How to Play Ultimate Texas Hold’em Online

Ultimate Texas Hold’em is one of the most popular poker pit games in a casino. We were surprised that we did not find any tables during our West Virginia casino visits. Texas Hold’em Bonus is a similar game that is dealt live. You will only find Ultimate Texas Hold’em at online casinos in West Virginia.

The game is also available online in Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. While Delaware has legal online casinos, Ultimate Texas Hold’em is not available on the game menu.

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Why you should play online Ultimate Texas Hold’em in WV

The biggest reason to play online Ultimate Texas Hold’em in West Virginia is because it is not available at any live casinos in the state. Online casinos in West Virginia are the only places you will find the game. You must drive to casinos in Pennsylvania or Maryland to play live Ultimate Texas Hold’em.

Another reason to play online Ultimate Texas Hold’em is because the minimum bet is usually only $0.10. At a live casino, the minimum is usually $5, $10, and sometimes $15.

Online Ultimate Texas Hold’em is much faster than the live version of the game. An online hand can finish in 10 seconds. A live version of the game can take a minute or two.

Ultimate Texas Hold’em is a difficult game to deal. Many dealers dislike being in the box for this game. It can be hard for a new dealer to determine winning hands. This can delay the game and cause improper payouts. Online Ultimate Texas Hold’em knows the winner instantly. There are no delays or mistakes.

You don’t need to drive to a casino in a neighboring state to play Ultimate Texas Hold’em. It is available on your computer or any mobile device. This is true in all states where online casinos are legal.

Online Ultimate Texas Hold’em has lower limits than the live version

You can’t play Ultimate Texas Hold’em in a WV casino. In other states, you must play with at least $5 stacks. Some casinos require $10 or $15 to play. The minimum bet for online Ultimate Texas Hold’em is usually $0.10, as you see in the right screenshot from DraftKings Casino.

The difference between these bets is drastic. Online a full hand with a full raise is $0.60 at the minimum. At a $5 game, that number is $30. That doubles at a $10 bet.

You can play online Ultimate Texas Hold’em with a bonus

Most WV online casino bonuses include Ultimate Texas Hold’em as a qualifying game. This means that you can get extra cash returned as you make bets. Your raises count towards the wagering requirement. This is a great perk because when you make an Ultimate Texas Hold’em raise properly, your money is usually a favorite. In a way, it is like getting comps on craps odds.

The wagering requirement for table games is usually 10 or more times higher than slots. Always read the terms and conditions. Since some online casino bonuses are only good for slots, make sure that you can play table games before accepting the offer.

Online Ultimate Texas Hold’em plays much faster than the live game 

A live Ultimate Texas Hold’em game is often slow. This is especially true when the table is full or there is a new dealer. It takes time to deal cards, clear the board, take losing bets, and pay winning ones. Every two hours or so, there is a break for new cards. You may play as few as 20 hands an hour because of this. 

You can play hundreds of hands of online Ultimate Texas Hold’em per hour. With a 10-cent minimum bet, you don’t need a big bankroll to do it. The software determines winners instantly and pays out immediately. 

If you prefer a slower game, you can have one. The cards don’t come out until you hit the deal button. You can even leave in the middle of a hand and come back later.

Can you play live dealer Ultimate Texas Hold’em in WV?

Ultimate Texas Hold’em is one of the live dealer options at some WV online casinos. It plays like a live game. There is a dealer and real cards. One hand is dealt to the player. The dealer also gets one. All players logged into the live dealer Ultimate Texas Hold’em use the same hand. 

The same types of bets are in action at the live dealer game. The minimum bet is usually $5. Both video and live dealer versions are available in legal online casino states.

Start playing online Ultimate Texas Hold’em 

The first step in playing online Ultimate Texas Hold’em is creating an account at a casino site. You can play on your PC or Mac without downloading anything. Alternatively, there are iOS and Android versions of the software.

