What is Andar Bahar?
Andar Bahar is a traditional Indian card game that originates from the famous game Bangalore. It is a game of luck where the round starts when the dealer will position one face-up card at the center of the table. This card is called the “Joker” card, or the game card, and the game continues according to this card. There are two piles on both sides of the face card on which you can place your bets.
Those piles are called Andar (meaning left or inside) and Bahar (meaning right or outside). The goal is to place your bet on the pile where the first matching card to the Joker card will appear. So, if you want to learn how to play Andar Bahar, and learn all the rules about it, continue reading, and we will take care of the rest.
Game Rules
The game is played by using a 52-card deck. As with all card games, before the start of each round, the dealers will shuffle the cards, cut them, and finally place one face-up card in the middle of the table. This is the card that you will have to “match” to win the round.
Next, you will have to place your bets either on Andar or Bahar piles. The betting limits depend on the casino where the game is played and on the game provider. The first card will end up on Bahar, then on Andar, then on Bahar again, until a card with the same value as the Joker card shows up on any of the piles. So, this means that you will have to guess which stack the matching card will show up first.
You can place your bets on both Andar and Bahar, but please note that the payout is slightly different. A winning hand on Bahar will pay you 1.9x your bet size, and a winning hand on Andar will pay you 2.0x of your stake. Payouts look like this because the first card is being dealt on the Bahar pile, and therefore the Bahar pile is advantageous.
Side bets
As with most Live Casino games, there are side bets available for those of you that are willing to place some higher risk bets. But with greater risk, there are greater rewards as well. If you like to use the side bets, you won’t have to place bets on Andar or Bahar.
By placing a side bet, you will be guessing the number of cards required until the first card with the same value as the Joker card is dealt. It doesn’t matter if the matching card will be dealt with on Andar or Bahar. For example, if you believe that the matching card will show up on the sixth card, you should place your bets on 6 to 10.
Here are the side bets Andar Bahar Payouts on Betshah:
- The matching card is dealt between the 1st and the 5th card; Receive a payout of 3.5x your bet size
- The matching card is dealt between the 6th and 10th card; you will be paid 4.5x your bet size
- Get the matching card between the 11th and 15th card and receive 5.5x your bet size
- The first matching card is dealt between 16th and 25th card; You will be paid 4.5x your bet size
- Get the first matching card anywhere between 26th and 30th card and receive a payout of 15x
- If the matching card is dealt between the 31st and 35th card, you will get 25x of your stake
- Get the matching card between the 36th and 40th card and receive a payout of 50x your bet size
- If the matching card is dealt on 41st or later cards, you will receive a juicy payout of 120x your stake.
Okay, now you know the basic rules of playing Andar Bahar. Next, let’s look at the Return To Player (RTP) factor of this Indian card game.
Andar Bahar Side Bets Payouts
| Game | RTP |
| Andar | 96.99 % |
| Bahar | 97.86 % |
| 1 to 5 | 94.86 % |
| 6 to 10 | 97.68 % |
| 11 to 15 | 92.96 % |
| 16 to 25 | 98.10 % |
| 26 to 30 | 91.45 % |
| 31 to 35 | 92.48 % |
| 36 to 40 | 94.97 % |
| 41 or more | 95.20 % |
According to the table above, we can see that if you are playing with the regular bets, it is a bit more rewarding to place your bets on Bahar because it has a 0.87% more RTP when compared to Andar.
Also, if you want to place side bets or play with the best RTP possible, you should always place your bets on 16 to 25 because it has the highest RTP of all available bets. On top of that, you will be having ten chances for a winning hand (if the matching card doesn’t appear before the 16th card).
Tips & Tricks for playing Andar Bahar
- First of all, you should understand the basics of the game, so please read this guide thoroughly before placing your bets.
- Always play responsibly. It would be best if you never staked more than what you could afford to lose.
- Pick a table with limits that suit you. For example, if you want to play high stakes, Andar Bahar, you should play at a table with higher betting limits. If you are a high stake player, you are welcome to our Andar Bahar table by Playtech, where you can place bets of up to €3,000 per hand.
- Place bets on the side bets with the best RTP percentages.
- Always check the rules before playing Andar Bahar because there are various versions with different side bets. For example, there are tables where you can place side bets on flush, straight, and even on a straight flush.
Where to play Andar Bahar online?
The best place where you can play Andar Bahar is the BetShah casino. At Betshah, you will have the option to play the Andar Bahar table game against a simulated computer or play it against a Live Dealer, giving you the best gaming experience.
If you are more into Live Dealer games, you can choose your table from the following gaming providers: Ezugi, Pragmatic Play, Playtech Live, and Super Spade. Also, there is a variation called Speed Andar Bahar, which is essentially the same game but faster.
So, if you are willing to try this fantastic card game with Indian origins, feel free to come to BetShah and start winning.