Video Poker Strategies
Alongside slots, video poker is among the casino’s most popular games. Most versions are based on five-card draw poker, but unlike slot machines, they involve skill-based choices. Those decisions matter: learning sound strategies may sometimes reduce the house edge and, depending on the paytable and how you play, could potentially give you an advantage.
How to Win at Video Poker
Video poker comes in countless variations, but most machines share one feature: they are based on standard five-card draw poker.
A typical round starts with the machine dealing you five cards. You choose which ones to hold and which to replace in an effort to improve your hand. When you exchange cards, the computer randomly draws replacements for those positions. The basic aim is to keep your strongest cards and draw replacements that may improve your chances of winning.
Choosing the right machine is half the battle. Ideally, seek a game with a payout percentage as close to 100% as possible. These games can be hard to find, but they do exist.
Unlike a slot machine, video poker requires players to make choices that affect the outcome. Some players therefore follow structured strategies designed to give their decisions a potential edge.
Effective Video Poker Strategies
Video poker is about identifying which cards to keep and which to discard. Some approaches are considered helpful for improving a player’s chances of winning, but none removes the risks inherent in the game. The strategies below explain these choices in more detail.
1. Bet Maximum Credits
The usual advice when playing video poker is to bet the maximum number of credits. According to this guidance, doing so qualifies you for the full royal-flush payout, generally 800-for-1. You can stake fewer credits, but the resulting reward is generally only 250-for-1. Royal flushes are rare, but betting maximum credits gives you the larger stated payout if one occurs.
2. Check the Paytable
You can view a video poker machine’s paytable before playing. It provides information about the game’s expected return, so review it carefully when comparing machines. As with all casino games, video poker has a house edge that you should consider.
For example, an average casino earns about 3% on each video poker play. On that basis, the player’s average return would be 97%. The recommendation is to avoid games that return less than 96%, as other available choices may be more favourable.
3. Jacks or Better Strategy
Each poker variation has its own decision-making rules, and Jacks or Better strategy is one of the best known and easiest to learn. First, check for a royal flush, 4 of a kind or straight flush. If you have one of these hands, keep those cards instead of replacing them and collect the applicable winnings.
If you do not have one of those hands, check whether you have 4 cards to a royal flush. Hold them and draw towards the royal. If you have fewer than 4 cards to a royal flush, look for another “made hand,” such as a flush, full house, straight or 3 of a kind. Keep that hand if you have one. Otherwise, check for 4 cards to a straight flush and draw towards it if available.
Next, look for a paying hand, such as 2 pairs or a pair of jacks or better. If you have none of the hands mentioned above, try holding 3 cards to a royal flush and aim to complete it. Continue applying this selection approach until you find a paying hand.
4. Aces and Faces Strategy
When a video poker machine offers both Aces and Faces and Bonus Poker, this guidance favours Aces and Faces because its return is slightly higher. Choose a denomination on the machine. At online casinos, the lowest denomination is usually nickel. The advice is still to make the max bet, then choose which dealt cards to hold and which to exchange.
In Aces and Faces, keep a full house, straight flush, royal flush or 4 of a kind. Keep a straight or a dealt flush as well, unless your hand contains a four-card royal flush. In that case, draw towards the jackpot.
5. Deuces Wild Strategy
Deuces Wild is a popular video poker variation where good decisions may give you an edge over the casino. The basic approach is simple: keep 4 deuces. If you have 3 deuces, keep them and try to complete a royal flush. Keep 2 deuces too; in that case, aim for 4 of a kind or better, or potentially a straight or royal flush.
If you have only 1 deuce, work down the list until you find a suitable holding. The order starts with 4 of a kind or better, followed by 4 cards to a royal flush, 4 to a straight flush, full house, straight, flush, 3 of a kind or 3 to a royal flush.
Using Video Poker Strategies
Using video poker strategies means assessing the hand you have and the possible outcomes of each decision about which cards to hold. Learning different approaches takes time, but it may be worthwhile if you enjoy the game and want to improve your odds. No strategy guarantees a win or eliminates the house edge.
