How to Play Video Poker – How to Win at Video Poker
Next to the slots, video poker might be the most popular machine-based game in the casino. Most casinos have a nice video poker selection including a couple progressive banks, but you can expect to wait for a seat at the best video poker games. Thankfully, online video poker makes every variation of the game instantly accessible.
Video poker is especially popular among players that like games of skill. Find the right video poker machine, match it with a perfect strategy, and you might even turn a profit. Before you worry about winning big at online video poker though, Gambling City suggests that you learn the rules.
Video Poker Rules
The first thing new players should know about video poker is that it’s a game where players are competing directly against the machine. The good news is that the machine—like a live dealer—handles all the details like card distribution and payouts. All video poker players need to worry about is their next move. Players also decide how much they want to bet per hand, how many hands they want to play, and when they want to cash their winnings out.
All video poker games are based around the basic Five Card Draw poker format, but each one offers different payouts. For the purpose of this section, we’ll stick to what is probably the most popular machine—the Jacks or Better 9-6—which pays 1-1 for a pair of Jacks or better (hence the name) with payouts increasing with the size of the hand.
Video Poker Strategy
What’s great about jacks or better video poker is that players win fairly often since pairs are pretty common. While most of your wins will be even money pairs, those small wins may stretch your session out long enough for you to hit a bigger, better paying combination like a straight, flush or even four of a kind. The very best video poker hand you can get is a royal flush. If you hit a royal flush while betting max credits, you will win the jackpot payout; at a progressive video poker machine, the royal flush payout could be tens of thousands.
For this reason (the size of the prize), many video poker players choose to use a strategy that optimizes their chances of getting bigger combinations. That may mean giving up some smaller hands, though. For example, you might pass on a made straight or flush if you are one card out from the royal flush. Flushes and straights pay well, but your chances at the big prize are few and far between.
That said, in any other situation players should take a made hand. Even the straight flush payout isn't worth sacrificing a made straight or flush for. While your ultimate goal is to get some of the bigger hands, remember that your small payouts are the bread and butter that keeps your bankroll alive. Also remember that low pairs don't pay. Instead of holding a low pair (like you might in live poker), you're better releasing these cards so you have more draws toward a paying combination.
