Of all the video poker games, Deuces Wild is considered one of the most exciting and rewarding ones to play in any online or live casino.
If you are new to the game, this detailed guide will teach you how to play Deuces Wild video poker, what hands to look for, and what Deuces Wild strategy to apply in your game.
Before we get into the strategy, let’s look at some basics and explain how Deuces Wild differs from other video poker games like Jacks or Better.
What Is Deuces Wild Video Poker?
Deuces Wild is a video poker game that resembles the popular Jacks or Better video poker machine in many ways.
The key difference is that, in Deuces Wild, every Deuce dealt acts as a wild card, replacing all other cards in the deck.
This makes the Deuce the most powerful card in the game, as it alone allows players to make powerful hands like Five of a Kind.
The Deuces Wild video poker game boasts a high RTP (return-to-player) percentage, with many versions offering returns of nearly 99%, and even the worst-paying machines still return over 97%.
So, if you are on the lookout for a high-paying game with a simple strategy, Deuces Wild video poker is one of the best picks.
Deuces Wild Video Poker Gameplay Explained
If you have never played video poker online, you may not be familiar with how Deuces Wild works at first. If you did play a game like Jacks or Better or Bonus Poker before, the basic mechanics should be familiar.
Either way, it’s worth refreshing your memory, so let’s break down a hand of Deuces Wild video poker and teach you how to play the game at any online or live casino of your choice.
Set Your Bet Size
Once you have loaded up the Deuces Wild video poker, the first thing you will need to do is choose your bet size.
A typical Deuces Wild game allows you to bet anywhere between 1 and 5 coins per hand. The value of a coin can be anywhere from $0.10 to $10 or more, depending on where you play the game.
Choose a coin value that works for you, but always remember to bet the full five coins, as this is the only way you can win the 4,000 coin jackpot for a Royal Flush (the same jackpot pays just 1,000 coins at four coins per hand).
Deal the Cards
Once you have set your coin value and bet size, it’s time to deal your first hand of Deuces Wild. Simply press the deal button to start the game.
You will receive five cards, face-up. Your job will be to examine the cards and choose which ones you want to keep and which ones you want to discard.
Keep in mind that there is only one right way to play each hand, and we will discuss this in more detail in the Deuces Wild strategy section below.
The Drawing Round
Once you have examined your five cards, you get to discard as many of them as you wish. Once you have discarded a card, a new card will be dealt instead of it.
Your job in this drawing round is to try to improve your hand as best you can. The Deuces Wild strategy has the right solution for every situation, and only by drawing the right way can you maximize your RTP.
Payout
Once the draw is complete and you have been dealt the new cards, the machine will instantly assess your hand and award you a payout.
The payouts are awarded based on a pre-made paytable. Unlike in other poker games, you won’t be comparing your poker hand with anyone else’s.
Instead, the value of your hand is absolute, and you will be paid based on the value of your initial bet and the strength of the poker hand you were able to make.
Poker Hands in Deuces Wild
If you have played other poker variants before, you probably know the typical poker hand rankings by heart by now.
However, the hand rankings in Deuces Wild are a bit different than those in other games, as the wild Deuce cards change things up a bit.
For one, hands like Five of a Kind and Deuces Royal Flush are possible in this game, while they don’t exist in regular poker games.
What’s more, the lowest value poker hands, like one pair and two pai,r don’t qualify in Deuces Wild, as they are too easy to make with the wild cards.
So, for all intents and purposes, these are the Deuces Wild poker hand rankings, from best to worst:
- Natural Royal Flush: Five highest cards of one suit, no Deuces.
- Four Deuces: Four Deuces are the second strongest hand in the game.
- Deuces Royal Flush: A Royal Flush with one of the cards replaced by a Deuce.
- Five of a Kind: Four of a Kind, plus a Deuce
- Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit.
- Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same ranking.
- Full House: Three of a kind + one pair.
- Flush: Five cards of the same suit.
- Straight: Five consecutive cards of various suits.
- Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same ranking.
Deuces Wild Video Poker Paytable
Now that you know how hands rank in Deuces Wild, it’s time to look at the actual paytable and find out what each hand pays in-game.
You will notice that payouts for poker hands like straights and flushes are significantly lower than in other video poker variants, such as Jacks or Better, for obvious reasons.
While these hands still have some value, they are much easier to make in Deuces Wild, which diminishes their value.
