Red Dog is perhaps the least complicated casino card game being played. It only uses one 52 card deck, with just three cards being dealt per hand.

Two cards are dealt face up, with the first placed on the left of the table and the second being placed on the right. A third card is then placed face up between the initial two cards. If the value of the third card is between the values of the first two cards then the player wins. For example, if the initial two cards are a 4 and a 10 and the third card is either a 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 it is a winning hand. The hand pictured above is a losing hand as the value of the third (middle) card is not between the values of the cards to the left and right. The players wager is lost on all losing hands.

Before the third card is dealt the player has the choice to 'raise' their bet or to 'call'. After seeing the values of the first two cards, if the player feels confident that the value of the third will fall between them, then they can raise, or increase, the size of their wager. To 'call' is simply to ask for the third card to be dealt.

If the first two cards dealt are of the same value, this is known as a 'pair' and the hand considered a tie. However, if the initial two cards are a pair, the third is automatically dealt. If the value of this card is the same as the first two it is known as 'three of a kind' and the wager will be paid at 11 to 1. If it is not the same, the initial wager will be returned to the player. Similarly, if the difference in value between the first two cards is one, this is known as 'consecutive' and is again considered a tie, with players wager being returned to them.

The odds given to winning hands are very much dependent the values of the first two cards. The closer the values are, the less chance there is of the value of the third being between them, therefore the odds of winning are greater.