have in play.

If you want to see the “flop” (the first three community cards), you must bet twice the amount of your original Ante bet.

We already have a pair to work with for the running example hand, which is quite a substantial holding in any Hold ’em-based game. So we’ll go ahead and make the Flop bet for $10, or twice the size of our Ante bet ($5 x 2 = $10).

Step #4: The Dealer Shows the First 3 Cards

When all players have folded or placed the Flop bet, the dealer will take the first three cards from the deck and place them face-up on the felt. These are the first three of five community cards that you can use to form your final five-card poker hand.

For the running example hand, the dealer has flopped the 2d 5s Kc. We still have one pair of sixes, so unless the dealer has a King in the hole, flopped three of a kind with 2 2 or 5 5, or has a higher pocket pair than we do, we’re still ostensibly in the lead.

Step #5: Players Decide to Check or Make a Turn Bet

With the flop now revealed, the game’s second player decision point takes place: Check or make the Turn bet.

By checking, you simply stand pat and continue with the hand without making an additional wager.

By making the Turn bet, you’ll put up another wager, but this time, it must be equal to the size of your Ante bet – and not double.

In the running example hand, we still like the look of our pocket pair of 6s, so we’ll toss in another $5 chip for the Turn bet.

Step #6: The Dealer Shows Another Card

Once all players have run through this decision, the dealer will produce the fourth community card from the top of the deck.

Our running example hand gets a little more interesting when the dealer delivers the 6d on the turn. The board now reads 2d 5s Kc 6d, and we have improved to three of a kind, which is a huge hand in Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker.

Step #7: Players Decide to Check or Make the River Bet

After the turn card show, you’ll reach the third and final player decision point: Check or make the River bet.

Checking is the same as described above, while making the River bet will cost you an additional wager equal to the size of your Ante bet.

We’ll make the River bet for $5 more for the running example hand, as we hold what poker players call a “monster” hand.

Step #8: The Dealer Reveals the Last Card

The dealer will reveal the fifth and final community card when all players have either checked or made the River bet.

In the running example hand, the dealer turns over the 2c to complete a final board of 2d 5s Kc 6d 2c. Our 6h 6c has improved from three of a kind to a full house, as we play a final five-card poker hand of 6h 6c 6d 2d 2c.

Step #9: The Dealer Builds His Best Hand

After putting out the river card, the dealer will turn over their two-card starting hand and form their best possible five-card poker hand for the showdown.

The dealer in our running example hand has the goods, showing down Ah Ks for top pair with one pair of Kings, which would usually be good enough for a winner. Our full house is best, though, so we’ve won this round.

Step #10: Compare Hands

Upon reaching the showdown, if the dealer produces a superior hand, you’ll lose all pending bets (except for the Bonus side bet, which gets settled separately).

However, when you hold the better hand, you’ll win even money on the Flop, Turn, and River bets. As for the Ante bet, you’ll need a straight or better to win on this wager. Otherwise, it will get returned as a push.

On occasions when your hand ties the dealer’s hand exactly, you’ll have all base game bets (Ante, Flop, Turn, and River) returned as a push.

We can use the running example hand to see how this payout scheme shakes out. We’ve beaten the dealer’s hand with our full house over their pair of kings. Thus, we’d earn even money on the Flop ($10), Turn ($5), and River ($5) bets for a total profit of $20.

As for the Ante bet, we made a hand higher than a straight, earning $5 in an even money payout on that wager. All told, for the base game bets, we put up $25 total ($5 Ante + $10 Flop + $5 Turn + $5 River = $25), and we profited at a rate of 1 to 1 on all wagers.

The Bonus Bet Payout

That means it doesn’t matter who wins or loses the base game hand for the Bonus side bet, and only your two-card starting hand and the dealer’s hole cards get considered.

The following pay table shows info for the Bonus side bet in Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker in Las Vegas and Nevada casinos:

And the following paytable is used in Atlantic City, New Jersey:

The only difference between the two tables above is that Las Vegas rules offer a whopping 1,000 to 1 “jackpot” payout whenever you happen to hold pocket aces against the dealer’s pocket aces.

For the running example hand, our 6 6 qualifies for a 3 to 1 payout on either paytable, so we collect an extra $15 on our $5 Bonus side bet.

When all bets get settled, the dealer will collect the cards, reshuffle the deck, and begin a new hand.

Best Places to Play Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker

With a game like Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker, which has been around for more than a decade, your chances of finding an open table at any casino are pretty high. From small local card rooms to tribal gaming enterprises and, of course, the gambling meccas of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, this game has become a staple offering all over America and the best online poker sites.

To help narrow the search just a bit, we consulted the only table game finding tool provided by a major casino operator, which happens to be Caesars Entertainment. According to their table game finder, the following Caesars owned casino properties around the country currently offer Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker:

Other non-Caesars casino properties in Las Vegas known to spread the game include New York, New York, the MGM Grand, the Monte Carlo, the Luxor, the Excalibur, and the Rio.

