Full House Formula: Video Poker Strategy Tricks

We all have our own little hoard of Video Poker strategy and tricks, and today I’ll share my own! There’s just something special about experiencing the adrenaline of Poker minus the stress out of dealing with players and a human dealer, and I want you to have that too.

Let’s begin!

The Essence of Video Poker Mastery

First, meet your opponent: a machine. That’s right, in Video poker you don’t have to deal with the complex table dynamics and mind games you’d find in a traditional Hold’em card game. It’s a solitary expedition to the top and all you have are your skills and odds-calculation skills. Here’s some other things you should know about the game before we start.

The gameplay itself is very straightforward, since it works entirely on a machine.
Your card choices matter tremendously, and can shape game outcomes.
The pay tables can be easily accessed and you can plan your Video Poker Strategy ahead of time.
It’s known for its slim house edge, making it easier for players to win.

The Mechanics Behind Video Poker

This is a bit of an explanation you’ll need if you’re planning on hitting the Casino in real life. If you plan to play online exclusively, feel free to skip this section!

Video Poker machines are either Class II and Class III variants.

Class II Variants

These can be found in areas with stringent gambling regulations. They decide outcomes similarly to how bingo or lottery draws their winners, so you’re essentially joining a big bingo game that’s running in the background.

The cards you see on the screen are just there for entertainment. The real win or loss is based on whether you match the winning bingo pattern. So, your skill in making decisions doesn’t really impact the outcome in the same way as traditional Video Poker.

Class III Variants

Resemble your typical casino experience: each round is an independent episode, and results are not swayed by the fortunes of fellow players. The important part here is that your decisions matter—you can increase your chances of winning with a good Video Poker Strategy, like knowing when to hold or discard.

The first tip is learning to differentiate between the two, and playing on Class III machines exclusively. These allow you to use your Video Poker Strategy to maximize your odds and truly have a say in the outcome. It doesn’t matter how big of a brainiac you are, if you play in Class II machines, your results are determined by this hidden bingo game, and that’s not what we want.

What About Online Video Poker?

If you’re playing online exclusively, then Class II vs Class III distinctions aren’t really important. Most online Video Poker games are Class III by default, so you’re in the clear. These are based on your typical random number generator (RNG) system, so your decisions and use of a Video Poker Strategy will matter, and can influence the outcome.

Video Poker Jargon and Basic Terms

Trying to learn something, only to be met with a bunch of undefined terms and jargons is mildly annoying, to say the least. Let’s not do that, instead, let’s get our ABCs nice and straight so we can learn our Video Poker strategy and tricks as quickly as possible.

Pay Table: think of the pay table as a scoreboard. Each hand is ranked and earns a score (payout).
House Edge: this is the casino’s preset advantage over players. Casinos are a business, and they’re designed to profit off players for every dollar they gamble over the long haul.
Variance: this metric measures the game’s fluctuation levels, which is a fancy way of referring to the risk involved in playing a game.
Full Pay: this term is assigned to the machines that offer the most favorable pay tables for a given version of video poker.

With the basics out of the way, let’s get into the actual game and its tips and strategies.

Decision Making in Video Poker

Video poker is all about making deliberate choices that tip the odds in your favor, and boost profitability over the long term.

Before you start placing chips, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the pay table. Balancing variance and payout are essential, in fact, it’s the most important decision you’ll make before sitting and wagering.

Look, if you’re all about big payouts and wish to go for a high-variance, high-payout table, then be my guest. Just make sure it’s well within the limits of your bankroll!

When the game starts, you’ll be dealt cards, and you’ll have to quickly decide which you’ll need to discard to sculpt a strong hand. Your decisions already impact your odds early on, so it’s important to choose wisely.

Navigating the Video Poker Landscape: Choosing Your Game

Video poker machines offer different game modes to its players. Here are the most popular ones:

Jacks or Better

This is the cornerstone of video poker. You’ll want to secure a pair of jacks or a superior hand to get those juicy payouts. It’s the best choice for beginners, due to its low entry barrier and straightforward video poker strategy tips.

