Fortune bonus: a side bet on your seven cards
Fortune Pai Gow Poker adds a side bet paid on the best poker hand in your seven cards. It pays from a straight up to a seven-card straight flush. An extra Envy bonus pays you when another player hits a big hand.
Reviewed Oct 14, 2026
Answer first
90s| Seven-card hand | Common pay |
|---|---|
| 7-card straight flush, no joker | 8,000 to 1 |
| Royal flush plus royal match | 2,000 to 1 |
| 7-card straight flush with joker | 1,000 to 1 |
| Five aces | 400 to 1 |
| Royal flush | 150 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 50 to 1 |
| Four of a kind | 25 to 1 |
| Full house | 5 to 1 |
| Flush | 4 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 3 to 1 |
| Straight | 2 to 1 |
Key numbers
Fortune bonus in four numbers
In short
Key takeaways
- The Fortune bonus is separate from your main pai gow bet.
- Most wins are small: straights, trips and flushes.
- The Envy bonus pays a fixed amount when another player hits four of a kind or better.
- Pay tables vary, and lower ones raise the edge above 10%.
Cheat sheet
Hands the bonus pays
Glance the faces — compare in one second.
1Straight flush
Pays 50 to 1
2Four of a kind
Pays 25 to 1
3Full house
Pays 5 to 1
How often hands appear
| Hand | About 1 in |
|---|---|
| Straight | 24 |
| Three of a kind | 28 |
| Flush | 24 |
| Full house | 40 |
| Four of a kind | 450 |
| Straight flush | 1,200 |
Approximate, with one joker in a 53-card deck.
How the side bet works
Place a chip in the bonus circle before the deal. After the cards come out, the dealer checks your seven cards for the best poker hand.
Your main bet result does not matter; the bonus is paid on its own.
Envy bonus example
| Other player’s hand | You receive |
|---|---|
| 7-card straight flush, no joker | $5,000 |
| Royal plus royal match | $1,000 |
| Five aces | $250 |
| Royal flush | $50 |
| Straight flush | $50 |
| Four of a kind | $5 |
Requires a $5 side bet; amounts vary.
The cost
With a common table, the bonus edge is around 7%. Some casinos use lower pays, pushing it past 10%.
At 30 hands an hour with a $5 bonus, a 7% edge costs about $10.50 an hour.
Sequence
Playing the bonus
Step 01
Read the placard
Find the pay table.
Step 02
Bet the bonus
Usually $1 to $25.
Step 03
Set your hands
As normal.
Step 04
Collect any bonus
Paid on your seven cards.
Main game reminder
The main pai gow bet still has an edge near 2.5% after the 5% commission. The bonus adds swing but costs more per dollar.
Many players bet the minimum bonus only.
Floor rules
Bonus terms
Know before you sit
- Fortune bonus
- A side bet on your seven-card hand.
- Envy bonus
- A pay for another player’s big hand.
- Royal match
- A royal flush with a matching pair in the low hand.
- Joker
- A semi-wild card.
Online versions
Some online and live dealer pai gow games offer a similar bonus with a posted pay table. Check the return in the help screen before betting.
Common mistakes
- Betting the bonus big
- Its edge is higher.
- Skipping the placard
- Pay tables vary.
- Thinking it affects the main bet
- It is separate.
- Forgetting the Envy minimum
- Often $5.
Keep reading
Related pages
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.
01Basics
What is the Fortune bonus?
A side bet in pai gow poker paid on the best poker hand in your seven cards. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
What is the lowest winning hand?
A straight, usually paying 2 to 1. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
Does it affect my main bet?
No. It is paid on its own. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
02Envy bonus
What is the Envy bonus?
A fixed payout when another player at the table hits four of a kind or better. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
Do I need a minimum bet?
Usually a $5 side bet. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
Does the dealer’s hand count?
In many versions, yes, but check the rules. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
03Odds
What is the house edge?
Around 7% with common pay tables, higher with lower ones. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
How often do I win something?
Roughly one hand in six pays something. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
Is it offered online?
Some online pai gow games include a Fortune-style bonus. House rules can vary, so check the table placard or ask the dealer.
Sources
- Wizard of Odds — Fortune Pai Gow 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, 2026Pay tables and edge
- Wizard of Odds — Pai gow poker 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, 2026Main game
- 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