Winning Video Poker The Easy Way
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This page provides the correct strategy for every situation in Double Double bonus video poker. By using the charts on this page you can actually achieve a payout percentage of roughly 100.07% if you're playing at a full pay Double Double bonus machine. My Double Double Bonus strategy was devised for machines using the pay table below. If you're playing a different Double Double Bonus pay table the strategy won't be perfect, but it will still be good.
Winning Video Poker The Easy Way Play
Hand: | Payout: |
Royal Flush | 800 |
Straight Flush | 50 |
Four Aces w/ 2-4 | 400 |
Four 2-4's w/ A-4 | 160 |
Four Aces | 160 |
Four Two's-Four's | 80 |
Four Five's-King's | 50 |
Full House | 10 |
Flush | 6 |
Straight | 4 |
Three of a Kind | 3 |
Please note that to achieve the 100%+ payout percentage, you need to be betting five coins per hand. By betting five coins you'll receive a bonus for all royal flushes, which drastically improves the payout percentage in the long run.
Beginner Double Double Bonus Strategy
If you want to play with decent strategy and increase your odds without following the full chart below, you should follow the rules listed here. We've identified the most troublesome hands for new players, and advised the correct move for each hand. To use this strategy, play your normal game and make the easy decisions, and if you come upon a tough decision refer to the rules below.
Winning Video Poker
Video Poker Strategy Trainer – Strategy Cards, Cheat Sheets & More. Welcome to your one-stop-shop for all things video poker strategy. Consider this page your personal video poker trainer, as it covers the most common need-to-knows, how to up your game and common strategy myths. You can skip to the most pertinent sections by using the.
- 'Overall, this is an entry-level software, kind of like Video Poker 101,' he continued. 'It’s a simple, easy way to become better video poker players.' You can also try out your strategy.
- Easy Play: Even if you’ve never played poker before in your life, you should be able to get the hang of video poker in a few minutes. That process will be much faster if you have played poker in the past and understand how to make winning combinations.
- Poker Tip 1: Aggression Pays in Poker. The only way to win at poker is to bet – and the only way to win a lot is to bet a lot. Poker is a game of timed, focused aggression. And as you master the basics of the game, you’ll learn when you need to up the aggression at the table. Many novice players are simply too cautious, too much of the time.
- Therefore the steps of playing video poker are the following. Select an online casino that offers online video poker and open an account Choose one of the available poker games (there are many variations) Select the betting amount — you can select 1 to 5 coins and select how much your coin is worth.
Here is how you should use the chart below:
- Find your trouble hand on the chart.
- Follow the chart's recommendation.
Example: Imagine you have Kc-Qc-Jc-Tc-9c. In this case you have a straight flush, but you also have a royal flush draw. By looking at the chart below, you'll see that a straight flush is better than a royal flush draw, so make sure to keep the straight flush and take your payout.
- Royal Flush Draw vs. Pat Straight Flush » Keep the Straight Flush
- Royal Flush Draw vs. Pat Flush » Keep the Royal Flush Draw
- Three of a Kind Aces vs. Full House » Keep the Three Aces
- Three of a Kind (besides Aces) vs. Full House » Keep the Full House
- Pat Straight vs. Four to a Straight Flush » Keep the Straight
- Two Pair vs. a Pair of Aces » Keep the Pair of Aces
- Two Pair vs. any Pair Besides Aces » Keep the Two Pair
- High Pair (Jacks or Better) vs. Four to a Flush » Keep the High Pair
- Four to a Flush vs. Four to a Straight » Keep the Four to a Flush
- High Pair (Jacks or Better) vs. Open Four to Straight » Keep the High Pair
- Open Four to Straight vs. Pair (Twos through Tens) » Keep the Pair
- Inside Straight Draw vs. Discard All » Keep the Straight Draw
Expert Double Bonus Strategy
Winning Video Poker The Easy Way Lose
Here is how you should use the chart below:
- Start at the top of the chart and work down.
- When you see a hand that matches up with yours, follow that strategy.
