Online Video Poker Strategies

When playing for real money, it's only natural to want to win. Even with free play, players still like to achieve successful bets, and that's where strategies come in. Unlike table poker, Video Poker is just you and the software, and this makes it much more straightforward than the former.

The most profitable Video Poker strategies are quite easy to implement. Strategizing in this game is mostly about which cards you need to keep and which ones you should discard. So many of the best Video Poker strategies are born out of common logic.

Best Video Poker Strategies from Pros

Since all Video Poker variants conform to the same underlying rules, the same strategies are effective across them all.

Play Max Coins

Playing the max number of coins increases the payout you get with every winning hand. It obviously also increases the amount of your stake per hand, but as long as it's a relatively small percentage of your bankroll, it should be fine.

This is one of the similarities between slots and Video Poker. In the long run, sticking to max bet has the potential to be one of the most profitable Video Poker strategies.

Look for the Lowest House Edges

The lowest Video Poker house edge is 0.46%, but it can go as high as 5% on some variants. It's a no-brainer which one you should go for between the two extremes. The lower the house edge, the higher your chances of winning.

The house edge often reflects the available payouts on the game. A higher value will offer lower payouts on the card ranks and vice versa. For the best odds, play Video Poker variants that feature wild cards and bonus games.

Keep Video Poker Basic Strategy in Mind

The basic Video Poker strategy is to never give up a winning hand in the hopes of getting an even bigger one. This is actually one of the best Video Poker strategies you’ll ever learn.

Profit-oriented players love to win more and often aim for the premium paying ranks. However, when you've got a winning hand on a platter, don't throw it away on the probability of landing a higher paying one.

The wise option would be to build on the winning hand where possible. A good example is trying for a full house when you've got three of a kind.

Know When to Break-Up a Straight Flush

If you have a chance to get a Royal Flush by breaking up a Straight Flush, you should take it. Now, this may sound contradictory to the basic strategy, but every rule has an exception.

Imagine getting a Straight Flush of 9, 10, J, Q, and K on your starting hand. In such a scenario, an Ace in place of the 9 value card, is all you need to hit a Royal Flush. This is an opportunity that's too good to pass up, considering that this hand rank pays about 250x your stake.

Some Video Poker variants will also offer progressive jackpot payouts on a Royal Flush. And the amount you stand to win should be more than worth the risk.

Play More to Win More

Your knowledge of game rules improves the more you play the game. In the same way, your strategy gets better the more you use it. So start betting more on this game. If you've got a limited bankroll, you can try free play – it's just as exciting as betting for real money.

Do the Best Video Poker Strategies Really Work?

Even the best Video Poker strategies can't guarantee you a win all the time. The chance factor is always present, and sometimes you get a terrible hand.

Luckily Video Poker is a generous game, and most variations have extra ways you can get a payout. For example, Jacks or better will pay if you simply have a pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces. Deuces Wild offers more chances to win with all 2s acting as wildcards. Bonus Poker offers a bonus round to double down on your winnings, and so on with many variants.

You can try out these variants and more by playing at any of our recommended online Video Poker sites using the best Video Poker strategies mentioned above. These strategies will prove even more effective since online Video Poker allows ample time to ponder which move to make.

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