Probably many people associate their first time holding cards with the game of War. Those who encountered it on a computer might have first played “Solitaire,” but the card game “War” is considered one of those games that almost everyone knows and starts their card-playing journey with. War is not popular in casinos (although it can certainly be found in various gambling houses, especially online), but a somewhat similar game, the Hi-Lo card game, is quite successful and loved by various players.
Where to play Hi Lo:
Hi-Lo Rules
Hi-Lo differs from “War” in that you are not playing against another player or dealer, but trying to guess what the next card will be: higher or lower. The gameplay and all Hi-Lo rules are very simple. First, bets are placed. Since this is a fairly simple game, bets are usually not very large, starting from just 10 cents and going up to 100 euros. Such bets are not very popular in this game. After placing a bet, a card is chosen or automatically selected. Based on the visible card, you have to guess whether the next card will be higher or lower.
Note – the ace is considered a LOW card, lower than 2, and the highest card in the game is the king.
When you make your guess and see the next card, you win or lose. Often, the Hi-Lo game offers a continuation. You can keep guessing whether the next card will be higher or lower, risking not only your bet but also the additional amount won. The number of continuations is often unlimited. Sometimes the game can end when an ace or king is drawn, as it is not very possible to choose. However, this depends on the additional rules of the casino. If you think you don't want to risk anymore, you can cash out your winnings at any stage and start over. Except when you see the first card – then you will have to play and risk the initial bet.
Hi Lo Payouts
Here are approximate payouts, which slightly differ from specific casinos or slot machine parlors. We present average, somewhat rounded payouts that you can expect when playing Hi Lo.
| Will be lower | Current card | Will be higher |
| — | A | x 1 |
| x 12 | 2 | x 1.1 |
| x 5 | 3 | x 1.2 |
| x 3 | 4 | x 1.4 |
| x 3 | 5 | x 1.4 |
| x 2 | 6 | x 1.5 |
| x 1.8 | 7 | x 1.8 |
| x 1.5 | 8 | x 2 |
| x 1.4 | 9 | x 3 |
| x 1.3 | 10 | x 4 |
| x 1.2 | J | x 5 |
| x 1.1 | Q | x 12 |
| x 1 | K | — |
Hi Lo card game – simple and easily accessible (Hi Lo Card Game)
As we can see, the Hi Lo game is very simple. We will discuss the strategies of this game in more detail in the next section, but usually, a very basic understanding of probabilities will suffice. The simplicity of the Hi Lo game (Hi Lo game) allows online and other casinos to create additional ways to place bets.
Sometimes casinos may offer bets, for example, in the case of a tie. Bets on specific cards (e.g., the next card will be a king) are also often offered. In such variations of the Hi Lo card game (Hi Lo card game), we always recommend carefully reading the rules, possible bets, and payouts. Casinos will always, of course, calculate payouts and probabilities in their favor, but some bets will still remain more valuable. When playing Hi Lo, it is always important to use your money as efficiently and effectively as possible. Of course, you can choose very high variance bets if such are allowed (e.g., betting that a king will be drawn), but often you may find that all your money is lost very quickly.
Hi Lo is one of the most suitable games for beginners due to its simplicity. If you have not yet tried your luck and skills in gambling, the Hi Lo game (Hi Lo card game) can be one of the most interesting and easily accessible. Unlike casino table games like roulette, Hi Lo is not just a game of chance. Although the Hi Lo strategy is not complicated, every player can improve their odds by understanding how to play this game correctly.
Hi Lo Strategies
There are no very complex strategies in the Hi Lo game, as everything is based on simple probability and luck. Since playing with the first card is mandatory, we always suggest choosing that the next card will be lower if the revealed card is 8 or higher and always choosing that the next card will be higher if the revealed card is 6 or lower. What to do with a seven? Trust your intuition – the probability of drawing a higher or lower card is exactly the same.
We suggest continuing the game if the revealed card is an ace, two, queen, or king. In this case, the probability of winning is quite high, although the prize is not very large. Otherwise, you risk losing more, so it is better to take the winnings and start over – this way you will risk less.
The Hi-Lo game is very simple and perfect for light play, a “warm-up” before more serious casino games. It is not a game from which you can expect thousand-dollar winnings, but it is definitely possible to “come out ahead” a bit, and you won't lose large sums here unless you choose a high-stakes Hi Lo table and play without any strategy or logical thinking.
The Hi Lo game is perfect for playing in an online casino while traveling or in other situations where there is no opportunity to seriously concentrate on the game and think several steps ahead.
Hi Lo online
Like almost every casino game these days, Hi Lo is available in many online casinos. Players do not need to look for a local, traditional casino, as this fun game can be played from home. Online casinos also often offer a much larger selection of Hi Lo card game variations and very good conditions for new players.
For Hi Lo online beginners, we always recommend taking advantage of all the bonuses offered by the online casino. These bonuses usually provide additional money for all casino games, free spins for slot machines, or a few free bets in selected areas. Although the house always wins, beginners can potentially reduce the amount of money they lose and have a good time much more freely and comfortably.
Hi Lo online, as mentioned earlier, has many different variations. For many players, this game is familiar and has been played many times, so online casinos have taken it upon themselves to improve the Hi Lo game and provide more opportunities for players. One of the popular but somewhat more complex variations is Hi Lo Switch. During the Hi Lo Switch game, the player places a bet, and then three cards are dealt to them. A fourth card is placed face down on the table (some casinos do not reveal this card until all guesses are made). Then, the player sequentially guesses whether the given cards are lower or higher than the fourth card. After the guesses are completed, the fourth card is revealed, and the winnings (or losses) are calculated.
The Hi Lo Switch variation, like all casino games, has a small RTP (return-to-player). The theoretical maximum for the Hi Lo game is 96.62%. Of course, Hi Lo Switch is still a very simple card game, so reaching this maximum is not difficult. In most cases, it will be enough to use the strategy and understanding of the game that we described a little earlier.
To avoid cheating, many online casinos use automatic deck shuffling. Although Hi Lo Switch is played with 3 decks at a time, no card counting is possible, as the decks are shuffled after each round and card dealing.
