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Video
Poker - Introduction
Video Poker now comes in
many shapes and sizes and like slots, they all have one
thing in common, a random number generator to decide which
items on the reels are going to be selected.
There are a
number of things to remember in relation to video poker
machines and that is that the odds tend to be some of the
worst in the casino, especially when compared to table games!
Online Casinos are little different from their land
based cousins when it comes to the variety style and available
options. Whether you are playing online or in a casino
there are some basic strategies to adopt.
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The Odds
All Video Poker
machines are not created equal, be they in a land based
casino or online. Always look for video poker machines that
offer the lowest house advantage.
How can you
tell? As a rule of thumb you need to review the payouts,
based on a single coin being played for a Full House and
a Flush.
For example, if a Jacks or Better machine
will pay 9 coins for a Full House and 6 coins for a Flush,
this is referred to as a 9/6 machine - these are the best
machines to play as the house advantage is as low as Blackjack
at 0.5%.
Other machines
that you will find include: -
6/5 machines
- 5.0% house advantage
8/5 machines
- 2.7% house advantage
to take
advantage of the lower odds of the 9/6 machine always play
the maximum number of coins.
Basic Principles
While there
are no real rules in relation to playing video poker machines
you need to understand the winning combinations.
Let us review the winning combinations and the general payout
for a Jacks or Better game. This can vary by casino so remember
to check first before you play.
|
Hand |
Description |
Payout |
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Pair |
Two cards with the same value - for example,
the five of clubs and the five of hearts. Single
pairs do not qualify for payouts, except in
Tens or Better, Jacks or Better, and Double
Down. |
1 coin |
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Two Pairs |
Two sets of cards with the same value - for
example, a pair of sixes and a pair of sevens.
The value of the remaining cards does not matter. |
2 coins |
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Three of a Kind |
Three cards with the same value - for example,
three queens. The value of the remaining two
cards does not matter. |
3 coins |
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Straight |
All five cards form a consecutive sequence from
more than one suit - for example, having a three,
a four, a five, a six, and a seven. |
4 coins |
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Flush |
All five cards are of the same suit - for example,
ace, three, five, nine, and queen of spades.
Sequence is irrelevant with an ordinary flush. |
6 coins |
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Full House |
Three identical cards and a pair - for example,
three queens and two threes. The value of the
three identical cards and the pair of identical
cards does not matter. |
9 coins |
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Four of a Kind |
Four cards with the same value - for example,
having four aces. The value of the remaining
card is irrelevant. |
25 coins |
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Straight Flush |
All five cards are of the same suit and form
a consecutive sequence - for example, a five,
a six, a seven, an eight, and a nine of hearts. |
50 coins |
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Royal Flush |
A ten, jack, queen, king, and an ace of the
same suit. |
800 coins or Progressive |
Above all choose
a casino that offers good returns and choose a video poker
machine with which you feel comfortable.
Progressive
v Flat Top Jackpots
Online Casinos
like their land based cousins offer Progressive Jackpots.
As with land based casinos progressive jackpots
are the result of a number of casinos being connected to
provide maximum opportunity for slots players to reap high
rewards. This is also true in the online world with
the casinos that are connected sharing the same casino games
developer.
Make sure when
playing a Progressive Jackpot machine that the payouts for
other winning combinations are not significantly lower than
their flat top counterparts.
Also ensure that the
amount of the jackpot is of a sufficient size to justify
the additional odds.
Remember to win the Progressive
Jackpot you MUST bet the maximum number of coins.
Review our basic Strategies to help you win at Video
Poker.
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