Poker

Caribbean Stud Poker by XPG: Our Review, How and Where to Play

!DISCLOSURE

Caribbean Stud Poker Live by XPro Gaming is a live dealer casino game that offers a variant of five-card casino poker. This particular variant was made by the software provider XPro Gaming and it features industry-standard rules and odds but allows players to play up to five hands at the same time. This gives this specific table a unique edge over the competition, especially since it still maintains strong graphics and industry-standard Payouts. This puts the game’s RTP somewhere in the range of 95-97.5%, depending on strategy.

In this review, we’ll take a close look at the game, how it works, and what it has to offer. We’ll also compare Xpro Caribbean Stud Poker to other versions available in live casinos to highlight the pros and cons.

United States

Excitement
Design & Sound
Streaming Quality
Interactivity
Win Potential
Rated :
4.1/5

Play Live Caribbean Stud Here

1xBet

4.4/5

VBet

4.7/5

Live Caribbean Stud (XPG) Review

Game Specifications
Game name	Caribbean Stud Poker by XPG
Game provider	XPro Gaming (XPG)
Game type	Poker
Streaming from	Slovakia, Bulgaria
RTP	96.3%
Bet range	€1 - €5000
Max win	100:1
Side bets	Yes
Supported platforms
Supported OS
Languages	English

No matter how rich the offer in an online casino might be, if there are no live poker tables, a number of players will pack their cyber-proverbial bags and simply take their business elsewhere. Poker has definitely become a must for any respectable operator, looking to provide versatility to their members. Therefore, the more variants, the better.

Recreating a standard poker table is a challenging task which is why the software developers often resort to a more simplified solution. The live tables are often opened to an unlimited number of players and the game participants are playing against the house – not each other.

In other words, Caribbean Stud Poker is another version of what we call “casino poker“. The difference seems subtle, but it’s important – you’re playing against the house instead of other players. This means that the rules, game flow, and payout structure are different from traditional poker. In fact, casino poker games are technically not really poker – just poker-inspired card games for casinos.

In terms of rules and most other gameplay elements, this version is identical to most other Caribbean Stud Poker games online. In fact, the specific rules are made under license, which also applies to other versions you may come across.

The graphics in XPro Gaming’s version are solid overall. The studio and table are a bit generic compared to something like Evolution, but they get the job done. The game is also solid from a technical standpoint – I’ve encountered no stuttering, disconnections, or other issues during this review.

Xpro Gaming's take on the Caribbean Stud Poker variant of casino poker

Players play against the house and win payouts depending on the strength of their hand

The main betting options are the blind Ante bet and the Call bet, with no optional side bets

Every player can play up to 5 separate hands per round. However, all players share the same cards and results

Variable Small and Full Screen Viewing modes with digital table layout

Game rules and personal betting history tabs accessible at all times

How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker by XPro Gaming

Though inspired by the good old game of poker (specifically 5-card brag), Caribbean Stud Poker plays entirely differently. It actually works like three-card poker, with only five cards per hand.

Here’s a rundown of how Caribbean Stud Poker by XPro Gaming works.

The game is played using a single standard deck of 52 cards, which is shuffled after every round.
Every round begins with a betting period during which players are expected to place bets.
At this point, you can only place the Ante bet. This wager is made blind and it decides whether you participate in the upcoming round or not. If you don’t put up a stake before the start, you’ll have to wait for the next round.
You can place up to 5 separate Ante bets on 5 separate betting positions. Each acts as its own hand and can win or lose independently.
However, all players “share” the same cards in a particular hand. Every player’s decisions are independent, though. For instance, you can decide to CAll when others decide to Fold, and everyone will see results that correspond to their decisions.

Step-by-Step Guide

Now that we know the basics of betting in Caribbean Stud Poker, let’s see what a typical round looks like.

The dealer will now deal 5 cards each to each of the 5 hands. They will also deal 5 cards to the dealer position, only one of which is visible to players.
At this point, you choose whether to Call or Fold. T
The Call option doubles the stake of the Ante and progresses the round for that particular hand.
The Fold option forfeits this round for the selected hand. You lose the Ante Bet, but you also avoid paying more money for the Call bet.
As always in poker, the goal is to make as strong of a poker hand as possible using the 5 cards in a single hand.
This works using poker rules, ranking hands from Royal Flush to High Card. Check out this guide for more info.
However, the dealer also has to qualify by having at least a single King or Ace high card. If the dealer doesn’t qualify, your Ante bet wins but your Call bet pushes.
If the dealer qualifies, the player’s hand is compared to the dealer’s hand. If the player hand wins, you receive a bet based on the paytable.

