In this article, we will review both skills and advise on what other knowledge is needed to achieve better results when playing video poker.
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*Only gamble with money you can afford to lose.
Choosing the right slot machines
If you want the best results, then avoid those machines that have so-called wild cards. If regular online video poker already requires a lot of effort and knowledge, then when wild cards (Eng. wild) are involved in the game, the strategy and calculations become much more complicated. This is simply because you need to consider and learn how to handle a variety of situations. Many people like to use the legendary Deuces Wild game as an example.
Although most games with wild cards are similar to the one we mentioned, this particular game is well known to most players. Here, strategies are divided into three groups. Each strategy group has many different combinations and possibilities. You start needing chess grandmaster-level knowledge to achieve good results in the long run. Therefore, most experienced players recommend choosing regular video poker without wild cards. Let's see how to properly choose slot machines.
When it comes to choosing the right machine, you should first be aware that the return to player (RTP) of a video poker machine (Eng. payback rate) is 90-97%, while regular slot machines often do not even reach 90%. Therefore, much less luck is needed, and often persistence, strategy, and choosing the right machines and games are enough to have a positive income at the end of the day.
When choosing slot machines online or in a real casino, consider these criteria:
- Return to player – the more is paid out for winnings and the bigger the prizes, the better. The so-called pay tables (pay tables) show which game will result in a bigger prize.
- Accessibility – maybe you know a good video poker game, but it is only available in one online casino or maybe there is always a long queue for it in real gambling houses? You probably understand that it is not worth playing a game with a low return or poor payout rates. Here is a standard pay table: 10:1 (Full House), 7:1 (Flush), 5:1 (Straight). This means that if you choose the optimal strategy every time and make no mistakes, the return should be 100.17%. This means that each time you will get about ~0.2% return. However, this calculation does not account for lucky streaks (streaks).
- Volatility (volatility) or payout ratio differences – looking at the return to player, you can also notice certain volatility or differences in payout ratios. Some games will not have any combinations with high payout rates. However, some games offer impressive bonuses for Royal Flush, Four-of-a-kind (certain variations) or other combinations. The more impressive the payouts for such rare combinations, the fewer good payouts for simple combinations. Do not be tempted by the fact that getting a Royal Flush will multiply your bet many times. The probability of that is too low.
- How difficult it is to create a winning strategy – we have come to the point that the first skill – choosing slot machines, is inseparable from the second – creating and sticking to a strategy. As we mentioned, in some games you need to remember so many variations and line combinations that you will not be able to grasp and absorb information about any other game. It is better to avoid that. Choose games where the line variations are <30.
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Optimal gambling strategy
So, once you have chosen a game based on its pay table (return), accessibility, payout ratio differences, and strategy complexity, it's time to create a plan to consistently get a positive return!
If you choose the right game, finding a winning strategy is possible and not very difficult. It requires practice, patience, skills, and time. If you dedicate enough of these resources, you will definitely achieve the desired results over time. Strategies vary depending on the game, so you won't be able to conquer the entire video poker world with one method. From the moment you choose a game, carefully study its features based on the payout percentage.
Max bet
Most strategy creators and experienced players always recommend betting the max coin bet, but this is more of an approximate tip rather than a guaranteed success formula. This means that if you are seriously considering what to do and one of the options is a big payout, it is probably worth risking with a large or maximum bet. This way, if you do not exceed your financial capabilities, you create greater chances to qualify for progressively increasing winnings (progressive jackpots).
GTO
Game Theory Optimization (GTO) is a way to play all gambling games and probability games by choosing the optimal action and implementing a winning strategy. Whether playing poker at the table or poker online, or during video poker gambling, you need to follow GTO rules to achieve the best results. Perhaps the simplest advice that can be given is – when playing video poker, do not hold three cards just to try to get Straight or Flush combinations. This reduces the chances of winning in the long run. The only exception when it is worth keeping your three cards is when aiming for a Straight Flush.
It is also worth mentioning a game like Ultimate X and how interesting things can turn out when you play it. Such versions of video poker slightly distort the benefit of GTO because this game has a Double Double Bonus, during which you can play up to 10 hands at once – significantly adjusting the player's chances of success.
