Mississippi Stud: five-card stud against a pay table
Mississippi Stud is a poker table game with no dealer hand. You bet an ante, then decide three times whether to raise or fold as community cards are shown.
Reviewed Oct 14, 2026
Answer first
90s| Hand | Pays |
|---|---|
| Royal flush | 500 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 100 to 1 |
| Four of a kind | 40 to 1 |
| Full house | 10 to 1 |
| Flush | 6 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 3 to 1 |
| Two pair | 2 to 1 |
| Pair of jacks or better | 1 to 1 |
| Pair of 6s to 10s | Push |
Key numbers
Mississippi Stud in numbers
In short
Key takeaways
- There is no dealer hand; every bet is paid by the pay table.
- You can raise up to 10 times your ante in total, so a strong hand pays a lot.
- A low pair of 6s to 10s only pushes, and anything weaker loses.
- Fold weak hands early; raising 3× on hope is the most costly mistake.
On the felt
One hand, street by street
Your two cards
Two high suited cards — raise 1×
Third street
Three to a flush — raise 1×
Fourth street
Draws remain — raise 1×
Fifth street
Pair of jacks pays 1 to 1 on every bet
Sequence
How a hand plays
Step 01
Ante
Bet the ante; you get two private cards.
Step 02
Third street
Fold, or raise 1× to 3× the ante. One community card is turned.
Step 03
Fourth street
Fold or raise again. The second community card is turned.
Step 04
Fifth street
Fold or raise a last time. The final card is turned.
Step 05
Payout
Every bet is paid at the same odds from the pay table.
A simple raise guide
| Moment | Raise 3× | Raise 1× | Fold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two cards | Any pair | Two cards 10+ or suited high | Most other hands |
| Three cards | Made high pair or three to a straight flush | Low pair, three high cards | No pair, no draw |
| Four cards | Made hand of jacks or better, four to a flush | Low pair, open straight draw | Most others |
Simplified from published strategy. Exact play has more exceptions.
Why folding matters
Each fold costs only what you already bet. Raising on a weak hand risks up to 10 times your ante for a small chance at a paying hand.
Most hands lose. Good strategy folds about one hand in three on the first decision and saves the larger raises for real draws.
How big hands pay
Because every raise is paid at the same odds, a strong hand is worth a lot. With a $5 ante and three 3× raises, you have $50 in action, so a straight returns $200 profit.
That works the other way too. A full $50 hand that ends as a low pair just pushes, and a missed draw loses all $50.
Most of the game’s return comes from pairs of jacks or better and two pair. Straights and flushes are rarer but pay four to six times your total bet.
How often hands appear
| Final hand | About how often |
|---|---|
| Pair of jacks or better | 1 in 8 |
| Two pair | 1 in 21 |
| Three of a kind | 1 in 47 |
| Straight | 1 in 255 |
| Flush | 1 in 509 |
| Full house | 1 in 694 |
Probabilities for any five cards from a 52-card deck.
Common mistakes
- Raising every street
- Raising on every card turns the game into a guessing contest. Folding weak starts saves far more than the rare lucky catch earns.
- Treating a low pair as a winner
- A pair of 6s to 10s only pushes. Raising 3× on a low pair risks a lot for no profit.
- Folding draws too early
- Three to a straight flush is worth a raise on third street. Good draws are where the game pays its largest wins.
- Ignoring bankroll
- A full hand needs 10 times the ante. Players who bring only a few antes are forced to fold hands they should play.
- Chasing with the side bet
- The bonus side bet has its own higher edge. It does not improve the main hand or your raise decisions.
Keep reading
Related pages
- Mississippi Stud raise decisions →Measure ante units, made categories and full-hand exposure.
- Three Card Poker basics →Another poker table game.
- Let It Ride basics →Stud poker with pulled bets.
- Poker hand rankings →Which hand beats which.
- Ultimate Texas Hold’em basics →Raise-or-check poker against the dealer.
Go play
Where to play in Las Vegas
Tap a resort — each row opens that casino’s White Gambling page (hours, game mix, floor facts). Venues with this game in official counts, sorted high to low.
Open a casino page
Real listings · not adsAfter the 90 seconds
Questions before and after you play
A 90-second guide cannot cover every table moment. Tap a group, then a question — answers are short paragraphs, not one-liners.
01Rules
How does Mississippi Stud work?
Ante, get two cards, then raise 1× to 3× or fold three times as three community cards are turned. Your final five-card hand is paid from the pay table.
What hand do you need to win in Mississippi Stud?
A pair of jacks or better pays. A pair of 6s through 10s pushes, and lower hands lose.
What is the house edge?
About 5% of the ante with good strategy. Measured against all money bet, including raises, it is about 1.4%.
Can I check in Mississippi Stud?
No. On each street you must raise at least 1× your ante or fold. There is no free card.
02Strategy
When should I raise 3×?
With a made pair of jacks or better, or a strong draw such as three or four to a straight flush.
How much can I win on one hand?
A royal flush pays 500 to 1 on every bet. With a maximum ante and three 3× raises, the hand is worth a lot more than the ante alone.
03More Mississippi Stud questions
Where is Mississippi Stud played?
Many US casinos spread it alongside other poker table games, and it is also available at licensed online casinos in some states.
Is there a dealer hand?
No. You play only against the pay table, so other players’ cards do not affect your result.
What is the most common mistake?
Raising 3× on weak hands. Large raises should be saved for made hands of jacks or better and strong draws.
Sources
- Wizard of Odds — Mississippi Stud Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry)The gaming industry’s standard reference for casino-game math, by actuary Michael Shackleford. Not an official registry; our calculators compute these numbers independently. · accessed Oct 14, 2026Rules, odds and house edge
- Nevada Gaming Control Board · accessed Oct 14, 2026Approved games and gaming revenue reports
- National Council on Problem Gambling — Help and resources Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER
- UNLV Center for Gaming Research Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Research library on casino games and gambling