How to Play Let it Ride

Interested in learning more about Let it Ride? Explore the ins and outs of this newer casino game.

Poker

There’s no better thrill than sitting at the poker table and enjoying some betting action. If you’re a poker pro, then you’ve probably tried your hand at Texas Hold’em poker and five-card draw poker. But have you ever put your skills to the test in Let it Ride? This exciting poker game may not be the most popular amongst players, but it offers awesome fun. You can implement a betting strategy to enhance your chances of winning.

Let it Ride is a version of five-card draw poker, but it allows players to pull back parts of their stakes as dealer cards are revealed. You can also keep your stake in place and “Let It Ride”, or if you’re not sure, pull one back as each community card is laid down. Next, I’ll teach you how to play Let It Ride poker.

Let it Ride Rules 

Diving into a new poker game may seem daunting at first, but fear not, Let It Ride is a simple game that you will quickly get to grips with. It really comes down to deciding how to play your three-part bet, whether to “pull it back” or “Let It Ride”. The aim of the game is to get the best hand on the table. The pay tables are the same as other poker games, with the Royal Flush being the best hand, followed by the straight flush, four of a kind, and so on.

Here’s how it works; first, you make three bets of equal size and the dealer will then serve each player three cards all face down. You can check your cards but don’t reveal your cards to anyone else. Here is where you can pull back your first wager or “Let It Ride”, depending on how good you think your cards are. Even if your cards don’t look so promising, the dealer’s community cards may offer some hope. However, if you do have poor cards, it’s worth considering pulling back one of the three wagers.

The dealer will then turn over the first community card, which is a card used by all players. You then get another opportunity to pull it back or “Let It Ride”. The dealer will then reveal the second and final community card. If you have a good hand, you’ll want to keep the bets on the table. However, if your cards are weak, then consider pulling back another bet. The dealer will reveal their hand and now everyone will know if they have a winning hand. A winning hand is a five-card hand that is better than the dealer’s five-card hand, it’s that simple.

You can’t pull back your third bet because the hand is over. Either you’ve won a payout, or the online casino wins the rest of your bet. Now you get to decide if you want to play the next hand. With each hand you play, you’ll become quicker at recognizing each step and developing a good strategy.

What’s the Best Let it Ride Strategy?

Like any poker game, playing a strategy gives you the best chance of winning and bringing down that house edge. We’re going to run through some strategic moves that will help you take victory in your next game of Let It Ride.

When the first bet comes into play, you need to decide whether to pull it back it let it ride. Here’s how you make that decision. If you have a strong hand in your three-card group, you should let it ride. For example, if you have three cards to make a straight flush, then you should let it ride. If you have three cards to a straight flush with one or two cards missing from the sequence, you should let it ride. Any other hand you should pull a bet back. Although this seems very conservative, it’s the right strategy to implement to increase your odds of winning the hand. On most occasions with this strategy, you will be pulling that first bet back.

When the second bet is taking place, you should let it ride if you have any hand that is winning the round. If you have four cards to a straight flush or a flush, you should let it ride. What’s more, it’s worth letting it ride if you have four cards to an outside straight and one of the cards is above a 9. If you have any other hand, you should pull it back.

What’s the Difference Between Let It Ride and Stud Poker?

Let It Ride and Stud Poker is very similar games, but there is a notable difference. In Let It Ride, you place your bets before you play and are allowed to withdraw two of the three bets back if your cards are not looking so sharp.

playing cards laid out

Playing cards.

In Stud Poker, there is no pulling or checking bets. The game plays out and you will need to play or fold your cards. The similarity with Stud Poker is that you have the option of folding, betting 1x your bet, or 3x your ante after the community cards are revealed. If your cards are looking promising, then you can go in with a larger bet and try to take the house for a bit more.

The History of Let It Ride Poker

The game of poker has been around for many years, but when did Let It Ride emerge? Well, it’s a very interesting story, the founder of the Shuffle Master card shuffler, John Breeding, developed the game of Let It Ride poker in 1992. This was a way for him to promote his single-deck card shuffling machine. Luckily for John, the contraption caught on and so did the game of Let It Ride, both of which made their way to casinos in 1993. Today you can enjoy the game of Let It Ride across many land-based casinos, online casinos, and online poker sites.

Whether you’re a newbie to poker or you’ve been hopping around the tables for years, Let It Ride poker is a great way to enjoy some casual fast-paced betting action. The game has stood the test of time and has grown a lot in popularity. So instead of gravitating toward those conventional Hold’em poker tables, venture into a game of Let It Ride, and enjoy a new and thrilling table game.

Cliff Spiller

Cliff Spiller is a veteran casino writer with decades of experience writing online casino reviews and game guides. His betting strategy articles, and gambling news updates have been a fixture in the industry since 2004.

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