Creating an account

The process to open a new account includes asking for your name, address, phone number, date of birth, email address, and the last four digits of your SSN. Online casinos are required to get this information to confirm your identity. It prevents fraud and complies with gaming regulations.

Funding your WV online casino account

There are several ways to make a deposit at a West Virginia online casino that deals Ultimate Texas Hold’em. Credit and debit cards like Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted. You can also deposit by electronic bank transfer, PayPal, Skrill, Applepay, and bill pay services like PayNearMe. 

Most sites have a branded Play+ card. This is a prepaid debit account managed by Discover.

Trips side bet

The main side bet in Ultimate Texas Hold’em is called Trips. It pays the player if the hand makes three of a kind or better. The Trips side bet wins on a qualifying hand, regardless of the outcome of the play side. It even wins if the hand is on the board. 

The most common Trips side bet is below. Multiply the number by the amount wagered to determine the win. 

  • Royal flush: 50
  • Straight flush: 40
  • Four of a kind: 30
  • Full house: 9
  • Flush: 7
  • Straight: 4
  • Trips: 3

Place your bets

To start a hand of Ultimate Texas Hold’em, make a blind and ante bet. These must be equal. There is also an optional Trips side bet. The ante and Trips bets must meet the table minimum. 

Players are dealt two cards. The dealer also has two cards. Five cards are placed in the center. These are used by both the player and dealer.

The player can decide to raise three or four times before the flop or check. There is never a time that you should raise three times preflop at Ultimate Texas Hold’em. If it is a proper time to raise, it should always be four times.

If the player raises before the flop, their decisions are over. There is a flop of three cards. If the player did not raise preflop, the options are double the ante or check. Then, two additional community cards are shown. If the player did not raise earlier in the hand, the options are to make a raise equal to the ante or fold.

How the hand resolves

If the player folds, all bets are lost, except the Trips Plus if the board makes at least three of a kind. If the player made a raise at any point, there is a showdown with the dealer. On dealer wins, the ante, blind, and raises are lost. If the player wins, the ante and raises are paid even money. 

The blind pushes in most situations where the player wins. A player must win the hand to get the blind bonus.

Blind bonus payouts 

The blind loses when the dealer wins. If the player has the best hand, the blind usually pushes. However, larger hands have a blind bonus. This is paid only when the hand wins. If the player makes a big hand, and the dealer beats it, the blind loses and no bonus is paid. The blind pushes on a tie, including the bonus part, regardless of the hand’s strength. 

Here is the common blind bonus pay table. Multiply the number shown by the hand by the amount wagered to determine the payout. 

  • Royal flush: 500
  • Straight flush: 50
  • Four of a kind: 10
  • Full house: 3
  • Flush: 1.5
  • Straight: 1

It is easy to play a new hand or leave

If you would like to play a new hand, click rebet for the same wager. You can add to the wager and hit deal, too. If you are done playing Ultimate Texas Hold’em, close the game. Your chips will return to your main online casino account. 

Collect your online Ultimate Texas Hold’em winnings

Once you are done playing, and you had some luck playing Ultimate Texas Hold’em, it is time to collect your winnings. You can request an online casino withdrawal through several methods including the Play+ prepaid debit card, bank transfer, PayPal, Skrill, and cash.

Online Ultimate Texas Hold’em FAQs

What is the minimum bet for Ultimate Texas Hold’em online?

The minimum bet for online Ultimate Texas Hold’em is usually $0.10. The live dealer version of the game is often $5.

What is the house edge for online Ultimate Texas Hold’em?

The house edge for Ultimate Texas Hold’em is about 0.5% when accounting for all required bets and proper raises. The Trips side bet is usually around 2%. 

How old must you be to play online Ultimate Texas Hold’em?

Online casino players must be at least 21 years old in all legal states with Ultimate Texas Hold’em. Those are Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. 

Is online Ultimate Texas Hold’em legal in my state?

You can play Ultimate Texas Hold’em online legally in CT, MI, NJ, PA, and WV.