Wild Card Video Poker

Variants such as Deuces Wild and Joker Poker introduce wild cards into the mix. It adds plenty of excitement and complexity to the game. Due to its unpredictable nature, you can experience some of the most thrilling hands and unlikeliest of comebacks at any round.

Progressive Video Poker

These games dangle the carrot of escalating jackpots for particular winning combinations. Your Video Poker Strategy dynamically adapts to keep up with the stakes and get crazy returns.

Mastering Video Poker: Strategies for Ascendancy

Mastering video poker is, at its heart, combining all the resources and visual aids with your decision-making skills to make profitable decisions.

It involves strategy charts, practice and good decision making.

Strategy Chart Fundamentals

Strategy charts are fantastic resources you can check up on mid-round. They’ll teach and offer counsel on which cards you should keep, and which you should discard on your opening hand.

Practice for Free

Ultimately, like any other human activity, you’ll need to diligently practice to master your decision-making skills in video poker. You’ll notice patterns, hands you’re better off discarding early on and which strategy chart works best for you. Learning all of this valuable insight for free is highly recommended.

Learning when to chase the illusive Royal Flush, or opting for a slow-and-steady approach will ultimately depend on your gambling style. You’ll notice, as you play, that you learn more about yourself too, and this knowledge will completely change the way you play and choose cards too. Don’t skip this very important process!

Once you’ve got a few hours of practice in, then you can start wagering your hard-earned money against the machine.

A Simple Strategy for Jacks or Better

The Wizard of Odds designed a Jacks or Better video poker strategy that nudges expected returns up to 99.46% on a full-pay machine, which is nothing short of impressive. There’s an even better Video Poker Strategy that leads to 99.54% return, but it’s significantly more complicated.

This simple strategy is perfect for beginners, and it’s one that you’re better off adopting early on as you learn the ropes.

I’ll give you the abridged, resumed version of this strategy for beginners. If you want a deep dive, be sure to check out their website!

Evaluate the Initial Deal

First, you’ll want to order potential hands by their value. That way you’ll always opt for the highest feasible choice right from the initial deal.

Next, take note of your “high card”, which refers to any jack or superior card. You’ll need to pair that card with something else to get your initial wager back. Keep in mind that High Cards can, at minimum, return your initial bet.

Strategic Prioritization

Cling to formidable hands, like four of a kind, straight flush, or royal flush (if present).

If you weren’t dealt any particularly flashy cards, then eye the jackpot by keeping cards that could evolve into a royal flush, straight flush, or other high-ranking hands.

What to do with Pairs

Favor high pairs over low pairs, always. They come with a superior immediate yield, and can even escalate into heavier hands.

Flush or Straight Drafts

First, let’s define what an Outside Straight is. An Outside Straights is a sequence like 7-8-9-10, where a card at either end can complete the straight.

An Inside Straight, on the other hand, is a disjointed sequence such as 6-7-9-10. Inside Straights are missing an internal card for the straight completion, and are riskier than their outside counterparts.

Favor outside straights, which are completable from either directions and thus are easier to land. Inside straights aren’t bad, but they have lower odds of landing.

Suited and High Cards

Suited connectors (e.g., 10/J, 10/Q, 10/K) should be kept. Unsuited high cards can be used, just try to aim for a high pair or a straight/flush draft.

When to Discard

If none of these strategies adapt to your circumstances, then you’re better off discarding the entire hand and hoping for a better draw.

Why this Video Poker Strategy Works

This Video Poker Strategy simplifies decision-making by categorizing potential hands, making it notably easier for players to memorize and implement, with only a fractional dip in the expected return. Through this method, players can navigate the complexities of Jacks or Better with increased confidence and strategic insight, stepping closer to mastering the game with each hand played.

This strategy streamlines the decision-making process we were talking about. It’s incredibly powerful, especially for beginners looking to even the field. The strategy makes it easier for players to memorize and implement this hierarchical order with minimal dips in return.

Implementing this strategy early on is highly recommended, and will help you pick up the game that much faster.

