How To Win Playing Video Poker
Perfect basic strategy is a must for this high volatility game
- How To Win Poker Game
- How To Win Playing Video Poker Real Money
- How To Win At Video Poker Deuces Wild
- How To Win At Video Poker Jacks Or Better
- How To Win Poker Hands
- How To Win At Shamrock 7s Video Poker
- How To Win Online Poker
In order to be effective playing video poker you have to have an adequate bankroll. The bankroll must be money that is strictly for casino play and not needed for other things such as groceries, car payments, mortgage or heart surgery. One of the most important aspects to becoming successful playing video poker is casino bankroll management. While there is definitely skill involved in becoming a profitable video poker player, the game is still random. You’ll need to manage your bankroll in a manner that will tolerate a cold run. Video poker may not be beatable from a realistic standpoint. But that doesn’t mean you should completely avoid it. It’s still a fine game that has lots of entertainment value to offer. You can play for big payouts while still enjoying some of the best payback in the casino. Honestly, you have a better shot at winning with video poker than.
By Henry Tamburin
Let me repeat this because it’s important: The volatility is very high. This means that if you are not lucky and don’t get a winning hand followed by another winning hand, your bankroll will head south very quickly. This greater volatility requires a much bigger bankroll to withstand the big bankroll swings that will occur with this game.
How To Win Poker Game
In previous articles in Strictly Slots, I wrote about the six-coins-per-line games Super Times Pay and Quick Quads. This month, I’ll describe the mother of multi-coin-per-line games known as Ultimate X.
Ultimate X is available as a multi-hand and single-hand video poker game. If you wager 10 coins per line instead of five coins, you will earn a multiplier, not on the current hand, but on the following hand (i.e., betting 10 coins per line puts you in the Ultimate X mode). Essentially, you are doubling your initial bet in the hopes that you will get a greater payout on the following hand.
The easiest way to show you how Ultimate X works is to play a few hands. (The game is Triple Play Bonus Poker.)
Suppose on the first hand you wagered the maximum of 30 coins (i.e., 10 coins per line) to activate the Ultimate X feature and are dealt the following hand:
Notice on the bottom right of the screen, the “Ultimate X Poker” logo shows that it is active (because you wagered the maximum of 30 coins). On the first line, you hold the pair of 4s. The 4s will appear in the same card position on lines #2 and #3, and each line will receive three draw cards. The result of the draw gave you these final hands.
You wound up with two pairs on line #1 (pair of 4s and 8s) but you didn’t get a winning hand on lines #2 and #3. Our winning two pair on line #1 paid 10 coins (which is a standard payout for two pairs for a traditional five-coin wager). The 10-coin winning payout appears in the “Win” meter at the bottom left of the screen. Likewise, the 10 coins won increased the “Credit” meter (lower right) by 10 coins. Notice that to the left of line #1 (i.e., bottom hand), you’ll see “Next Hand 3X.” This signifies that the payout for a winning hand on Line #1 on the following hand would be multiplied by 3.
On the next hand, you are dealt:
Notice that “3X” appears to the left of line #1 (to signify whatever the payout is for a winning hand on line #1, it will be multiplied by 3). You hold the single ace, hit the draw button, and wound up with a pair of queens on line #1 and a pair of aces on line #3.
The payout for a high pair is five coins but on line #1, the payout is multiplied by 3 (because we had a winning hand on this line in the previous hand). Therefore, your total payout was 20 coins (five coins for the pair of aces on line #3, and 15 coins for the pair of queens on line #1). Since you have a winning hand on lines #1 and #3, the screen shows that you will have a 2x multiplier on any winning hands on lines #1 and #3 on the following hand.
On your third hand, you were dealt two unsuited high cards (J-Q) on line #1, you held them, and ended up with:
Unfortunately, you didn’t get a winning hand on lines #1 and #3 (with the 2x multiplier from the previous winning hands on these lines) but you got a winning hand on line #2 that gives you a 3x multiplier on this line for the following hand.
On the next hand, you were dealt two pair:
You hold the two pair, say a silent prayer, and after the draw ended up with the following hands:
How To Win Playing Video Poker Real Money
Unfortunately, you didn’t get a full house or three of a kind on any line on the draw (darn!) so your final result was two pair on all lines. The payout was 10 coins on line #1, 10 coins on line # 3, and 30 coins on line #2 (because of the 3x multiplier from the previous winning hand line #2). Notice also that on the following hand, you will have a 3x multiplier on all three lines.
I hope after playing these sample hands, you get the gist of how the game plays and how fun and lucrative it could be if you get a winning hand on one or more lines followed by another winning hand on the same line(s).
