How And Where To Play Andar Bahar Online For Real Money

Teen Patti, Satte Pe Satta, Rummy – there are perhaps as many ways to play cards in India as all over the globe. Families and friends play them for fun or to kill some time, but outside exists a nearly USD$30-billion (INR₹2.4-trillion) market. There have been 214 million card game app downloads this year, with every download amounting to USD$0.13 (INR₹10.60) in revenue.

Some of these card games date back to ancient times, and nearly every one of these games has an app version where players stand to win big. One notable example is Andar Bahar, which is Hindi for 'inside outside' for reasons to be discussed later. This game of chance is simple enough to be played among friends and family, eventually finding a place in online gambling.

Even with live casinos, the game of Andar Bahar has been featured and is growing a cult audience. A live casino game called Super Andar Bahar launched earlier this year on Stake.com.

But why is Andar Bahar so popular? How do you play it? How do you win big in a game with an equal chance of winning and losing? Allow this in-depth look to answer all.

A largely-unknown history

Historical accounts about the exact origins of Andar Bahar are few and far between, if not non-existent. However, it's widely believed that it's several hundred years old and originates from Bengaluru (Bangalore) in Karnataka. The game is known as Ullae Veliye in the local Kannada language, which translates to Andar Bahar in Hindi.

The card game grew in popularity around southern India because it doesn't take too much effort to understand how it's played. It's a common sight in family gatherings, even including minimal gambling elements, such as tokens and seeds, to make it more fun. People learn to play this game at a young age, so they gain immense experience as they grow up.

Another known fact is that the old format of Andar Bahar uses a deck of 52 cards, known as a French deck. While many still play Andar Bahar in this format, others play the modern variant that contains 78 cards. Both decks feature four suites: clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades.

It's worth noting that Andar Bahar shouldn't be confused with Katti, another card game whose origins are also established in southern India. One significant difference is Katti deals 13 cards, whereas Andar Bahar deals one (both still involve betting on either side).

The basics

The round begins when the dealer draws a card, called a 'trump card' or 'joker,' from the deck (typically a French deck). Players then make their bets on one of two piles: Andar/Ullae to the left of the trump card or near the dealer and Bahar/Veliye to the right of the trump card or far from the dealer. In an online casino, the house determines the minimum and maximum wagers.

Once everyone has made their bets, the dealer begins drawing cards one by one until they draw the card that matches the trump card in rank. The objective is to guess which side the trump card will settle in. Which side the first card dealt goes to depends on the trump card's colour. A black trump card means the first card goes to Andar; a red one means the first card goes to Bahar.

The dealer alternates between Andar and Bahar until the matching card is drawn. Since the card can only appear on one of two sides, the chances of winning in this game are essentially 50/50. But if you want to be accurate, Andar bets have a 3.0012% higher chance of winning than Bahar.

For balancing purposes, winning Bahar bets tend to have slightly higher payout odds than Andar ones. Bahar's payout odds can be 0.95 to 1 or evens, as opposed to Andar's 0.85 to 1 or 0.95 to 1, depending on the version played.

Betting variations

Andar Bahar is as simple as it gets – and it boils down to luck as far as the game's nature goes. No skill is required to play a hand properly because no hand is involved, making Andar Bahar popular among people for centuries.

However, the same can't necessarily be said for betting on the winning side or the kind of trump card drawn. In casino settings, brick-and-mortar or online, the house can employ one of several betting variations to multiply a player's winnings. The most common of these include:

♦    Andar first card

The first card drawn always goes to Andar regardless of the colour of the trump card. The payout odds for each side in this variation are usually 0.9 to 1 for Andar and evens for Bahar. Most casinos deal this way instead of the colour-based rule, which is more prevalent among private Andar Bahar games.

♦    Mid-game wager

Some casinos enable players to make another bet on top of their initial one, known as a mid-game wager, if the first two cards drawn don't result in a match. This bet can either be on the same side as the first bet or on a different side. Mid-game wagers slightly increase a player's odds of winning.

♦    Draw range bet

In addition to the primary wagers, players can also bet on how many cards the dealer will draw before the matching card appears. The bet options are typically in increments of five (e.g., 1 to 5, 6 to 10, etc.), with the last being 41 and above. The chance of the number of draws being 25 cards or fewer is 84%, but the remaining 16% have higher payouts.

♦    Trump card prediction

Betting on the rank of the trump card is also a common sight in casino Andar Bahar. There are usually nine options for this:o Rank 2 to 7

    ♠    Rank 8

    ♠    Rank 9 to Ace

    ♠    Red

    ♠    Black

    ♠    Any of the four suits

In a trump card prediction, the chance of drawing a trump card of any rank other than 8 is 92.3%. In most situations, choosing between red or black is the safest option since the odds are 50/50, albeit the payout is the lowest at 0.9 to 1. Players often place this bet before their Andar or Bahar bets.

