Video Poker Tutorial: Master the Best Game in the Casino

Video poker is one of the most strategic casino games you can play, combining the familiar hand rankings of traditional poker with the simplicity of slot machines. Unlike slots where outcomes are purely random, video poker gives you control over your destiny through smart decision-making. This comprehensive video poker tutorial reveals everything you need to know to transform from a beginner to a confident player who consistently makes optimal choices. You’ll learn about hand rankings, pay tables, bankroll management, and specific strategies for popular variants like Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild. Whether you’re playing free online versions to practice or betting real money at top casinos, understanding video poker strategy dramatically improves your chances of walking away a winner. The best part? With proper knowledge and the right machine selection, video poker actually gives players a mathematical edge over the house in certain situations – something rarely found in casino gambling.

Introduction to Video Poker

Video poker is a single-player casino game that combines elements of traditional poker with slot machines. Unlike other poker games that involve competing against other players, video poker pits you against the machine with the goal of creating the best possible five-card poker hand. The game starts when you place your bet and press the “deal” button to receive your initial five cards. From there, you decide which cards to keep and which to discard, hoping the new cards complete a winning hand according to the machine’s pay table.

One of the most appealing aspects of video poker compared to other casino games is the element of skill involved. While slots are purely games of chance, video poker requires strategic decision-making that directly impacts your long-term results. By learning proper strategy – knowing exactly which cards to hold in every situation – you can significantly improve your odds and potentially achieve a theoretical return of over 99% on certain machines. This combination of simplicity and strategic depth makes video poker a favorite among smart casino players who want more control over their gambling outcomes.

Video poker was believed to have been introduced a century ago when coin operated machines displayed playing cards on reels, evolving into the exhilarating video poker game which is now available at online casinos. It was very primitive compared to modern-day video poker games but it was the first-ever computerized video poker machine that paved the way for the sophisticated versions we enjoy today. The popularity of these machines increased until they were an absolute must in every land-based casino, and with the rise of online gambling, video poker has become equally popular in digital casinos worldwide.

How Video Poker Works: Basic Mechanics

The basic video poker workflow follows a straightforward pattern that remains consistent across virtually all variants:

1. Select your bet size by choosing credit value and number of credits (typically 1-5)
2. Press “Deal” to receive your initial five cards
3. Decide which cards to hold and which to discard
4. Press “Draw” to replace discarded cards with new ones
5. Receive payout based on your final hand and the machine’s pay table

Unlike traditional poker where you compete against other players, video poker is played against a computer. The objective is simple: get the best possible hand to win based on a fixed pay table. After placing your bet, you’ll be dealt five cards face up, from which you can hold or discard as many as you like. Once you’ve made your selections, the discarded cards are replaced, and your final hand is compared to the pay table to determine your winnings.

When it is on, you can run your finger across the cards you want to hold in a single motion – for example, with a dealt Flush, you can swipe your finger across all five cards to hold them all at once. Your playing statistics can be reset by tapping the reset button, which is helpful when practicing new strategies. The Play mode lets you practice or learn the current game’s strategy in different ways, allowing you to develop your skills without risking real money.

Choosing Your Bet Size

This is choosing the credit value and the number of credits you want to bet. Video poker machines have different betting options to suit different players. For example, a quarter machine might allow bets from 25 cents up to $1.25 (5 credits), while a dollar machine would range from $1 to $5. Your first decision in any video poker session is determining how much to wager per hand.

Most video poker experts would recommend always betting the maximum number of coins (usually five credits) when playing for real money. Why? Because the payout for a royal flush – the game’s highest hand – increases dramatically when playing max coins, often jumping from 250 coins for four credits to 800 or 1000 coins for five credits. This disproportionate increase makes betting maximum coins essential for maximizing your long-term returns.

“Many beginners miss this critical point: the house edge increases by 1.5-2% when you don’t play max coins on standard video poker machines. That seemingly small decision turns a 99.5% return game into a 97.5% game, which is comparable to poor slot machines. Always check if the royal flush payout is proportionally higher at max coins before you sit down to play.” – Henry Tamburin, gambling expert and author of “Break the Edge: How to Win More at Casino Games”

Video Poker Hand Rankings Explained

Anyone familiar with the game of poker will recognize nearly all the winning video poker hands as they are the same. The hand rankings follow traditional poker hierarchy, but with one critical difference: the minimum winning hand varies by game. For Jacks or Better, you need at least a pair of jacks to qualify for a payout, while Deuces Wild requires three of a kind.

