A straight is a poker hand of five cards in consecutive rank, not all of one suit, such as 6-7-8-9-10. It ranks above three of a kind and below a flush in standard poker, appears about once in 255 five-card deals, and pays anything from 1 to 1 to 10 to 1 in casino poker games. In roulette, straight is also short for a straight-up bet on one number.
A straight is five ranks in a row in mixed suits; the ace can be high (10-J-Q-K-A) or low (A-2-3-4-5).
There are 10,200 straights among 2,598,960 five-card hands, about 0.39%.
In three-card poker a straight is rarer than a flush, so it ranks higher there.
A roulette straight-up bet pays 35 to 1 and wins 1 time in 37 on a single-zero wheel.
Five-card straight chance
10,200 in 2,598,960 (0.39%)
Three-card straight chance
720 in 22,100 (3.26%)
Three Card Poker Pairplus
Straight pays 6 to 1
Caribbean Stud raise
Straight pays 4 to 1
Roulette straight up
35 to 1, chance 1 in 37
What a straight is in poker
A straight needs five cards of consecutive rank: 4-5-6-7-8, for instance, with at least two suits. If all five share a suit, the hand becomes a straight flush, which ranks far higher. The ace plays at either end, so 10-J-Q-K-A (often called Broadway) and A-2-3-4-5 (the wheel) both count, but a straight cannot wrap round the corner: Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight.
In the standard poker hand rankings, a straight beats three of a kind and two pair and loses to a flush, a full house and anything higher. When two straights meet, the one with the higher top card wins, and identical straights split the pot or push. Suits never break a tie. You will find the hand alongside its neighbours in our casino glossary.
Straight odds: how often you make one
Counting hands gives the exact odds. With five cards there are 10 possible rank runs (ace-low up to ace-high), and each can be dealt in 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 = 1,024 suit combinations. Remove the 40 straight flushes and you have 10,200 straights out of 2,598,960 possible hands, or about 0.39%, roughly 1 in 255.
Three-card games change the picture. There are 12 runs (A-2-3 up to Q-K-A), each with 64 suit patterns, so 768 combinations; take away 48 straight flushes and 720 straights remain out of 22,100 three-card hands, about 3.26%. Flushes number 1,096 (4.96%), so with three cards a straight is the rarer hand, which is why Three Card Poker ranks it above a flush.
How often a straight appears (exact combinatorics)
Hand size
Straights
All possible hands
Chance
Ranks above
Five cards
10,200
2,598,960
0.39% (about 1 in 255)
Three of a kind
Three cards
720
22,100
3.26% (about 1 in 31)
Flush
What a straight pays in casino poker games
Casino poker games pay a straight at fixed rates set by their pay tables. The common tables below are those listed by Wizard of Odds, including its Three Card Poker analysis (opens in a new tab). Pay tables vary, so check the game’s help screen.
Straight payouts on common casino pay tables
Game and bet
Straight pays
Notes
Three Card Poker, Pairplus
6 to 1
Most common table; 7.28% house edge on the bet
Three Card Poker, Ante Bonus
1 to 1
Paid whatever the dealer holds
Caribbean Stud, raise
4 to 1
Paid only if the dealer qualifies
Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Blind
1 to 1
Pushes on hands below a straight
Let It Ride
5 to 1
Standard table
Casino Hold’em, AA bonus
10 to 1
Best common table, 2.97% edge
21+3 blackjack side bet (Evolution)
10 to 1
Two player cards plus dealer up card
9/6 Jacks or Better video poker
4 coins per coin
Video poker pays include the stake
A high payout does not make a bet good value. The Pairplus straight pays 6 to 1 against true odds of about 30 to 1, which works only because pairs and flushes win more often. Compare Pairplus with the Ante, or see our Three Card Poker vs Caribbean Stud comparison for how the payouts shape each game.
Straight up: the roulette meaning
Roulette players use straight as short for a straight-up bet: one chip on a single number, including zero. It pays 35 to 1 and wins 1 time in 37 on a single-zero wheel, or 1 in 38 with a double zero, giving edges of 2.70% and 5.26%. A £5 straight-up win returns £180, your £175 winnings plus the £5 stake. The Wizard of Odds roulette basics (opens in a new tab) set out the same payouts. Watch for variants: Lightning Roulette pays 29 to 1 on an unboosted straight-up win. Our straight-up bet guide covers placement and odds.
How to check whether you hold a straight
Sort the cards by rank, counting jack as 11, queen 12, king 13.
Treat the ace as 14 and look for five in a row; then try it as 1 for A-2-3-4-5.
Make sure the run does not wrap from king through ace to two.
Check the suits: if all five match, you have a straight flush instead.
In a three-card game, look for three in a row using the same checks.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a straight in poker?
A straight is five cards in consecutive rank that are not all the same suit, such as 7-8-9-10-J. The ace can be high in 10-J-Q-K-A or low in A-2-3-4-5, but a run cannot wrap from king to two. In standard poker it beats three of a kind and loses to a flush. Our poker hand rankings page shows where it sits in the full order.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes, in standard five-card poker a flush beats a straight, because flushes are rarer: 5,108 flushes against 10,200 straights. Three Card Poker reverses the order, since with three cards a straight (3.26%) is less common than a flush (4.96%). Always check which hand set a game uses. Our Three Card Poker guide lists its full ranking.
Is A-2-3-4-5 a straight?
Yes, A-2-3-4-5 is a straight, the lowest one, often called the wheel. The ace counts as 1 in this hand, so a 2-3-4-5-6 beats it. The ace can also sit at the top in 10-J-Q-K-A, the highest straight. What the ace cannot do is link both ends, so Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight. See our high card entry for how ace values work elsewhere.
What are the odds of getting a straight?
The odds of being dealt a straight in five cards are about 1 in 255, or 0.39%: there are 10,200 straights among 2,598,960 possible hands. In three-card games the chance rises to about 3.26%, roughly 1 in 31. Video poker and hold’em games are different again because you draw or share cards. Our probability page explains how these counts are made.
What does a straight pay in Three Card Poker?
On the most common pay tables a straight pays 6 to 1 on the Pairplus bet and 1 to 1 as an Ante Bonus, the bonus being paid whatever the dealer holds. Pay tables vary between games and casinos, so check the help screen. The common Pairplus table has a 7.28% house edge overall. See our Three Card Poker strategy page for how the Ante and Play bets work.
What is a straight bet in roulette?
A straight bet in roulette, usually called straight up, is one chip on a single number. It pays 35 to 1 and wins 1 time in 37 on a single-zero wheel, giving a 2.70% house edge, the same as other standard bets. On a double-zero wheel the chance falls to 1 in 38. Our answer on the odds of hitting a single number has worked examples.
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