The popularity of Red Dog is largely due to its simplicity. You can play Red Dog as well as anyone in the world if you can remember the number seven and know how to subtract. Red Dog is similar to Acey-Deucey and In-Between. The game is played on a blackjack-sized table with two betting spots -- "bet" and "raise" -- using a 52-card deck.

Only three cards are played per hand. Card suit is not relevant in Red Dog. All cards are ranked as in poker. The suit is irrelevant and aces are always high. First, the player places a wager. Then, the dealer places two cards on the table face up. If the two cards are consecutive then the hand is a push. If the two cards are equal, a third card is dealt. A matching third card pays 11:1 - otherwise, the hand is a push.

If the two cards are neither consecutive nor equal, the dealer announces the spread or the number of card values in between the cards. For example: a 5 and 10 would have a spread of 4. The player is then given a chance to increase the wager up to the amount of the original wager. Then a third card is dealt. If it is in between the first two cards, the player wins according to the following payout table; if it matches or is outside the first two cards, the player loses:

• 1 card spread: Pays 5:1
• 2 card spread: Pays 4:1
• 3 card spread: Pays 2:1
• 4+ card spread: Pays 1:1

As a player, you place an opening bet and the dealer will deal two cards. The object of the game is to bet on the likelihood that the rank of a third card is going to fall between the first two. If it does fall between, you win. If it doesn't, you lose.

So far, it's too simple. This is where the "raise" bet comes in and it's based on the "spread". Spread is the number of card values that lie between the two initial cards. The value of any card from 2 to 10 counts at face value, a jack counts as 11, a queen as 12, a king as 13, and an ace counts as 14.

A couple of examples are worthwhile:

Let's say the dealer deals a 7 and a 10. What's the spread? Since 8 and 9 fall between the 7 and 10, the spread is 2. Ok, let's say the next hand plays a 4 and a 5. The spread? Since the cards are consecutive, no cards fall between 4 and 5, it's called a "tie", you keep your money and the hand is over.

Betting on the spread is the most interesting part of Red Dog. This is an optional second bet where you go for a bonus payout. The house sets the odds based on a simple principle: the narrower the spread, the higher the potential payout ("bonus").