If you've ever watched a game end and seen coins slide across the table in three directions at once, it can look mysterious. Don't worry. Once you know the three or four basic rules, you'll be able to figure out any payout in your head, or with our payout calculator.
The big idea: only the winner gets paid
In American mahjong, there are no points for "almost" winning. Each round, one player declares Mahjong (or no one does), and the other players pay the winner. You don't add up scores from your tiles the way some other styles do. Instead, the value comes from the card.
Hand values come from the card
Every hand printed on the yearly card has a value next to it, written in cents, such as 25 or 30. Harder hands are worth more. Concealed hands, which you have to build without calling discards, usually carry higher values than similar exposed hands. If the card is new to you, start with how to read the mahjong card.
Because the official card belongs to the League, we use our own practice hands as examples. Here are two:
Odd numbers
Odd Couple
X30¢
FF111335555777
Two suits: the 1s and 3s share one suit, the 5s and 7s share another.
One way to complete it:
Singles & pairs
Pairs Party
C50¢
FF1122334455DD
Five pairs in a row in one suit, plus a pair of that suit's matching dragon. Concealed, and no Jokers (Jokers never go in pairs).
Notice that the concealed singles-and-pairs hand is worth more. That pattern is common: tougher hands pay better.
The basic payment rules
Winning on a discard
If you win by calling another player's discard:
- the player who threw your winning tile pays double the hand value
- the other two players each pay the hand value once
This is why experienced players get careful late in the game. Throwing someone their winning tile costs extra.
Winning on a self-pick
If you draw your winning tile from the wall yourself, that's a self-pick (some people say "self-drawn"). Since no one threw it to you, everyone pays double.
The jokerless bonus
If your winning hand has no jokers at all, most tables double every payment. This stacks with the other rules, so a jokerless self-pick means everyone pays four times the hand value.
One common exception: hands made only of singles and pairs can't use jokers anyway, so many groups don't give the jokerless bonus for them. House rules vary, so ask before your first game. Our joker rules guide explains why jokers can't go in pairs.
Wall games
Sometimes the wall runs out and nobody has won. That's a wall game. No one pays, the tiles get reshuffled, and you start the next round. No harm done.
A worked example
Let's say four friends are playing: Ann, Beth, Carol, and Dee. Ann wins with the Odd Couple practice hand above, worth 30 cents.
| How Ann wins | Who pays Ann | Ann collects |
|---|---|---|
| On Beth's discard | Beth 60¢, Carol 30¢, Dee 30¢ | $1.20 |
| Self-pick | Beth, Carol, and Dee 60¢ each | $1.80 |
| On Beth's discard, jokerless | Beth $1.20, Carol 60¢, Dee 60¢ | $2.40 |
| Self-pick, jokerless | Beth, Carol, and Dee $1.20 each | $3.60 |
Now say Dee wins the next round with the Pairs Party practice hand, worth 50 cents, on a self-pick. Everyone pays her $1.00, so she collects $3.00. If her table doesn't give a jokerless bonus for singles-and-pairs hands, that's the final amount. If it does, everyone pays $2.00 instead.
Try it yourself: our mahjong payout calculator does this math for you. Pick the winner, how they won, and the hand value, and it shows who pays whom. You can edit the multipliers to match your table.
Common house rules
Every group has its own habits. These are some you're likely to run into. None of them are wrong; just ask how your table plays.
Calling Mahjong by mistake
If someone declares Mahjong and their hand turns out not to match a card hand, many tables ask them to pay a penalty. Some have that player pay each other player a set amount or the value of the hand they claimed. Others simply declare their hand "dead," meaning they can no longer win that round but keep drawing and discarding until it ends.
Flat stakes
Some groups skip the per-hand math. Everyone puts in a fixed amount at the start, such as a few dollars, and winners are paid from that. Others set a cap so no one loses more than a set amount in an evening.
Chips, pennies, or points
Many groups use poker chips, a jar of pennies, or a notepad instead of cash. It keeps things friendly and lets beginners learn the scoring without any pressure. A few groups don't keep score at all while people are learning.
Other differences
- Three-player games use the same rules, but with only two players paying.
- Some tables change the multipliers, or skip the discarder's double payment entirely.
- Some groups add their own small bonuses. If a rule surprises you, it's fine to ask.
Tips for your first game night
- Ask about house rules before the first hand. "Do you double for jokerless?" is a great question.
- Bring small change or ask whether the group uses chips.
- Don't worry about the math. Experienced players will help you count, and nobody minds.
- Focus on finding a hand, not on its value. Winning any hand is a great first night.
Ready to practice? Try finding a hand with our practice hand finder, play a round in the practice game, or read the full guide on how to play American mahjong. Want it all on paper? The First Game Night Kit has a printable cheat sheet and score sheet. You've got this.