Here’s a complete ranking of hands from highest to lowest:

In video poker jargon, “full pay” means that you are getting the highest standard pay table for a particular machine. Understanding these hand rankings is essential because they form the basis for all video poker strategy decisions. The minimum qualifying hand will vary from machine to machine, with some being as low as a pair of tens or better and some being as high as three of a kind.

The Importance of Minimum Qualifying Hand

The minimum hand differs between video poker variants and significantly impacts your strategy. Here’s how common variants differ:

• Jacks or Better: Pair of Jacks or higher
• Tens or Better: Pair of Tens or higher
• Deuces Wild: Three of a kind (deuces act as wild cards)
• Jokers Wild: Pair of Kings or two pair (joker acts as wild card)
• Aces and Eights: Pair of Jacks (but with bonus payouts for four 7s, 8s or aces)

It is imperative that you are fully aware of the rules that govern the game along with complete information on the payout table before wagering. This knowledge affects nearly every decision you make during gameplay, particularly when determining which cards to hold and which to discard.

Pay Tables Explained: Your Roadmap to Winning

Pay tables are an essential part of any video poker game, showing the payouts for different hands based on the player’s bet. They’re literally your roadmap to winning because they determine the game’s return percentage and optimal strategy. Unlike slot machines where payout percentages are hidden, video poker machines display exactly what each winning hand pays, allowing knowledgeable players to select the best machines.

When examining the Jacks or Better pay table, the area you should concentrate on is the payoff for the full house and the flush. The best paytable is 9/6, as that pays out nine credits for a full house and six for a flush. For one credit played, full-pay machines return 9 credits on a full house and 6 credits on the flush. This may seem like a small difference, but it has a massive impact on your long-term returns:

This 2.24% difference might not seem significant, but it translates to losing approximately $2.24 extra for every $100 wagered. In practical terms, this means instead of losing about 46 cents per $100 on the 9/6 machine, you’d lose over $2.70 per $100 on the 8/5 machine. Over thousands of hands, this difference becomes very substantial.

“Most players make the fatal mistake of not checking pay tables before sitting down. When I visit casinos, I see 90% of video poker players on 8/5 Jacks or Better machines while 9/6 machines sit empty nearby. Always check the full house and flush payouts first – if they’re less than 9 and 6 respectively, walk away immediately. Your bankroll will thank you after just a few hours of play.” – Bob Dancer, video poker champion and author of “Million Dollar Video Poker”

How to Find the Best Pay Tables

Finding machines with favorable pay tables requires vigilance and knowledge:

• Focus on full-pay machines – These offer the highest possible payouts for each hand
• Know the critical payoffs – For Jacks or Better, look for 9/6; for Bonus Poker, 8/5; for Double Bonus, 10/7
• Verify before playing – Machines of the same game type often have different pay tables even within the same casino
• Use resources like VpFREE2 – This provides a database of most games, complete with pay tables, payback percentage, and casino availability
• Ask casino staff – Some casinos will direct you to better-paying machines for loyal players

Knock one credit off the full house and flush payouts, bringing the machine down to 8/5, and the best you can do is a 97.30% payback. Because of this alteration, most machines have a pair of kings the lowest winning hand, creating what’s known as a “short pay” machine. By choosing machines with good pay tables you can win more and make the most of your best video poker machines experience. The pay table tells you what winning hands are and how much they pay, so you can make informed decisions on which hands to go for.

The Top Video Poker Games Compared

While hundreds of video poker variants exist, these represent the most popular and highest-paying options for strategic players:

Jacks or Better

The best place to start your video poker conquest is with the Jacks or Better game. This is the most common variant with simple rules – you need at least a pair of jacks to win. When playing Jacks or Better, look for the “9/6” pay table (9 coins for a full house, 6 for a flush), which offers a 99.54% return with optimal play.

