How Much Money Can I Make Playing Spades?

Let’s get one thing out of the way – how much can you earn by playing spades? Well, first, it goes without saying that playing card games for money isn’t a wise way to improve your financial situation.

And secondly, unfortunately, you don’t earn a lot.

That’s because there aren’t many platforms that offer you the chance to play for money. So you could win a few dollars to a hundred if you look hard enough.

How to Play Spades?

Before revealing the platforms to play, we should learn how to play spades. In this game, you play with another player and aim to reach 500 points before the other team does.

To play, we recommend a 52-card deck and a notepad to keep track of the points.

2 Definitions You Need to Know

Before telling you the rules, you should first understand a couple of definitions and what they mean:

• Trick/Book - A group of 4 cards that the players have played. The more your team wins them, the more points you earn
• Contract - An estimation of how many tricks/books you think your team will get at the end of the round.

So, with that out of the way, let’s continue explaining the rules.

Starting the Spades Game

Each player must pick a card from the deck to start a game. The one that draws the highest card will become the dealer (the dealer’s cards face up) and deal all cards to 4 players.

Once the cards have been dealt, the players will predict how many tricks they will earn this round, a.k.a. creating the contract.

The easiest way to predict is to check your deck. Count every ace and king as a trick. Then, once you’ve found your trick number, add your teammate’s trick number, and the contract has been created.

Now, the actual game can begin!

P.S. The contract needs to have at least four tricks. So if you have 3 or 2 tricks, you must say 4, even though you might not get it.

Playing the Game

Now the game starts! The player left to the Dealer will begin by drawing the card. That will decide which suit of card they will be playing. Then, all other players will pick the card with the same suit and try to win the trick. 

You can pick a random card from your deck if you don’t have any cards with the same suit.

The one that has the highest card wins the game. After that, the winner will draw the first card, deciding the suit of a card.

However, after the first trick, you can start using spade cards, which are the trump cards. That means it will beat any suit of cards; however, the highest one will take the trick when there are multiple spade cards.

Then, repeat the process until all cards have been played!

Counting Points After Each Round

Once all the cards have been played, the round ends. Now it’s time to count the points gained!

First, both teams need to count how many tricks they won. Once counted, two things will happen:

First, if you meet the trick count on the contract, then you will take the contract trick count and then multiply it by 10. Then, you add a point to your score for every other trick.

So, for example, let’s say you predicted six tricks and got 8! Well, then, the math looks something like this:
6 x 10 + 2 x 1 = 60 + 2 = 62

However, if you didn’t meet the contract, you’ll multiply its predicted trick count by 10. Then, just subtract it from your score.

So the math for predicted five tricks is this:
5 x 10 = 50

Then, repeat the process until one of the teams reaches the objective score of 500.

4 Tips for Winning Spade Games

Now you have a basic understanding of how to play spades games. There are different variants out there, but it should suffice. However, to help you earn more from spades, it’s best to learn some tips to help you win more.

Here are four main points:

Tip #1  - Don’t Cut Your Partner

When the partner already has the winning card, there is no reason to put a higher card to the trick. It’s a team game, so it’s better to cooperate than compete with each other. Plus, you’ll lose a card you could use to your advantage.

However, if you don’t have any other cards of the same suit, then there’s nothing else to do but play it.

Tip #2 - Remember What Cards Have Been Played

In Spades, what differentiates average players from winners is that they remember which cards have been played. That can give you a massive advantage as you could use cards that others cannot go against.

Counting cards will take some experience, but it’s best to remember all the high-ranking cards like Ace, King, Queen, and Jack.

Tip #3 - Bid as Accurately as Possible

Winning tricks is one part of the game. The other one is predicting the amount of tricks after each round accurately.

That will help you to get more points, as every other trick over the contract is only worth one point, while everything within the contract is worth 10 points.

However, that’s not all! In addition to not getting as many points, if you get ten tricks over the contract, you lose 100 points.

Tip #4 - Influence Players to Play High-Ranking Spades

The winners will always take control of the game. And while there is some luck included in this game, you have the potential to win with every card deck.

One of the best ways to get odds to your side is to influence other players into playing their high-ranking spades.

You can do that by adding a spade to the trick. That will force players to play their spades away, which helps level the playing field.

10 Great Platforms to Play Spades In

Now that you both know the rules of Spades and some winning strategies, it’s time to take action and start winning some games. Fortunately, there are a ton of platforms for you to play in!

But no matter what platform you choose to play, you should make sure it follows the criteria:

• As few ads as possible – The fewer ads there are, the better experience you will have.
• Social features – A safe environment where you can play with others is excellent. This means you have chat rooms with opt-out options and a mute button, so you won’t have to listen to abusive language.
• Lots of Online Players – Instead of waiting minutes to find enough players, it’s better if you can find them in seconds.
• Great Graphics – To have a good experience, not only do the visuals need to be pleasing to the eye, but they also need to have a clean and easy-to-understand interface. That way, you won’t be confused while playing.

