Video Poker Strategy

If played properly, video poker is a very player-friendly online casino game. Video poker combines chance with skill. It’s like playing a slot only you have choices to make. These choices affect the outcome of the game, so you have to approach video poker strategically. If you follow the correct video poker strategy, and you play on full-pay machines, you can actually gain an advantage over the house. If you play full-pay Jacks or Better the way you're supposed to, then the house’s edge can be as low as 0.5 percent.

Here are some general tactical tips to keep in mind:

Perfect the Jacks or Better strategy
If you want to introduce yourself to video poker strategy, start off by perfecting your approach to Jacks or Better. Jacks or Better was the first video poker game ever developed. If you can understand the correct way to play Jacks or Better, then you can master the optimal tactics for any other video poker variation. Keep in mind that strategies differ from game to game and from pay table to pay table. Make sure that you don’t apply the wrong strategy to the wrong machine.

Find full-pay machines
Always check the pay table to male sure that you are playing a full-pay machine. Full-pay machines can be identified by how much the machine pays out for a full house and a flush. Full-pay Jacks or Better games are known as 9/6 machines (the full house pays 9 to 1 and the flush pays 6 to 1). If you play Jacks or Better, always stick to the 9/6 machines and avoid the 8/5, 7/5 and 6/5 varieties.

Max coins
If you understand the correct strategy, play max coins and try to win the royal flush. You play this game to win the royal flushes, so if you hit the royal and you’ve only bet one coin, you won’t be happy. If you don’t really know the correct way to play a particular machine, then just play a single coin at a time until you’ve become more comfortable playing with optimal strategy.

Don’t break up a straight flush
If you are dealt a straight flush, you may find yourself tempted to chase the royal. Don’t do it. Be content that you’ve been dealt a monster pat hand. Keep your straight flush intact and take the payout.

Open-ended straight draws are acceptable, inside straight draws are not
If you have an open-ended straight draw, then you have eight different ways of making your straight (two possible cards, four suits). If you have an inside straight draw, there are only four cards in the deck that can help you (one card, four suits). Chasing open-ended straights is fine, but inside straight draws need to be abandoned.

Small Pairs are better than lonely high cards
Don’t get rid of a pair of 4s because you want to keep an ace instead. Always hold on to your lower pairs so that you can try and build three- or four-of-a-kind.

Don’t chase after a flush
If you only have three suited cards, don’t chase after the flush. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll draw two suited cards. Break the hand up and forget about the flush.

Don’t deviate from your strategy
If you’ve taken the time to learn how to play video poker correctly, don’t deviate from the strategy. If you start mixing hunches with optimal strategy, you will weaken the effectiveness of your tactical approach. Stick to the program, and don’t stray from the strategy.

The Odds
There are more than 2.5 million hand combinations in draw poker. The RNG (random number generator) of the machine cycles through these possible outcomes constantly. When players press deal, the machine issues the outcome that it has generated at random.

Here are the odds for being dealt specific hands in a standard game of Jacks or Better:

The odds of hitting a high pair (jacks or better) are 5 to 1
The odds of hitting two pair are 8 to 1
The odds of hitting a three of a kind are 13 to 1
The odds of hitting a straight are 85 to 1
The odds of hitting a flush are 93 to 1
The odds of hitting a full house are 86 to 1
The odds of hitting a four of a kind are 423 to 1
The odds of hitting a straight flush are 10,000 to 1
The odds of hitting a royal flush are 40,000 to 1

Other Variations

Joker Poker Tips

• Unpaired jacks and queens should be discarded. The lowest paying hand is a pair kings, so don’t try to pair up your jacks and queens.
• Always keep the wild joker, and always keep a single ace.
• If you have four of the cards you need to make a straight, flush, royal flush or five of a kind, then draw to hit your big hand. If you have an inside straight draw, break up your hand. It’s not worth it to chase inside straight draws.

Deuces Wild Tips

• Always get rid of single high cards, unless the card is a deuce. Always hang on to a deuce.
• Break up two pair. Keep your highest pair and discard the lower pair. If you are dealt a deuce, you’ll hit three of a kind.
• Because the wild two gives you more options, it’s okay to draw to an inside straight in Deuces Wild.
• Check the pay table to make sure that four of a kind pays out at 5 to 1. If the payoff is lower, find another machine. Four of a kinds happen pretty frequently in Deuces Wild, so you have to make sure that the payoff is adequate.