For example, the 9/6 Jacks or Better game has two strategies you can follow, the Simple Strategy and the Advanced Strategy. The Simple Strategy has 13 rules to follow and gives players a 99.46% RTP rate, whereas the Advanced Strategy has 28 rules and gives players a 99.54% RTP rate. Beginners might prefer to start with Jacks or Better as this is the most common variant but, for the reasons outlined above, many players soon graduate to Deuces Wild.

Deuces Wild

This variation stands out with its wild cards – all twos (“deuces”) become wild, substitutable for any card to complete winning hands. The game has a low house edge and is particularly good for beginners because of its easily understandable strategy. Before delving into the specifics of Deuces Wild Poker, it’s crucial to highlight its outstanding return-to-player (RTP) rate, one of the highest among video poker games.

The full-pay version of Deuces Wild offers a theoretical return of 100.76% with perfect strategy, making it one of the few casino games where skilled players can gain a mathematical edge. Players also like that they can receive a sizable mini-jackpot by hitting four deuces, which occurs about eight times more frequently than a royal flush.

“The biggest mistake I see Deuces Wild players make is holding three deuces when drawing to a royal flush. Many players correctly hold three deuces for most hands, but when you have three deuces plus three cards to a royal (like 2-2-2-10-H), you should hold just the three deuces. This counterintuitive play gives you better long-term results because of the wild card frequencies.” – Dan Paymar, author of “Video Poker: Optimum Play”

Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus

These variations offer enhanced payouts for specific four-of-a-kind hands:

• Double Bonus Poker: Higher payouts for four aces, four 2s-4s, and four 5s-K
• Double Double Bonus Poker: Even higher payouts when four aces come with a 2, 3, or 4 kicker

The best Double Bonus pay table has an RTP of 99.11%. However, the game has a more involved strategy than Jacks or Better and it’s more volatile (i.e., there are bigger swings in your bankroll). Double Double Bonus takes this concept further with even more complex payouts for specific quads, requiring players to learn additional strategy nuances.

Super Aces Bonus

This game offers significant bonuses for four aces, paying 16-60 coins depending on the specific game variant. The following strategy is the optimal strategy for 8/5 Super Aces Bonus Poker. While the temptation to chase four aces is strong, proper strategy requires recognizing when to break up potentially winning hands to pursue this high-paying combination.

Ultimate X and Other Bonus Games

Ultimate X Poker adds a multiplier feature that increases potential winnings on subsequent hands. The Ultimate X Poker Bonus Streak works by awarding multipliers that carry forward to your next hand when you win. Understanding how to maximize these multipliers through proper hand selection separates average players from the elite.

There are numerous variations of video poker, each with its own set of rules and paytables. While these might seem complicated at first glance, each variant’s payout structure can make a big difference in your strategy and earnings. By mastering these strategies, you can know how to play video poker and win more consistently.

Jacks or Better Strategy: The Foundation

Jacks or Better serves as the foundation for learning video poker strategy because most other variants build upon its basic principles. Mastering Jacks or Better strategy gives you the framework needed to understand more complex games.

The Strategy Chart

Video poker experts have created strategy charts to guide those choices. Using a video poker strategy chart can help you make the right decisions and get a high paying hand. These charts list hands in order of priority, from most valuable to least. To use the strategy chart, work from the top down until you find the first description that matches your hand.

For Jacks or Better 9/6 pay table, the basic strategy looks like this:

1. Royal flush (keep all)
2. Straight flush (keep all)
3. Four of a kind (keep all)
4. Four cards to a royal flush
5. Full house (keep all)
6. Flush (keep all)
7. Three of a kind (keep the three)
8. Straight (keep all)
9. Four cards to a straight flush
10. Two pair (keep both pairs)
11. High pair (Jacks or better – keep the pair)
12. Three cards to a royal flush
13. Four cards to a flush
14. Low pair (10s or lower – keep the pair)
15. Four cards to an outside straight
16. Two suited high cards
17. Three cards to a straight flush
18. Two unsuited high cards (if more than one, pick the lowest two)
19. One high card
20. No high cards (discard all)

The Simple Strategy has 13 rules to follow and gives players a 99.46% RTP rate, whereas the Advanced Strategy has 28 rules and gives players a 99.54% RTP rate. Beginners should start with the Simple Strategy until comfortable, then progress to the Advanced Strategy for maximum returns.