Example: Imagine you have Qs-Js-Ts-3s-Jh. In this case, you'd match up with a few rows on the table below. Your hand would qualify for a high pair of Jacks, a Q-J-T suited with one penalty (the other Jack is a penalty card), and four to a flush. However, on the table you'll notice that Q-J-T suited with one penalty is higher than a four flush or a pair, so you should keep the Q-J-T suited and ditch the four flush and pair.
Double Double Bonus Full Strategy Chart
Here are the ranks for every possible Double Double Bonus hand you can hold before the draw. Remember, find the highest match on the list for your hand and hold those cards. The middle column shows the expected return for the specific hand. In the example column, h = Hearts, s = Spades, c = Clubs, d = Diamonds, T = Ten, s = Suited.
Hand | Expected Return | Example |
Pat Royal Flush | 800.0000 | Th-Jh-Qh-Kh-Ah |
Pat Four of a Kind Aces w/ 2-4 kicker | 400.0000 | Ac-Ah-Ad-As-3c |
Four of a Kind Aces | 221.2766 | Ac-Ah-Ad-As-Kc |
Pat Four of a Kind 2's, 3's, 4's w/ A-4 kicker | 160.0000 | 2h-2s-2c-2d-Ac |
Four of a Kind 2's, 3's, 4's | 100.4255 | 2h-2s-2c-2d-Kc |
Four of a Kind Fives - Kings | 50.0000 | 7c-7d-7h-7s-Jc |
Pat Straight Flush | 50.0000 | 6h-7h-8h-9h-Th |
Royal Flush Draw | 18.4255 | Th-Jh-Qh-Kh-4h |
Three of a Kind Aces | 12.3349 | Ac-Ad-Ah-Js-8c |
Pat Full House | 10.0000 | Ac-Ad-As-Js-Jc |
Three of a Kind Twos, Threes, Fours | 7.4505 | 2c-2d-2s-Kc-Ah |
Pat Flush | 7.0000 | Ac-Jc-6c-5c-4c |
Three of a Kind Fives through Kings | 5.4339 | 8c-8s-8d-9h-3d |
Pat Straight | 4.0000 | 4c-5s-6h-7h-8h |
Open Straight Flush Draw | 3.4809 | 4c-5c-6c-7c-Th |
Inside Straight Flush Draw | 2.2766 | Qs-Js-9s-8s-4c |
Pair of Aces | 1.8967 | Ac-Ad-Js-8c-5h |
Two Pair | 1.7660 | 3c-3s-4d-4h-Ac |
K-Q-J suited (w/ no penalty*) | 1.5079 | Kh-Qh-Jh-4c-3c |
Q-J-T suited (w/ no penalty*) | 1.5049 | Qh-Jh-Th-4d-3d |
Q-J-T suited (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.4866 | Qh-Jh-Th-Kc-2c |
K-Q-J suited (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.4783 | Kh-Qh-Jh-Tc-4c |
K-Q-J suited (w/ one High Pair penalty*) | 1.4690 | Kh-Qh-Jh-Js-3s |
Q-J-T suited (w/ one High Pair penalty*) | 1.4625 | Qh-Jh-Th-Jc-4s |
Pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings | 1.4582 | Jc-Js-2h-4c-8s |
Four to a Flush, 3 High Cards (w/ no penalty*) | 1.5319 | Ac-Jc-Tc-3h-2h |
Q-J-T suited (w/ any two penalties*) | 1.4246 | Qs-Js-Ts-Kh-Jc |
K-Q-J suited (w/ any two penalties*) | 1.4191 | Kh-Qh-Jh-Jc-Ts |
A-K-Qs, A-K-Js, A-Q-Js (w/ no penalty*) | 1.4117 | Ac-Kc-Jc-2h-3h |
K-Q-T suited, K-J-T suited (w/ no penalty*) | 1.4080 | Kh-Qh-Th-4c-3c |
A-K-Qs, A-K-Js, A-Q-Js (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.3941 | Ac-Kc-Qc-Jh-2h |
K-Q-Ts, K-J-Ts (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 1.3904 | Kh-Qh-Th-Jc-2c |
K-Q-Ts, K-J-Ts (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 1.3580 | Kc-Qc-Tc-4c-2h |
A-K-Qs, A-K-Js, A-Q-Js (w/ two penalties*) | 1.3441 | Ac-Kc-Qc-Qh-Ts |