You can find Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker played everywhere from the Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway in Bangor, Maine, to the Adelaide Casino in Australia.

When in doubt, feel free to call up your favorite casino venue and ask for the table games manager there. Inquiring about the status of Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker doesn’t cost a thing. If you don’t find it on the first try, ask a helpful casino employee which competitors carry the game.

As for online casinos, the most widely played virtual version of the game comes from Microgaming.

For a list of Microgaming affiliated online casinos, ordered in terms of player-generated rankings on a widely used industry review site, see below:

Microgaming Casinos

• Spin Palace Casino
• Golden Riviera Casino
• Crazy Vegas Casino
• Wild Jackpots Casino
• Mummy’s Gold Casino
• Trada Casino
• Casino Ventura
• Tipbet Casino
• Casino British
• Dizzy Win Casino
• Slot Alerts Casino
• Dukes Casino
• Go Wild Casino
• Casino Epoca
• Omni Slots Casino

• Gaming Club Casino
• Cabaret Club Casino
• Maple Casino
• Ruby Fortune Casino
• 7 Sultans Casino
• BetChan Casino
• Dunder Casino
• Casino Mate
• Lucky Nugget Casino
• Cruise Casino
• Casino of Dreams
• Maxiplay Casino
• BetBright Casino
• Hippodrome Casino

Strategic Considerations for Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker

Surprisingly, for a game with such longstanding history – 10 years of steady play in an eternity in the table game world – Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker hasn’t been “cracked” as of yet by game theory analysis.

While optimal strategy charts dictate profitable and correct play for other games, that feat still eludes even top casino game experts.

Due to the game’s use of community cards and the complexity of poker hand draws and “outs,” a complete strategy for playing your hands isn’t in the cards. We suggest you follow these guidelines before the flop:

• You should always fold before the flop when holding an unsuited 2 3, 2 4, 2 5, 2 6, or 2 7.
• When holding any other hand, you should always make the Flop bet.

These pre-flop rules are simple enough to remember. Still, we have to turn to the Discount Gambling blog and casino game enthusiast and analyst Stephen How for a broader take on post-flop strategy.

According to How, you can use the following guidelines to govern your play after the flop. He mentions this “simple strategy” deviates enough from perfect strategy to inflate the house edge.

Under optimal game conditions, in which the player is making every possible decision correctly, the house edge working against you stands at 2.04 percent. But by incorporating How’s simple strategy, the house edge rises to 2.90 percent.

In any event, this house edge rate is perfectly acceptable within the world of table games, and especially the Texas Hold’em-themed variety. For example, when playing Ultimate Texas Hold’em, the house edge stands at 2.18 percent, while Three Card Hold’em runs a house edge of 3.05 percent.

So from a strategic standpoint, using How’s simple strategy may not be perfect, but it’s the best we have. And after all, it beats making your plays based on gut instinct alone.

Take a look below to see the way How advises making post-flop decisions in Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker:

FLOP

After seeing the flop, you should always make the Turn bet when holding the following hands; otherwise, you should check:

• Two pairs or better
• Any pocket pair (paired hole cards), with at least one lower card on the board
• Any pair (one hole card + one board card) with any other draw (straight, flush, etc.)
• Any bottom pair unless the board is all suited cards
• Any combined draw with both straight and flush draws
• A 10 high flush draw or better
• Any open-ended straight draw, with both hole cards being eight or better
• Any high cards (higher than the board) on a three of a kind board
• Any high cards (higher than the board) on a paired board

TURN

After seeing the turn, you should always make the River bet when holding the following hands; otherwise, you should check:

• Two pairs or better, except for a pair on the board combined with a lower pocket pair
• Any pair except bottom pair or a pocket pair lower than the lowest card on board
• An ace on a double paired board
• Any open-ended straight draw or Jack high flush draw, except on scare boards (flush boards when holding a straight draw, double paired boards when holding a flush draw)

These guidelines may seem like common sense, but How’s analysis shows that you can enjoy a sub 3.00 percent house edge game simply by making the clear play. In traditional player versus player poker games, those who chase bad draws or refuse to check when the situation warrants get punished.

The same holds true for Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker. The best strategy is to develop a keen card sense and literally “know when to hold ’em, and know when to fold’em.” When you can stay disciplined and decline to make unnecessary bets, you’ll play this game as close to correctly as is possible today.

Finally, when considering the relative merits of the Bonus side bet, remember these numbers: 8.54 percent and 8.90 percent. Respectively, these are the house edge rates for the optional wager under the Las Vegas, and Atlantic City pay tables. In both cases, this high house edge puts the Bonus side bet squarely in the “sucker bet” category, so strategically minded players should avoid this added expense.