A review of Red Dog at Jackpot Games
I visited a fairly new casino, Jackpot Games, which has quickly become one of my favourites to try out Red Dog. Maybe I was looking for a flaw in their surprisingly excellent casino, and Red Dog might be it. Yes, I was already kind of determined not to like the game. I mean, c'mon, Red Dog? How can it be any good with a name like that...?
I loaded the Flash-based game and was met with a green cloth table, no different from the many other poker based casino games. Unusually though, Red Dog comes with a slider and a scale at the top with an array of number and payouts. The 11:1 immediately caught my eye! I read the information and found it uninformative. I decided, as is best trying any new casino game, to give a go for free – something Jackpot Games allows you to do. The game then becomes very apparent, with a simple logic and surprisingly generous payouts. As it turns out, it does have a pretty healthy payout percentage for players, and you do feel that with a little practice and a bit of luck you could definitely get a healthy sum from it.
So, there I was, rapidly starting to like Red Dog. I couldn't help it, despite my preconceived notion of hating it instantly, the game's simple logic - akin to but a bit more advanced than Hi-Lo– started to win me over. Here's how it works:
After placing an ante you are dealt two cards. The face value of the cards determines the possibility of the payout by the difference between the two. For example, if you were dealt a 6 and a Jack then the difference would be four – 7, 8, 9 and 10. If the next card dealt is either one of those numbers then you win. The less numbers between the two cards dealt the bigger the payout. Where 3 possible cards between the two dealt is paid out at 2:1, 2 cards at 4:1 and 1 card at 5:1. It really is as simple as that, but then Red Dog surprises you again. If there are more than 4 cards separating the two cards dealt then you get paid out at evens, but, and here's Red Dog's ace in the hole: you can either raise or call on the third card. So if you have a gap of 10 or 11 it's a fairly safe bet to raise and double your bet at evens, which allows you to boost your bankroll on safer bets. There's more too, with three of a kinds being paid out at 11:1 and pairs and consecutive cards (4 and 5 for example, where there is no gap between the cards) resulting in a push, all of which keeps each hand fresh and players on their toes.
The result is a game that is a pleasant and organic mix between luck and skill, which can entertain and reward over considerable periods of time. I'll definitely go back to the game for its lasting entertainment value, where a few chips can go a long way and put a smile on your face. It won't stop me from playing online slots and it probably won't over take my budget spent on roulette, but it may come in a close third place between video poker...Yes, I like it that much.