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Video Poker Game Odds

Picture Courtesy: Vegas Slot Casino Hold your initial cards and win up to ten times each round playing 10 Play Jacks or Better Power Poker.

Video poker odds are very similar to those of regular poker in that the probability of receiving a particular hand is the same. Video poker is also like straight poker in that there are many variants found. So what are the main factors that determine whether or not you will walk away a winner? First, like in blackjack, you must play perfect strategy. The strategy you would employ for a Jacks or Better video poker machine is different from the strategy you would use for a Deuces Wild game, and so on. If you are already an avid player, and are interested in becoming better, try picking up a book that specifically deals with all the various video poker games found in casinos today.

The second main factor that figures into your expectation for winning is the game's payout schedule. This is the table you see on machines displaying how many coins it returns based on units bet and winning hand combination. If you didn't already know, just like slot machines, some video poker games offer a much better return rate than others. But, unlike their one-armed counterparts, it is easy to spot which machines are high-paying thanks to the conveniently placed pay table displayed on each game. The chart below shows you what to look for.

Article Highlights:

Payout Ratios   |   Odds of Hands

Video Poker Odds Between Different Games

While browsing the video poker choices at a casino, either land based or online, be sure to keep an eye on the pay schedules. Here's what to look for: the numbers in the first column on the chart to the right represent the payout rates for Full Houses and Flushes at one unit bet. If you see a Jacks or better game that shows a Full House pays 9 units, and a Flush pays 6, then you know the return rate for that particular game is approximately 99.5%, making it a solid bet. Ideally, finding a machine that is 10/7 or 9/7 is the best bet, because these machines have a payout percentage over 100. Does that mean they actually pay out more than they take in? It's pretty unlikely. Casinos aren't in the business of giving out more than they take in. Even with a mix of high and low-paying games, casino operators know the machines that return over 100% will still make money because not everyone who plays them is an expert. Just like in Blackjack, only a small fraction of all players are skilled enough to play with a positive expectation of winning. Once you have mastered the basic strategy for a type of online video poker, and find a high-paying machine, then you can expect to make money in the long run. What does this mean? It means that after about 50,000 hands, the odds dictate that you will have hit every possible hand combination, including the coveted Royal Flush. Sure, that sounds like a lot of hands, but this game can go very quickly, especially for experienced players. It is not uncommon for a skilled video poker player to turn in 750 hands an hour - and even more if that person is playing two machines at once. If the player keeps this blazing pace up for eight hours a day, it will take just over eight days for the player to reach an expected win of around 1,750 credits. You can see why some people are very serious about this game - because you really can win at it. The only drawbacks are the time commitment required, and the potential swings in bankroll. Just because the odds say you should get a royal flush every 40,390 hands doesn't mean it's guaranteed. You could go five times that many hands and never hit one, or get five in the first hundred hands. Both scenarios are improbable, yet quite possible. Such is the allure of chance. Such is the allure of video poker.

Odds Of Hands (Jacks or Better)

This chart represents the pay schedule of a 9/6 Jacks or Better game playing the maximum five unit bet. The reason you should always play the maximum five units because this bet is required to win the 4,000 coin (or max) jackpot. If you got a royal flush playing only one or two coins, the payout would not be proportionally equal, so there is a strong incentive to always play take the five coin bet. If five credits per hand is too steep for your bankroll, there should be plenty of .25 machines for you to play. Online casinos always offer bets in multiple denominations, generally having a range that includes .25, .50, 1, 2, 5, and sometimes even 10 and 20 credit betting units.

From studying the Jacks or Better payout odds table above, you may notice an inequality between the true odds and payouts of certain hands. Despite the fact that a full house is more likely to happen (1 in 86) than a flush or a straight, it has a larger payout. This goes against the grain in that the rest of the schedule is set up to reward hands that are less likely with higher payouts. Why is this? Again, game makers have slightly adjusted the payouts, but in this case it actually favours the player. In terms of payout percentages, there is a variety among video poker machines just like there is with slots. Remember, the lower-paying 8/5 video pokers are likely to be more common. Some casinos don't even feature the 9/6 variety. And, you definitely won't see any at bars, strip clubs, or the airport. So be choosy. It's what will give you the positive expectation to win and what will make playing more fun.

Practice your poker skills by playing at the play-for-fun table and play for real money if you are ready.