Common Strategic Dilemmas

Many players struggle with these common Jacks or Better scenarios:

High Pair vs. Four to a Flush: Keep the high pair (Jacks or better). While a flush pays more, the probability of completing it is low enough that keeping the guaranteed winner is better long-term.

Low Pair vs. Three to a Royal: Keep the low pair. The odds of completing a royal flush with just three cards are too small to justify discarding a guaranteed winner.

High Cards vs. Inside Straight Draw: With three high cards vs. an inside straight draw, keep the three high cards. The probability of pairing one of them outweighs the inside straight odds.

These strategic decisions may seem counterintuitive at first, but each follows mathematical probability that maximizes your expected value over thousands of hands. By following these strategies, you’re making decisions that give you the highest probability of winning over time, not just on the current hand.

Deuces Wild Guide: Master the Wild Cards

Deuces Wild transforms video poker strategy by making all twos wild cards that can substitute for any card. This fundamentally changes hand frequencies and strategic priorities compared to standard Jacks or Better.

Basic Deuces Wild Strategy

Unlike Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild requires three of a kind as the minimum winning hand. The presence of wild cards significantly increases the probability of making high-ranking hands:

• Four of a kind occurs about 5 times more frequently
• Straight flushes happen about 8 times more often
• Royal flushes become 20 times more likely

Keep in mind that hand frequencies in Deuces Wild are not what you’re accustomed to from non-wild poker. In Deuces Wild, all the twos (“deuces”) are “wild,” which means they can substitute for whatever card is most favorable to your hand. This wild card feature in Deuces Wild allows players to substitute any card with a deuce, transforming deuces into versatile wild cards.

The “Not So Ugly Ducks” Strategy

This intermediate strategy for Deuces Wild provides 99.7% return with only 16 simple rules:

1. Five of a kind (keep all)
2. Royal flush (keep all)
3. Four deuces (keep all)
4. Wild royal flush (keep all)
5. Five cards to a royal flush
6. Straight flush (keep all)
7. Four cards to a royal flush
8. Full house (keep all)
9. Four of a kind (keep all)
10. Five cards to a straight flush
11. Flush (keep all)
12. Three deuces (keep all)
13. Straight (keep all)
14. Three of a kind (keep the three)
15. Two pair (keep the higher pair)
16. One deuce (apply specific rules based on other cards)

This “Not So Ugly Ducks” strategy is called that because it refers to keeping two unsuited high cards with a deuce – the “ducks” referring to the deuce. The following section contains my intermediate strategy for the “Not So Ugly Ducks” Deuces Wild. By following this simplified approach, beginners can achieve near-optimal returns without memorizing complex charts.

Full Pay Deuces Wild

The appendix shows the basic strategy for the Full Pay Deuces Wild version of video poker. Full-Pay Deuces Wild offers a theoretical return of 100.76% with perfect strategy – one of the few casino games that gives players a mathematical edge. The following strategy is based on the “full pay” deuces wild paytable below.

The pay table here has an RTP of over 100% with optimal play at five credits. This sort of bonus on the highest hand is typical in video poker. If you can find and properly play full-pay Deuces Wild machines, you’re technically playing a positive expectation game. However, these machines have become increasingly rare in land-based casinos as operators recognize their vulnerability to skilled players.

Advanced Video Poker Strategies

Once you’ve mastered basic strategy for your preferred video poker variant, these advanced techniques can further improve your results:

Progressive Jackpots and Royal Flush Hunting

Some video poker machines feature progressive jackpots that increase the royal flush payout beyond the standard 800 coins for a 5-coin bet. When the royal flush payoff exceeds approximately 1,064 coins, it becomes mathematically advantageous to adjust your strategy to chase royals more aggressively.

