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Red Dog Poker was first introduced at Harold's Club in Reno, Northern Nevada. The game has since then been played with a standard 52-card. In Red Dog, cards are ranked just as they are in poker, with the Ace being the highest card.

You must place a bet before any cards are dealt. The dealer will then deliver two cards facing up. If in the first outcome you get a match (e.g. Queen and Queen), then the dealer will draw a third card. If it also matches the first two cards, you will be paid 11:1. Any other card will result in a push.

If in another instance you are dealt consecutive cards such as 6 and 7, then there is no spread. This again results in a push, so no money changes hands.

The third possible outcome and probably the most exciting is when the cards are neither consecutive nor matching, so you have a given spread of cards that can fall in between your two cards. The dealer then calls the spread, and you are given the option to match your ante with another bet. An example of a Red Dog spread follows: the first two cards are 3 and 8, so you have a four-card spread. If you get a card that is in between 3 and 8, you are awarded 1:1 on your wager.

The smaller the spread, the higher the payout. For example:

Basic Red Dog Poker strategy is actually fairly simple. You should only raise your bet if you have a spread of seven or higher. Any bets placed on six or lower spreads only serve the casino and incur a high house edge. If you decide to raise your bet with a lower spread, your chances of winning drastically lower.

The odds in this game become better when more decks are in play. A single-deck game has a house edge of about 3.15%; a two-deck game has a house edge of 3.07%; and this continues to reduce up to an eight-deck game with a house edge of about 2.75%.

The two main things to remember when playing Red Dog, whether online or in a casino, is that you are betting against the dealer and that the cards are ranked just like they are in poker. Also, remember that the more decks in play, the lower the house edge.