The leading software provider Playtech offers the best collection of arcade games. These are fixed odds games in which players have to back one or more of the outcomes. If any of the outcomes that are bet on materialize, the player receives the specified payout. Playtech has created an arcade game based on the popular poker variant Texas Hold’em. In land casinos players compete against each other in Texas Hold’em games. As a table game at online casinos the player takes on the house in a one to one format. But in the Playtech arcade game, titled Hold’em Showdown, the player has to predict who will hold the winning hand.

As in online casino games, the player has to first select his bet. The Hold’em Showdown screen displays a poker table with a Dealer and four Opponents. Each of them is dealt two cards face up. Two payouts are displayed for each Opponent. One payout is for the Opponent winning the hand and the other payout is for the Dealer winning the hand. The payout is specified in absolute terms and not as a multiplier of the bet. Also it includes the amount bet. If the player does not find these cards and payouts worthwhile he can click the Shuffle button. This will change the cards and the payouts of the four Opponents, but the Dealer’s cards will be retained. The player can exercise this option three times, after which he will have to accept the situation displayed on the screen.

The Playtech Hold’em Showdown game play requires the player to select one of the four Opponents and then predict whether the Dealer or the Opponent will win the Hold’em showdown. The payouts offered are based on the risks involved. An outcome that has a lower chance of materializing will offer a larger payout. Conservative players should select options that offer lower payouts but are more likely to succeed. Risk taking players can take a chance with the higher payouts.

After the player enters his selections, the cards of the remaining Opponents are removed from the table. Then the community cards are dealt in the Texas Hold’em sequence. First the Flop is dealt, then the Turn and finally the River. In the default mode the cards are dealt slowly so that excitement builds up as in a real poker game. However, some players prefer fast paced game play. They can activate the Turbo Bet feature. The cards are dealt at a speed that is too fast to follow. It is like announcing the outcome instantly.

On completion of the dealing, the Opponent’s and the Dealer’s five-card hands are compared using the normal poker hand rankings. Both the dealt pocket cards have to be used along with the three most favorable community cards. The software automatically does this. If the player has guessed wrong then he loses his stake and can start another game. However, if the player has guessed correctly then his initial stake is replaced by the specified payout. The player has the option to collect this payout and start a new game with a stake of his choice. He can collect half the amount and start a new game with the balance half staked. Or he can start a new game with the full payout staked. Hold’em Showdown can be played in all Playtech online casinos, such as Mansion Casino and Omni Casino.