Andar Bahar is a pure chance card game from India. You bet on which of two sides will be dealt a card matching the middle card first. The twist is the first-card effect: the side dealt first wins about 51.5% of the time, so casinos pay it less than even money. With common payouts, the house edge is about 2.15% on Andar and 3.00% on Bahar.
How Andar Bahar works
- The game uses a single 52-card deck.
- The dealer turns up one card, the middle card (in some games called the joker). Only its rank matters.
- You bet on Andar ("inside") or Bahar ("outside"). Some games also offer side bets at this point.
- The dealer deals cards one at a time, alternating between the two sides.
- The first card that matches the middle card's rank wins for the side it lands on.
The starting side varies by game; in the version the Wizard of Odds describes, the dealer picks it from the middle card's colour. The Wizard notes that the starting side does not change the maths: whichever side is dealt first has the same advantage.
The first-card effect
There are three cards of the middle card's rank left in the 51 remaining cards. The side dealt first gets the 1st, 3rd, 5th and every other odd-numbered card, and it gets the first chance at a match each round. Summing the chance that the first match lands on an odd-numbered card gives 51.5006%. We confirmed the figure in Python; it matches the Wizard of Odds.
If both sides paid even money, a bet on the side dealt first would favour you by about 3%. So the casino trims that side's payout.
Payouts and house edge
From the Wizard of Odds, for games where Andar is dealt first. We recalculated each edge from the 51.5006% figure:
| Bet | Pays | Win probability | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andar (dealt first) | 0.9:1 | 51.50% | 2.15% |
| Andar (dealt first) | 0.85:1 | 51.50% | 4.72% |
| Bahar | 1:1 | 48.50% | 3.00% |
| Bahar | 0.95:1 | 48.50% | 5.43% |
How to read 0.9:1: a £10 winning bet returns £9 in winnings plus your £10 stake. At 0.9:1 on the 51.5% side, you get back on average 1.9 × 0.515 = 0.9785 per £1 staked, a 2.15% edge.
When you sit down, check which side is dealt first and what each side pays. The cheaper bet is usually the side dealt first at 0.9:1, but only if the table offers that payout.
What each bet costs, on average
House edge: the share of every bet the casino keeps over the long run.
Video poker: Jacks or Better9/6 pay table, perfect play
0.46%Blackjackbasic strategy, 3:2, 6 decks, dealer stands on soft 17
0.50%Baccarat: Banker8 decks, 5% commission
1.06%Baccarat: Player8 decks
1.24%French roulette: even moneysingle zero, La Partage
1.35%Craps: Pass Line
1.41%European roulettesingle zero, any bet
2.70%Sic Bo: Small or Big
2.78%Dragon Tiger: Dragon or Tigerhalf returned on a tie
3.73%Online slots (typical)94% to 97% RTP; varies by game and version
3–6%American roulettedouble zero, most bets
5.26%Baccarat: Tiepays 8 to 1, 8 decks
14.36%
Side bets
Many games let you bet on how many cards will be dealt before the match, in single counts or ranges. The Wizard of Odds analysis of one studio's single-count bets (Woohoo Games) shows edges between about 4.0% and 5.7%. Its general table of range bets runs from about 1.9% to 8.5%, depending on the range and its payout. The ranges below come from that table (some overlap, because different games offer different ranges); we recalculated each probability and edge:
| Cards dealt after middle card | Pays | Probability | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | 2.5:1 | 27.11% | 5.13% |
| 6 to 10 | 3.5:1 | 21.70% | 2.33% |
| 11 to 15 | 4.5:1 | 16.90% | 7.03% |
| 16 to 25 | 3.5:1 | 21.80% | 1.90% |
| 26 to 30 | 14:1 | 6.10% | 8.52% |
| 31 to 35 | 24:1 | 3.70% | 7.56% |
| 36 to 40 | 49:1 | 1.90% | 5.16% |
| 41 or more | 119:1 | 0.79% | 4.92% |
Pay tables vary between studios. Read the help screen, which should list the payout for every bet and the game's RTP.
Strategy basics, honest about limits
- Andar Bahar has no playing decisions. Your only lever is bet choice.
- Pick the main bet with the lower edge at your table, usually the first-dealt side at 0.9:1.
- A few range bets cost about the same as the main bets, or slightly less, but most cost more and all are far more volatile.
- Results do not run in patterns, and past rounds do not predict the next one. No betting system changes the edge; our roulette guide shows the arithmetic.
Legal status and playing online
In India, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 bans offering, advertising and processing payments for online money games, according to the Government of India's Press Information Bureau. Andar Bahar is offered online by some licensed live casinos elsewhere, usually as a live dealer game with fast rounds, and in RNG form. See our live dealer games guide, Teen Patti and Dragon Tiger for other quick card games, and our RTP and volatility guide.
Where to play
We list licensed casinos only: UK casinos, Ontario, Alberta and rest of Canada. Not every licensed casino offers Andar Bahar. See how we rate casinos.
Play it safe
Gambling is entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide your budget before you start, use the deposit limits every licensed site offers, and stop when it stops being fun.
Free, confidential help where you liveQuestions people ask
Which side wins more often in Andar Bahar?
The side that receives the first card after the middle card, which wins about 51.5% of the time with a single deck. Casinos balance this by paying that side less than even money.
What is the house edge in Andar Bahar?
About 2.15% on Andar when it is dealt first and pays 0.9:1, and 3.00% on Bahar at 1:1. Other payouts give different figures, from about 2% to 5.4%.
Is there a strategy for Andar Bahar?
No decisions affect the result. The only choice that matters is which bet you make, and that depends on the payouts at your table.
Is Andar Bahar legal online in India?
India's Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 bans offering, advertising and processing payments for online money games. We do not list any site for Indian players.
Related reading
Sources
- Wizard of Odds: Andar Bahar
- Press Information Bureau (Government of India): Government enacts Online Gaming Act 2025, prohibits all forms of online money games
Facts checked 14 Oct 2026. Compliance review 14 Oct 2026.
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