How To Play Video Poker
Combine the game of poker with a slot machine and you have the excitement of Video Poker. For players who are looking for an advantage in the casino, I have provided a Video Poker education with this article.
The information includes poker rankings, pay schedules, descriptions of Video Poker versions and Video Poker lingo.
We begin our journey with poker hand rankings in order from the highest to lowest.
- Royal Flush
- Straight flush (consecutive order, all same suit)
- Four of a kind
- Full house (3 of a kind, and a pair)
- Flush (all same suit, no consecutive order)
- Straight (consecutive order, not all same suit)
- Three of a kind
- Two pair
- One pair
Pay Schedules:
Video Poker payouts are listed on the schedule at each machine. The schedule shows how much you will win when you hit a certain hand with a single coin or any number of coins up to the maximum, which offer the largest payoffs possible.
If you bet 5 coins, all winning hands are paid out multiplied by a factor of 5, except for the royal flush. This is a bonus amount designed as an incentive to play five coins.
All those players who play less than maximum coins are setting up the best payoffs for those who do.
Below is an example of a Video Poker pay schedule for Jacks+ with the value of one-coin and max coin return.
| Pays–Jacks or Better (Jacks+) 9/6 | One-coin Return | Max. Coin Return |
|---|---|---|
| Pair–Jacks or Better | returns the bet | 5 coins |
| Two pair (2 PR) | Pays 2-1 | 10 coins |
| Three-of-a-kind (3/kind) | pays 3-1 | 15 coins |
| Straight (ST) (sequence, not same suit) | pays 4-1 | 20 coins |
| Flush (FL) (non-sequential, same suit) | pays 6-1 | 30 coins |
| Full house (FH) (3 of a kind and a pair) | pays 9-1 | 45 coins |
| Four-of-a-kind (any) | pays 25-1 | 125 coins |
| Straight flush (SF) (in sequence, same suit) | pays 50-1 | 250 coins |
| Royal flush (RF) | pays 250-1 | 4000 coins |
Every Video Poker player should know: 1) how to read a pay schedule and 2) strategies for all the Video Poker types/games.
Descriptions of Video Poker Versions:
- 9/5 Deuces Wild
- 7/5 Jokers Wild
- 10/7 Double Bonus–2 pair pays 1
- Pick ‘Em Poker–pair of 9’s+ min. payout
- 9/6 Jacks+–2 pair pays 2
- 8/5 Bonus Jacks+–2 pair pays 2, Four Aces pays 400
- 9/6 Double Double Bonus–4 Aces with 2, 3 or 4 pays 2000
The first two numbers reflect the payouts for a full house and flush as per one coin payout.
Therefore, a 10/7 Double Bonus Video Poker version would pay 10 coins for a full house and 7 coins for a flush for a one coin bet.
The exception being for Deuces Wild version which reflect the payouts for a straight flush and 4 of a kind as per one coin payout. The minimum payout for Deuces games is 3-of-a-kind.
In addition, because Bonus Video Poker versions offer higher payouts for four aces and four 2’s, 3’s and 4’s, the pair and two pair payouts are often the same–1 coin.
Video Poker versions that pay 2 for 2 pair are Jacks+ and Bonus Jacks+ in the guide above.
Video Poker Lingo:
Aces with a Kicker: Bonus credits are awarded for quad Aces with a specific fifth card.
Basic Video Poker: Single payline VIDEO POKER game using one 52-card deck. Unlike progressives, basic VIDEO POKER has a constant top jackpot payout; e.g. 4000 coins for Royal Flush.
Bet Max: To bet the max coins (usually 5) for each play/spin. If you want to receive full value for your VIDEO POKER play, this is the best strategy.
Bonus 4-of-a-kind: Pays bonus credits for certain quads and/or certain quads with a specific fifth card. Example is Double Double Bonus Poker=2000 credits for 4 Aces with a 2, 3 or 4 kicker.
Deal/Draw Button: Press for replacement cards not held during play or deal new hand.
Discard: Cards not held in search of a better hand.
Double Up: Option to double credits for a winning hand. You must draw a higher card than displayed to win.
Four Card Flush: Four cards of the same suit in a VIDEO POKER hand; e.g. 7c-8c-9c-Jc,
Four Card Royal Flush: Four cards in the same suit where one card will complete a Royal Flush, e.g., 10c-Jc-Qc-Kc-7.
Full House (FH): Hand containing three of a kind and a pair. Example is AAA-22.
Hand: Five cards as dealt or held constitute a hand.
High Card: Refers to Jack, Queen, King or Ace. Most VIDEO POKER games will return your bet for a pair of Jacks or Better.
Hold Button: Pressed for each card(s) you choose to hold for that particular hand.
Inside Straight: Completed with one card only, (e.g., dealt–6, 7, 9, 10)–only the eight can produce a winning hand.
Jacks or Better (Jacks +) Video Poker: original Video Poker version.
Kicker: Fifth card held or dealt that pays bonus credits with 4-of-a-kind. Example is a 2, 3, or 4 with four Aces in Double Double Bonus Poker.
Kicker: Holding an additional high card with a small pair. Not recommended.
Max Bet Button: Pressed to bet the maximum coins for a hand.
Multi Play: Video Poker slots where you can play 3, 5, 10 or up to 100 hands at one time.
Optimal Play: A combination of maximum coins in play plus strategy techniques utilized for that specific Video Poker version.
Outside Straight: Completed with two possible cards, (e.g., dealt 6, 7, 8, 9)–a ten or five can produce a winning hand.
Pat Hand: Winning hand is dealt with five initial cards.
Payback Percentages: % of how much a game will give back to the player in the long run given expert strategy.
Progressive Video Poker: Offers growing jackpots dependent upon amount of monies played through the linked Video Poker bank/carousel. Max coin play is mandatory here.
Quad: Term for four-of-a-kind.
Royal Flush: Oh yeah! Top payout for Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same suit in any order with no wild cards.
Royal Flush Wild: Formed with Wild Card(s). Ex. Joker Royal and/or Deuces Royal.
Straight (ST): Sequence of five cards not of the same suit. Example is 4-5-6-7-8.
Straight Flush (SF): Sequence of five cards of the same suit. Ex. clubs 4-5-6-7-8.
Strategy: Learned technique/methods of playing individual hands determined by the VIDEO POKER paytable and version.
Tens or Better Video Poker (10+): Pair of Tens or Better is the minimum payout for this game.
Three of a Kind (3/kind): Hand with three cards of the same denomination. (AAA).
Trips: Term for three-of-a-kind.
Two Pairs (2PR): Hand with two pairs.
VP: Abbreviation for Video Poker.
Wild Card: Used to complete a winning hand. Two popular Video Poker versions are Deuces Wild and Jokers Wild.
Until we meet again, may all your Video Poker choices turn out to be ‘royalty’.
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