To the untrained eye, a video poker cabinet looks exactly like a standard, luck-based slot machine.
If played with absolutely perfect strategy, certain video poker variations offer some of the highest payout percentages in the entire casino.
How to Identify a Winning Video Poker Machine
The casino adjusts its house edge entirely by changing the payouts for specific hands, usually the Full House and the Flush.
A '9/6' machine pays 9 coins for a Full House and 6 coins for a Flush, yielding an incredible 99.54% Return to Player (RTP).
- Always play 'Max Coins' (usually 5 coins); the payout for a Royal Flush jumps exponentially when playing the maximum bet
- If you cannot afford to play 5 coins at the $1 level, drop down to the $0.25 level so you can afford the maximum bet
- Never sit down at a '6/5' Jacks or Better machine; the casino has increased its edge dramatically to steal your money
Using a Basic Strategy Card
You must memorize the hierarchy of holds, or better yet, simply use a printed strategy card while you play.
Casinos legally allow you to hold a printed strategy chart in your hand while playing video poker; they do not consider it cheating.
| The Hand Dealt | The 'Gut' Decision | The Perfect Math Decision |
|---|---|---|
| High Pair + 4 to a Flush | Keep the guaranteed Pair | Discard the pair, draw for the Flush |
| 3 to a Royal Flush | Keep the high cards | Keep the 3 Royal cards, discard the rest |
If you are willing to study the charts and hunt for the right machines, it is undeniably the smartest bet on the digital floor.