When monitoring progressive jackpots, look for machines where the royal flush has exceeded 1,200 coins. At this level, even recreational players can achieve positive expectation. However, you should never forget these key points when playing video poker games with progressive jackpots:

• Only play maximum coins – Smaller bets don’t qualify for the full progressive amount
• Adjust your strategy – Hold more royal flush draws than standard strategy would suggest
• Manage expectations – Royal flushes still occur only once every 40,000 hands on average
• Calculate your risk – The variance increases dramatically when chasing progressives

Multi-Hand Video Poker Strategy

Modern video poker machines often offer multi-hand play (3, 10, 50 or even 100 hands simultaneously). While this increases excitement and potential wins, it also requires strategic adjustments:

• Higher variance – Your bankroll will experience larger swings
• Strategy remains similar – Basic hand rankings don’t change significantly
• Watch for special features – Games like Ultimate X add multipliers between hands
• Bankroll requirements increase – You need larger funds to withstand variance

The following table shows the expected return for any given state in Guaranteed Play Multi-Strike Poker. Multi-hand games require careful bankroll management because while you’ll hit more hands simultaneously, the cost per round increases proportionally with the number of hands played.

Effect of Strategy Mismatches

Even small deviations from optimal strategy significantly impact your long-term results. Consider this example:

The cumulative effect of multiple small errors can turn a 99.54% return game into one with less than 96% return – worse than most slot machines. This is why video poker strategy calculators and training tools are essential for serious players.

Bankroll Management: Protect Your Funds

Effective money management is still important for skilled players. Video poker may offer excellent odds compared to other casino games, but without proper bankroll management, even positive expectation games can lead to ruin. Proper bankroll management and a wagering budget should be considered before indulging in this engaging game, as the last thing you want is to wager more than the amount you had earmarked for the entertainment.

Calculating Your Video Poker Bankroll

Unlike slot machines with fixed variance, video poker variance depends on both the game variant and your strategy. Here’s how to determine an appropriate bankroll:

1. Determine session length – How many hands do you plan to play?
2. Calculate average loss per hand – (House edge) x (Bet size)
3. Factor in variance – Higher variance games need larger bankrolls
4. Multiply by safety factor – 20-50x the expected loss for conservative play

For example, playing 9/6 Jacks or Better ($1.25 max bet) with 0.46% house edge:

• Average loss per hand: $1.25 x 0.0046 = $0.00575
• For 2,000 hands: 2,000 x $0.00575 = $11.50
• With variance factor of 30: $11.50 x 30 = $345 recommended bankroll

Conservative players should aim for higher safety factors (40-50x), while advantage players hunting progressives might use lower factors (20-30x) since they’re playing positive expectation games.

Key Bankroll Management Principles

• Never play with money you can’t afford to lose – This applies to all gambling
• Set loss limits – Decide your maximum loss before playing and stick to it
• Track your results – Keep records to verify if you’re playing at expected return
• Adjust bet size to bankroll – Smaller bankrolls require smaller bets
• Take breaks after significant losses – Emotional play leads to bigger mistakes

Setting limits on your game is another important aspect of bankroll management. Managing your bankroll means you can play without running out of funds quickly. This disciplined approach allows you to play video poker without financial stress and enjoy your game more. One of the highest Return-to-Player (RTP) games available at online casinos, video poker is a hugely popular casino game with dozens of exciting variants, but only when played with proper money management.

Free Video Poker Trainers: Practice Before Playing

Before risking real money, take advantage of these free training resources to master strategy:

Video Poker Apps and Online Trainers

Several excellent free tools help you learn optimal strategy:

• Video Poker Trainer by Dunbar – Mobile app with strategy feedback
• Videopoker.com – Web-based trainer for multiple variants
• Wizard of Odds Video Poker Analyzer – Strategy calculator
• WinPoker – Advanced training software (paid)
• VP Strategy Master – Generates custom strategy charts

Boasting an average rating of 4.5/5, the app is one of the highest-rated video poker trainers on the Play Store and comes with access to over 50 video poker games! VideoPoker.com Mobile is the free app available for those using Android devices that is an excellent free video poker trainer. Practice, refine your strategy, and discover your winning formula, all before venturing into real money games.

