Heads Up Hold’em plays like Ultimate Texas Hold’em in most ways. The main difference is that a player may only raise three times the ante before the flop in Heads Up Hold’em. In Ultimate Texas Hold’em, the player may raise three or four times.

Heads Up Hold’em makes up for this by adding a bad beat jackpot that plays every hand without the player needing to make a side bet for it. A player that loses a straight or better, even if the entire hand in on the board, receives a bonus on the bad beat. It puts players in a position to cheer to lose bigger hands over winning the blind bonus on it.

In No-Limit Hold'em, the minimum bet is usually the big blind. The minimum raise is going to be the amount of the previous bet or raise called. For example, in a 1/2 nl game, the minimum you can raise before the flop is going to be to make $4. You are calling the $2 blind and then raising $2. A round of Texas Hold’em consists of a minimum of one and a maximum of four betting rounds. A hand ends when all players but one have folded. Or the fourth (final) Texas Holdem betting round completes with multiple players still in the hand – whichever comes first. Your minimum raise is equal to the amount of the previous bet. In this hand your minimum raise is $10 ($10 + $10 for a total bet of $20). Your maximum raise is the amount of the pot. To do this, add up the pot + the bet + your call ($15 + $10 + $10 = $35).

A Limit Texas Hold'em game played at $2/$4 limits generally means the blinds are $1/$2. Limit games are played with a 'small bet' and a 'big bet', with the big blind usually equal to the small bet. So it doesn't matter which betting round you are on, the first bet must be at least the minimum bet, and each raise thereafter must at least equal the previous bet. So if it's a $2 minimum game, the initial bet on every round must be at least $2. If a player opens the betting round for, say, $10, then the next raise must be at least $10.

This bad beat bonus is a reason for inexperienced players or those that do not want to raise four times on a flop should choose Heads Up Hold’em over Ultimate Texas Hold’em. These players do not want the best feature of Ultimate Texas Hold’em and a free side bet that is better is added for trading it away.

Four Las Vegas casinos left Ultimate Texas Hold’em for Heads Up Hold’em. The casinos are Jerry’s Nugget, M Resort, Strat and Tropicana. Arizona Charlie’s Decatur added it to its table game selection.

Where to Play Heads Up Hold’em in Las Vegas

The minimum bet is $5 at all casinos except Jerry’s Nugget, where the minimum bet is $2. This is the only proprietary table game in Las Vegas with a minimum bet under $5.

Note that you will need double the minimum bet to get a hand as an ante and blind is needed. You should also keep three chips back to raise.

Low rollers may want to check out the $2 game at Jerry’s Nugget. I enjoy the place, located at the gateway of North Las Vegas from downtown Las Vegas, but it is not for everyone.

Of the Heads Up Hold’em casinos, it just depends on what is closest to you. All have a $5 minimum bet. You will find the game at opposite ends of the Strip at Tropicana and Strat. You will find it at Arizona Charlie’s on the west side. M Resort has it at the far south end of the Las Vegas Strip.

Heads Up Hold’em is like Ultimate Texas Hold’em with a bad beat bonus. Players are dealt two cards. There is a house hand. Players may raise three times the ante before the flop or check.

After the flop, a player that checked may bet two times the ante. If the player did not play before or after the flop, there is an option to bet an amount equal to the ante in the last round after the turn and river are exposed.

Texas Holdem Minimum Bet

The player’s action ends as soon as a hand is raised. The player must fold at the river if no raise is made.

The dealer turns over the house’s two cards. If the dealer has less than a pair, the ante pushes. It plays with the raise if the dealer qualifies. If the player beats the dealer, the ante and raise win. If the dealer wins, the house takes the bets, except for bonus ones.

However, if the player loses with a straight or better, a bad beat bonus is paid. This is better than beating the dealer.

Other Table Games in Las Vegas Casinos

Texas Hold'em Minimum Bet

The details we’ve provided about Heads Up Hold’em in Las Vegas came from our annual survey of table games in Vegas casinos.

Texas Holdem Minimum Raise

We survey every Las Vegas casino, and all the table games they offer, and publish it here on this site. You can find the complete survey on the following page.