American Mahjong payout calculator
Enter the hand’s value, how it was won, whether it had jokers, and what you play for. The table shows who pays what under the standard payouts: the thrower pays double, a self-pick costs everyone double, and no jokers doubles it all.
The hand
What is it worth on the card?
How was it won?
Jokers
Who pays what
| The player who threw it pays | $0.50 |
|---|---|
| Each of the other 2 pays | $0.25 |
| The winner collects | $1.00 |
How it adds up
- The hand is worth 25 points.
- At 1¢ a point, one payment is $0.25.
- The player who threw it pays double: $0.50.
- The other 2 pay once: $0.25 each.
- The winner collects $1.00.
Your table
What do you play for?
How much a point?
How many at the table?
How the payout works
Only the winner collects. Every hand on the card has a value in points, usually 25 or more. These are the standard payouts, from the rules the National Mah Jongg League publishes:
- Someone threw the winning tile. The thrower pays double the value. Everyone else pays the value once.
- The winner picked it herself. Everyone pays double the value.
- No jokers in the winning hand. Every payment doubles. Singles and pairs hands are the exception: they can't hold jokers, so they never get the double.
- A wall game. Nobody wins, so nobody pays.
What a point is worth in money is up to your table. That part is a house rule. Many groups play for a cent or a nickel a point. Others play quarters: one payment is a quarter, whatever the hand is worth.
Worked examples
In card points, four at the table unless the line says three. At 1¢ a point, read the points as cents: 50 points is 50¢.
| The hand | Thrower pays | Each other pays | Winner collects |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-point hand, someone threw it | 50 | 25 | 100 |
| 25-point hand, self-picked | Nobody threw it | 50 | 150 |
| 30-point hand, no jokers, someone threw it | 120 | 60 | 240 |
| 30-point hand, no jokers, self-picked | Nobody threw it | 120 | 360 |
| 50-point singles and pairs hand, someone threw it | 100 | 50 | 200 |
| 25-point hand, three at the table, someone threw it | 50 | 25 | 75 |
One hand at different stakes
A 25-point hand with jokers, someone threw it, four at the table:
| Stake | Thrower pays | Each other pays | Winner collects |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1¢ a point | $0.50 | $0.25 | $1.00 |
| 2¢ a point | $1.00 | $0.50 | $2.00 |
| 5¢ a point | $2.50 | $1.25 | $5.00 |
| 10¢ a point | $5.00 | $2.50 | $10.00 |
| 25¢ a point | $12.50 | $6.25 | $25.00 |
| Quarters (25¢ a hand) | $0.50 | $0.25 | $1.00 |
A self-pick costs each player what the thrower pays in this table.
House rules this calculator leaves out
Some tables change the standard payouts. These are house rules, and every table plays them a little differently:
- The thrower pays the same as everyone, or a self-pick pays once.
- No extra for no jokers.
- A kitty: a cup of coins, often fed on a wall game, that the next winner takes.
- A pie: a limit on how much each player can lose in a night.
How payouts work in American Mahjong explains each one with examples. The score keeper in our app handles all of them for a whole night.
Log most hands in two taps. The app adds up who owes what with your house rules, kitty and pie included. Free, no account needed. Or play today’s free daily hand.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a 25-point hand pay in American Mahjong?
- If someone threw the winning tile, the thrower pays 50 points and the other two pay 25 each, so the winner collects 100. At 1¢ a point that is 50¢, 25¢ and $1.00. If the winner picked the tile herself, all three pay 50 and the winner collects 150.
- Who pays double in American Mahjong?
- The player who threw the winning tile pays double the hand’s value. If the winner picked the tile herself, everyone pays double. A hand with no jokers doubles every payment again, except a singles and pairs hand.
- How do you play mahjong for quarters?
- One payment is a quarter, whatever the hand is worth on the card. The thrower pays two quarters and the others pay one each. A self-pick costs everyone two quarters. Tables differ on whether a hand with no jokers doubles it; this calculator doubles it. Quarters is a house rule, so agree on it before you start.
- Does the payout change with three players?
- Only the number of payers changes. With three at the table, the thrower pays double and the one other player pays once. A self-pick costs both other players double.