Fan Tan
Fan Tan is one of the oldest games in any casino and among the strangest to a first-time player. A pile of beads is covered, then counted out in groups of four, and you bet on how many are left over at the end. The answer is always one, two, three or four — and that remainder is the whole game.
How a round works
The dealer takes a quantity of beads and covers them, so nobody knows the count. Bets are placed. The cover is removed and the beads are separated into groups of four until fewer than four remain.
The number left over — 1, 2, 3 or 4 — is the winning result. Because the starting pile is unknown and the arithmetic is fixed, the outcome is genuinely random even though nothing is spun or shuffled.
The bet types
Fan Tan offers more than a straight pick of the remainder, which is what makes the table look complicated:
- Fan — a single number, backing one specific remainder.
- Nim — two numbers, one to win and one to push, so a result of the second number returns your stake.
- Kwok — two numbers, either of which wins.
- Sheh-Sam-Hong — three numbers, any of which wins.
- Odd or Even — the remainder is odd or even.
The more outcomes a bet covers, the smaller it pays. A single-number Fan bet pays the most and lands least; a three-number bet lands often and pays little.
Why it is worth trying
There is no skill and nothing to learn beyond the bet names, but the game is unusually transparent — you watch the beads being counted in front of you, so the result is verified in real time rather than reported to you.
All the bets carry a similar margin, so the choice between them is about how often you want to win rather than about value. Covering three of four numbers wins most rounds and returns very little; picking one wins rarely and pays more. Neither is the better bet.
Where it sits
Fan Tan sits alongside the other Asian-origin table games on the live floor. Super Sic Bo and Dragon Tiger are the closest neighbours in both origin and pace.
Everything settles in rand at a licensed operator. See the live dealer floor for the full table selection.
Frequently asked questions
How does Fan Tan work?
A covered pile of beads is counted out in groups of four, and you bet on how many are left over at the end — one, two, three or four. The starting pile is unknown when bets are placed, so the remainder is genuinely random.
What are Fan, Nim and Kwok bets?
Fan backs a single remainder. Nim covers two numbers, one to win and one to push so your stake is returned. Kwok covers two numbers, either of which wins. Sheh-Sam-Hong covers three. The more numbers covered, the less it pays.
Which Fan Tan bet is best?
None is better value — the bets carry a similar margin, so the choice is about how often you want to win rather than what it costs you. Covering three numbers wins most rounds for very little; a single number wins rarely and pays more.
Is there any skill in Fan Tan?
No. The result comes from a bead count nobody can see when bets are placed, and no bet type improves your expected result. What it does offer is transparency — you watch the count happen rather than being told the outcome.
18+. Gambling involves risk and can be addictive. Play responsibly. National Responsible Gambling Programme 0800 006 008.