What Is Oasis Poker, Rules, and Strategies?
Poker is the king of card games, with many variations to choose from. Oasis poker is a variation of Caribbean Stud Poker where the player plays against the dealer,i.e., the casino, instead of against other players at the table. Hence, Oasis poker is comparatively less competitive than other poker variants, and players should rely more on their judgments and strategies. Although the game is less popular than blackjack or Texas Hold ’em, most of the top online casinos offer Oasis because of its low house edge and various payout options. The game can be found mostly in eastern Europe, northern Africa, and online casinos using Galewind, Net Entertainment, and VueTec Software. Read this article to learn all the nuts and bolts of playing Oasis poker, its rules, and win strategies.
Oasis Poker Rules
The objective of the game is to beat the dealer’s hand. No community cards are involved in Oasis poker. Oasis follows the same rules as Caribbean Stud Poker, except in Oasis, the player has the option to give up one or more cards before the raise/fold decision. However, exchanging cards will cost you! For every card the player decides to give up and exchange with another one, they should pay a fee depending on the number of cards they have given up. The fee varies depending on the casino rules; sometimes, if the casino allows you to exchange four cards, the fee will be lower. In general, fees for exchanging cards will be charged according to the following table:
| Price For Exchanging Cards In Oasis Poker | |
| 1 card | 1x the initial ante |
| 2 cards | 2x the initial ante |
| 3 cards | 3x the initial ante |
| 4 cards | 2x the initial ante |
| 5 cards | 1x the initial ante |
The game is played with the standard 52-card deck in which all suits have equal value. The cards’ strengths are similar to the classic poker game where the highest card is Ace, and the lowest is 2. However, in some rare cases, the Ace might become the lowest card, less than number 2.
Standard Odds and Payouts(Net Ent Version)
Galewind Oasis differs slightly in rules and payouts in which players could exchange any number of discards for a variable cost, and the payout of a full house is reduced. But in the standard version of the game, which is offered by Net Ent, payouts are as follows:
| Standard Oasis Pay Table | |
| Player Hand | Payouts |
| Ace and King | 1 to 1 |
| Pair | 1 to 1 |
| 2 Pair | 2 to 1 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| Flush | 5 to 1 |
| Full House | 7 to 1 |
| 4 of a kind | 20 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 |
| Royal Flush | 100 to 1 |
How To Play Oasis Poker; GAMEPLAY
Like other poker variations, Oasis starts with the player placing an ante or forced bet. Then, the croupier deals five face-up cards to the player and five cards to themselves. All the dealer’s cards will be face-down except one, which will help the player to decide their next move. The player should then decide to raise, fold, or exchange cards. They will be charged additional fees if they want to exchange, as explained above. If they fold, they forfeit their bet and lose the hand. However, if they decide to raise, they should place another bet that is twice the ante bet size. In other words, after a raise, the total bet size will be 3x the initial ante bet size. If the player raises, there will be several payout scenarios, as seen in the pay table above.
For the dealer to “qualify,” they should hold an ace/king or higher. In other words, the weakest qualifying hand for the dealer is ace, king,4,3,2. If the dealer qualifies, regardless of whether the player wins or loses the hand, the raise bet will be returned, but winnings on the ante bet will be paid out to the player. To make things easier to understand, let me summarize the game results below:
👉As mentioned above, the dealer qualifies with a poker hand containing an ace or a king or higher cards.
👉If the dealer does not qualify, this means the player wins. In this case, the ante bet will be paid out 1 to 1, and the raise bet will be returned to the player.
👉If the dealer qualifies, but your hand beats their hand, the ante bet will be paid out 1 to 1, and the raise bet will pay out according to the standard pay table above.
👉If the dealer qualifies by holding a hand that beats the player’s hand, the player will lose both the ante and raise bets.
👉If there is a tie, meaning the dealer qualifies, but both the dealer and the player’s hands are equal, all the bets will be returned to the player. In other words, no one wins.
Oasis Poker Win Strategy
Now that we know how the game is played let’s talk about some winning strategies. But before we go on, let me clarify one thing. There is no sure-win strategy for Oasis poker. That said, you should not expect to win every single time you play. Instead, you can learn tactics to improve your playing skills and increase your chances of winning.
First and foremost, when should you exchange a card in your hand? Well, there are some scenarios where you should.
First, you are one card away from having a flush and do not have a pair. Second, you are one card away from improving to a straight, and you do not hold a pair. And the last scenario is when you are one card away from improving to a straight flush or a royal flush, even if you hold a pair.
In most situations, if you have a pair, it is not recommended to exchange your cards. If you have a two pair or better, exchanging a card is not a profitable and wise decision. Remember, pro-Oasis players never exchange cards when they have such a hand. In general, unlike video poker, in Oasis poker, it is recommended to not exchange the cards at all or not more than one card (except in the above three scenarios!) due to the high cost of card exchange.
Oasis Poker Bonus Bet
In this poker variant, the player has the option to go for the progressive jackpot, which is also known as a side bet or bonus bet. This is very similar to those you see at classic Caribbean Stud Poker tables. Although similar to payouts, bonus bets vary from casino to casino; for the most part, they are the same as the following table, if not very similar.
| Oasis Poker Bonus Bet Payouts | |
| Royal Flush | 100% of the jackpot |
| Straight Flush | 10% of the jackpot |
| 4 of a kind | $100 |
| Full house | $75 |
| Flush | $50 |
Oasis Poker House Advantage
If you play by the standard rules explained above, the Oasis poker house advantage(defined per initial bet) will be 1.04%. The house advantage in Oasis poker is way lower than Caribbean Stud due to the exchange of cards. If you play the Galewind version, the house advantage would be around 1.20%.
Best Online Casinos To Play Oasis Poker in 2023
Now you know how to play the game, but where can you play Oasis poker online? This is an excellent question, especially if you are new to online casino gaming. To help you make the best Oasis poker experience, we put together the following list of the top US-friendly online casinos. They offer the most generous bonuses and promotions, an ample selection of the best online casino games, excellent responsive customer support, and various safe and fast banking methods. Just pick one and get into the action today.
| Top Online Casinos To Play Oasis Poker | |||
| Online Casino | Welcome Bonus | Caribbean Stud Poker | Mobile Gaming and Crypto |
| Betonline | 100% casino bonus up to $1,000 | Yes | Yes |
| Wild Casino | $5,000 | Yes | Yes |
| Super Slots | $6,000 | Yes | Yes |
To Sum It Up
Poker is fun regardless of the variant you choose to play. Oasis poker is one of the less popular poker variants where the player plays against the dealer and has to beat their hand. The relatively low house edge, the possibility to discard and exchange cards, and playing against the house make Oasis poker ideal for those shy and less-experienced players who want to avoid playing at crowded poker tables. If you have not tried the game yet, I highly recommend visiting one of the trusted online casinos above and giving it a try today!
Read More:
How do you play Texas Hold’em step by step?
Poker Variety Similar To Texas Hold’em
Basic Poker Strategies Tips for Beginners