
Learning the Red Dog card game is easy because of the simple rules. You essentially predict what card will come next in relation to the cards already dealt at the start of each hand. I provide a full breakdown of how to play Red Dog to help you understand everything about the game.
Keep reading to learn the rules, my top strategies, and find out the best casinos to play Red Dog online for free or real money.

What Is Red Dog Casino Game?
Red Dog is card game of chance that revolves around guessing the value of the next card compared to the cards already in play. Specifically, the game starts with two cards and you need to predict whether the third one’s value will fall between the values of the first two cards.
If you’re correct, you win, and if your guess is wrong, you lose. It’s that simple, but let’s take a more detailed look at the rules.
How to Play Red Dog Card Game?
The first step in playing Red Dog for money is to make an ante wager, so every player who wants to participate in a given round must make an ante bet.

After placing your ante wager, the dealer will reveal the first two cards. They determine the winning combos and your potential payout odds.
For the players to win, the third card’s value must fall between the values of the first two cards. For example, if the first two cards were a 5 and a jack, you need a third card to be between a 6 and a 10 to win.
You can place a second bet before the third card is revealed to continue the round. This increases your risk, but also doubles your potential winnings. If increasing your bet is too risky, you can stand instead and continue with your initial wager.
Red Dog Rules
The rules of Red Dog are simple, and there are few to learn. Here are the fundamental rules you need to know when playing Red Dog.
Payouts in Red Dog Card Game
As I mentioned above, the payouts in Red Dog are determined by the spread between the first two cards. Payouts can vary at the different top casino sites, but here is an example of the odds you can expect to face in Red Dog.
Spread | Red Dog Payout |
---|---|
1 | 5:1 |
2 | 4:1 |
3 | 2:1 |
4 or more | 1:1 |
Red Dog is typically played with one deck, which leads to an RTP of 96.845%. However, unlike other card games, the RTP in Red Dog increases when more decks are used. The RTP can be as high as 97.249% when using eight decks.
Strategies for Playing Red Dog
After learning the basics of how to play Red Dog, your next step to mastering this game is to build a strategy. Unfortunately, no system can beat the game because of the house edge.
You should still have a plan when you start playing, if you want to enjoy the game and protect your bankroll. Here are several Red Dog strategy tips that can help.
1. Stand on Small Spreads
Players benefit from higher payout odds on smaller spreads, but winning these rounds is more challenging. For instance, a spread of one offers 5:1 payout odds, but only four of the 50 cards remaining in the deck will win the round. So, you should stand on these rounds to minimize your risk.

2. Raise on Spreads of 7 or More
Spreads of four or more all offer even money payouts in Red Dog, but you should wait for a spread of at least seven to raise your bet.
With seven winning numbers, 28 of the 50 remaining cards, or 56% of the deck, will result in a win. The odds work in your favor since you double your stakes every time you win.
Your chances of winning are even higher with larger spreads, so raising your bet is a must to extract the best value.
3. Play Red Dog With Multiple Decks
With other card games, such as real money blackjack, you typically want to play single-deck variants to minimize the house edge. However, Red Dog is an exception because the house edge decreases as the number of decks increases. So, play Red Dog with as many decks as possible to maximize your RTP.
Where to Play Red Dog Card Game Online
Now that you know how to play Red Dog, you are ready to try the game yourself at a secure casino site. Here are three casinos that offer this classic card game.
1
Bovada Casino


2
BetWhale Casino


3
El Royale Casino


You must be logged in to comment. Don't have an account? Sign up today.