How to Use Video Poker Trainers Effectively

1. Start with Jacks or Better 9/6 – It’s the foundation for other games
2. Begin with simple strategy before advancing to complex charts
3. Focus on hands where you make frequent mistakes
4. Practice until you achieve 99%+ accuracy on common hands
5. Gradually reduce strategy hints as you improve
6. Track your progress over multiple sessions

The Play mode lets you practice or learn the current game’s strategy a couple different ways. They provide interactive simulations of different video poker games, allowing you to make decisions and receive immediate feedback on your choices. With its generous selection of video poker games available in demo mode, you can practice and learn the ropes of different variations without any financial risk.

Why Practice Matters

It is imperative to know the odds and effectively master the game as nearly 1% of hands played contain the same five cards received on the deal, and more than about 60% contain only two cards which go back into the draw. The only way out to be fully conversant is to play a number of free games and learn the modus operandi in getting a winning combination, while you hone your skills in video poker.

A game of video poker can be engaging and quite challenging too and we recommend you play a number of free games to get acquainted with the nuances of playing video poker, before you play for real money. By practicing your favorite game for free at home, you can master perfect strategy and improve your odds of winning. This is choosing the credit value and the number of credits you want to bet, but without risking your actual funds.

Playing Video Poker Online: Tips and Tricks

Playing video poker online offers several advantages over land-based casinos, but also requires specific considerations:

Benefits of Online Video Poker

• Better pay tables – Online casinos often offer higher return percentages
• No physical distractions – Focus solely on your strategy
• Free practice modes – Learn games without risking money
• Faster play – More hands per hour increases potential winnings
• Bonuses and rewards – Online casinos offer additional value through promotions

Choosing Reputable Online Casinos

When selecting an online casino for video poker, consider these factors:

1. Licensing and regulation – Look for licenses from reputable jurisdictions (UK, Malta, New Jersey)
2. Game selection – Top sites offer multiple video poker variants with favorable pay tables
3. Software providers – Stick with reputable developers like Microgaming, Playtech, IGT
4. Banking options – Ensure your preferred deposit methods are available
5. Customer support – Responsive service for any technical issues
6. Mobile compatibility – Play on smartphones and tablets

Still, they have been checked and verified by our team of experts to ensure they’re a great place to play video poker. Below, you can find the best real money video poker casino in your location. When playing for real money it’s important to choose reputable online casinos that offer fair games and secure transactions.

Maximizing Online Casino Bonuses

Online casinos offer bonuses that can effectively lower the house edge:

• Match bonuses – 100%+ bonuses for new depositors
• Cashback programs – Returns 0.1-0.5% of theoretical loss
• Comp points – Redeemable for cash, free play, or other rewards
• Weekly promotions – Special offers for loyal players

Joining a player’s club can offer many benefits for frequent video poker players. Player’s clubs are designed to reward loyal players with cashback, free play and exclusive promotions. By joining a player’s club you can earn rewards that will enhance your overall gaming experience and increase your winning potential.

Online vs. Land-Based Video Poker

What Experts Say About Video Poker Strategy

Top authorities in the gambling industry offer valuable insights on mastering video poker:

Michael “Wizard of Odds” Shackleford: “Video poker is special because it’s one of the few casino games where skill matters. If you look for the most liberal pay tables, and play them properly, you can have a thin advantage. All about Video Poker with casino gambling expert Michael ‘Wizard of Odds’ Shackleford You may have heard the adage that the ‘house always has the advantage.’ Video poker is an exception to that rule.” Shackleford’s website provides detailed strategy charts for dozens of video poker variants, along with expected value calculations for every possible hand scenario.

Bob Dancer: “Most people play video poker wrong. They hold onto cards they shouldn’t and discard cards they should keep. The key is learning the strategy for the specific game you’re playing – not just generic poker strategy. The following strategy is my ‘intermediate strategy’ for jacks or better video poker.” Dancer famously turned $2,000 into $2 million playing video poker by mastering optimal strategy and hunting for favorable pay tables, particularly the rare full-pay Deuces Wild machines.

Dan Paymar: “Many players miss a crucial point: strategy varies between seemingly similar games. What works for Jacks or Better might be disastrous in Double Bonus Poker. The following strategy is for 9/6 Double Double Bonus Quick Quads.” Paymar’s book “Video Poker: Optimum Play” is considered the bible for serious video poker players, detailing how to maximize returns across dozens of variants through precise mathematical strategy.