K-Q-T suited, K-J-T suited (w/ two penalties*) | 1.3404 | Kh-Qh-Th-Jc-Qc |
A-K-Ts, A-Q-Ts, A-J-Ts (w/ no penalty*) | 1.3117 | Ac-Kc-Tc-6h-2h |
A-K-Ts, A-Q-Ts, A-J-Ts (w/ one St. penalty*) | 1.2886 | Ac-Kc-Tc-Jh-2s |
Four to a flush, No High Cards | 1.2127 | 9c-7c-4c-2c-8s |
Pair of Deuces, Threes, Fours | 0.8760 | 2c-2h-6s-8c-Jd |
Open Four to a Straight (Three High Cards) | 0.8723 | Kc-Qh-Js-Ts-3h |
Open Four to a Straight (Two High Cards) | 0.7979 | Qh-Js-Ts-9c-3h |
Open Four to a Straight (One High Card) | 0.7447 | Js-Ts-9c-8h-3h |
Pair of Fives through Tens | 0.7434 | 5c-5h-Js-8d-2h |
Q-J-9 suited | 0.7086 | Qc-Jc-9c-4h-3h |
J-T-9 suited | 0.7021 | Jc-Tc-9c-4h-3h |
Open Four to a Straight (No High Cards) | 0.6809 | Ts-9c-8h-7c-3h |
Q-J-8 suited | 0.6098 | Qc-Jc-8c-6h-4h |
Three to a Straight Flush, Open, No High Cards | 0.6050 | 4c-5c-6c-Th-9h |
K-Q-9 suited, K-J-9 suited | 0.6004 | Kc-Qc-9c-4h-2h |
Q-T-9 suited, J-T-8 suited, J-9-8 suited | 0.5939 | Jc-9c-8c-4h-3h |
A-K-Q-J | 0.5938 | Ac-Ks-Jh-Ts-3s |
Q-J suited (w/ no or one penalty*) | 0.5682 | Qc-Jc-4h-8s-2h |
K-Q suited, K-J suited (w/ no penalty*) | 0.5666 | Kc-Qc-8s-4h-2s |
Q-J suited (w/ two penalties*) | 0.5603 | Qs-Js-Th-6c-4s |
A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ no penalty*) | 0.5552 | Ac-Kc-6s-9d-2h |
Q-J suited (w/ three penalties*) | 0.5505 | Qs-Js-Tc-8c-2s |
K-Qs, K-Js (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.5500 | Ks-Qs-8s-6h-2h |
K-Qs, K-Js (w/ one or two Straight penalties*) | 0.5491 | Ks-Qs-Jc-9c-2h |
A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ one Straight penalty*) | 0.5466 | As-Ks-Tc-2h-6h |
K-Qs, K-Js (w/ 1 St. penalty + 1 Flush penalty*) | 0.5451 | Ks-Qs-Tc-6s-4d |
A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.5385 | Ac-Kc-5c-2h-3h |
K-Qs, K-Js (w/ three penalties*) | 0.5325 | Ks-Qs-Th-Td-2s |
Four to a Straight, Inside, Three High Cards | 0.5319 | Qc-Js-Ts-8d-2h |
A-Ks, A-Qs, A-Js (w/ two penalties*) | 0.5279 | Ac-Kc-5c-Th-3h |
3 to a St. Flush, 2 Gaps, 1 High Card | 0.5125 | 8h-Th-Qh-9c-2s |
3 to a St. Flush, 1 Gap, 0 Hi Cards | 0.5051 | 4h-5h-7h-9c-Tc |
K-Q-J | 0.4903 | Kh-Qs-Jc-4c-2h |
J-T suited (w/ no penalty*) | 0.4757 | Jc-Tc-6s-4d-2d |
Four to a Straight, Inside, Two High Cards | 0.4681 | Qs-Jd-9c-8h-2s |
Ace (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4678 | Ad-Tc-7s-4s-2h |
Q-J | 0.4641 | Qc-Jh-7d-5c-2h |
Ace (w/ one or more flush penalties*) | 0.4622 | Ah-Th-7s-5c-2d |
J-T suited (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.4590 | Js-Ts-6s-4c-2h |
K-Q, K-J (w/ no Straight penalty*) | 0.4544 | Ks-Qc-8h-5h-3d |
J-T suited (w/ one or two Straight penalties*) | 0.4532 | Js-Ts-8c-7c-2h |
K-Q, K-J (w/ one or more Straight penalties*) | 0.4504 | Kc-Qs-9d-5h-2c |
Q-T suited (w/ no Flush penalties*) | 0.4476 | Qc-Tc-7s-5h-2s |
J-Ts (w/ 1 Straight penalty + 1 Flush penalty*) | 0.4445 | Js-Ts-8c-2s-5h |
J-T suited (w/ three penalties*) | 0.4394 | Js-Ts-7c-Ad-2s |
