Red Dog
What Is Red Dog?
Red Dog — also called Acey-Deucey or In-Between — is one of the fastest and simplest casino card games ever created. Two cards are dealt face-up. You bet on whether the third card drawn will fall in rank between those two cards. The farther apart the two cards are in rank, the higher your payout if you win. The closer they are, the harder it is to win. One bet, one decision, one card flip — and it is over.
What You Need
- One standard deck of 52 playing cards — casinos use five to eight decks
- One to eight players betting against the house
Card Rankings
Cards rank from lowest to highest: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. Ace is always the highest card. Suit never matters.
Understanding the Spread
The spread is the number of card ranks that fall between the two dealt cards. This is what determines your payout.
Example: if the two dealt cards are a 5 and a King, the ranks that fall between them are 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen — that is a spread of 7. A spread of 7 means there are 7 ranks that would win your bet. A spread of 1 means only one rank wins — and the payout is much higher to compensate.
How to Play — Step by Step
- Place your initial bet in the betting area before any cards are dealt.
- The dealer deals two cards face-up. Everyone can see them.
- The dealer announces the spread — the number of ranks between the two cards.
- Now you make your key decision: Raise or Stay.
- Stay: Keep your original bet as is.
- Raise: Add more chips — up to the amount of your original bet — to increase your potential winnings.
- The dealer flips the third card face-up.
- If the third card’s rank falls strictly BETWEEN the two original cards, you win. If it matches either original card or falls outside the range, you lose.
Special Situations
- Consecutive cards (spread of zero — example: a 7 and an 8): No card can fall between them. The hand is an automatic push — your bet is returned, no win or loss.
- Pair (both cards same rank — example: two 9s): The dealer draws one more card. If it is also a 9 (making three of a kind), you win 11 to 1. If it is anything else, the hand pushes.
Payouts by Spread
- Spread of 1: pays 5 to 1 — only one rank can win, so the payout is high
- Spread of 2: pays 4 to 1
- Spread of 3: pays 2 to 1
- Spread of 4 or more: pays 1 to 1 — even money
Winning
Win your bet when the third card falls between the first two. Lose when it does not.
Tips for New Players
- Only raise when the spread is 7 or more — at a spread of 7 or higher, more than half the remaining cards in the deck fall within the winning range, so raising makes mathematical sense.
- Never raise on a spread of 3 or less — the odds are against you even at even money payouts.
- The house edge in Red Dog is moderate — treat it as a fun, quick game rather than a serious moneymaking strategy.