Texas Holdem is by far the most popular poker variation. It’s commonly featured on TV, YouTube, and Twitch channels. This game is also the centerpiece of many World Series of Poker (WSOP) tournaments.
Texas Holdem Bonus is a house-banked casino game that bears many similarities to the original Holdem. However, it contains some notable differences too.
If you’re interested in playing the Bonus version, you may wonder how it differs from Texas Holdem. The following guide covers the basics of both games and how they’re different from each other.
Texas Holdem Bonus Rules
You compete against the dealer in Texas Holdem Bonus. Your goal is to form a better five-card hand than the dealer and win ante, flop, turn, and river bets. You can also win bonus payouts when placing an optional side wager.
A round in this game plays out as follows:
- You place an ante and optional bonus bet.
- You and the dealer receive two face-down cards (a.k.a. hole cards).
- You decide whether to make the flop bet (2x the ante) or fold.
- The dealer will deal out three community cards (a.k.a. the flop).
- You decide whether to make the turn bet (1x the ante) or check.
- The dealer will deal the turn card.
- You decide whether to make the river bet (1x the ante) or check.
- You and the dealer compare hands to see who wins. Whoever makes the best five-card combination out of their hole cards and the five community cards wins.
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The dealer has the best hand – You lose all regular wagers; the Bonus bet is decided by the strength of your hole cards.
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You have the best hand – You win even money on the flop, turn, and river bets; the ante pays even money with a straight or higher, while anything else pushes.
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The dealer and you tie – All of your bets will push; the Bonus bet depends upon your hole cards.
Below, you can see an example of a Texas Holdem Bonus pay table for the two hole cards. You must place the bonus bet to qualify:
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| AA (dealer & player combined) | 1,000:1 |
| AA (player only) | 30:1 |
| AK (suited) | 25:1 |
| AQ or AJ (suited) | 20:1 |
| AK (unsuited) | 15:1 |
| KK, QQ, or JJ | 10:1 |
| AQ or AJ (unsuited) | 5:1 |
| TT through 22 (pairs) | 3:1 |
Texas Holdem Rules
This game pits you against other players. The goal is to best your opponents and win the most chips.
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The big blind (seat closest to dealer’s left) and small blind (seat closest to the big blind’s left) each place bets. The big blind is worth 2x the small blind.
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You and the other players each receive two face-down hole cards.
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Beginning with the player to the small blind’s left, each player decides whether to bet, raise, or fold. The opening bet must be equal to the big blind or higher.
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Once all players have finished betting/folding, the dealer will deal out three community cards.
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Beginning with the player to the dealer’s left, each player can check, bet, or raise. Checking is only an option when no bet is on the table.
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The dealer will deal the turn.
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Another betting round that’s just like the flop occurs.
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The dealer will deal the river card.
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Another betting round occurs.
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All remaining players show their hands (a.k.a. the showdown). The player with the best five-card hand using a combination of their hole cards and the five community cards wins.
The hand winner collects the pot. Some Texas Holdem hands don’t make it to the river. In this case, the remaining player who hasn’t folded wins the pot.
Holdem offers both cash games and tournaments. A cash game allows you to come and go as you please. It doesn’t stop until the dealer quits dealing cards.
A tournament sees players eliminated as they run out of chips. The player who wins all of the chips at the end is the victor.
How Do the Bonus and Regular Versions Differ?
While their gameplay is relatively similar, Texas Holdem and Texas Holdem Bonus are also unique from each other in certain ways. You can read about their key differences below.
The Bonus Version Is Played Against the House
Texas Holdem Bonus is a house-banked table game. Therefore, it sees you trying to beat the casino rather than fellow players.
Specifically, you need to form a better five-card hand than the dealer. You can fold at any point along the way if your hand isn’t very good.
Assuming you stay in the hand and beat the dealer, you’ll win the flop, turn, and river bets automatically. Your ante will win with a straight or higher and push in all other scenarios.
