However, unlike slots, video poker offers players the incredible opportunity to use math and skill to actively influence the outcome.
If played with absolutely perfect strategy, certain video poker variations offer some of the highest payout percentages in the entire casino.
How to Identify a Winning Video Poker Machine
The casino adjusts its house edge entirely by changing the payouts for specific hands, usually the Full House and the Flush.
A '9/6' machine pays 9 coins for a Full House and 6 coins for a Flush, yielding an incredible 99.54% Return to Player (RTP).
- Always play 'Max Coins' (usually 5 coins); the payout for a Royal Flush jumps exponentially when playing the maximum bet
- If you cannot afford to play 5 coins at the $1 level, drop down to the $0.25 level so you can afford the maximum bet
- Never sit down at a '6/5' Jacks or Better machine; the casino has increased its edge dramatically to steal your money
The Importance of Perfect Strategy in Video Poker
Once you find a 9/6 machine, you must play every single hand with mathematical perfection to actually achieve that 99.54% return.
Casinos legally allow you to hold a printed strategy chart in your hand while playing video poker; they do not consider it cheating.
| Variation Type | Optimal Paytable to Find | Difficulty of Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Jacks or Better | 9 / 6 | Easy (Best for Beginners) |
| Deuces Wild | 15 / 9 | Extremely Difficult (Complex Holds) |
Video poker is a game of patience, repetition, and strict adherence to a predetermined mathematical chart.