Video poker machines may look like slot machines at first glance, but they actually offer the chance to put skill to work by applying strategy. While slots can be fun, their house edge means the casino will always come out ahead in the long run.
Video poker is one of the few 1Red Casino casino games where following optimal strategy can actually give you an edge against the house.
The basics of video poker are simple – you are dealt five cards, choose which ones to hold, then draw again to make the best five card poker hand possible. Payouts are determined by the strength of your final hand based on standard poker hand rankings.
Basic Video Poker Strategy Tips
Here are some basic tips to improve your video poker strategy:
- Know the proper way to play popular video poker variants like Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild based on computer simulations of billions of hands. Strategy charts are readily available online.
- Hold Royal Flushes, Straight Flushes, Four of a Kind, Full Houses, Flushes, Straights, Three of a Kind, Two Pair and high cards like Aces, Kings and Queens. Discard the rest.
- If you have four cards to a royal flush, hold those four cards and draw for the royal flush. This applies to four cards to a straight flush as well.
- When you have three cards towards a straight or flush, hold those and draw two cards to complete your hand. Your odds to make straights and flushes are increased substantially by holding three suited or connected cards.
Intermediate Strategy Concepts
Once you have basic strategy down, intermediate players apply more critical thinking in certain situations:
- Consider break up Two Pair if you have four cards to a Royal Flush or Straight Flush
- Break up lower Two Pair hands when you have four cards to a higher flush or straight
- Hold three cards to a royal flush over a pair of Jacks or lower
- Hold four cards to a flush over an unsuited pair of Jacks or lower
- Hold three suited high cards over unsuited medium pairs
Advanced Video Poker Strategy
Expert strategy gets into many nuances around breaking up Two Pair, kicker evaluation and more:
- Analyze kicker strength – having an Ace kicker may make it correct to break up Two Pair when you have a draw to a straight flush
- Hold three cards to straights and flushes rather than Two Pair when your final draw will be to one card
- Consider backdoor draws – having four hearts might make it correct to toss an unsuited king to draw a fifth heart for a flush
- Analyze hand histories and use video poker software tools to identify any deviations from optimal strategy
By combining basic strategy with smart intermediate play and advanced analysis, skilled video poker players can gain a small but definite mathematical edge against the casino. Over time, proper video poker strategy can lead to increased winnings and comps beyond what slots can provide.
Getting Started with Video Poker
If you’re new to video poker, the variety of games and strategies can seem overwhelming at first. Play free games online to practice before risking real money. Over time, you can expand your skill set by studying strategies for bonus and double bonus video poker. The more variants you become skilled at, the more options you’ll have for favorable games in any given casino. Don’t get discouraged if you struggle at first – video poker rewards persistence, discipline and the willingness to learn from your mistakes.
Become a Consistent Winner at Video Poker
While having a sound strategy is key to winning at video poker, experienced players understand success also requires discipline, bankroll management and avoiding common pitfalls. Even perfectly-played full pay Deuces Wild can experience huge swings in short-term results. Managing frustration and continuing to apply skill during cold streaks is critical. Having a stop-loss limit, not chasing losses and frequently cashing out winnings prevents going on tilt when luck turns sour. Additionally, those chasing royal flush jackpots often play suboptimally trying to hit the rare top prize. Skilled players stay focused on optimal play for the long run rather than big short-term scores. By combining proper strategy with discipline and avoidance of traps, knowledgeable players can grind out consistent profits at the video poker machines week-in and week-out.
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