Why to use a video poker strategy
Contrary to popular belief, video poker is not a game of pure chance, but rather one in which a well-thought-out strategy can significantly increase your chances of winning. This guide will walk you through the fundamentals of playing video poker games with the goal of helping you maximize your winnings.
Skilled gamblers can gain an advantage at video poker, a popular form of gambling. A small return on investment is possible in the long run if you play a game with favorable pay tables, employ optimal strategy, and earn comps for your play. There are those who prefer video poker to slot machines because of the better return on investment and increased chance of winning a hand.
Playing video poker is easy, and it's very similar to standard poker in that your goal is to construct a hand that pays off the most. To play video poker, select the cards you want to hold by tapping on them or by pressing a button, and then replace the ones you don't like with new ones drawn from the deck. You win if your poker hand looks like a standard one, and the machine decides how much you win.
It's important to remember that you'll be dealt five cards in video poker, just like in a standard poker game. You should aim to make the best possible poker hand with those five cards (royal flush, straight, full house, flush, four of a kind, three of a kind, two pair, jacks or better). To accomplish this, you'll be given the option to keep some cards in your hand while trading for others that could improve your poker hand.
Video poker strategy tips
You can take your video poker skills to another level if you are familiar with some basic strategy and video poker tips. To help you learn how to win the video poker jackpot, our experts have compiled a list of the most important video poker tips that have made the biggest difference in their own gameplay.
1. Choose your game
Choose one of the video poker games. The rate of return varies from game to game; some games may pay out a larger proportion of your wager if you happen to win, while others may pay out a smaller proportion. The best paytable is 9/6 Jacks or Better because the return to player is 99.54% and the house edge is just 0.46%.
You can search for these tables using their names, or you can look at the payouts for a full house or a flush to locate them. On a "Jacks or Better" game, the full house and flush both pay more than the other categories.
2. Familiarize yourself with the game
There are a few things on and around the screen of a video poker game that you need to know before you start playing.
Paytable: This is the table on the poker screen that tells you how much each hand is worth. As was already said, you should choose a table with the best paytable, which means that if you win, you will get the most money. Each paytable will tell you how many coins you'll get if you win a hand with anywhere from one coin to five coins played.
Display area: The display area is where you get cards and is located under the paytable.
Credit total: This number is under where you put your card, and it tells you how many credits you still have left based on the value of the machine.
Deal/draw button: The deal/draw button is on the right side of the keyboard. After each hand, you have to press the button to get the next hand. Once you've chosen the cards you want to keep, hit the button again to get new ones. If you have a winning hand, the machine will add the right number of credits to your balance.
Hold buttons: The hold buttons are right below the screen. After each new deal, press the buttons that match the cards you want to keep in your final hand.
3. Know the pay tables
Knowing the pay tables in video poker is essential because no two hands are the same. The pay tables are easy to find at the top of the screen, so there's no need to memorize them before playing online.
4. Play with maximum coins
When playing video poker online, you should always play at the maximum bet to maximize your chances of winning. In this way, the huge payout for a Royal Flush is guaranteed. If a video poker machine allows you to insert five coins, or "max bet," then you should always play with the maximum amount. A payout schedule for various poker hands should be displayed on each gaming table. If you wager five coins per hand, you'll receive 45 coins for a full house instead of nine coins at a Jacks or Better table. If you make a Royal Flush while betting the maximum amount, you will also receive a bonus.
You should play a lower-denomination machine if you can't afford to play five coins at once. Since a typical five-coin game costs a dollar to play, you likely won't want to spend more than a quarter at a time on it. A machine accepting quarters, at which you can wager only a quarter, is an example of a lower-denomination machine.
5. Low pairs over single high card
Hold onto pairs no matter how low their score is. It's better to hold on to a scoring hand than to risk losing everything by throwing away a low pair in pursuit of a better one.
6. When to break up a straight or flush
We suggest splitting a straight or flush if you have the chance of making a Royal Flush. However, if that is not the case, then make the best with what you have.
The Basic Rules of Video Poker
Video poker may seem like a mix between slots and poker at first glance, but unlike slots, you have some say in the outcome of a hand by attempting to improve it. With this guide, you should feel comfortable playing a hand of video poker.