Texas Holdem Is Played Against Other Players
Holdem is one of the most strategic poker games in existence. It requires you to outmaneuver human opponents, which is quite a challenge. The challenge only gets tougher as you move up the stakes.
As a result, Texas Holdem features an in-depth strategy. Many players watch pros on Twitch, read articles, watch training videos, and/or use software to improve their skills.
Contrast this to Texas Holdem Bonus, which features a set strategy. Upon receiving the initial hole cards, for example, you fold any time when holding an unsuited 2/3 through 2/7. Meanwhile, you place an additional bet in all other situations.
Texas Holdem Bonus Carries a House Edge
Like any table game, Texas Holdem Bonus features a house edge. Assuming you use perfect strategy, then you’ll lower the house advantage to 2.04%.
The 2.04% house edge compares favorably to many other table games. You can see how it ranks below:
| Game | House Edge |
|---|---|
| Blackjack | 0.3% to 2.0% |
| Baccarat | 1.06% |
| French roulette | 1.35% |
| Craps | 1.36% |
| Three-card poker | 2.01% |
| Texas Holdem Bonus | 2.04% |
| Casino war | 2.70% |
| European roulette | 2.70% |
| Pai Gow poker | 2.84% |
| Let It Ride | 3.51% |
| Caribbean stud | 5.22% |
| American roulette | 5.26% |
| Big Six | 10% and higher |
Even with a low house advantage, though, Texas Holdem Bonus still favors casinos in the long run. You need luck to win with any consistency.
Regular Holdem Has No House Edge
Texas Holdem is a beatable game under the right circumstances. After all, you’re playing against people rather than a set house edge. Some poker players have even won millions of dollars throughout their careers.
Of course, you need to master the game to win profits at any stakes. The better you become, though, the more money you can look forward to winning.
On the flip side, bad players could lose more with regular Texas Holdem versus the Bonus version. They’ll be exploited by sharks with no theoretical end to their potential losses.
The Bonus Version Offers Bonus Payouts
You can win large payouts with great hole cards through the optional bonus bet. For example, you’ll collect a 30:1 payout for a pair of aces.
The biggest bonus payout comes when you and the dealer both hold aces. You’ll collect 1,000:1 on your wager in this case.
Texas Holdem Payouts Vary Based on Pot Sizes and Tournaments
Texas Holdem payouts aren’t set like the casino version. Instead, they vary dramatically based on the stakes, pot sizes, and tournaments.
A $0.01/$0.02 cash game isn’t going to offer very large pots. On the other hand, a $50/$100 no-limit game will feature pots worth thousands of dollars.
Barring an unheard of a number of entrants, a $10 buy-in tournament won’t provide huge prizes. However, a $5,000 buy-in tourney will feature serious payouts for top finishers.
Which Type of Texas Holdem Is Right for You?
As you can see, Texas Holdem Bonus and regular Holdem vary greatly in certain ways. You should consider your tastes before immersing yourself in one version or the other.
Texas Holdem Bonus is perfect if you’re a gambler who likes a mixture of strategy, luck, and big potential wins. The strategy isn’t overly intense, and the house edge (2.04%) is reasonable.
Holdem is worthwhile when you’re looking for a beatable poker variation. It’s even more rewarding when you’re willing to throw yourself into the strategy.
Of course, nothing is stopping you from trying both games. You might check out each game and play for low stakes when going this route.
Conclusion
Texas Holdem is the king among the Holdem’s. Its popularity rapidly accelerated starting in the early 2000s and hasn’t come back down to earth yet.
However, Texas Holdem Bonus is a nice alternative for those who don’t want to spend time mastering extensive strategy. It features a relatively simple strategy and large potential bonuses when you make the side bet.
As mentioned before, you can always alternate between both games. Texas Holdem can be your intense player-vs-player experience. The Bonus version, meanwhile, can be a simpler, less stressful version that you play in pursuit of large prizes.
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