Pragmatic Play Live Andar Bahar Review and Playing Guide
Introduction to Pragmatic Live Dealer Andar Bahar
Andar Bahar is one of the most popular card games you'll find across the Indian continent. The game comes from Bangalore in the state of Karnataka in Southern India.
It's a very simple game to understand and play, using one deck of fifty-two playing cards.
Pragmatic Andar Bahar allows an unlimited number of players the opportunity to place many bets on the game, increasing the opportunities for a win.
The main hand offers a 50-50 chance of winning/losing, and like in Baccarat, a commission is taken on some winning bets to give the house its edge.
Pragmatic Play has created its own dedicated studio area for Andar Bahar that has a very Asian look and feel to it.
Unlike some of the other versions of Andar Bahar, the dealers all speak English as the main table language.
How To Play Pragmatic Andar Bahar
Andar Bahar is a very simple game to play.
The dealer shuffles a deck of fifty-two playing cards before turning over the top card and placing this on the table. This card is known as the Joker card.
The dealer starts dealing alternating cards face up to two playing positions, Andar and Bahar. The position that gets a matching card with the Joker is the winner.
The objective of the game is to bet on which position, Andar or Bahar will match with the Joker card.
To add a little spice into the game there are three additional side bets that can be played, which offer greater returns than the main hand bets.
Card Matching
The winning hand must be an exact match value-wise with the Joker card. Card suits are ignored during the main game (but are used during the First 3 Side Bet).
The face value of the cards is used. Jack, Queen and King are notionally assigned the value of 11, 12 and 13, to keep them different. A Queen can only match with a Queen and not a Jack for example.
Pragmatic Andar Bahar Side Bets
Alongside the main hand, there are three additional side bets you can play.
These can all be played independently of the main hand - i.e you don't have to play the main hand to play them.
- The First Three is the most recognisable side bet. If you've played Blackjack you'll have seen it there, perhaps called the Poker Bet or 21+3. This uses the Joker card and the first Andar and Bahar Cards. You're betting on whether these three cards will form a poker hand of a Flush, Straight or Straight Flush. The max payout is 120:1
- First on Andar/Bahar is where you're betting on whether a match with the Joker card will happen on the first card in position Andar or Bahar. You can bet on one or both. The maximum payout is 15.5:1.
- How Many Cards will be Dealt is the last of the side bets and it's literally how many cards you think will be dealt before a match occurs. It has a range of payouts with the maximum being 119:1.
Payouts, Game Odds and RTP
The base game RTP for Andar Bahar is 97.84% if you're betting on Andar or 97.01% for Bahar.
The payouts are 0.9:1 for Andar and 1:1 for Bahar. Andar is lower as 0.10% is taken as commission, which gives the house its edge.
The best RTP in the game is for the Number of Cards Dealt 16-25, which is 98.10% and has a payout of 3.5:1.
You could or even should play this side bet as the odds of winning and returns are better than the main hand.
The First Three side bet has a theoretical return to player of 91.25%, with payouts of 5:1 to 120:1 this isn't a great bet.
Only slightly better is the RT for the First Andar or Bahar wins. These return 94.13% and 93.14% so are marginally better than the First Three side bet.
The payout of 15:1 and 15.5:1 are ok, but nowhere near the true odds of 17:1 and 16.66:1.
Payouts and RTP Table
| Main Hand | Payout | RTP |
|---|---|---|
| Andar | 0.9:1 | 97.84% |
| Bahar | 1:1 | 97.01% |
| Win On First Card | Payout | RTP |
| Andar First | 15:1 | 94.13% |
| Bahar First | 15.5:1 | 93.14% |
| Number Of Cards | Payout | RTP |
| 1-5 | 2.5:1 | 94.87% |
| 6-10 | 3.5:1 | 97.67% |
| 11-15 | 4.5:1 | 92.97% |
| 16-25 | 3.5:1 | 98.10% |
| 26-30 | 14.5:1 | 94.57% |
| 31-35 | 24.5:1 | 94.28% |
| 36:40 | 49:1 | 94.88% |
| 41-49 | 119:1 | 95.04% |
| First 3 Cards | Payout | RTP (91.25%) |
| Straight Flush | 120:1 | 91.32% |
| Straight | 8:1 | 80.45% |
| Flush | 5:1 | 85.12% |
Pragmatic Play Live Andar Bahar Statistics
The statistics panel give information on the results from the previous game rounds.