The amount of the multiplier that you receive for any winning hand depends on which game you are playing (e.g., bonus poker, double double bonus, etc.), what the winning hand was (see below), and how many lines you played (e.g., Triple Play, Five Play, or Ten Play.). The multiplier is always 2x for winning hands higher than a full house. As an example, the multipliers for the Triple Play Bonus Poker game are:
Notice that if you get a full house or flush on any line, then on the following hand the payout for any winning hand (on the same line) would be multiplied by 12 and 11 respectively. (My biggest winning hand to date playing Ultimate X was when I got four 3s with a 12x multiplier (the payout was a very nice 2400 coins or $600 playing quarters).
Keep in mind that when you activate the Ultimate X feature, you are doubling your bet (betting 10 coins per line instead of 5 coins) in return at a potential shot at a bigger payout on the following hand. Because you are betting a total of 30 coins per hand on a Triple Play Ultimate X game, the volatility is very high. Let me repeat this because it’s important: The volatility is very high. This means that if you are not lucky and don’t get a winning hand followed by another winning hand, your bankroll will head south very quickly. This greater volatility requires a much bigger bankroll to withstand the big bankroll swings that will occur with this game. (Psychologically, you also have to be prepared for the negative swings.)
According to IGT, there are nine game families on the Ultimate X platform, mostly on Three-, Five- and Ten-Play machines, although a single hand version is offered on their bundled-theme Five Star Poker. The highest return Ultimate X game that is offered is 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker on Ten Play (99.87%, assuming perfect strategy). You can review the returns for other games on the Ultimate X page at www.wizardofodds.com.
If you want to know which casinos in Las Vegas offer Ultimate X, go to the Best Video Poker Page on www.lasvegasadvisor.com. You can also go to www.vpfree2.com and use the search function to find out which casinos in different regions of the U.S. offer Ultimate X, or use the “Find in Casinos” function on www.videopoker.com. If you want to play Ultimate X for free, go to www.videopoker.com. (I highly recommend you do so to get a feel for how the game plays and the size of the bankroll swings.)
Tip of the Month
When you play Ultimate X, you are paying more on the current hand in the hopes of getting a multiplier on the following hand. Therefore, on your last hand before you quit playing, you should only bet five coins per line (i.e., don’t activate the Ultimate X feature on the last hand because it has no value since you won’t be playing another hand). Also, before you start playing, check the screen on different Ultimate X games to see if a previous player left a multiplier on the game. If you are lucky to find one with a multiplier, jump in and play the hand with only a five coin per line wager. As always, but even more so with Ultimate X because you are betting twice as much per hand, play each hand with perfect basic strategy. Good luck!
————————————————————————————————————-
Henry Tamburin is a blackjack and video poker expert. He is the host of the smartgaming.com website and the editor of the Blackjack Insider newsletter (for a free three-month subscription, visit www.bjinsider.com/freetrial). For a free copy of his Casino Gambling Catalog, which contains books, strategy cards, and software for casino players, call toll free 1-888-353-3234, or visit the web store at smartgaming.com.
Video poker is undeniably one of the best games in the casino for the player. So, I can’t wrap my mind around why so few players actually embrace the game.
The video poker machines are often staged in a forgotten corner or against a wall among the thousands of slot machines. Never leave the casino a loser again.
Use a video poker strategy that works.
Video Poker Gambling 101
When I say that real money video poker is the best casino game for the player, I mean it’s not even that close.
Hordes of casino patrons will pack into the slot machines which offer some of the worst RTP (Return to Player) numbers in the casino.
Even if you’re playing on a $1 machine, you’re looking at a house edge of 5%. That’s the best-case scenario, too — the penny slots that account for a significant portion of the sea of slot machines have house edges as high as 14% or more.
Some video poker games have a house edge of under 0.05%, and when you find a game with friendly rules, you can actually gain a slight edge over the casino. To be clear, when you have the mathematical edge over the casino, you’re guaranteed to make a profit in the long run.
In fact, you may make a rather substantial amount of money.
You’ll have to use your best strategy on every single play, though.
Video poker itself is played much like a hand of 5-card draw. That means almost every player in a casino is at least somewhat familiar with how the game is played.
You’re dealt 5 cards and then allowed to discard for a second draw. There are a few significant differences between video poker and table poker.
The first is that you’re not playing against other players. You aren’t even going heads up against the dealer.
In video poker, you’re simply trying to build the best hand possible. This makes the game much easier because you’ve got a clear objective.
At the same time, it makes the game somewhat complicated due to the fact that you aren’t simply trying to beat the other players.
You’re paid out based on the hand you build, and you’ll find the pay table right on the machine. So, there won’t be much guessing what you’re trying to accomplish.
