Five video poker tips that you need to know!

Video poker has the lowest house edge out of all the automated casino games online, and in-house. Want to take advantage? Follow the five video poker tips below.

1. Practice before play!

Think Daniel Negreanu just stumbled into poker? Did Ronnie O’Sullivan just walk into the 1997 World Championship and fluke the world’s fastest 147? How about Tiger Woods, did he just pick up a club a start winning? No, of course not. They worked hard to become the masters in their chosen craft. And while we’re not saying you should set up a dedicated training regime for online video poker, spending a couple of hours getting to grips with the game works wonders.

There are plenty of online resources that you can use. Simply search ‘video poker training software’ in any good search engine and you’ll be flooded with websites offering free demo games. Here you can play without risking any cash, allowing you to 1) develop strategy and 2) get to grips with the layout of the most popular games.

We also offer free play on a number of video poker games, so why not check them out on our video poker tab?

2. Play the maximum amount of coins

Okay, we’re not saying play maximum coins if you cannot afford it (always play within your limits), but the maximum bet often pays out enhanced prizes. For example, the prize structure for a popular video poker game could go like this:

Just look at the difference between the four-coin prize and the five-coin prize in Jacks or Better. Sure, the lower tier prizes remain the same (respectively), but the prize for royal a flush is four times that of the 4-coin prize. While it’s rare to hit a royal flush, you wouldn’t want to miss out on 3000 coins!

3. Make sure you know the strategy for the game you’re playing

If you’re not familiar with video poker, there are a few different versions on the market:

Deuces Wild
Jokers Wild
Tens or better
Jacks or Better
Aces and Faces

For example, if you’re playing deuces wild and you’re dealt 5(H), 5(Cl), 7(Sp), 7(Di) and 9(Di), what should you do? Hold one pair, both, or play for the straight. Well, it all depends on the payout. If in one game the return for a full house is 15 coins (from a 5 coin bet), then you hold one pair, as the potential to land four of a kind or more is worth the risk (as ‘deuces’ or 2 are wild). Meanwhile, if the return is 20 coins or more from a 5-coin bet, you should hold both pairs as a full house is worth landing.

This is why knowing which game you’re playing is crucial. Any game with ‘wilds’ means there are certain cards which can replace any others. For example, in Jokers Wild, all there will be four jokers that can take the place of any card in the game. Any game with ‘or better’ on the end denotes the minimum value pair that you need to land to trigger any prizes. The lower the better generally, but keep in mind the lower the threshold the lower the prizes.

Aces and faces pays bonuses for high-card value combinations. For example, 4 aces will payout more in ‘Aces and Faces’ than say, Jacks or Better. That’s why holding a pair of aces in A(H), A(Cl), J (H), J(Cl), K(H), might be more worthwhile in Aces and Faces than holding the three jacks and kings in video poker. Just make sure to check the rules of the game you’re playing before making any decisions.

4. Check the prizes before playing

Not all video poker games are created equally. Some pay more than others for the exact same hands! The lower value hands generally remain the same — pair, two pair, 3 of a kind and even straight — with the big money coming in from flush upwards. In one game you might find that a flush pays 20 coins for a 5-coin bet, but in another you could receive 24 coins for the same exact bet! Basically, check all the games on any given website before playing, as you could end up 100s of coins up over a long period of play.

5. Never play beyond your means

Sure, everybody wants to win the big prizes, but if you haven’t got the bankroll to support lavish play then don’t. Also, don’t go into every game expecting to win. You can’t predict the future and as such don’t play like you can.

If losing 1000 credits is going to seriously affect your life-style, then consider playing with 100 credits. That way, if you’re not so successful over the weekend at least it won’t affect your personal life. Play with what you can lose, and you’ll always have fun.

So, there you have it! Follow the five tips above and you’ll be on your way to becoming a video poker pro! Good luck at the casino from all the guys at Coral!