Unlike Plyetch who display the last 1000 results, Pragmatic is displaying twenty-seven.
They are presented in a Baccarat style format, with the last result displayed at the bottom of the far right-hand column.
The result is displayed as a colour: Red for Bahar, Blue for Andar. The number in the centre is the value of the joker card. The number below is the number of cards dealt before a match was made.
The statics also show the cards win ratio between Andar/Bahar. The number of hands can be adjusted between 10 to 250.
You can also see the dispersion for the number of cards dealt, again using a slider between 10 and 250 hands.
No statistics for the First 3 or 1st Bets are available.
While the statistics are interesting, they are not that relevant to what happens in the next game, as a new freshly shuffled deck is used in each game. This effectively wipes clean the stats, so they have no bearing on future events.
However, it's nice to know what's happened in the past and may help you with your bet placing decisions.
Pragmatic Play Live Andar Bahar Playing Strategy
The most important strategy you can use when playing Andar Bahar at a Pragmatic Play online casino is to understand the RTP and payouts before you start playing.
That seems an obvious statement, so let me explain.
Not all the bet types have the same RTP. You'll stand a better chance of getting a return on your bets if you place them on bets that have a high RTP.
Also, don't forget the payout value as well. The two combined should indicate the best bets to place.
Best Bet to Place on Andar Bahar
In the instance of Pragmatic Andar Bahar, the best bet on the table is the side bet, How Many Cards will be Dealt?
If you bet on the range 16-25, this has an RTP of 98.10% and a payout of 3.5:1.
Compare that with the main Bahar bet, which has an RTP of 97.01% and a payout of 1:1.
Should I place other bets?
There is no reason not to place other bets, but avoid placing multiple bets on the same hand. These often cancel themselves out and you'll make very little headway.
The only exception to this is if you're betting a large amount on Andar or Bahar. A small and I mean small bet on one of the side bets can add a bit of fun.
Don't go chasing big wins for the bigger payouts as they don't happen that often.
Auto Play
The Auto Play facility gives you the ability to repeat a bet for up to 100 game rounds.
If you decide at a later date to stop the auto play, just click on the button and select stop.
You're also able to modify the bet in the same way, by selecting the Modify Bet option.
Other Andar Bahar Options
A few live casino providers have Andar Bahar as a playing option.
Playtech, Ezugi, BetGames are three.
Evolution has Super Andar Bahar which has multipliers on the side bets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What Is Pragmatic Andar Bahar?
Pragmatic Andar Bahar is a new live dealer game created specifically for the Asian market. However, the game is very playable and will appeal to all player types. It’s a card-based game where you are betting on the outcome of one hand matching a common Joker card. Three additional side bets can make betting more interesting.
How Many Players Can Play Pragmatic Andar Bahar?
An unlimited number of people can play Andar Bahar. The cards being dealt are attributed to a betting position, Andar or Bahar and not specific to a dealer or player.
What Is The Minimum Bet?
The minimum bet for Pragmatic Andar Bahar is 0.10 in the currency of your local online casino.
What Side Bets can I play on Andar Bahar?
You can play three side bets on Andar Bahar. The First 3 uses the first three cards dealt. You bet on whether these will form a poker ranked hand. You can also bet on whether Andar or Bahar will win on the first card dealt to the hand. The last side bet concentrates on how many cards are dealt before a win. there are lots of individual betting options on this one. All side bets can be played without placing a main hand bet.
Is There A Strategy For Playing
The honest answer is NO, but, there are bets you should play and there are ones to avoid. Read more here.
What Language Does the Dealer Speak?
The dealer speaks English in Pragmatic Andar Bahar.
Where is The Game Located?
The game is located at Pragmatic Plays studio in Bucharest, Romania.
Where Can I Play Pragmatic Andar Bahar?
Pragmatic Andar Bahar can be played at a select number of online live casinos. Click here for a list of the casinos.
Are there any more Asian focused Games Games?
Indian Roulette is also available at Pragmatic Play Live Casinos.