Video Poker Strategy

There are hundreds, even thousands, of video poker players who diligently look for the best video poker games. They learn and regularly practice the proper playing strategy for the games and pay tables that are available. They practice strict money management.

Much is written about when to stop playing video poker in a casino. Many say to stop playing when you are ahead. While that sounds good at first, that advice is not at all practical. A player does not want to stop playing after winning the first hand. Players may also never be ahead.

Are video poker machines rigged? Plenty of gamblers believe that they are.

The word has been out for decades among video poker players: Look for "9-6" machines to enhance your chance to win.

The old saying that variety is the spice of life can also apply to casino gaming. Different players are intrigued or bored by different things.

The seven deadly sins of Christianity are generally well known. They are pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. They can also apply to video poker – indeed to all casino gambling.

This article looks more closely at how they apply in the hope that the reader will avoid each of them.

If you are like most video poker players, you do not expect a lot when you are dealt a low pair for your initial hand. It seems like these hands never turn into winners.

One of the more interesting hands in video poker is one that contains two pairs. This is almost always a winning hand, though in some casino games (wildcard games in particular) three-of-a-kinds are the lowest winning hands.

For the average player (as well as the not so average player) hitting a royal flush at video poker is a rare and exciting event. Years can pass between them. Just what are the odds against hitting a royal flush? How about the odds against getting royal flushes back to back?

I doubt many video poker players even consider this question. They head to the casino (or play online) hoping their luck will bring them riches – or at least buy them some decent time playing their favorite video poker game.

One important part of video poker strategy has nothing to do with what cards to hold or discard. Optimal play starts with being able to tell the higher-paying games at a glance.

Most serious video poker players understand what elements define a good game. These elements include return, variance, and strategy complexity. For most serious players, return is the main element considered when choosing a video poker game to play.

Aces Manufacturing based in Las Vegas produces “Video Poker Analyzer” capable of monitoring players expertise in playing correct video poker strategy. In the first quarter of 2024 they published a study that identified profits lost to advantage video poker players.

The average casual video poker player is probably unaware of any of the title’s four elements other than in the most general sense. Seasoned video poker players are well aware of return when it comes to this casino game. It is almost certainly the main criteria they use to identify their chosen game.

Video poker players who play the game regularly – or even not so regularly – tend to have a favorite game or few games. They tend to play these games exclusively. They play the same pay tables for these select games.