And fortunately, all eleven platforms follow them:

1. Spades+

Image Source: Play Store

Starting the list, we have Spades+. It’s an excellent mobile app for iOS and Android, allowing you to play spades on the go.

It’s free for anyone to use and offers you both play against bots and other players. However, what makes this even better is that you have both achievements to strive for and tutorials to get better!

Play on Spades+ Now!

2. CardGames.io

Image Source: cardgames.io

Next up, there is CardGames.io. It’s a platform that allows you to play many games, including Spades. 

It has a simple interface and allows you to play against bots or with others. But what’s great is that there are few to no ads on the site, making it convenient when playing spades! 

Despite being a simple interface, you'll find a lot of beautiful game themes which is pretty hard to ignore.

Play on CardGames.io now!

3. VIP Spades

Image Source: vipspades.com

VIP Spades is yet another fantastic platform to play some spades. The first thing you’ll notice when playing VIP Spades is how stunning the game looks. 

It has excellent visuals, and the interface is easy to understand.

But what’s fantastic about VIP Spades is its active player base, making it quick and easy to find matches and start playing. You can also try out various game modes like MIrror Whiz and Suicide.

But the best part is that you don’t need an account to start playing!

Play VIP Spades now!

4. Spades Cash

Continuing the list, we have another Spades mobile app called “Spades Cash.” With it, you can play on a visually pleasing table with several unique offers.

First, Spades Cash has created tutorial levels that help you become better at it. Plus, you can play with either bots or other players.

But what makes this one unique is that this app has regular cash tournaments. In most tournaments, you'll get entry via a virtual currency.

With this, you can play against other players and win real cash prizes. However, it’s unavailable in the states of R, CT, DE, IN, LA, ME, MT, SC, SD, and TN.

To help you get started, you'll find clear tutorials which is really helpful.

Play on Spades Cash now!

5. CardzMania

If you want simplicity from a Spades website, you cannot go wrong with Cardzmania. It’s a card game platform that has excellent and straightforward graphics.

This game allows you to organize cash games with your friends or any other member you want.

They also have created an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, so there won’t be any issues.

However, what makes CardzMania more astounding is its chatroom, which allows you to chat with teams.

Plus, you don’t need an account to play with bots!

Play on CardzMania now!

6. Pogo Spades HD

Image Source: pogo.com

Next up, there is Pogo Spades HD. It’s yet another stunning spades platform that has some fantastic graphics.

With it, you can play through different game modes like Solo, Mirror, and Whiz. Plus, Pogo Spades HD also has some tournaments you can attend, where you could win real-world rewards. 

Plus, if you want to play with your friends, you can do that here. In Pogo, you can create a private table where you can only invite your friends and change the rules to fit your playstyle.

Play on Pogo Spades HD now!

7. 247Spades

Image Source: 247spades

Next up, we have 247Spades. It’s a great place to play, with a very simple and classical-looking table design.

However, where 247Spades shines the most is with its AI. They have smart AI that can replace real opponents, which makes the wait times lower and the gameplay much more fun.

Play on 247Spades now!

8. Spades Royale

Image Source: Spades Royale

Continuing down the list, we have yet another excellent mobile app for Spades called Spades Royale. If your skill levels are pretty high, you are going to earn some decent money on this one as it is a skill based game.

It’s an app with one of the most stunning graphics I’ve seen, making it pleasant to play.

But what’s more, is that it offers you tons of customization. Not only can you play the many game modes, but it also includes avatar creation, giving you a unique look.

Plus, there are many great social features like a friends list and chat rooms, making it a great place to find some friends.

Play on Spades Royale now!

9. Spades by Pokerist

Last but not least, we have Spades by Pokerist. It’s another great Spades gaming app for Android and iOS. But what sets this one apart is that Spades by Pokerist has 3D graphics. That gives you a unique playing experience!

However, what’s even more impressive is that you don’t need to create an account to start playing, as you can start as a guest.

If you like it enough, you can create an account and earn rewards through their progression system.

Play on Spades by Pokerist here!

10. Bonus: Join “Spades for Cash” Facebook Page

As you can see, only a few platforms offer you the option of playing Spades for cash. And while that might be sad, there are alternatives, fortunately.

One of the easiest ways to find other players willing to play for real money is by joining a Facebook group called “Spades for Cash.”

You’ll find someone who would like to play with you in there. Just remember that the prize pool won’t be high.

Conclusion

So now you know how to play Spades and make money doing it. So, instead of waiting around, why not try to win today? Just join the Facebook page, pick your platform, and find someone to enter a tournament with.