Video Poker Strategy
Video Poker is simple and fun casino game based on 5 Card Draw Poker which is played on a computer screen. Players bet between 1 and 5 credits and receive 5 cards with one redraw allowed up to a maximum of 5 cards. The object of the game is to make as good a 5 card hand as you can according to the payout schedule which is displayed a top of the video poker machine. That being said, there isn’t a proven strategy that will make you win consistently but because there are different types of video poker games there are some that offer a better return to players than others. The main types of Video Poker games are listed below along with the associated payout options for each type of game.
9/6 Video Poker – Has a payback percentage of 99.54% to the player
8/5 Video Poker – Has a payback percentage of 97.40% to the player
7/5 Video Poker – Has a payback percentage of 96.15% to the player
6/5 Video Poker – Has a payback percentage of 95.00% to the player
The fractions that you see in each of these variations refer to the payout for a single coin bet on the full house and flush hands. For example 9/6 Video Poker means that with 1 coin bet a full house pays 9 coins and a flush pays 6 coins. This means that it’s always in your best interest to play 9/6 full pay games since they offer you the best return for the money your betting on the machine. 9/6 video poker can be found in almost every online casino and most land based casinos as well.
In addition to game selection, there are also a number of other tips that you can use to increase your chances of winning while playing including:
- Becoming a member of the loyalty program at the casino to earn comps and free cash for playing at the machines
- Finding video poker machines with large progressive jackpots since if the prize is large enough some of these machines offer a positive expectation back to the player
- Ensure that you have a large enough bankroll to play that game so that you minimize your risk of ruin while playing video poker
- Always play by the basic re-draw strategies that we’ve outlined below
Re-Draws
The biggest advantage that the player has in video poker is the fact that they are allowed to re-draw their hand in order to improve it. Each round you are allowed one re-draw up to all your cards and you will be given new cards for the ones you select to discard. Below is a guide of how to play properly for 9/6 jacks or better video poker, how it works is you look at the hand you have been dealt and go down the list, once you get to something that is similar to what you’ve been dealt you hold those cards on the machine:
- 3 cards making up part of a Royal Flush, hold these and re-draw the other two
- 4 cards making up a partial straight flush, re-draw the remaining card
- Hold any low pair and re-draw hoping for three of a kind
- An open ended straight draw for example 3,4,5,6 – re-draw the last card
- A hand with J,Q,K and Ace you should hold all and re-draw one card
- Keep all suited high cards for possible straight flush and flush combos
- 2 high cards that are unsuited but could make a payable pair
- Any high card if you have a bad hand, re-draw the other 4 cards