Craft A Reliable Bankroll Strategy
One of the most important aspects to becoming successful playing video poker is casino bankroll management. While there is definitely skill involved in becoming a profitable video poker player, the game is still random.
You’ll need to manage your bankroll in a manner that will tolerate a cold run. Conversely, you’ll want to have enough money in play to maximize your profits.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a player sit down with far too small of a bankroll. When this happens they almost assuredly aren’t aware that with proper strategy you can make money on the game.
Usually, they’ll lose their bankroll in a few hours. I can only hope that they had more cash in their room or on the last day of their trip.
It was a hard lesson to learn, but I’m glad I learned it early in my gambling career.
The bankroll you carry into the casino is going to dictate what denomination you’re going to be able to play. These machines range from $0.25 all the way up to $100 per credit.
Needless to say, you wouldn’t be doing yourself any favors to walk into the casino and put your entire $100 bankroll into a game that’s $100 per credit.
It would be a short lived adventure to say the least. However, that same $100 could have you on a quarter machine gambling for days.
How To Win At Video Poker Deuces Wild
Match the machine to your bankroll. If you’re playing for 1-2% of your bankroll per hand, you’re in great shape.
Play The Right Video Poker Games
Most casino games come in different configurations. Video poker is not unique. Just like roulette and blackjack, some video poker games are vastly more friendly to the player.
The main differences between video poker machines boils down to variance. Variance will have a tremendous impact on your short term success in video poker.
Games with an extremely low variance — Jacks or Better, for example — will reward the player with smaller incremental wins. These wins keep your bankroll about even for the most part.
You’ll rarely get a huge win on these games, but you’re also less likely to quickly drain your bankroll.
If you are playing a game with a high variance, you won’t see as many steady wins. So, it’s entirely possible to watch your bankroll dwindle to almost nothing.
Thanks to the amazing RTP this is when you may get a significant win that fills your bankroll back up to almost level.
It breaks down to this; a lower variance game is going to give you smaller more frequent wins and a high variance game will award fewer large pots.
I prefer to play Jacks or Better. By staying in the game as long as possible, I’m giving myself the best possible shot at a huge win.
How To Win At Video Poker Jacks Or Better
If you are fortunate enough to get a substantial win, I recommend cashing out immediately and buying back in for your original buy-in.
Match Your Strategy to the Video Poker Game
Video poker strategies vary as much as the games themselves. What’s of paramount importance is that you employ the correct strategy for the game you’re playing.
How To Win Poker Hands
The element of strategy is one of my favorite aspects of video poker. The element of choice is what largely separates the games from their cousins the slot machine.
How To Win At Shamrock 7s Video Poker
If you play much blackjack, you’re no doubt familiar with the basic blackjack strategy. This strategy chart breaks down the best play on every possible hand.
The strategy will vary depending on the variation of video poker you play. So, pay close attention to the types of video poker offered at the casino you’re visiting.
The strategy charts aren’t as common as their blackjack counterparts. You’ll be better off printing some off at home and taking them with you.
Whatever game you find yourself on, play the strategy chart on every single hand. Any variation at all will slide the edge back in the casino’s favor.
Remember, listening to your gut costs you money on the casino floor.
Go Full Throttle
If you only take one piece of advice from me, let it be the following. Only bet max every single hand.
The casinos hedge against the player by offering players the option to play for one credit up to five. The pay scale for video poker is based on how many credits you play and appears to steadily rise in corresponding increments.
However, this is far from the truth. Yes, for between one and four credits you’ll have the same payout relative to your bet.
That 5th credit is a game changer. When you play five credits on a standard video poker game, you automatically cut the house edge to 0.46%.
You’ll have a tough task finding better odds with other casino games. Conversely, playing only four credits increases the house advantage to a whopping 1.63%.
That’s an increase of over 300%. Still, I constantly see players sit down and play for less than max.
You’re burning money at this point. I don’t care if you have to move to a machine with a lower denomination, you always bet max credits in video poker.
Besides, you’re never going to fully enjoy the massive payout from a Royal Flush without maximizing the added bonus of that 5th credit.
Get Those Casino Freebies
How To Win Online Poker
The casino’s loyalty program is one of the simplest ways to make your gambling dollar work for you. If nothing else, it helps to mitigate a small portion of your losses.
Loyalty programs are particularly advantageous to the video poker player because of the extremely low house edge.
It also makes racking up huge loyalty rewards pretty easy. Take the time to sign up for the Player’s Card before you ever put a single coin in any machine.
The added perks and casino comps will not only make your trip more pleasant, but help extend your bankroll as far as possible.
Conclusion
You have a legitimate chance to never leave a loser again. Use video poker strategy that works to take your casino gambling career from busted to banging.