Video Poker Guides & Tips

Video poker machines first appeared back in the 1970s and soon became a regular feature in the world’s top casinos.

The video version of poker is perfect for players who want to get stuck into a poker game without all the fuss that comes with joining a real table. The games offer some of the best odds in the casino and, unlike some casino games, players have a chance to influence the play by applying an element of skill.

What’s more, video poker allows you to play alone in a relaxed environment without the tension and intimidation that accompany a real poker game. All this combined with a low house edge and the possibility to land big jackpots has kept video poker at the forefront of the casino scene.

Video poker is just player against machine. There are no dealers, no bluffing, no rival players and no spectators or casino heavies watching over you. You can just rock up and play. But, when you do, you want to win, right? So, let’s take a look at a few tips and tricks you can learn to boost your chances of winning at video poker.

Know the rules of the game

Beating any casino game is tough. Before you start, you should make sure you understand the rules of each game you play.

There have been quite a few different versions of video poker released over the years but they are all based on the five-card draw poker system.

The game begins with a 52-card deck. Once you have placed your bet and pressed the ‘deal’ button, you are randomly dealt five cards. You can keep or discard as many as you want. You then hit ‘draw’ and any cards you discarded will be replaced.

If you are left with a winning hand, you will receive a payout based on the amount indicated on the games ‘pay table.’ Like regular poker, winning hands can be made of pairs, straights, flushes and other combinations, the royal flush being the best hand of all. As you can imagine, knowing which cards to keep and which to discard is a vital part of the game.

If you leave everything to luck, you might still win a hand. But, in the long-run, you are more likely to end up with a negative yield. The first step is to practice on free games and get used to how each game plays out and then study a good online video poker guide for more advanced tips.

Choose the right machine

Different video poker games have different pay-outs. The variation is small, but it makes sense to choose a machine that gives you the best chance of winning.

The expected returns are displayed on a machine's pay-table, so you know exactly what return you will get for your money from each hand. Just like choosing the best odds when placing a sports bet, you should seek out the machine that offers the best return. This can take a little research but it is always worth it in the long-term.

For every $100 a machine takes, it will return a little less to the player. This is known as the house edge. Some machines may return 97%, others may return 99%. The higher the percentage, the higher return you will get for each winning hand.

When you choose a machine, you will sometimes see a number on the pay chart, such as 9/6. This gives you an idea of the level of pay-out for the machine. A 9/6 machine offers a pay-out of around 99.5% which is about as good as it gets. Whereas an 8/5 offers 97.29%, a 7/5 96.1% and so on.

The 9/6 refers to the payback on the Full House (9) and the Flush (6). These are the two hands where the payback is adjusted to effect to overall percentage. So, an 8/5 machine only pays out 8 on the Full House and 5 on the Flush giving a lower percentage overall.

Develop your own strategy

You can develop a strategy for whichever variation of video poker you are playing.

Each video poker game has its own strategies. For example, when playing Jacks or Better machines, you only get to play for the royal flush jackpot when you play maximum coins. So, if you can play between one and five coins per bet, the bonus jackpot only comes into play if you choose five.

When choosing to hold or discard cards, you should always discard any cards that have no value. So, if you draw a pair and nothing else, discard the other three cards. If you draw one high card (ten through ace) and nothing else, discard the other four. If you draw a three-card straight flush - sequential or non-sequential, discard the other two etc.

This may sound obvious but a huge number of players heading to Las Vegas for the first time have no idea how to play the machines and just start pumping in their cash. It is a much better feeling to play knowing you are maximising your chances of winning.

Conclusion

There is no way to guarantee a profit when playing a video poker machine, but you can learn to increase your chances of winning and maximise your profits by following a few simple tips.