Video Poker Strategy
Video Poker brings together video slots and poker, and has mushroomed into one of the most played online casino games on the Internet. This is thanks to the fast action, but also the arrival of new multihand versions which allow you to play anything up to 100 hands simultaneously.
Video Poker has one of the best payouts in the casino (normally around 99.5%). What we mean by that, is that the house advantage or edge on video poker is lower than most games in the casino (except for probably blackjack)- the payout is certainly higher than online slots. Always choose the automatic hold function if there is one- this plays at the optimum strategy.
See the example below, which illustrates the best strategy for Jacks or Better.
| Initial Hand | No. to Hold | No. to Discard |
| Royal Flush | 5 | 0 |
| Straight Flush | 5 | 0 |
| Four of a Kind | 4 | 1 |
| four Card to Royal Flush | 4 | 1 |
| Full House | 5 | 0 |
| Flush | 5 | 0 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 2 |
| Straight | 5 | 0 |
| Four Card to Straight Flush | 4 | 1 |
| Two Pairs | 4 | 1 |
| Pair of Jacks or Higher | 2 | 3 |
| Three Card to a Royal Flush | 3 | 2 |
| Four Card Flush | 4 | 1 |
| Pair Lower Than Jacks | 2 | 3 |
| Four Card Straight | 4 | 1 |
| Three Card to Straight Flush | 3 | 2 |
| Two Card to Royal Flush | 2 | 3 |
| Three High Cards | 3 | 2 |
| Two High Cards | 2 | 3 |
| One High Card | 1 | 4 |
| All Else | 0 | 5 |
Video Poker Tips
Use the auto hold
Always bet on the maximum wager :this gets you into the big jackpots if you land a royal flush.
Play responsibly -stick to your stop loss plan and walk away if you hit your win target
Wipe the slate clean after each hand : there is no memory function in Video Poker.
Check out the Pay Out Rates- make sure you compare notes across different games and casinos to get the best odds.
Good luck!
