Video poker was introduced in the early 1970s and was still struggling for acceptance. The video poker machines were usually referred to as "poker slots." Indeed, video poker machines have a lot in common with slot machines: they are easy to use and require no interaction with a dealer or with other players. Card combinations, like slot reels, are governed by a random-number generator.
But, unlike slot machines, video poker involves an element of skill. Players have to make decisions that affect the outcome. They must choose which cards to hold and which to discard. Since cards are required to be dealt from a randomly shuffled 52-card deck, or 53 cards, in the case of Joker's Wild machines, the possible combinations are known, the frequency of the combinations can be calculated, and players can devise an optimal playing strategy.
The best video poker machines, played skillfully, offer odds that rival any table game. The basic game, Jacks or better, in its full-pay version returns 99.5 percent with optimal play over the long haul. Other machines, especially some versions of Deuces Wild, offer a positive expectation to the player, that is, over the long run, they will return more than 100 percent with optimal play.
Find your video poker strategy
As you play along, you will start to develop a feel for what is the best play. As a general rule, holding three cards to a flush or straight is not a profitable play. When playing Jacks or Better, it is usually correct to hold all high cards, rather than holding fewer cards in order to draw more cards.
Some casinos suggest which cards should be held, and you must then judge for yourself whether or not their suggestions can be trusted. They are usually reliable. Here are a few reliable suggestions.
Always hold a royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, three of a kind, or two pair. Break up a flush or a straight only when you have four cards to a royal flush. If you have ace-king-queen-jack-9, all of clubs, discard the 9 to take a chance at the big payoff for the 10 of clubs. That still leaves open the possibility of a flush with any other club, a straight with any other 10, and a pair of jacks or better with any ace, king, queen, or jack.
Break up a pair of jacks or better if you have four cards to a royal flush or four cards to a lower straight flush. Keep a low pair instead of a single high card (jack, queen, king, or ace).
Do not draw to a four-card inside straight, one in which the missing card is in the middle rather than on either end, unless it includes at least three high cards. A four-card open straight is one that has space open at either end to complete the hand; for example, a hand of 4-5-6-7 can use either a 3 at one end or an 8 at the other to complete the straight. An inside straight has space in the middle that must be filled to complete the hand; 4-6-7-8 needs a 5 to become a straight. Open straights give the player a better chance, with twice as many cards available to fill the straight.
Bet the maximum number of coins
If you look in the payout table of your video poker, you will see that the royal flush payout in the max coins column is often higher than it "should be". If the payout is 250 for one coin, 500 for two coins, and 750 for three coins, you should expect it to be 1000 for four coins, while it actually may pay 4000. So, consequently, you get slightly better odds if you always bet the maximum number of coins. For example, instead of betting one coin of $1, bet four coins of $0.25.
Sign-up bonuses and progressive jackpots
Bonus rounds and progressive jackpots are great ways to increase your winnings. Therefore, you should look for sign-up bonuses, as well as games with bonus rounds or progressive jackpots.
A bonus round means you can further push your wager and possibly double your money or more. It is often the best bet available in video poker, giving you even money on your bet.
A progressive jackpot is an amount of money that grows with each play and is then paid out to one random winner who hits a certain hand.
Online casinos sometimes offer a bonus if you sign up as a new customer and deposit real money at their site. Bonuses mostly come with the requirement that you must make bets equal to a certain sum for the bonus to be paid out. Hence, bonuses are a great way to improve your odds.
Be patient
Always be sure to take time when you make your decisions. Basically, there is no time limit, and you gain nothing if you rush things. On the contrary, both your money and your gaming session might get shorter and, in the end, you will get less entertainment.
CATEGORY: Poker