The Rules of Jacks or Better
Video poker's most popular game is Jacks or Better. The payouts in this game are a little different than the norm, and you need at least two jacks to win. Keep in mind these additional guidelines the next time you play Jacks or Better:
- In order to score, your table poker hand must contain at least a pair of jacks, and there are nine possible winning hands.
- There is a set payout structure in place that indicates how much players can expect to win for various combinations of cards. A royal flush is worth 250 times the bet, making it the top prize.
- There is only one payout per hand, and it goes to the player with the highest possible hand.
- Without a jack in your hand, you can't win anything with a five of a kind, and you also lose if your pair is lower than that.
The Rules of Bonus, Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus Poker
You will find many variants of video poker games, such as Bonus Poker, Double Bonus, and Double Double Bonus, all of which are based on the original Jacks or Better but have their own unique rules. It's important to be familiar with the following guidelines:
- In these variants, the number of possible poker hand combinations is expanded.
- Bonus amounts are determined by the hand.
- It's safe to say that payout rates on these variations are lower than average.
- High payouts for the best hands can be found on the Bonus Poker pay tables.
The Rules of Deuces Wild and Jokers Wild
In Deuces Wild, all 2s become wild. Therefore, a deuce can be used in place of any other card to strengthen your hand. In Jokers Wild, the jokers function similarly to the wild cards. These variants of video poker have slightly modified rules compared to the classic version.
- This is because it is much simpler to construct a winning hand in these games, and consequently the payout structures reflect this.
- Standard poker hand rankings apply.
- It's up to you how many cards you want to throw away.
- With the bonus games available in online Deuces Wild and Jokers Wild games, players have the chance to increase their winnings by a factor of two.
Using Strategies to Win at Video Poker Variants
Video poker strategy varies marginally depending on the specific game mode being played. Here are five of the most important strategy tips for playing online video poker, covering a wide range of possible situations. Here you will find the best poker strategy according to each variant.
Jacks or Better
- Keep all four cards if you have four to a straight or a flush.
- Hold if you have three cards that add up to a royal flush.
- If you get a pair of any value, keep both cards and draw three more.
- Hold if you have three cards that will make a straight flush.
- If you don't have any of the above, hold any jacks and any cards that are higher than a jack.
Deuces Wild
- If you are dealt four deuces, you have the best possible starting hand in this game.
- The only time you should keep all three deuces is if you have a royal flush or five of a kind.
- Maintain any winning hand, even if you don't have any deuces.
- The rule of thumb is to hold if you're three cards away from a royal flush.
- Hold a pair even if you don't have any of the above.
Double Bonus
- Hold any three cards that can form a flush.
- To make a flush, hold on to any four cards.
- Keep both pairs if you are given one. Regardless of how poorly they perform.
- If you are dealt a single particularly high card, you should try to keep it.
- You should drop your hand if you don't have any pairs.
Aces and Faces
- Bet the maximum amount on every hand.
- Hold both cards if you get a pair, regardless of their worth.
- If you're close to completing a royal flush, get rid of the cards you don't need and go for it.
- Four cards to a flush should be held upon.
- Unless a royal flush is in play, you should always have a good hand.
Joker Poker/Jokers Wild
- For starters, keep the three that make a set.
- If you get a hand that is better than a three of a kind, you should keep it.
- Keep those four cards if you receive a high-paying hand of only three cards.
- Hold these four cards if you receive three of a high reward hand and a joker.
- Always go for the maximum wager.
Tens or Better
- First, always retain a good hand unless you have a chance at a royal flush.
- You should always go all in.
- If you have a pair, regardless of how low one of the cards is, keep them.
- Study the payout schedule and learn which hands have the biggest value.
- It's okay to throw away all five of your cards if you don't have anything good to play.
Video Poker Odds
In online video poker, you may occasionally feel like a royal flush is finally within reach. However, how probable is that? Below is a table detailing the probabilities of achieving various video poker winning hands.
|
Hand |
Odds |
|
Royal Flush (dealt straight away) |
1 in 650,000 |
|
Royal Flush (created by player holding/discarding cards) |
1 in 40,000 |
|
Four Aces with a Kicker |
1 in 16,236 |
|
Straight Flush |
1 in 9,150 |
|
2s to 4s with a Kicker |
1 in 6,984 |
|
Four Aces |
1 in 5,761 |
|
Four Deuces |
1 in 4,909 |
|
2s to 4s |
1 in 2,601 |
|
Four of a Kind |
1 in 423 |
|
Full House |
1 in 90 |
|
Flush |
1 in 85 |
|
Straight |
1 in 80 |
Video poker strategy charts
The best tactic is one that maximizes your profit from the opening hand. This way, the player can play as many hands as possible in an effort to increase their chances of winning the jackpot.
