Play Video Poker
and Win
To play video poker and win requires a little effort. I discovered video poker in the early 1980s in Atlantic City casinos. Video poker machines look like slot machines but are quite different.
When I first walked by a machine with images of playing cards on the screen, I had no idea what it was. I inserted a few coins, pressed some buttons and out came a whole bunch of quarters! I was hooked. This was worth checking out further.
Knowledge Needed
I quickly learned that video poker requires skills not essential when playing slots. Video Poker is more like the card game played in poker rooms – you need to know what to hold and what to discard.
Since your opponent is a machine, no poker face is needed. The odds can be significantly better than on slots machines, especially if you employ the perfect strategy for the game you're playing.
When video poker first appeared in land based casinos, a draw poker version called Jacks or Better was the only option. ‘Full Pay’ (or 9/6) Jacks or Better games have a payout rating of 99.54% over the long term, provided you play with optimum precision and maximum coins.
The return is 125 coins for Four of a Kind, 45 coins for a Full House and 30 coins for a Flush. Few people master expert strategy 100% which is akin to computer-like precision.
Casinos aren't overly concerned about the high payout percentage. Still, they are greedy. Today there are Jacks or Better and other versions of video poker returning up to 10% less, even if played correctly.
Online Is Better
Luckily, most online casinos still have Jacks or Better games with the original, excellent (99.54%) pay scale. A quick way to determine if the machine you are playing is a 9/6 machine is to look at the pay table.
For a single coin bet, a full house will pay 9 coins and a flush, 6 coins. Just be sure the four-of-a-kind payout is 125 coins, not 100 coins.
Many Game Choices
Numerous game adaptations have emerged since video poker was introduced in the late 1970s. Some varieties, Deuces Wild, for instance, were originally rated at 100.7% expected payback! That didn't last long.
The best you’ll find online today pays a few fractions of a percent above or below 99%. Such versions are called "NSU Deuces" (Not-So-Ugly Deuces Wild).
The same can be said about Double Double Bonus Poker. Its best version returns 100.17%. Casinos cut that to below 100% by reducing the payout for a 5-coin bet from 50 coins to 45 coins for a Full House.
This escaped the attention of most players. Still, by searching diligently online, it is possible today to find many video poker games returning above or just below 99%.
Better Win Chances
Because the casino’s profit expectations are much lower when you play video poker instead of slots, the play-through requirements for bonus money are higher. They want you to re-cycle the deposit and bonus money more often.
For example, wagering rollovers for slots at SlotsJungle are 25 times before making any cash-outs. But if you play video poker every $1 counts as only 25 cents towards wagering requirements.
Rules are Important
Some casinos have better and others have worse stipulation than the SlotsJungle example, above. After reading the terms and conditions of a casino you are considering, decide if the rules are acceptable to you.
Much will depend on your level of expertise. On this page you’ll find an easy way to play perfect video poker strategy without tedious memorizing.
Winning at slots is based mainly on luck while video poker is considered a game for ‘thinking slot players’. Play Video Poker today!
Related to the subject on this page:
Online Video Poker Game
9/6 Jacks or Better Pays Best
Online Video Poker Payouts
