Video Poker Strategy

In all likelihood if this game or a version of it is available under the terms then in general it will be the version that has the least favorable payout to the player.

There are quite a lot of different variations of video poker available at online casinos. The most well known version - Jacks or Better - can have an edge as low as less than half of one percent, so if that game is permitted then the contribution rate will be increased accordingly.

But with such a variety of game types, there is no specific strategy that can be applied here.

As applies to many different games, the best bet here may be to find those games that have extra large jackpot payouts and instead of trying to clear the bonus with a profit, use the extra bonus money and the extra play time that that money gives you to play for one of those jackpots.

Expert video poker players will know the best strategy for taking advantage of the game, but for less informed players an easier appraoch is playing for the maximum jackpot available.

Video Poker Strategy

I am by no means an expert when it comes to this game, yet I have spent my fair share of hours on it. It is an easy game to play, assuming you know the basics of the normal poker hand rankings.

The video poker game with the best odds for the player is goingto be Jacks or Better. Normally, even if a bonus allows video poekr in the permitted games, the Jacks or Better version will still be prohibited. Do cehck that if this is your game of chocie.

Jacks or Better has the lowest edge of all the varieties of video poker, coming in at less than 1%.

For that version, or most other version, the optimal strategy is to always play for the highest paying hand. So if for example you have a low pair on your deal, but also you have three of a straight, then the optimal play is to discard the low pair and hold the three to a straight. This may seem counter intuitive to most players,a nd indeed most players will find this hard to do. The common play is to hold the low pair for a better chance at a win, hitting a third card or another pair. But that is a short term win, whereas the better play is to always play for higher payouts though it may take longer to hit.

With this approach you will need to maximise your bankroll to get the most game time that you can, for this to have a chance of paying off for you.

While it may be easy for you to discard a pair of twos in order to hold three to a royal flush, the more common dilemma is to have to choose to discard a pair of jacks - in other words a guaranteed win, albeit a low payout one - in order to hold four to a straight. Most players will take the pair of jacks for the guaranteed chips, but in fact the better approach is to play for the straight, assuming that it is an open ended straight. The odds favor playing this way, but it will take some nerves and good bankroll management.

Nerves of steel and the ability to withstand repeated misses will help quite a bit with this appraoch too. It can be difficult to let a guaranteed payout go in order to play for the chance of a higher payout. And when your straight misses but another jack comes up, you might feel that you are making the wrong plays.