The time spent creating the poker position chart is arduous. A 52-card deck may produce 2,598,960 unique five-card combinations. The following is a table containing all the video poker hands that may be achieved in a game without using wildcards.
It's imperative that all 2,598,960 hands be scrutinized. Then, all conceivable holding combinations for these hands must be analyzed to determine the range of probable outcomes and the corresponding payouts.
The Structure of Video Poker Charts
All games excluding those involving wildcards have identically structured video poker strategy charts, or poker hand guides. The strategy chart's top spot is reserved for the hand that generates the highest average return. The highest possible hand in video poker is the royal flush. In the descending sequence of profitability, it is followed by lesser paying hands and then partial hands. Keep in mind that sometimes, while not being a winning hand in and of themselves, partial hands will be featured above winning hands because their average return (for all conceivable outcomes) is higher than a dealt winning hand.
For instance, in most games, a full house is ranked lower than four cards to a royal flush since the former has a better chance of improving to the latter. But that's not the only thing you can do with four royals in your hand. The right cards drawn could also make it a straight flush, flush, or straight. Below are some illustrations.
When the average return for a given hand falls below the average return for a brand new hand, the process of listing hands with ever decreasing average returns begins again. The strategy chart should now read "Redraw" or similar. That's why it makes more sense to buy a new hand than to try to fix the one you have. We have finished the strategy diagram.
You've learned the fundamentals of video poker strategy charts and are now prepared to go deeper into their utilization.
The first five cards you are dealt will tell you which cards to hold according to the video poker strategy card. The best cards to hold are shown on the top line. Below that, the recommended cards to hold in order to maximize your expected return are listed. This process repeats itself until the player is better off throwing away their complete starting hand than holding on to any cards.
Consider this a sneak peek at a potential video poker strategy chart. You may see a section of a Jacks or Better strategy card for full pay games right here:
|
Jacks or Better 9/6 poker chart card |
|
|
Hand Dealt |
Discard |
|
Royal flush |
0 |
|
Straight flush |
0 |
|
4 of a kind |
1 |
|
4-card royal |
1 |
|
Full house |
0 |
|
Flush |
0 |
|
3 of a kind |
2 |
|
Straight |
0 |
|
4-card straight flush |
1 |
|
Two pair |
1 |
|
Pair of jacks or better (high pair) |
3 |
|
3-card royal |
2 |
|
4-card flush |
1 |
|
10-J-Q-K: unsuited |
1 |
|
Pair of 10s or less (low pair) |
3 |
|
9-10-J-Q: unsuited |
1 |
|
8-9-10-J: unsuited |
1 |
|
9-J-Q suited |
2 |
|
9-10-J suited |
2 |
|
Four-card straight, open, no high cards |
1 |
|
Three-card straight flush, two gaps, two high cards |
2 |
|
J-Q-K-A: unsuited |
1 |
|
2-card royal |
3 |
|
Four-card straight, one gap, three high cards |
1 |
|
Three-card straight flush, two gaps, one high card |
2 |
|
Three-card straight flush, one gap, no high cards |
2 |
|
J-Q-K: unsuited |
2 |
|
Two high cards: unsuited (when you have three don't keep the ace) |
3 |
|
Two-card royal flush with 10 and no ace |
3 |
|
One high card |
4 |
|
Nothing (draw five cards) |
5 |
Best Poker Strategy Basics – Playing at the Right Casino
Since there are many moving parts in a good round of video poker, experienced players often only play at casinos that fulfill their strict requirements for a satisfying gaming experience. Those unfamiliar with video poker betting strategy and tactics may be fooled into betting real money. You can earn money by taking educated guesses while playing, but knowing the game's rules and mechanics will give you a much better chance of actually winning. We've laid out the basics of what you need to look for and why below:
High Payout Percentages
If you look at this proportion, you can determine the typical payout from a casino. A payout percentage of 97% indicates that for every $100 gambled, $97 is returned to the player. Keep in mind that this percentage represents the total casino and not your specific stake. However, it is still wise to keep an eye out for a casino that offers a better deal.
