Online table play gives DJ Wild chance to shine

In markets such as New Jersey, where online casinos are legal, table games with small niches get a fresh chance at a broader audience.

One that’s currently getting online play is DJ Wild, a five-card stud poker-based game that has been around some larger live casinos since the mid 2010s.

DJ Wild uses a 53-card deck. A joker and the four 2s are wild. Two bets — an ante and a blind — are required. A Trips side bet is optional.

As in many poker-based games, the ante and a follow-up play bet are wagers your hand will beat the dealer. Blind and Trips are paid according to pay tables, but to win the blind, you must beat the dealer.

After your ante, blind and, if desired, Trips bets, players and the dealer each receive five cards.

After you’ve seen your cards, you must either make a play bet of twice your ante or fold. If your hand beats the dealer, the ante and play bets are paid at even money while the blind is paid according to the following pay table: Five wilds, 1000-1; royal flush 50-1; five of a kind, 10-1; straight flush 9-1; four of a kind 4-1; full house 3-1; flush 3-1; straight 1-1; three of a kind or less, push.

The house has an edge of 3.4 percent of the ante, or 1.73 percent of the ante-blind combination. The edge is due to the house collecting ante, play and blind bets if you lose, while you’re paid only on ante and play if you win with less than a straight.

According to Michael Shackleford at wizardofodds.com, optimal strategy is to make the play bet with a pair of 4s or better. Exception: fold the hand if your pair of 4s is accompanied by a single 3 among your other cards.