Bonus tip: if you are playing Jacks or Better, never keep your kicker cards, as they do not increase the prize…
Not just money
If you are playing in a larger casino (e.g., major Las Vegas casinos) or in some gambling house network, money is not the only thing you can win in video poker. Major casino networks operate not only as gambling organizers but also as hotels, restaurants, and event venues. Exclusive players (frequent players and/or big spenders) receive VIP customer status or points that can be spent on various prizes. Maybe your goal is not necessarily the maximum earnings in euros or dollars, but rather a stay in a luxury suite or a fancy dinner… Well, how to play specific games and in-depth reviews of winning strategies for each game will be covered sometime in the future.
Most popular video poker game types
There are indeed several types of video poker games. They are all somewhat similar to each other, but at the same time very different. Now let's review some unique video poker games that are popular among players both in Lithuania and around the world.
Video poker: Deuces Wild
This is probably the second most popular poker game, which in structure and rules somewhat resembles Jacks or Better. However, the main difference lies in the game's name itself. Deuces Wild
or “Crazy Deuces” is played in such a way that all deuces in the deck act as wild cards. This means they can complete any combination and help you achieve the desired hand.
The main feature of Deuces Wild is that the lowest combination for which you can expect a win is three of a kind (Three of a Kind). The best combination is a Royal Flush, which pays out a prize of ~800x, but there is a difference between the one you get normally and the one with a wild card. In the latter case, the payout is, of course, smaller.
Although Deuces Wild games are not easy to find, if you always choose the optimal strategy, your advantage can be up to 0.76%, which is quite good, but not enough to live on. If you play optimally and wager €700 per hour, you can expect to earn about ~€5.32 per hour. Even if you sit and make no mistakes all day, most jobs pay much better for your time… So – the game is fun, but it couldn't become your main source of income.
In fact, most Deuces Wild video poker machines can be found in Las Vegas, but not online…
Video poker: Jacks or Better
Most video poker players list and rate this type of game as their No.1 choice. This is not without reason, as not only is this game easy to find on almost all online portals, but it is also easy to choose a winning strategy and find the most favorable conditions for players.
The essence of the game is that the player (you) receives 5 cards. You can decide which ones to keep and which ones to discard. The win is calculated based on the cards you have at the end of the game. As the name suggests, a pair of jacks (JJ) is the lowest combination with which you can expect to win. Therefore, the translation of the game into Lithuanian would be Valetai arba geriau (Jacks or Better). The best card combination is a Royal Flush, where with the highest bet you can expect up to ~800x winnings.
Since most Jacks or Better games have an RTP (return to player) of about 99.5%, such conditions are certainly attractive to gamblers. The strategy to play is easy to learn, the game is popular, and the house edge is small. Could there be anything better?
Video poker: Double Double Bonus Poker
Remember, earlier in the article we mentioned a game called Ultimate X? This is exactly the double-double bonus poker game. Although the strategy required to play this game is very chaotic and requires a lot of knowledge, in the end, you can still have a very small advantage over the casino (up to 0.1%). The uniqueness of this video poker is that some card combinations give an additional bonus. Especially important in this poker is the kicker card, which in other video poker games is usually seen as more of a hindrance than a benefit.
Perhaps the best combination when playing Double Double Bonus Poker is (A, A, A, A and 2, 3, or 4). Combining four aces with a deuce, three, or four, you get a 400x prize.
Video poker: All American
Since the most popular type of online poker is Jacks or Better, it is not surprising that there are quite a few variations of the game. One such variation is All American. Essentially, there are very few differences from Jacks or Better , and the only difference is the payout ratios. NetEnt's popular video poker game features higher payouts for Straight, Flush, or Straight Flushes, but pays slightly less for full house and two pairs. So – the differences are subtle but important. Each player can choose the variant they prefer.
Video poker: Jokers Wild/Joker Poker
A very popular type of video poker among Lithuanian players. This game has a deck of 53 cards, consisting of 52 regular cards and one joker. Being the 53rd card, it can replace any card in the deck to form a combination and is therefore called a wild card. The RTP rating is around 97-98%, so it differs slightly from the aforementioned Jacks or Better or Deuces Wild, but it is still a good ratio compared to regular slot machines.
Video poker: Pick‘em Poker
Pick‘em Poker or Pick a Pair Poker is one of the more unique and interesting poker games. The world of video poker is not lacking in variety, but this game stands out even in such a colorful context.
The return to player is good (up to 99.95%), and the other game conditions quickly engage and interest players. Players start the game with two cards (A and B). These are the basis of your hand. Then you get two more cards (C and D). You have to choose C or D and add it to A and B to form the best possible combination. Finally, you get two more cards from the deck and have five cards in your hand, which determine the combination you will have.
