As with any casino game, you won’t learn everything from just reading the rules. Nothing can beat actual play, but here are a handful of video poker playing tips and strategies to help you gain an edge.
Exchange your bills for coins and keep them with you in a bucket to help you keep track of your bankroll.
To figure out how much you bet when you bet the maximum for each hand, times the coin denomination by five.
To play more, bet nickel coins.
Find out where employees play video poker and play full pay video poker machines.
Figure out how to read pay schedules if you don’t already know. Make sure you know the difference between full pay and short pay.
Learn how to play optimum or best strategy for each type of video poker.
Jacks or Better Video Poker Tips
The best full pay Jacks or Better game pays 9 coins for a full house and 6 coins for a flush.
If you play optimum play strategy your pay out will be 99.5%.
An 8/5 games pays 5% less than a 9/6 game of Jacks or Better.
Casinos earn 2% more on video poker machines because players don’t play maximum coins.
The most important cards are King, Queen and Jack, not the Ace.
Never keep a kicker card when you a have a high pair.
Jacks or Better games are recommended for new players with small bankrolls - especially nickel video poker.
Bonus and Progressive Video Poker Tips
The best version is 10/7 Bonus video poker that is full pay where two pair pays two coins.
Avoid playing progressive games unless the jackpot is high and ready to payout.
If you can find them, play four of a kind with high secondary jackpots.
Progressive video poker requires a larger bankroll.
Deuces Wild Video Poker Tips
The best game to play is 9/5 Deuces Wild video poker with full pay - nine coins for straight flush and five for four of a kind.
Nearly 20% of the time you will discard all five cards.
Jokers Wild Video Poker Tips
The best game is a 7/5 game with 7 coins for full house and 5 coins for a flush. Kings or greater equals full pay Jokers Wild.
When possible try to get a straight flush to get a higher return with a wild card.
General Video Poker Tips
The worst payouts are Deuces/Jokers Wild versions with a high jackpot that are too expensive to play.
On a quarter version of video poker machine, if you don’t play the maximum the payout for a royal flush is 250 coins. If you bet the maximum with nickels at a quarter each hand, a royal flush pays out 4000 coins.
If you play video poker online, play full pay video poker or find another online casino.
