Playing video poker machines with optimal strategy is the way to go if you’re intent on getting as much money as you can from every gambling dollar you spend.
As it happens, utilising optimal video poker strategy can be the difference between prematurely calling off your gaming session owing to lost money and breaking even.
In this LV BET Blog post, you can learn the best way to play video poker online by analysing our sample of optimal tips and tricks.
Should you later wish to start playing video poker games, you can rest assured that LV BET offers all the best video poker games on the market.
LEARN SMART WAYS HOW TO PLAY VIDEO POKER
Video poker is a stripped-down version of online poker, based on five-card draw. Although simple, video poker is a game of both chance and strategy.
Played against an algorithm, video poker is much like playing slot machines; players set their wager, and the cards are drawn automatically.
The objective is to form the best five-card poker hand, according to the paytable.
Players can hold cards and replace the rest in hopes of building a stronger hand — this level of control is precisely what injects strategy into the game.
Let’s have a look at video poker tips and pointers to help you master the ins and outs of this casino game.
#1 – PUT IN THE TIME TO LEARN THE VIDEO POKER GAME
Video poker games are quite similar to one another in terms of gameplay, but the rules, payouts and poker hands may vary significantly.
For example, in Double Double Bonus Poker, payouts are doubled for some four of a kind hands.
Additionally, the game offers a bonus payout for quad aces, twos, threes and fours if the fifth card (the kicker) is also a low card (ace, two, three and four).
You may also come across Wild cards, which can substitute for any other card, in games like Deuces Wild and Bonus Deuces Wild Poker.
While this feature is favourable to the player, the lowest-ranking hand is three of a kind, as opposed to Jacks or Better and two pair in most video poker games.
Regardless of which video poker game you choose to play, always make sure to read the rules before you get started.
#2 – KNOW AND CHOOSE THE RIGHT PAY TABLES
The first thing you want to do is review the paytable, which breaks down all possible poker hands and their respective payouts.
In most video poker games, all poker hands and their payouts will be displayed directly on the screen.
The wager is set by clicking on ‘Bet’; however, some video poker games also require the player to select the number of coins they’d like to bet, much like in online slot machines.
This is usually done by clicking directly on the paytable, and increasing the number of coins will increase the wager.
While you can bet 1-4 coins per hand, the only way to qualify for the best video poker payouts is through a five-coin wager.
For example, in Jacks or Better, players can go from winning 1,000 coins on a four-coin bet to 4,000 coins on a five-coin bet for a royal flush.
The number of coins wagered also impacts the house edge: betting five coins per hand significantly reduces the advantage.
This doesn’t apply to every game; some video poker machines, like Jacks or Better Jackpot, do not have the option to adjust the number of wagered coins at all.
#3 – MANAGE YOUR BANKROLL WISELY
You should never play video poker without managing your bankroll effectively. Poker is a game that is easy to play but inherently difficult to master, so make sure to always keep an eye on your wagers.
Set aside a dedicated budget and treat video poker as a form of entertainment, so don’t wager what you cannot afford to lose.
Also, don’t expect to make a profit. Even if the RTP looks favourable, it is important to understand that this percentage is an average obtained over the course of thousands of hands. In the short term, anything can happen — losses are inevitable during video poker sessions.
Before placing a single bet, set a budget and stick to it no matter what the outcome of your bet is. Establish an expected loss parameter for every bet you place, and make sure that you don’t bet money that you cannot afford to lose.
Remember that no amount of real money is worth losing just for some quick entertainment. Be smart about playing video poker and stick to a predefined gambling budget.
#4 – REMEMBER TO USE BONUSES AND PROMOTIONS
We’d recommend taking advantage of a good bonus offer prior to placing a deposit. Bonus offers — and casino bonuses in general — basically look to offer you more opportunities to play than your money is worth.