Due to Andar Bahar's low house edge, casino players are often tempted to make these side bets. Experts say these bets will increase the odds against the player's favour, but they advise going for those with the highest chances of success. After all, do you want to gamble on an 0.8% win chance for a 41+ draw range for a whopping 119-to-1 payout? You'd have to be really lucky.

Another safe tactic is betting on the side that gets the first card, as statistics show that side wins over 50% of the time. Additionally, the average number of draws is between 11 and 13 cards, so betting on the 11-to-15 option won't hurt much.

Playing in gambling-illegal India

As mentioned before, Andar Bahar is popular with families and friends, so a private game with them won't get anyone in trouble. But as far as gambling goes, Andar Bahar – and nearly every form of gambling – is legally restricted in India.

The country regulates gambling activity under the Public Gambling Act of 1867. Under the law, operating a 'common gaming house' is punishable by an INR₹200 fine or imprisonment for three months. In concert, visiting a common gaming house carries a lighter sentence: an INR₹100 (USD$1) fine or imprisonment for a month.

Anyone can see several problems with enforcing a law that dates back to the early years of the Crown rule without updates. For one, the penalties haven't kept up with inflation since the law's enactment. A hundred rupees may have been a significant sum over 150 years ago, but today it's only slightly pricier than one litre of bottled water.

Another issue is that the law isn't nationwide, as brick-and-mortar casinos can operate freely in Goa, Sikkim, and Daman. In Goa, gambling activities are regulated under the Goa, Daman, and Diu Public Gambling Act of 1976. While patterned after the 1867 Act, the law included several amendments that allowed five-star hotels and offshore vessels to operate gambling machines.

Meanwhile, Sikkim has been proactive in its campaign to legalise gambling in the state, starting with the Sikkim Casino Games Act of 2004. Four years later, it allowed online gambling sites to operate under the Sikkim Online Gaming Act of 2008.

Given all this, anyone wanting to win big at Andar Bahar would have to travel to Goa, Sikkim or Daman. But unless you live near enough to these places, travel won't be financially sound all the time. In such cases, playing Andar Bahar online is the second-best possible option.

To this day, no federal law outlawing online gambling exists. As a result, people can play casino games, including Andar Bahar, online essentially anywhere in the country. Even Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, two states that previously prohibited online gambling, allowed it this year (though the latter has reportedly banned it again).

Regardless, India's stance on gambling may finally change soon. Last April, the Online Gaming (Regulation) Bill was introduced to the Lok Sabha, which experts see as an opportunity for India to end its reliance on the grossly-outdated 1867 Act.

Responsible gambling

Lastly, no discussion on gambling would ever be complete without iterating on the importance of playing within your means. In the case of Andar Bahar, it's as simple to play it as to get carried away, especially by the promise of high rewards against a low house edge. If you don't exercise enough restraint, your life can spiral uncontrollably.

Before playing Andar Bahar or any casino game, conducting a brief self-assessment is essential. Experts suggest refraining from pushing your luck in a game if you answer 'no' to most of the following questions:

♦    Do you spend a lot of time gambling?

♦    Are you currently in debt due to gambling?

♦    Have you had to take time off work just to play?

♦    Do you play until the last rupee?

♦    Do you have to resort to borrowing from friends or family?

♦    Do you gamble to pay off dues like utilities and loans?

♦    Has the size of your stakes grown over time?

♦    Have you been drinking or smoking more while gambling?

Arguably the most important thing to remember when gambling is that it's by no means an ideal alternative to a full-time job. It isn't even a good way to earn extra, given the immense statistical odds stacked against the player. In the end, physical or online casino Andar Bahar is supposed to be purely entertainment, just as Andar Bahar, in general, should be.

Another crucial tip is to gamble as much money as you can afford to lose. While there's no exact figure set in stone, some active gamblers say that no more than 10% of your remaining cash after all monthly expenses is a good rule of thumb. If budgeting doesn't suit your fancy, putting spare change in a so-called 'gambling jar' is another viable tactic.

Naturally, it's impossible to bet via cash online, so credit card or e-wallet payments are the way to go. However, credit cards are prone to overuse in gambling since it's easy to take out money from them. For this, you'd want to play in sites that provide ample protection from overspending (e.g., setting betting limits) or feature help desks for gambling addiction.

Conclusion

Amid the current legal status of gambling in India, Andar Bahar remains a favourite in physical and online casinos because of its basic rules and potential for high gains. By playing one's bets right, one can score big wins in this card game that's purely a game of chance. Will the matching card land on Andar or Bahar? Not even a skilful gambler can't be sure, which makes it all the more exciting.

To play Andar Bahar legally, you can go to a licenced casino in Goa, Sikkim, or Daman. If those places are too far away, online Andar Bahar is another option, as gambling laws don't restrict it. Whatever you choose, always remember to gamble within your means.