Weigh Up The Bonus Offers
Not all bonuses are made equal, yet they can be very alluring. Do your homework on the bonus offer and the stipulations before deciding whether or not to accept it. A signup bonus might not be the best fit for every player who enjoys video poker. Some players should hold out for in-game discounts.
The bonus's usability is typically subject to time limits and wagering requirements imposed by the casino. Before signing up for a casino site, it's smart to familiarize yourself with the bonus terms and conditions. You may rely on us to guide you to the best deals on video poker if you don't have time to go through the many options yourself. You should keep an eye out for a casino bonus that has a significant value and wagering requirements that are reasonable given your typical play.
Don't Forget About Your Safety
Your own personal safety must always come first. Make sure the casino you choose has state-of-the-art digital security features before you start betting real money, such as Betandyou. The video poker machines in the lobby need to be tested for randomness and fairness by a third party. Even if you try your luck somewhere else, be sure to skip over any website that doesn't have this!
Additions to the basic security measures, such as firewalls, secure payment choices, and routine security checks, might alleviate some of the anxiety associated with using the internet. Here at Betandyou you are safe to enjoy playing video poker.
Additional Features
You should also check for a wide selection of deposit and withdrawal options, as well as minimal or nonexistent service fees. It's great that they have help available 24/7, and they also have the correct paperwork from legitimate gambling authorities. A perfect example is Betandyou casino, which offers 60+ payment options!
Video Poker Glossary
|
Term |
Definition |
|
Action |
The total amount of money wagered. |
|
Bankroll |
Total amount of money set aside by the player for use in gaming. Smart players know when to call it quits before they have to start spending money they don't have. |
|
Cycle |
The number of consecutive winning hands at a video poker machine, often known as a "royal flush cycle," that triggers a jackpot payment. The random number generator assures that the actual frequency will always be unknown, however it is often about 40,000 hands. |
|
Discard |
Pressing or clicking the "Discard" button allows the player to get rid of one or more of the original cards dealt. After this happens, fresh cards are dealt in lieu of the ones that are missing, and the value of the final hand is determined. |
|
Drawing Hand |
This is the word used when a player's starting hand has to be improved before they can win a payout. |
|
Face Card |
These are cards that display faces on their pictures. A card category that includes Kings, Queens, and Jacks. |
|
Five of a kind |
Five identical playing cards. Only when a wild card that can replace any other card in the deck is included can this happen in a game of video poker. |
|
Flush |
These cards are all the same suit, but they aren't sequential. |
|
Four of a kind |
You have a quads hand if you have four cards all worth the same. A case in point: four different sorts and a five |
|
Full House |
The poker hand of two cards of one rank and three cards of another rank, sometimes called "tight" or "full boat," is a strong one. |
|
Full Pay |
An optimal pay table for a particular game type is being used by the Video Poker machine. |
|
Hand |
Those five cards you see on your video poker screen are your hand. Making the best possible hand is the aim of the game. |
|
High Card |
High card is the worst possible poker hand because it lacks any winning combination (pairs, flushes, straights, etc.). |
|
Hold |
A "hold" is when a player decides to keep some cards from the original deal. |
|
House Edge |
This is the theoretical edge that the casino has over a player over the long term in a certain game, and it is typically stated as a percentage. |
|
Inside Straight |
Five cards in a row constitute a straight. If a player is going for an inside straight (or gut shot), they need the middle card to complete the hand. |
|
Jackpot |
The maximum return possible from a particular video poker machine. However, the requirements for a royal flush will vary from game to game. Popular games typically feature progressive jackpots that increase over time, while some have a fixed maximum payout (a "flat top"). |
|
Jacks or Better |
The gold standard of video poker games. A player needs a pair of jacks or higher to win the minimum payment. |
|
Kicker |
An extra card that doesn't affect the hand's overall value. Four aces and a three would be a winning hand because of the kicker. Despite widespread neglect, these cards do play a role in breaking ties. |
|
Low Pay |
A video poker machine with not good pay table |
|
Max Bet |
If you press or click this button, you will bet the maximum quantity of coins on the next hand. When playing for the top reward in a progressive jackpot game, it is customary to wager the maximum amount possible. |
|
Maximum coins |
In video poker, this is the maximum number of coins that can be bet at once. Although most machines have a maximum of five coins, there are always outliers. |
|
Multi Hand |
