Poker Variant
The 7-card stud lowball game where the worst hand wins. Chase the wheel and watch for dead cards — your opponents' exposed cards tell the whole story.
6 US venues offer razz.
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Bakersfield, California
1001 South Union Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93307, USA
Cleveland, Ohio
100 Public Square, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA
Mt Pleasant, Michigan
6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd, Mt Pleasant, MI 48858, USA
Reno, Nevada
3800 S Virginia St, Reno, NV 89502, USA
Florence Indiana, Indiana
777 Belterra Dr, Florence, IN 47020, USA
Commerce, California
6131 Telegraph Road, Commerce, CA 90040, USA
Razz is the lowball variant of seven-card stud where the lowest hand wins the pot. Each player receives seven cards — three down, four up — and constructs the best five-card low hand. Straights and flushes do not count against a low, and aces play as low cards only, making A-2-3-4-5 (the wheel) the unbeatable Razz hand. Razz is a player-versus-player live poker game, not house-banked, and it is most commonly encountered in mixed-game rotations such as H.O.R.S.E. The open cards (door cards) provide more visible information than in any other poker variant, making Razz a deeply strategic game for observant players. You'll find live tables at most major properties. See our full US casino directory for venue contact details and hours.
Razz is the stud game where the objective is reversed: the lowest hand takes the pot. Players receive seven cards across five betting rounds, four of which are face up for all to see. This visible information is the strategic heart of Razz. You can see what cards your opponents have caught and what cards have been folded, giving you real-time probability information that does not exist in community-card games like Hold'em. Razz is almost never spread as a standalone game in modern card rooms, but it is the R in H.O.R.S.E. and appears in virtually every mixed-game rotation. Players who develop Razz skills gain a significant edge in mixed-game tournaments. For related stud games, see our guide on Seven Card Stud.
Each player posts an ante. Two cards are dealt face down and one card face up (the door card) to each player.
The player with the highest door card brings in a forced bet. On subsequent streets, the lowest exposed hand acts first.
Fourth street: a second upcard is dealt. Fifth street: a third upcard. Sixth street: a fourth upcard. Betting follows each street.
Seventh street (the river): a final card is dealt face down. Final betting round.
At showdown, each player makes the best five-card low hand from their seven cards. The lowest hand wins the pot.
Aces count as low. Straights and flushes are ignored for low evaluation. The wheel (5-4-3-2-A) is the nut low.
Razz follows the structure of seven-card stud with one critical difference: the lowest hand wins. The game begins with an ante from each player. Each player receives two downcards and one upcard (the door card). The player with the highest door card must bring in — a forced bet at a smaller increment than the standard bet size. From fourth street onward, the player with the lowest exposed hand acts first, creating a natural advantage for players showing strong boards. Betting is typically fixed-limit, with bets doubling on fifth street.
Low hands are evaluated from the highest card downward. A low containing a 7 as its highest card (7-6-5-4-3) loses to a low with a 6 as its highest card (6-5-4-3-2). The nut low is the wheel: 5-4-3-2-A. Crucially, straights and flushes are ignored — a 2-3-4-5-6 all of the same suit is still a 6-low, not a straight flush. Aces play exclusively low. Pairs are bad because they reduce the number of distinct low cards in your hand. A hand with a pair of aces can only make a low if it has four other distinct low cards, and at best that is an 8-low. The best possible Razz starting hand is A-2-3.
A-2-3, also called the bike or the wheel draw. Three cards to the nut low give you the strongest possible start. Any three cards at 6 or below that are live (not visible in opponents' door cards) are strong.
Starting hand selection begins with the door card. Three cards at 8 or below — preferably to a wheel or a 6 — are the minimum playable hands.
Watch the dead cards. Cards that have been folded or shown and discarded change the probability of completing your draw dramatically.
Stealing is a core Razz skill. When you show the lowest board with high cards showing to your left, bet aggressively — even with a marginal hand underneath.
Fold when your board catches bad. A high card on fourth street when your opponent catches low is a clear fold against competent players.
Board texture drives decisions. With two low cards showing and a brick underneath, you can represent a strong hand. With three high cards showing, you have no fold equity.
In Razz, you want low cards but you want them live. A draw to a 6-low where all the 5s are dead is much weaker than a draw where your outs are unseen.
Where to play in the US
Editorial picks for visitors who want a real-floor Razz session. Ranked by directory depth (table counts, amenities, and floor quality). Tap any card for the full property review.
Commerce, California
83 tables · 160 poker tables · 24/7
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Cleveland, Ohio
1,300 slots · 100 tables · 30 poker tables · 24/7
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Mt Pleasant, Michigan
3,330 slots · 60 tables · 18 poker tables · 24/7
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Rankings reflect directory data depth (floor counts, game variety, amenity tags) re-verified quarterly. They are not a substitute for current operating status; confirm hours and game spread directly with each casino before visiting.
Razz rewards players who track dead cards obsessively. On third street, you see every door card at the table. Count how many cards you need are visible in other players' boards. If you hold 2-3-7 and you can see two 4s, two 5s, and an ace among the door cards, your draw to improve is significantly weaker than if those cards were unseen. Dead cards change the math and should directly influence whether you call, raise, or fold on third street. Starting hand requirements tighten dramatically when your needed cards are dead and loosen slightly when your opponents all show high door cards.
Stealing antes is more important in Razz than in most stud games. When you bring in with the highest door card but catch a low card on fourth while your opponent catches a high card, you must bet. Even if your hole cards are marginal, the board says you are ahead, and your opponent will fold if they failed to improve. Board texture and betting initiative matter more than absolute hand strength on fourth and fifth streets. On sixth street, the board tells nearly the whole story. A player showing four low cards almost certainly has a made low, and betting into them without a strong draw is burning chips. For the flip side of stud poker, see our Seven Card Stud guide and for mixed games that include Razz, see Mixed Games.
Razz's high-hand parent game. Instead of low winning, the best high hand takes the pot. Shares the same stud structure.
The mixed-game rotation that includes Razz as one of five variants. The most common way to play live Razz.
Split-pot seven card stud with a low qualifier. Combines high stud with lowball mechanics in one game.
A variant using 2-7 lowball rankings instead of A-5. Straights and flushes count against low hands. Rare.
Razz is rarely spread as a solo game. Your best chance to play is in a mixed-game rotation — H.O.R.S.E., 8-Game, or dealer's choice — at larger poker rooms. During the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Razz events are on the schedule and cash mixed games run heavily at the Horseshoe and Paris. The Bellagio, Aria, and Wynn in Las Vegas spread mixed games at higher stakes where Razz is part of the rotation.
Outside of Las Vegas, mixed games appear at select rooms in Los Angeles (Commerce, the Bike), Florida, and Maryland. The best approach is to call the poker room and ask whether they run any mixed-game rotations that include stud games. During tournament series, look for H.O.R.S.E. events on the schedule — these are your most reliable Razz opportunities. Browse our US casino directory to find poker rooms near you.
Razz is an information game. Every exposed card you can see — in opponents' upcards and in folded hands — changes the odds of completing your draw. Tracking dead cards is not optional; it is the game.
