Video Poker Strategy

Playing video poker online is the same as playing it at your favorite casino. Unless the nmber of decks is different, the same version of video poker will only differ by the pay table. But you need to know some basic rules when playing video poker, how to select the best video poker games, and then making the right decisions on cards to hold while playing the game.

General Video Poker Tips
There is almost always a bonus playing the maximum coins and it is recommended you play the max coins. Most video poker tops out at 5 coins and offers extra payout for a royal flush for playing that many coins. Royal Flushes are rare, but you will kick yourself if you finally hit on and dont get the best return from it!

Every hand has an equal probability of occuring regardless of past events. This is always true in gambling

While at times you may swear there is cheating in the program, it is extremely unlikely. We all have hot streaks and cold streaks. Sometimes what seem like sure bets just do not materialize.

Choosing the Right Video Poker Machine There are over 60 varieties of video poker - all very similar, but collectively they cover a wide range of possibilities and permutations of the game. As the games get more complex, understanding the pay table as they relate to the odds of the game is increasingly difficult. Other people have already done the math, so if you are interested in probability and statistics, check out the Wizardof Odds. Typically, the flush and full house odds are where you want higher payoffs. a "full pay" machine, playing Jacks or Better (the most common video poker game) should give you 6:1 and 9:1 payoff on flush and full house, respectively.

Picking the Right Cards to Hold This is the most difficult concept in video poker to grasp as it requires mostly sheer memorization unless you can do probability calculations in your head. And like everything else in video poker, the strategy changes based on the game you are playing, especially as wildcards come into play. Optimal strategy is based on the hand you try to achieve and the payout of the hand. I think of it this way...

The worst thing you can do is discard all your cards. I only do this if I have no face cards (J, Q, K, A) and no realistic possibility of a straight or flush. If I only have a face card, I hold that in an effort to draw a matching card. I will also keep suited high cards found in a royal flush (10 + face cards + aces). If I have unsuited face cards, I hold those, noting lower face cards are better since there is a greater chance of drawing a straight.

It starts to get more confusing from here. If you have 4 to a straight or flush, hold those. 3 to a straight flush (including royal flushes). Believe it or not, 3 to a royal flush will pay out more over the lifetime of play than 3 to a flush, but it depends on your strategy to decide which way you want to go. 4 to a royal flush I always go for, unless I've already made a 4 of a kind or straight flush.

Unless you have a straight, flush, full house, or better, you want to keep any pair. That is, unless you have 4 to a straight flush. If you have 3 to a royal flush or 4 to a flush, then ditch a low pair, but keep pairs that are jack or higher in rank.

So, this strategy isn't complete as others have come up with detailed charts outlining proper strategy for video poker. Check the Wizard of Odds site mentioned above as I have used them as a reference many times in the past. Bottom line is to enjoy gambling, play within your means, and try to beat the house!