While video poker may seem like just another simple video gambling game, it is actually more complex than one might think. Knowing which cards to hold and which to discard can make a huge difference in your House edge, and finding the right machine can reduce the House edge to almost nothing. Finding a game with a low House edge is also important when you are trying to clear a casino bonus.
Video Poker Strategy: Learn the Right Plays
It’s possible to find guides to the statistically correct plays for every video poker situation online. If you’re looking to maximize your edge, there’s no reason not to find one of these guides and bring it up in a new window to refer to as you play.
If you can’t find a guide you like or prefer to play on your own, just remember that in most cases you do not want to break up a paying hand. If you do not have a paying hand, you want to go for the hand that you are most likely to make, not the hand that will pay the most if you hit it.
Video Poker Strategy: Choose the Right Machine
Certain video poker machines have more favorable payouts than others do. If you are playing the standard machine where you need at least a pair of jacks to get paid, you should be looking for a full pay 9/6 machine, which is one that awards nine coins for a full house and six for a flush. If you have a strategy guide, make sure your guide matches the type of video poker machine you are playing.
