Three-card Poker Details

ANTE AND PLAY
The second game requires you to place a bet in the ante square before you get your cards. Once your hand is dealt, you can fold and lose your ante bet. Or, if you like what you see, you can match your ante bet with an equal bet in the play circle directly below it. Now the dealer turns over his poker hand and sees who has the higher hand.

QUALIFYING
In three-card poker, the dealer must “qualify,” that is, he must have at least a Queen high in his hand. Of course, if he has a pair or better, it’s a qualifying hand. But if he has something like Jack, Nine, Seven, the hand doesn’t qualify. If the dealer doesn’t qualify, it doesn’t matter what you have in your hand - the dealer will pay even money for your ante bet but push your play bet.
If he does qualify, and your hand is higher, you’ll get paid 1 to 1 on both your ante and your play bets. If you’ve got a really good hand, like a three of a kind or a straight flush, you’ll get paid extra on your ante depending on the casino’s bonus pay tables. If his hand is higher, you obviously lose both ante and play.
Interestingly, if you decided to stay in with lousy cards, it doesn’t matter if the dealer’s cards are higher than yours if he doesn’t qualify; you still win the ante but push the play.