Caribbean Rip-Off

My first experience with casino poker, and my only experience for three or four years, was Caribbean Stud. It was the first set of tables I sought out when walking through the doors, and set up camp there for hours and hours. Much of this happened well before I turned 21…since cruise ships going into international waters will let you into the casino at only 18.

So, I wasn’t concerned with little details like…oh, I don’t know…worst odds in the casino at that point in my life. But I should’ve been. However, most of these cruise ships don’t offer a hold ‘em or seven-card stud variation, so if you want to play poker on Full Tilt com, you’re playing Caribbean Stud.

Now, it’s been a while since I played, but if they haven’t changed the payout odds, I personally find that to be the biggest insult to the players. Not that they haven’t changed them, just what they are, and in my opinion their inability to stay in line with the increasing odds stacked against being dealt a bigger hand.

Remember, there’s no draw, no community cards. It’s just these five and that’s it.

Don’t even get me started on the dealer hand. It’s worse than blackjack because not only do you have to beat that hand to win, but if you have a powerhouse and the dealer doesn’t even open, you’re totally screwed.

But back to the odds and the payouts. Two-pair gets you two times your bet and ante…OK I’ll buy that. Three of a kind gets you 3 times, which is pushing it but still acceptable. But a straight at 4x and a flush at 5x is ridiculous. To even make it vaguely worth it to gamble, they should be closer to 8x and 10x…and 7x payout for a full-house? Really, are you kidding? Give me 20x and maybe we’ll talk.

And to add further insult to injury, they expect you to drop a dollar into the progressive slots.com before each hand…with some people actually saying, “That’s the only reason to play this game.”

Hey brother, if that’s the only reason for you to play, learn roulette, and quick.

That’s not to say I won’t play it still, because I enjoy playing blind sometimes, and it’s fun to sit there with only $15 at stake and watch with every other drunk schmo at the table as the dealer flips up your hand to reveal…..usually nothing, but sometimes enough to double your money!

What can I say, I’m a sucker for anything poker…but if I were really trying to work the odds at an online casino gambling site, I’d stay further away from Caribbean Stud than the day-old bagels at the breakfast buffets.