Video Poker FAQ: Your Questions Answered

General Video Poker Questions

What is the objective of video poker?
The objective is to get the best possible five-card poker hand to win based on a fixed pay table. After placing your bet, you’ll be dealt five cards face up, from which you can hold or discard as many as you like.

How does video poker differ from traditional poker?
Unlike traditional poker where you play against other players, video poker is played against the machine. You don’t need to read opponents or bluff – it’s purely about making the best five-card hand possible based on the pay table.

Which video poker game has the best odds?
Full-pay Deuces Wild offers the highest theoretical return at 100.76% with perfect strategy. Among non-wild games, 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54%) and 10/7 Double Bonus (100.17%) offer the best odds. The answer to that question will determine the kind of machine you should play.

Strategy Questions

Should I always bet max coins?
Yes, you should always bet max coins (usually 5 credits) when playing for real money. This makes you eligible for the highest payouts and allows you to take full advantage of the jackpot, particularly for royal flushes which pay disproportionately more at max coins.

How important is the pay table?
The pay table is critical – it’s more important than hand rankings. Casinos have no qualms about setting payoffs on certain hands lower than the “standard” full pay, and the change can come anywhere on the pay table. Proper analysis of a game’s pay table will give you the bottom line.

Can strategy really make that much difference?
Absolutely. In 9/6 Jacks or Better, perfect strategy returns 99.54%, while basic strategy gets 99.46%, and poor strategy can drop below 96%. This difference means losing an extra $3-4 for every $100 wagered – significant over time.

Practical Playing Questions

How much bankroll do I need for video poker?
For casual play, bring at least 20-30 times your maximum bet per session. Serious players should have 100 times their average loss for a session. The exact amount depends on the game’s variance – higher variance games like Double Bonus require larger bankrolls.

Where can I find the best video poker machines?
Look for casinos that cater to locals rather than tourists, as they often have better machines. In Las Vegas, properties on the Strip typically have worse pay tables than downtown or locals casinos. Online, search for casinos offering 99.5%+ return games like 9/6 Jacks or Better.

Are there apps to help me play better?
Yes, many video poker trainers offer the flexibility to practice specific games. They can vary in different areas of the casino or even in neighboring machines. Videopoker.com does a good job of offering realistic versions of the current roster of video poker games. Use the resources below to analyze pay tables, learn strategies, and master games.

Advanced Questions

Can you actually beat video poker in the long run?
Yes, but only specific games with perfect strategy and favorable conditions. Full-pay Deuces Wild (100.76% return) and certain Bonus Poker games with casino incentives can provide a player edge, but these opportunities are rare and require significant discipline.

How do I know if I’m playing optimally?
Track your results over thousands of hands. At 99.54% return on 9/6 Jacks or Better, you should lose about 46 cents per $100 wagered long-term. Significant deviations indicate strategy errors. The Wizard analyzes the expected value in video poker according to the first card for detailed analysis.

What’s the biggest mistake beginners make?
Playing machines with poor pay tables and not betting max coins. If I manage to find a positive expectation machine and play it expertly, I’ll win every time? No – variance means you’ll still experience losing sessions, but over thousands of hands, the edge will prevail.

Technical Questions

Is online video poker rigged?
Reputable, licensed online casinos use Random Number Generators (RNGs) that are regularly tested for fairness. Yes, any machine that represents a card game must be completely random. The odds match theoretical probabilities over millions of hands, but short-term results can vary wildly due to variance.

How many different video poker variants exist?
There are dozens of official variants, with hundreds of pay table variations. The most popular video poker games offer a single-player poker experience, including 5-card draw poker games, and can be found in most online or land-based casinos.

What does “full pay” mean?
“Full pay” means the machine offers the highest standard pay table for that game variant. In video poker jargon, full pay means that you are getting the highest standard pay table for a particular machine. For Jacks or Better, this is the 9/6 pay table; for Deuces Wild, it’s the “NSUD” (Not So Ugly Ducks) pay table.