Video poker is a different game from Texas Hold’em in a way that you play it against the casino rather than other players at the table. These machines were among the first electronic games in the casinos, introduced back in the 1970s. Even back then, it offered one of the best options for players among other casino games.
With most video poker machines having an RTP rate of over 99%, and some even exceeding 100%, video poker is the one casino game you need to learn how to play.
In this guide, we will teach you how to play video poker the right way, introduce the key video poker tips you should know, and take you on a journey to potentially beating the house at its own game.
Basic Video Poker Strategy – How to Play
If you have never played it before, you need to learn how to play video poker on the most basic level first. This means learning how gameplay works and what your end goal is.
In video poker games, you are dealt five cards from a deck of cards to start with. You get a single draw opportunity, where you can replace some or all of the cards with new ones.
Your end goal is to make the best possible poker hands, according to the standardized poker hand rankings. In some video poker games, hands like five of a kind are possible when jokers are in play.
All video poker games have a paytable, which determines what payout you receive for every possible poker hand you can get dealt. In most cases, a royal flush offers the highest payout, while a hand like a pair of jacks or a pair of tens may be required to qualify for a payout in the first place.
In live casino settings, you may find many different video poker machines, each with different rules, payout tables, and RTP rates. When playing online video poker, options are often even greater, with dozens of different video poker games available.
Before we jump into how to play the most popular video poker games, let’s take a look at some of the most popular types of games and how they differ from each other.
Types of Video Poker Machines
To date, hundreds of different video poker variations have been invented. However, most casinos, both live and online, usually feature some of the most popular versions.
For that reason, you should familiarize yourself with the rules and basic video poker strategy for these games above all others.
Some of the most common video poker types include:
- Jacks or Better: Jacks or Better is the most popular video poker machine in the world. These machines usually have one of two different paytables, commonly referred to as 9/6 and 8/6 Jacks or Better. As the name suggests, you must make a pair of Jacks to qualify for a payout, and there are no jokers in play.
- Tens or Better: This game is identical to Jacks or Better in most elements, except for the fact a pair of Tens qualifies you for a payout, and the payout table is slightly adjusted to compensate for this fact.
- Joker Poker: A version of Jacks or Better that plays with a single joker card in the deck, Joker Poker requires a pair of Kings or better for a payout. The joker card makes big hands more likely, which is why payouts for straights, flushes, and full houses are reduced.
- Deuces Wild: There are no jokers in Deuces Wild, but every Deuce dealt acts as a joker, replacing for any other card. Five or a kind is possible in Deuces Wild, and the game is one of the most dynamic video poker variants out there.
- Bonus Poker: Receive extra payouts for four of a kind combinations, but at a cost of lower payout for some of the other more common hands. Variations of Bonus Poker include Double Bonus Poker, and Double Double Bonus Poker.
- All American: All American Poker is a version of Jacks or Better where higher payouts are offered for straights and flushes, while two pair and three of a kind pay less. Full Pay All American machines have an RTP of 100.72% when played optimally.
- Aces & Eights: In this version of video poker, getting four Aces or Eights pays 80/1, while other quads are paid less than usual. Other payouts are the same as Jacks or Better.
Finding the Best Video Poker Machines
The most important thing to understand about video poker is that not every machine is the same, whether you are playing online or live.
Not only are there different video poker versions to choose from, but these versions come with completely different RTP rates and house edge.
While all video poker games typically pay higher than video slots, the exact return rate can differ quite a bit. Here is a quick look at the typical payout rate of some of the best video poker machines, when played optimally:
| Video Poker Version | RTP Rate |
| Full Pay Deuces Wild | 100.76% |
| Full Pay All American | 100.72% |
| Full Pay Double Bonus | 100.17% |
| Full Pay Double Double Bonus | 100.07% |
| 9/6 Jacks or Better | 99.54% |
| Aces and Faces | 99.26% |
| Tens or Better | 99.14% |
All of these RTP rates assume you apply the best video poker strategy every time you play, and you make no deviations from it.
For the time being, let’s look at the basic strategy tips for the most popular and most profitable versions of video poker.
Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy
The Deuces Wild video poker strategy revolves around the wild cards, which in this case are Deuces. The strategy is fairly math-heavy and should always be adhered to in full.
Here are the basic strategy tips to remember,d epending on how many Deuces you are dealt to start with:
- 4 Deuces: Discard the fifth card, unless it gives you a Royal Flush. Always go for the Royal Flush with 4 Deuces.