Video Poker Strategy for Wild Card

Let me share beginner-friendly strategies and tips for newer Deuces Wild players.

Always Hold the Wild Cards

This is a no-brainer: anytime you get a wild card (like a Deuce), hold onto it! It can transform your hand into something much stronger, so don’t discard it.

Focus on Four of a Kind or Better

Wild cards make it easier to get hands like four of a kind or even a straight flush. If you have a decent hand but are close to a bigger hand, like a full house or straight, go for the upgrade. For example, if you have three of a kind, aim for four of a kind or a full house.

This game mode rewards boldness, so you can make otherwise impulsive decisions that wouldn’t work well in Jacks or Better.

Two Wild Cards? Aim High

If you’re lucky enough to have two wild cards (like two 2s in Deuces Wild), go for a royal flush or five of a kind. It’s better to aim for the highest possible hand when you’ve got two wilds, as your chances of hitting a top-paying hand are much better. It’s literally the closest thing to a sign that tells you to go big or go home.

Throw Away Everything for Three or More Wilds

If you somehow get dealt three or more wild cards, don’t be afraid to discard the rest of your cards. You’re almost guaranteed a great hand, so it’s best to let those wilds work their magic. You’re too big to fail at this point, which is a rare thing to see in a Casino.

Don’t Hold Low Pairs

If you’re a Video Poker veteran, this will feel very unintuitive, but in wild card games, it’s usually better discard a low pair unless you have a strong chance of upgrading to something bigger (like four of a kind or a full house). Focus on maximizing the wild card’s potential instead.

Strategy and Tips for Progressive Video Poker

Progressive Video Poker, just like progressive slots, allow jackpots to increase to crazy amounts as more people play. The strategy for this game mode definitely shifts though, so let’s get right to it.

Always Play Max Coins

Again, just like in Slots, you’re better off betting the maximum number of coins whenever possible, since all the big payouts are locked behind max coins. Getting a Royal Flush without betting max coins has to be the most painful thing that can happen to you, so just … don’t.

Go for the Royal Flush More Often

You heard that right: go for the Royal Flush whenever you legitimately can. If you have four cards to a Royal Flush, even if it means discarding a lesser winning hand like two pairs or a flush, go for it! The potential jackpot payout makes it worth the risk.

Stick to a Strong Paytable

Most people are dazzled by the Jackpot and forget to even check the rest of the paytable. Look for machines with a paytable that generously rewards hands like full houses and flushes. These payouts will keep you playing for longer, and increase your chances of hitting the motherload.

Adjust Strategy Based on Jackpot Size

If the progressive jackpot is big enough, then it’s time to get very aggressive on your search for the Royal Flush. If you have to give up smaller, sure-thing hands in that relentless chase, then do it!

Bankroll Management is Key

Goes without saying, but just like any other casino game, you have to manage your bankroll carefully. Stick to a budget and expect long sessions with slim pickings. You’re after the jackpot, and it’s not supposed to be an easy hunt.

Video Poker Strategy FAQs

What is the most important strategy in video poker?

Learning and adhering to a strategy chart tailored to the specific game you’re playing is crucial.

How do you win consistently at video poker?

Consistent wins in video poker stem from understanding the game’s mechanics, mastering the strategy for your chosen variation, and managing your bankroll effectively.

Can you make a living playing video poker?

While challenging, it’s theoretically possible in games with a player advantage, but this requires discipline, a substantial bankroll, and choosing games with the highest possible payback.

Let’s begin!

The Essence of Video Poker Mastery

The gameplay itself is very straightforward, since it works entirely on a machine.
Your card choices matter tremendously, and can shape game outcomes.
The pay tables can be easily accessed and you can plan your Video Poker Strategy ahead of time.
It’s known for its slim house edge, making it easier for players to win.

The Mechanics Behind Video Poker

This is a bit of an explanation you’ll need if you’re planning on hitting the Casino in real life. If you plan to play online exclusively, feel free to skip this section!

Video Poker machines are either Class II and Class III variants.