How is that possible? Let’s figure that out by taking the classic Deposit Bonus as an example. A Deposit Bonus will give you an amount of bonus funds proportional to the amount you deposit. For instance, a Deposit Bonus of 100% up to €200 will give you 100% of your deposit amount as extra funds.
Welcome Bonuses work the same way, but they’re only available to new players. A Welcome Bonus, in fact, is the first bonus you’ll be eligible to claim as a new player at a casino, so make sure to shop around prior to committing.
Speaking of commitment, it’s important to never commit to an online casino before verifying that it is legitimate and fully safe to play at.
You can do that by having a look at its licences, or lack thereof, as well as checking out whether their Customer Support pages are informative enough.
Licences from the MGA and Curacao will guarantee that the casino in question abides by the highest Responsible Gaming standards in the industry.
To that end, LV BET is a licenced casino (with licences from the MGA) that offers the best assertion of casino games on the market, so feel free to join our video poker players and try a spin on Jacks or Better, or other video poker games.
Do note that the availability of the Welcome Bonus, as well as any other casino bonus, is subject to the player’s jurisdiction — the rewards might vary as well.
#5 – TRY PROGRESSIVE BONUS MACHINES
Progressive video poker machines offer something that a regular video poker machine doesn’t: a jackpot. Most video poker machines don’t offer jackpots, which is simply a large prize that can be won randomly.
A progressive jackpot, as its name suggests, builds up a prize the more players spin the reels. Certain progressive jackpots pay up when a player makes a straight flush or some specific four-of-a-kind hands.
The reason why you should keep an eye out for a progressive jackpot is simply because there is another prize to be won.
Find a good progressive jackpot is simple. Head over to LV BET and check out our wide range of video poker machines.
#6 – UNDERSTAND THE HOUSE EDGE
In video poker, the house edge is typically expressed as the Return To Player percentage (RTP). The RTP is the percentage of wagers that the game is expected to pay back to players in the long run.
If a game has an RTP of 99%, which signifies a low house edge of 1%, it means that for every €100 wagered, players can expect an average return of €99 over time. The higher the RTP, the better it is for the player.
Since video poker involves (possibly optimal) strategy, the house edge can be reduced and, in some games, can be tipped into the player’s favour!
In general, video poker offers one of the lowest house edges out of all online games at 0.46%. But you may notice a slightly different edge when playing Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker and Deuces Wild.
#7 – DO NOT BET THE MAX NUMBER OF COINS
Many who are new to online gambling might have been advised to always play maximum coins on a video poker machine, but this is no longer thought of as the best video poker strategy.
Doing so would mean that the increased payout will not make up for the extra money you’ll be placing per hour.
Instead, you can either choose to play at lower stakes; thus, stretching your bankroll in the meantime, or perhaps even play fewer hands but with higher stakes.
Do keep in mind, however, that playing poker as well as video poker, involves losing money — as happens in all gambling games.
The best course of action is to identify high-RTP video poker machines and stick to them, as long as you find at least one game that you can call enjoyable.
#8 – JOIN THE CASINO’S VIP CLUB
What most video poker players tend to forget is that practising their video poker strategy at different video poker games will not only lead to better in-game decisions but also a potential selection to join the casinos’ VIP club.
Through a VIP club, players can be eligible for more promotions and bonuses, both of which enable more chances for the player to win money.
At LV BET, our dedicated loyalty and VIP team regularly review accounts to handpick our most loyal and frequent player to join our VIP Program.
We will work with you to create a unique reward program that works for you. You can also expect to benefit from enhanced promotions and offers reserved only for VIP players.
As a VIP, you can take part in our VIP invitation-only tournaments, where you can play against other players and win cash prizes, bonuses, Free Spins, and exclusive electronic gadgets.
#9 – TRY FREE VIDEO POKER FIRST
If available, play through the demo mode first. Many games offer a free-to-play version of the game with a virtual bankroll.
You may need to register and verify your account to try out any specific video poker game, but demos are an excellent way to learn the game without putting your cash on the line.
