Fan Tan Malaysia – Ancient Chinese Bead Counting Casino Game Guide

Fan Tan is one of the oldest gambling games in the world, originating in ancient China and remaining popular in Southeast Asian casinos to this day. Available at Maxim88 Malaysia through select live providers, Fan Tan involves counting beads divided by 4 — betting on the remainder. It is elegantly simple yet deeply satisfying once you understand the rhythm of the game.

What is Fan Tan?

Fan Tan is a traditional Chinese game where the dealer uses a cup to scoop a random number of small beads or buttons from a pile. The beads are then counted out in groups of four until fewer than four remain. Players bet on what the final remainder will be: 1, 2, 3, or 0 (4). The simplicity of the game is its greatest strength.

Fan Tan Bet Types

1. Fan (1/2/3/4): Bet on the exact remainder — pays 3:1.
2. Kwok (two numbers): Bet covers two adjacent remainders — pays 1:1.
3. Nim (three numbers): Bet covers three of the four remainders — pays 1:3 (you get back less if correct).
4. Sheh-Sam-Hong: Bet on three specific numbers with one winning more than the others.
5. Odd/Even: Bet on remainder being odd (1 or 3) or even (2 or 4) — pays 1:1.

Strategy for Fan Tan

Tip 1: Odd/Even is the Best Value Bet

Odd/Even bets in Fan Tan work similarly to Red/Black in roulette — roughly 50/50 with a small house edge. They are the most beginner-friendly bets and offer the best odds of any Fan Tan wager.

Tip 2: Fan (exact number) for Higher Variance

Betting the exact remainder (Fan) at 3:1 offers higher payouts but less frequent wins. Use Fan bets for a portion of your session when you want higher-variance excitement.

Providers at Maxim88

• Allbet — Allbet is a leading provider of Asian specialty games including Fan Tan from Hong Kong studios.
• SA Gaming — Offers traditional Chinese casino games including Fan Tan in their live suite.