The player in this kind of video poker can wager on more than one hand at a time. There are smaller varieties that can accommodate two or three hands, and there are larger varieties that can accommodate as many as one hundred. |
|
Outside Straight |
A potential straight that requires you to draw one of two cards to finish the five-in-a-row sequence of a straight. This is much easier to complete than an inside straight. For example, a hand that contains 9, 10, J, and Q, can be made into a straight by receiving either an 8 or a K on the draw. |
|
Pair |
A hand with two cards of the same value |
|
Payback Percentage |
The typical payout % for a player's bet. It's reasonable to assume that a player will win back, on average, all of the money bet on a game with a payback percentage of 100%. Unlike the vast majority of casino games, video poker occasionally returns more than 100% to the player (depending on the pay table). |
|
Pay Table |
The table that details the numerous video poker hand payouts available. Full pay is the highest possible table, whereas low pay is the lowest possible table. Even at physical casinos, the rewards for adjacent games might vary widely, so it's important to always check the pay table before putting in any money. |
|
Progressive Jackpot |
The jackpot in this system grows as a little fraction of each bet is contributed to it. As a result, the prize pool becomes larger and larger until someone meets the criteria to claim it (usually a royal flush). After the jackpot has been won, it resets to a smaller sum and gradually increases again. |
|
RNG |
The random number generator (or "RNG") in slot and Video Poker machines guarantees that each spin or deal of the cards is completely random and unrelated to any previous spin or deal. This indicates that, while the odds are low, it is possible to get consecutive royal flushes. |
|
Royal Flush |
In video poker games, this is the best possible hand and usually results in the progressive jackpot being awarded (when available). Every card in the set, from ace to ten, is of the same suit. |
|
Short Pay |
The counterpart to "full pay". These are less than optimum slot machines because of their less generous pay tables. These should typically be avoided. |
|
Straight |
A hand consisting of cards of the same rank but of different suits. |
|
Straight Flush |
To mix up the order of cards in a pack or deck. There are five cards in this poker hand, and they are all of the same suit and in sequential sequence. |
|
Three of a kind |
Three identical cards and two unrelated cards make up this hand. |
|
Two pairs |
Two pairs in one hand. |
|
Volatility |
This metric tracks your fluctuating bankroll when you play slots or video poker. Low-volatility games award players more often and with lesser payouts, while high-volatility games award players with greater payouts but fewer frequent wins. |
|
Wild Card |
A wild card is one that can be used in place of any other card in a given game. In most cases, this title is given to a deuce. |
|
Winning Hand |
A winning hand is one that, when played out, is good enough to earn the player a reward. |
Starting Your Game
You've perfected your video poker strategy and are ready to put it to the test. Get ready to play for real money on the internet with your choice of hundreds of fantastic video poker games, all available right here at Betandyou. How fortunate you are!
FAQ
Which video poker game has the best odds?
Deuces Wild is our top pick since it genuinely gives players a tiny edge over the house if they are prepared to utilize the appropriate strategy on the full-pay edition. Just keep in mind that this benefit might not become apparent until after a very large number of hands have been played.
Do you play video poker the same way you play real life poker?
Despite having the same title, the games are very dissimilar from one another. Video poker is played against the machine, not other people, and has more in common with slot machines than traditional poker. Still, it helps to have some familiarity with poker, at least enough to realize that a decent hand exists.
Can I play online video poker for free?
Yes! Until you're comfortable with the game, you don't have to risk any of your real money because almost every online casino and video poker site allows you to play their games using practice money. A few of these sites even provide free video poker games alongside statistical analysis of your every action.
What is the best video poker game to play?
Even though the majority of players begin with Jacks or Better, many go to Deuces Wild for the reasons stated above. Ultimately, it comes down to preference, and you may discover a third alternative that you like even better than these two.
How can I win at video poker online?
Video poker is a game of chance; there is no surefire way to win outside employing a strategy tailored to your preferred game's rules. The ideal strategy for winning in video poker is to take it slow and methodical, and to play it instead of games with a considerably bigger house edge, such as slots.
How can I beat a video poker machine?
There is no bulletproof approach to play video poker and increase your chances of winning. It's all a matter of chance. But when compared to other casino games, video poker offers superior odds and payouts. Our recommendation is that you play with a plan and be methodical.