Learning what the different video poker payouts are for each machine is probably one of the most important things to learn about video poker. Knowing your playing options, betting options and your potential winnings can have a great affect on the decisions you make when you play.
A collection of video poker machines is also referred to as a carousel or bank. From afar they all look the same, but upon closer inspection; you’ll notice they can vary quite a bit. Casinos tend to mix up the collection of machines by including some with short or partial payouts. In many banks of video poker machines you’ll find only a couple may be a Jacks or Better 9/6 games paying out 9 coins for a full house and 6 for a flush. Most of the other machines will consist of 8/5, 7/5 and the dreaded 6/5 machines.
You may think that 5 coins doesn’t really matter all that much, but it does when you are playing a partial or short pay machine. An 8/5 machine pays 40 coins for a full house and only 25 for a flush. Casinos count on unsuspecting video poker players not to notice video poker pay schedules. Partial payout machines give the casinos a definite advantage. If you look at the losses expected in an hour of play, you’ll see what I mean.
In a video poker machine with 9/6 Jacks or Better the expected loss when playing 5 coins per hand is about $13.20 per hour. An 8/5 game will lose you about $20 per hour and the dreaded 6/5 games will lose you over $30 per hour. Knowing which machines to play and which to stay away from could save you nearly $20 per hour. Be careful where you play.
A single player playing a 9/6 video poker game will win more in the same number of hands as players at other machines. Since most players don’t play strategically, casinos hold on to 2% more of their money. The video poker payouts schedule will help you reduce this percentage.
When you bet 5 coins you will be paid out 5 x 5 coins, except for a royal flush. This is to encourage people to bet five coins. Players who bet less than the maximum of five coins are just creating bigger pots for those who do.
The following is the average video poker payouts in percentage for a number of different versions.
1) 10/4 “Loose Deuces”- 4 Deuces pays 2500=100.97%
2) 9/5 “Deuces Wild”=100.76%
3) 7/5 “Jokers Wild”- 5 of a kind pays 1000, 4 or a kind pays 100=100.64%.
4) 9/6 “Double Double Jackpot Poker”- 2 pair pays 1=100.35%
5) 10/7 “Double Bonus”- 2 pair pays 1=100.17%
6) “Pick 'Em Poker”- pair of 9's or better minimum payout=99.95%
7) 11/7 “Triple Bonus Poker”- Kings or better minimum payout=99.94%
8) 9/6 “Jacks or Better”- 2 pair pays 2= 99.54%
9) 8/5 “Bonus Jacks or Better”- 2 pair pays 2, Four Aces pays 400=99.17%
10) 9/6 “Double Double Bonus” - 4 Aces with 2, 3 or 4 pays 2000=98.98%
In the above list, the first numbers indicate the payout per single coin for a full house and a flush. The Deuces Wild 1 and 2 shows the payouts for a straight flush and a four of a kind for each single coin bet. In a Deuces game the minimum payout is for a 3 of a kind.
The fourth “Jackpot” version is also referred to as Aces and Faces and the high payouts are given for Aces, Kings, Queens and Jacks.
In many cases the Bonus video poker versions have higher payouts for 4 aces, four 2’s, 3’s and 4’s, so the payouts for pair and two pair are the same - one coin. Video poker machines that pay 2 coins for a pair or two pair are number 8 and 9 in the list above.
Remember that these numbers apply to games played with maximum coins, a full video poker payouts schedule and playing perfect video poker strategy.
Also keep in mind that the real payout of a video poker machine is a direct result of the discards that the player selects during the game. Errors in playing strategy will cost you when you’re paid out. You must learn playing strategies - just sitting down in front of a machine is not enough. If you can do this at a machine with a good video poker payouts schedule, you will soon be on your way to enjoying more wins.
