Video Poker Basic Strategy & Tips
Video poker is one of the most popular casino games in the world. It's simple enough for beginner players, and it has a wide variety of betting options and a lot of ways to win. This article will cover the best strategies and provide you with Video Poker winning tips.
Basic Video Poker Strategy
Basic video poker strategy refers to how you play each hand to maximize your odds of winning. There are many variations of this game, but they all have the same goal: to beat the house and win Money. The best way to do that is by playing hands according to specific rules that help increase your chances of winning.
A basic video poker strategy is a set of rules you can follow to maximize your chances of winning the game. Of course, it's not guaranteed to win all the time, but it will help you get the best results possible.
Here are a few tips on how to use a basic video poker strategy:
- Choose the correct game. All video poker games are slightly different; some are more profitable than others.
- Check your hand before making any decisions. If you have a good hand (like four of a kind), don't be afraid to hold onto it and wait for even better cards to come up later in the game.
- Always play five cards for a maximum payout if there's an opportunity.
Always hold cards with high-value pairs like aces or kings, and never discard them.
For example, if you're dealt a pair of 3s, you should always hold both cards and hope for a flush or straight draw to hit. If you have a pair of 6s and are dealt three of a kind on the flop, you should always hold onto all three cards. This is because it's more likely that one of them will be part of an even bigger hand later (like two pairs).
There are exceptions to these rules: if your hole card has no low-value cards, you should discard it immediately because those cards can only damage your chances of winning Money.
Using Other Strategies in Video Poker
Many people believe playing video poker is solely based on luck, but there is much more to winning hands in this game.
That's why it's important to know what cards you should be holding onto and which ones should be discarded. Learning to use different strategies is one way of improving your chances of winning more often.
Optimal Strategy in Video Poker
The optimal strategy is to know the cards in each position and then decide which ones you should hold onto. It's essential because holding onto certain cards can make it easier for you to get certain hands later. You will have a better chance of winning with this method than if you just randomly chose one card or another from the deck.
Example:
I play three cards in front of me and five behind the table. The best decision is to hold onto my two high cards while discarding the low ones. This gives me a better chance at getting another high card when dealing with four decks instead of just three, so it's worth keeping them even though only one card has been dealt.
Video Poker Strategy Table
A video poker strategy table can help you learn how to play this game better. It will also allow you to see what hands are more likely than others and give you an idea of what kind of cards are good for starting hands when playing blackjack or baccarat.
You should also be familiar with the following terms:
Inside straight - When you have four cards to a possible straight, only one ranking card will complete your hand. So, for example, if you have the 4, 5, 7, and 8, only a 6 will complete the straight.
Open straight - A straight draw in which cards with two different rankings can complete your straight. For example, if you have the 4, 5, 6, and 7, a 3 OR an 8 will complete your straight.
Suited means that all of the cards are of the same suit.
High cards are Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces.
A Jacks or Better strategy table:
A Jacks or Better strategy table works well with full pay Jacks or Better games.
*You can see that I bolded some of the hands. Those are the hands used for drawing. All of the other hands on the list are pat hands.
The Deuces Wild Strategy Table
The Deuces Wild Strategy Table is made up of five separate strategy tables, one for each possible number of deuces in your hand: 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.
- If You Have 4 Deuces: There is only one correct decision here: discard the non-deuce card.
| No Deuce | |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush4 cards to a Royal FlushStraight Flush4 of a KindFull House3 of a KindFlushStraight4 cards to a Straight Flush3 cards to a Royal FlushAny Pair4 cards to a Flush4 cards to an open Straight, but not 3,4,5,63 cards to a Straight Flush4,5,6 suited3,4,5 suitedT,J suited3 cards to a Straight Flush with 2 gapsTQ or JQ suited3,4,6 or 3,5,6 suitedDraw 5 cards | |
Ways to Win at Video Poker
If you want to maximize your winnings, you will need to take advantage of the full range of betting options in video games. This means knowing how many coins are in each position and what type of hand they represent before placing any bets on those cards. The strategy is based on the number of decks you are playing and what kind of hands they represent.
Checkout Paytables
No two hands are the same in video poker, so knowing paytables is essential. Fortunately, if you're playing online, you won't have to memorize the pay tables because they'll be displayed.
Play Maximum Coins
Make the most of your potential winnings by clicking the max bet button. You can win up to 4000 times your initial bet if you get a Royal Flush.
Low Pairs are Preferable to a Single High Card
Hold a pair if you get them, even if they are low scoring. It's always better to hold on to a winning hand than to risk losing everything.
Understand When to Break a Straight or Flush
If you have a chance at a Royal Flush, we recommend splitting a straight or flush and going for it.
Tips & Tricks for Playing Video Poker
Playing video poker is just as much a game of chance as it is a game of skill. So the more you play, the better you'll know what to do when you have sure hands on the table. Here are some tips and tricks you should consider when playing video poker.
Play the Highest Paying Hands
One of the most common mistakes new players make when playing video poker is to bet too much on low-paying hands. The rule of thumb is to always play with three coins if possible, and never less than two coins per round.
This is because video poker games have different odds depending on how many coins you play with. For example, a single coin will often return more than double what you'd get from playing two coins at once. But only if all five cards end up being matched.
Track your Winnings
Some video poker games have built-in plug-ins that help track each hand and how many times you've won or lost. This will make it easier to identify patterns in your play and plan out strategies ahead of time for future games.
Find the Highest Paying Video Poker game in the Online Casino
Learning what kind of payouts you can expect from a video poker game is essential. Some will only pay out on certain hands, and others will only pay out if you win at least two coins per round. Look for these games, as they're more likely to give you a better return.
Conclusion
Playing video poker is a great game and can be pretty rewarding if you know how to play it well. However, with so many different strategies, it can be hard to know which ones are right for you.
