Andar Bahar: how to play

What is Andar Bahar?

Andar Bahar has been played in India for generations, often at festivals and family gatherings, and is sometimes called Katti. The names are Hindi: Andar means inside and Bahar means outside, describing the two positions on the table. Online casinos have adapted it into a live dealer game, and several suppliers stream versions to UK-licensed sites, including Evolution, whose games portal lists a Super Andar Bahar; Evolution’s corporate site (opens in a new tab) describes the wider live range.

There are no decisions once your bet is placed, no card values to add up and no skill element. That makes it a pure game of chance, closer to Dragon Tiger than to blackjack. It sits alongside other casino card games in most live lobbies.

How to play Andar Bahar step by step

1. Place your bet on Andar or Bahar, plus any side bets the table offers, before betting closes.
2. The dealer turns one card face up in the centre. This is the joker, sometimes called the game card.
3. Cards are then dealt face up one at a time, alternating between the Andar and Bahar positions.
4. Dealing continues until a card with the same rank as the joker appears. Suits don’t matter.
5. The side that receives the matching card wins. Bets on that side are paid; bets on the other side lose.
6. The cards are collected and a new joker starts the next round.

Which side gets the first card varies by version. In some games it is always Andar; in others it depends on the colour of the joker. The rule is shown in the game’s help screen, and it matters because of the odds explained below.

Andar Bahar odds: why the first card matters

With one deck, after the joker is turned there are 51 cards left, three of which match its rank. The side dealt the first card gets the 1st, 3rd, 5th card and so on; the other side gets the 2nd, 4th, 6th. Because the first side always receives a card one step earlier, it is slightly more likely to land the first match. Working through every possible position of the three matching cards gives the exact figures.

That last row explains the 0.9 to 1 payout. Paying evens on the side that gets the first card would hand players an edge, so the payout is trimmed. Worked example: stake £10 on the first side 100 times. You win about 51.5 times at £9 (+£463.50) and lose about 48.5 times (−£485), finishing about £21.50 down on £1,000 staked, a 2.15% cost.

Multi-deck versions and different payout rules change these figures slightly. Use the RTP shown in the help screen at your casino.

How many cards an Andar Bahar round takes

Rounds vary from one card to dozens. Many tables offer side bets on how many cards will be dealt before the match, so it helps to know the real distribution. We calculated it for a single deck.

The average is 13 cards and the median is 11. Side bet payouts on these ranges are set below the fair price, so they carry an edge; check the paytable and RTP in the help screen before using them. Our side bet glossary entry explains how to judge them.

Andar Bahar variants online

Online versions mostly share the core rules but differ in deck count, first-card rule, side bets and extras. Branded studio versions such as Evolution’s Super Andar Bahar may add their own extras; where a version adds multipliers, some of the return moves from regular wins into rare boosted ones, so the help screen is the place to confirm the rules. RNG versions run on software rather than a studio deal.

Andar Bahar and UK gambling rules

Andar Bahar is a casino game under the Gambling Commission’s rules, wherever it originated. For players in Great Britain that means:

• You start every round yourself; autoplay was removed from online casino games from 17 January 2025.
• RNG casino games must take at least 5 seconds per game cycle, following the Commission’s speed-of-play decision (opens in a new tab).
• Net position and elapsed time must be visible while you play.
• No national stake cap applies; the £5 slot stake limit covers reel-based slots only.
• Any bonus you use can’t carry wagering above 10 times the bonus, since 19 January 2026.
• You must be 18 or over and verified before you can play, including demo versions, since May 2019.

Andar Bahar is also widely promoted by offshore sites aimed at overseas markets. Sites without a Commission licence offer none of the protections above. Check any operator on the Gambling Commission register (opens in a new tab) and read our guide to offshore casinos.

Andar Bahar tricks and myths

Because the game is popular in social settings, it comes with plenty of folk strategies. None changes the maths.

• Always bet the first side. It wins more often but pays less; it is cheaper (2.15% against 3.00%) but still negative.
• Track the joker colour. The colour may decide who receives the first card in some versions, which affects payouts, not your edge after the payout is adjusted.
• Switch sides after a streak. Most versions reshuffle between rounds, and in any case past rounds don’t matter, as our gambler’s fallacy guide explains.
• Double up to recover. Progressions raise exposure quickly; see betting systems explained.

Bankroll maths for Andar Bahar

Rounds are short, so the number of rounds per hour drives cost more than the edge itself. If a live table runs about 60 rounds an hour, £2 a round on the first side is £120 staked per hour, an average cost of about £2.58. At an RNG table you could play several times that many rounds. Decide on a fixed stake and an end time, and our casino bankroll basics guide shows how to size them.

Staying in control while you play

Use the casino’s deposit limit, reality check and time-out tools, and take breaks. If gambling is causing problems, the National Gambling Helpline is free on 0808 8020 133, and Gamblers Anonymous (opens in a new tab) runs peer-support meetings across the UK. Our page on signs of problem gambling can help you decide whether to seek support.

Where to play Andar Bahar in the UK

Andar Bahar is carried by some, not all, UK live casino lobbies. Check Casumo’s live casino or PlayOJO’s live casino for current tables, and see the games hub for related card games such as online baccarat.

Our partners don’t run an Andar Bahar promotion. The nearest fit is Casumo’s welcome bonus: 18+ new customers who opt in and deposit at least £20 get 50% extra up to £100, wagered 10x within 7 days with a £5 bet cap, and live card games may be restricted. PlayOJO (80 spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza, £10 first deposit, no wagering) and Coral (100 spins at 10p on selected slots after £10 of slot bets) are slot offers only. Terms apply to all three.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set deposit limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.