- 3 Deuces: Keep the three Deuces and go for the Royal Flush. Keep one other card if it qualifies for a Royal Flush.
- 2 Deuces: Keep any four to a Royal Flush, any Five of a Kind, Straight Flush, or Four of a Kind. Otherwise, only keep the two Deuces.
- 1 Deuce: Keep any four to a Royal Flush, Straight Flush, or Three of a Kind of better. Otherwise, keep the Deuce and discard the other cards.
- No Deuces: Keep pat hands, or four to a Royal/Straight Flush.
All American Video Poker Strategy
All American is another video poker game that can have an RTP rate of over 100% when you find a full pay machine. Hands like straights and flushes pay higher in All American, while two pair pays at even money.
If you already know how to play video poker, such as Jacks or Better, adjusting to All American should be pretty straightforward, with a few major changes to the general strategy.
Here are the key things to remember in All American:
- Always keep four to a Royal Flush or Straight Flush
- Always keep made hands
- Keep four to a Straight of Flush over one pair
- Keep three to a Royal Flush over one pair
- Keep a low pair if no other options
Jacks or Better Video Poker Strategy
Jacks or Better is by far the most common video poker game, which is why learning its rules is probably the most important step in your journey to learning how to play video poker.
While Jacks or Better games typically have an RTP rate of just under 100%, playing optimally will give you a fair chance of winning big in any given session.
Payouts in Jacks or Better range from even money for a single pair of Jacks or better, to 800/1 for a Royal Flush.
It is very important to play on 9/6 Jacks or Better machines, meaning ones that pay 9/1 for a Full House and 6/1 for a Flush. Other versions with lower payouts have a lower overall RTP rate as well.
Here is a quick look at the payouts on the Jacks or Better machine with full payouts, and the likelihood of being make each hand:
| Hand | Payout | Odds |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 1 in 40,000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 1 in 9,150 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | 1 in 423 |
| Full House | 9 | 1 in 90 |
| Flush | 6 | 1 in 85 |
| Straight | 4 | 1 in 80 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 1 in 13 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 1 in 7.7 |
| Pair of Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 in 4.7 |
| No Hand | 0 | 1 in 1.8 |
Video Poker Strategy Tips and Tricks
Once you have mastered the basic video poker strategy, you can start playing these entertaining poker machines and expect high returns.
However, there is more to playing video poker than just knowing the basic rules and strategies. We have prepared some great video poker tips and tricks that can help you get the most out of every session you play.
Tip #1. Play the Highest RTP Machines
The selection of video poker machines in both live and online casinos can be quite wide, and playing the machines with the highest returns is your number one priority.
For starters, look for games like All American and Deuces Wild, which typically have a higher RTP rate. Beyond that, make sure you find machines with a full paytable, and not ones with diminished returns for certain hands.
Unlike slot machines, whose RTPs can be changed, the RTP of a video poker game is directly related to its paytable, as all the card shuffling is completely random.
Tip #2. Make Use of Casino Promotions
The odds in video poker are pretty close to zero, meaning any extra edge you can get goes to your pocket.
Both online and live casinos can have various promotions available that video poker players can make use of.
If you can find a solid bonus, free bet, or cashback deal to play video poker with, you may be looking at a steady way to beat the house.
Remember to always play the best video poker games while running the promotion, to get the full extent of the value on offer.
Tip #3. Never Diverge from the Strategy
Each video poker game has the perfect strategy in place, which you should never diverge from. If you do, you will only be hurting your RPT and your chances to win.
Regardless of how things are going, whether the machine seems to be paying or not, or any other factors, always stick to the perfect strategy.
In the long run, this approach will yield you the best results and allow you to run as close to your expected value as possible.
Tip #4. Enjoy the VIP Benefits
Many video poker players in live casinos around the world make money by playing the highest RTP machines for high stakes in combination with VIP returns.
If you play the games for high stakes, you will accumulate a lot of VIP points, which can be exchanged for cash, hotel stays, flights, and various other perks.
Playing during promotional periods when extra points can be earned for your play makes even more sense, giving you a chance to fully capitalize on every dollar you put into the machines.
Tip #5. Understand Variance
While video poker games do have a high RTP, there is also plenty of variance involved. This means there will be days when you will win big and days when you will lose big. That’s just the nature of gambling.
Your results will even out over the long run, and if you play the right way, you should be pretty close to break-even if you play the right games, while the benefits from VIP rewards and promotions will be yours to keep.
To sustain the variance, maintain a solid bankroll, and adjust your bets according to the money available for entertainment and gambling.
