An automatic shuffling machine is used to shuffle and deal three cards at a time. After each player has made his initial mandatory three bets, the dealer will give three cards facedown to each player and to himself One of the dealer's cards is "burned," or removed from play > leaving him with two cards. These become the community cards used by all players to complete their five-card poker hand (initial three cards plus the two community cards). There are no draw cards in Let it Ride.

Each player examines his initial three cards and based on the strength of the hand or potential to end up with at least a pair of tens or higher, he or she must decide to let the bet in the number one spot ride, or to take it down.

If you want to let it ride, you tuck your cards under the chips in the number one betting spot-like standing in blackjack games where cards are dealt facedown. If instead you want to take down the first bet because your initial three cards aren't particularly good ones, you scratch the cards on the table-like asking for a hit in blackjack. The dealer would then push your chip(s) in the #1 betting spot toward you, and they may be removed from the layout.

After players complete their decision on the first bet, the dealer will expose one of the community cards. This becomes the fourth card for each player. Each player then must decide, based upon the strength of the four-card hand, whether to let the #2 bet ride or to take it down, following the same procedure explained for the #1 betting spot.