So, when you start playing Deuces Wild, keep this paytable in mind:
| Poker Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
| Natural Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Four Deuces | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1,000 |
| Deuces Royal Flush | 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 |
| Five of a Kind | 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | 60 |
| Straight Flush | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
| Four of a Kind | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Full House | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Flush | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Straight | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Three of a Kind | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
As you can see, the payouts for hands like Four of a Kind and Full House are fairly low, but hands like Four Deuces and a Natural Royal Flush in particular have extreme value compared to everything else in the game.
On the other hand, you will only get your money back for Three of a Kind, while hands like two pair and one pair don’t qualify in this video poker variant.
Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy Explained
The strategy for most video poker games is relatively simple and can be easily explained in a single table. In the case of Deuces Wild, things get a bit more complicated, as the number of Deuces you are dealt determines how you should play.
For that reason, we have broken down the optimal Deuces Wild video poker strategy into a few sub-sections. Once you are dealt a hand, refer to the appropriate section of the sheet in accordance with the number of Deuces you were dealt.
In every situation, read the sheet from the top to the bottom, until you get to the hand that best fits the cards you were dealt.
Strategy with Four Deuces
- Keep the four Deuces and get a 1,000 coins payout.
Strategy with Three Deuces
- Keep the three Deuces and any cards that may form a Royal Flush
Strategy with Two Deuces
- Keep Four of a Kind or Better
- Keep four to a Royal Flush
- Keep four cards to a Straight Flush higher than 6-7
- In all other situations, keep only the two Deuces
Strategy with One Deuce
- Keep four of a Kind or Better
- Keep four to a Royal Flush
- Keep a Full House
- Keep four cards to a Straight Flush higher than 5-7
- Keep a Straight, Flush, or Three of a Kind
- Keep three to a Royal Flush
- Keep three to a Straight Flush
- In all other situations, only keep the Deuce
Strategy with No Deuces
- Keep a natural Royal Flush
- Keep four to a Royal Flush
- Keep any made hand
- Keep four to a Straight Flush
- Keep three to a Royal Flush
- Keep a pair
- Keep four to a Flush
- Keep four to an open-ended Straight
- Keep three to a Straight Flush
- Keep four to an inside Straight
- Keep two to a Royal Flush (J-Q or higher)
- Discard all of your cards
Using the poker strategy above may seem a bit daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, you will automatically know what cards to keep in every situation.
For the most part, the strategy is quite intuitive, and there are only a few adjustments you will need to make to consistently achieve the best possible results.
Deuces Wild Video Poker Tips & Tricks
We have gone over the optimal strategy you should apply when playing Deuces Wild, but here are a few more tips and tricks that will help you easily get the best result in this game:
Make Use of Casino Promotions: Online casinos often have promotions that apply to video poker players, so make sure to take full advantage of those to maximize your expected value.
Always Bet Max Coins: Betting five coins per hand is the only way to get the game’s jackpot, worth 4,000 coins for a Royal Flush.
Never Discard Deuces: This one may seem self-explanatory, but you should never discard a Deuce. Be extra careful with this, as the Deuce can seem as just another low card.
Try to Get the Royal: If you have four cards to a Royal Flush, with or without a Deuce, you should always go for it, even if it means breaking a made Flush.
Play Within Your Bankroll: Deuces Wild is a high-variance video poker game, which means you must ensure you have a sufficient bankroll to sustain potential losing streaks.
Start Playing Deuces Wild Video Poker Today
Deuces Wild video poker is one of the most popular video poker variants in a massive video poker industry, and you can start playing it today.
Using the simple strategy we have outlined in this guide, you will be able to maximize your returns and dominate the game every time you play it.
Remember to never deviate from our strategy, and find valuable casino bonuses to boost you on your way and make your win-rate even higher.
FAQ
1. What is Deuces Wild video poker?
Deuces Wild is a video poker variant in which all Deuces act as wild cards and substitute for all other cards in the deck.
2. What is the lowest paying hand in Deuces Wild?
The lowest paying hand in Deuces Wild is Three of a Kind, which wins you back your bet. Hands like Two Pair and One Pair don’t pay anything.
3. What is the Deuces Wild video poker RTP?
The Deuces Wild RTP ranges between 97% and 99%, depending on the game version.
4. Is Deuces Wild a high-paying video poker game?
If you can find a high RTP machine, such as the ones in online casinos, Deuces Wild has a good RTP. However, there are other video poker games with a higher RTP out there.
5. Should I always hold Deuces in Deuces Wild?
Yes, you should always keep any Deuces you are dealt in this game.
6. What is the optimal strategy for Deuces Wild?
The best Deuces Wild strategy revolves heavily around going for big hands like Straight Flushs and Royal Flushes at the expense of smaller payouts.