Keep in mind that you won’t be able to take home any cash funds by playing video poker demo games; neither will you be able to participate in tournaments or challenges this way.
To do that, you’ll have to play for real money in the base game, but not before fully understanding how the games work! Use demo versions to learn about slots at your own pace.
After you’ve played and researched a particular game, feel free to play the exciting game for real through a deposit.
#10 – STUDY THE ODDS AND CHOOSE CARDS ACCORDINGLY
In addition to using basic strategy charts, analysing the odds on your own will greatly improve your overall betting strategy. Each hand combination has its own distinct payout, and higher-ranking hands naturally have better payouts.
In the long run, better decisions can be made by knowing the odds of each hand. Knowing, for instance, that a straight flush has better odds than a straight can help you choose which cards to keep or discard in order to potentially make room for a combination of higher rank.
Odds may vary between video poker machines, especially if the rules are different and slightly alter the game play. Before you start betting, it’s important to look at the odds.
For a brief look at the odds of each poker hand, consult the list below.
Hand
Odds
Royal Flush – 1 in 650,000
Royal Flush – 1 in 40,000
Four Aces with a kicker – 1 in 16,236
Straight Flush – 1 in 9,150
2s to 4s with a kicker – 1 in 6,984
Four Aces – 1 in 5,761
Four Deuces – 1 in 4,909
2s to 4s – 1 in 2,601
Four of a Kind – 1 in 423
Full House – 1 in 90
Flush – 1 in 85
Straight – 1 in 80
#11 – STICK TO LEGITIMATE CASINOS
Do not compromise on your safety. Licensed casinos guarantee a safe environment in which you can play every gambling game in its portfolio safely. After all, an impressive game portfolio doesn’t mean anything if the casino seems suspicious.
If you’re looking for the best casino but want a diverse experience and a variety of games, LV BET has you covered. Whenever you’re tired of the same old spins, head to our portfolio to explore hundreds of other table games and Live Casino games.
You’ll find classics like live roulette, live blackjack, live baccarat and live poker games, on top of all-new variants with unique side bets and extraordinary rewards.
Want more out of live gaming without having to switch casinos? Have a look at our live game shows, where you can enjoy dynamic gameplay with explosive spins and minigames.
We’ve partnered up with some industry giants to bring you many top-notch live shows, such as Crazy Time and Monopoly Live, both of which are well worth a try!
If you’re interested in claiming a good bonus offer prior to playing, how about checking out our ‘Promotions‘ page? We’ve got many bonuses worth checking out, including a generous Welcome Bonus to get things rolling.
#12 – UTILISE A BETTING SYSTEM
Betting systems show you when and how to bet to help you spend your money in the most effective way possible. Betting systems are not to be confused with strategy charts; rather, they explain how to wager rather than what to do in a given circumstance.
There are numerous methods available, some of which may depend on your bankroll, so not all are suitable for new players. In the same way, some systems are more aggressive than others. Having said that, you can always test them out in demo mode to determine which one is best for your bankroll.
There are three main types of betting strategies: flat betting, positive progression betting and negative progression betting. Simply placing a bet with the same value each time is flat betting. Whether you win or lose, positive or negative betting means increasing or decreasing your wager. The Paroli system, Martingale, D’Alambert, James Bond and Fibonacci systems are among the most popular wagering strategies.
#13 – CHECK OUT DOUBLE DOUBLE BONUS POKER
This is a type of video poker game that boasts an RTP of 98.98%, but what is more impressive is that if offers bonus payouts for hands that feature a four of a kind.
Out of all the games that online video poker has graced the gaming industry with, this game is one of the better video poker variants created.
With a pay table identical to Jacks or Better, this game is played by selecting your bet, clicking ‘Deal’ to be dealt five cards, choosing the cards you want to hold and clicking ‘Draw’ to change the cards you want to discard.
Upon each winning hand, you can possibly double your winnings by playing a mini game. Should you choose this option, you will be presented with five cards. You must then choose which of the five cards is higher than the dealer’s.