Possible Outcomes

To make things a bit clearer, let’s go through every possible outcome of a round of Caribbean Stud Poker.

Player Folds – Your Ante bet loses, but you don’t have to increase the stake with a Call bet.
Player Calls, Dealer doesn’t qualify – if the dealer doesn’t have at least a King high card, your Ante bet wins 1:1. Your Call bet pushes and its stake is returned to you.
Player Calls and has the stronger hand – If your poker hand is stronger than the dealers, you win a payout based on the strength of your hand. The odds range from 1:1 to 1:100, based on your Call bet (double the Ante, basically.)
Player Calls and has a weaker hand – You lose both the Ante and Call bets.

Strategy Tips

1
Strategy for Caribbean Stud Poker involves making a different decision in every round based on your cards and the dealer's up-card. Sadly, there is no pre-made strategy.
2
The most obvious tip is to always Call whenever you have a pair or stronger.
3
It is also advisable to Fold if you only have a High Card, and the High Card is lower than the dealer's qualifying cards (Kings or Aces.) In other words, fold if you only have a Queen high card or lower.

Payouts & RTP

As we mentioned briefly, the Ante bet always pays even money.

However, the Caribbean Stud Poker payouts for Call wagers and side bets depend on your winning hand. This may seem daunting to a new player, but it’s quite easy – the stronger your hand, the more you’ll win. Check out the XPro Caribbean Stud Poker payout table below for more details.

Winning Hand	Call Bet Payouts (2x Ante)
Caribbean Stud Poker by XPro Gaming - Payouts
Royal Flush	100:1
Straight Flush	50:1
Four of a Kind	25:1
Full House	10:1
Flush	7:1
Straight	5:1
Three of a Kind	3:1
Two Pairs	2:1
Pair or High Card	1:1

According to various data sources, this means that the RTP of Caribbean Stud Poker is somewhere between 95% and 97.5%.

Why are we not sure, you might be asking?

For starters, the displayed RTP of Caribbean Stud Poker is the maximum rate you can get by playing perfectly. However, there is no such thing as a perfect strategy for Caribbean Stud Poker – at least not one that anyone knows for sure yet.

Conversely, the game offers around 95% RTP if you Call every bet. This is obviously not the best strategy, but it’s the absolute highest house edge you can possibly get.

New to Live Casino Poker?

Live Casino Caribbean Stud Poker games are not quite common yet. However, if you’re looking for the best Live Caribbean Stud Poker strategy, check out our article for Poker strategy. You can also find some handy Caribbean Stud Poker tips here.

Make sure to choose the game that suits your taste and budget. For more extensive guides on live casino poker basics, read this article.

Our Verdict of Live Caribbean Stud (XPG)

Seeing how Xpro Caribbean Stud Poker is one of only two such games on the market, it’s not too difficult to recommend. It has its strengths with no obvious weaknesses or major downsides.

The rules are pretty much standard for this type of card game, including the odds and payouts. If you don’t like them, that just means you don’t like Caribbean Stud Poker in general – which is fine. As far as this specific game is concerned, it runs well and plays as intended, so I can’t complain.

It’s main selling point is that you can multi-hand the game, which is not a feature of other, similar games. Beyond that, though, it has no side bets or extra features to speak of.

All in all, XPro Gaming Caribbean Stud Poker is one of the two best examples of this card game in the live casino industry. I can safely recommend it if you’re looking to play this variant of casino poker online.

Caribbean Stud Poker: XPro Gaming vs. Main Competitors

As we already mentioned, this is one of only two forms of Caribbean Stud Poker in live casinos. The other one is Evolutions – you can read our review here.

Vivo Gaming also used to offer a table, but it no longer seems to be operational.

Evolution’s version offers several side bets, a better-looking studio, and a progressive jackpot feature that is its main distinguishing feature.
XPro Gaming’s version offers more streamlined rules as well as the ability to play up to 5 hands at once.

Both are decent choices as far as I’m concerned, though I would probably pick Evolution’s version because more options never really hurt. Some players might put multi-hand play as a priority, in which case they should stick with XPro Gaming.

Excellent

Play Caribbean Stud Poker by XPG Here

1xBet

4.4/5

VBet

4.7/5

Caribbean Stud Poker by XPG: Our Review, How and Where to Play

Play Live Caribbean Stud Here

Live Caribbean Stud (XPG) Review

Key Highlights

How to Play Caribbean Stud Poker by XPro Gaming

Step-by-Step Guide

Possible Outcomes

Strategy Tips

Payouts & RTP

New to Live Casino Poker?

Our Verdict of Live Caribbean Stud (XPG)

Caribbean Stud Poker: XPro Gaming vs. Main Competitors

Play Caribbean Stud Poker by XPG Here

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