If your guess is correct, your wins will be doubled. With this said, be cautious of playing this feature with a small bankroll.
Should you wish to play this stellar video poker machine by Microgaming, feel free to visit LV BET.
#14 – KNOW WHEN TO STOP PLAYING
Jacks of Better and every other gambling game ever created can induce frustration if the player ends up losing very often.
Choosing the wrong cards one too many times will eventually eat up your bankroll. This is the case in any casino game out there, and video poker is no different.
As we’ve mentioned above, your best option is to allocate a budget and be ready to walk away from the table when it depletes.
It’s important to not let external factors affect you when playing video poker, and seeing as decisions matter a lot in this game, this is absolutely vital.
CONCLUSION – PLAY RESPONSIBLY
Last but certainly not least, please play responsibly. Always keep a limit on how much of your bankroll you’re willing to spend, be mindful of the time you dedicate to gambling and never chase losses.
Although video poker online is a game of strategy, its most significant element is chance. As with all gambling games, there is no sure-fire video poker strategy to land a winning poker hand and no guarantee that the wins will even out with the losses.
Online gambling is meant to be a form of entertainment; if you are losing that sense of fun when playing video poker, consider using our Responsible Gaming tools to help you set limits on deposits, wagers, losses and session duration.
FAQ
✅ Can I play online video poker for free?
Yes. You can play video poker for free through its demo version at LV BET, where you’ll be allocated a virtual balance to try the game for free. All you have to do is load up LV BET game portfolio and search for the game you would like to try. After that, just click or tap on ‘DEMO’ to get started.
Keep in mind that you won’t be able to take home any cash funds through your demo winnings; neither will you be able to participate in tournaments or challenges this way. To do that, you’ll have to play for real money, but not before fully understanding how the games work. Use demo versions to learn about video poker at your own pace.
✅ What is the difference between regular poker and video poker games?
Regular poker and video poker are very different. The former is a card game in which the player takes on other players and aims to form the best five-card hand in the game. Doing so would enable them to take the pot (if they play their hand correctly), which consists of money invested by all the players around the table who wish to partake in the hand.
Should you play video poker, you will realise that the game looks and works like a regular slot machine, only that the player can discard and add new cards in an effort to better their hand. The pay table offers a fixed payout for the player’s hands, which must be at least a pair to be qualify.
✅ Do video poker games have the best odds of winning?
With a good video poker strategy, video poker can offer some really fascinating odds. You don’t have to look at the best pay table among video poker variants to realise that the odds of landing a win are much higher than other games.
For example, Jacks or Better has several pay tables. Identifying a Jacks or Better table with a 9/6 pay table would place the RTP at 99.54%, a staggeringly high amount in comparison with other casino games.
✅ Is Jacks or Better the best video poker game?
Jacks or Better is one of the most popular games of video poker. Jacks or Better is a highly entertaining video poker game whose premise is that the player must build at least a pair of Jacks (hence the name, Jacks or Better) to win the game.
However, although Jacks or Better is very popular among video poker players, the best video poker game is thought to be Double Bonus Poker, since its odds are higher.
✅ Is it worth using a video poker strategy table?
Becoming a better video poker player depends on your ability to learn strategy and follow it. Video poker strategy can range from learning the exact rules of the game and following optimal decision-making procedures that guarantee the best chances of winning.
✅ How to play video poker responsibly?
Playing video poker responsibly is the first step to truly enjoying it. Your ability to play responsibly is almost inextricably tied to how safe your casino is. When choosing a casino, keep an eye out for recognisable licences, such as those coming from the MGA, the UKGC and Curacao.
Furthermore, have a look at the casino’s Customer Support page before committing. After all, who else will you turn to should a problem arise? Most legitimate casinos will have some very informative Customer Support pages, including contact details and contact hours. Shoddily put FAQs should raise a few flags, since they hint that the casino doesn’t truly care about its players enough to cater to them well.