Jack (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4370 | Jd-9s-7c-4h-2h |
K-T suited (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4319 | Kc-Tc-7s-5d-2d |
Q-T suited (w/ one flush penalty*) | 0.4302 | Qc-Tc-7c-5h-2h |
Queen | 0.4281 | Qc-9d-7d-4s-2s |
King (w/ no flush penalty*) | 0.4261 | Kc-9h-8d-4s-2s |
Jack (w/ one or more Flush penalties*) | 0.4251 | Jd-8d-5d-3s-2s |
K-Ts (w/ one Flush penalty*) | 0.4225 | Kc-Tc-8c-5h-2s |
King (w/ one or more Flush penalties*) | 0.4217 | Kh-Ts-8d-5h-2c |
3 to a St. Flush, 2 Gaps, No Hi Cards | 0.4126 | 5h-7h-9h-2d-3d |
Four to a Straight, Inside, No High Cards | 0.3404 | 5d-6c-7s-9h-2d |
Everything Else » Draw Five New Cards | 0.3254 | 10s-8c-6d-4s-2h |
*Penalty cards are any cards which you plan to discard that hurt your chances of completing a draw. For example, if you have 7c-9c-Jc-8s-5h and plan to keep the 7c-9c-Jc, the 8s that you're discarding actually hurts you because there is one less card in the deck that completes your straight. However, it still makes sense to discard the 8s because you have better expected return going for the straight flush than to draw to the inside straight.
Straight (St.) penalty cards mean cards that interfere w/ a hand's possibility of making a straight. Flush penalty cards mean cards that interfere w/ a hand's possibility of making a flush. High Pair (HP) penalty cards mean cards that interfere w/ a hand's possibility of making a high pair (a pair Jacks or better).
Video poker is a form of poker that’s usually played on poker machines. Unlike Texas Hold’em or Omaha, video poker is a single-player game and is played either on video poker machines on in the form of online video poker. There are numerous versions of video poker, but the majority of them follow the same rules.
If you’re on this page, the chances are that you’re looking for a way to beat online video poker, and this guide is going to help you in your effort. It will help you understand how this game works and what to pay attention when playing it.
Here are several things you’re going to read by reading this article.
If what you’ve read so far seem promising, make sure to read this article until the end. After reading the guide on how to beat video poker, you’ll gain in-depth insight into this game and understand all the intricacies which you’ll be able to use in your favor. Read on!
Video Poker Rules of Play – How Is It Different from Other Types of Poker?
Video poker is a popular game found in many land-based and online casinos. Unlike other types of poker that are played with a dealer and against other players, video poker is basically a single-player game.
It is based on five-card draw poker. At the start of every round, you’ll receive five cards once you make a bet. After that, you’ll have an option to replace some of the cards in order to improve. The new hand you created with replaced hands is your final hand. If you have a valid poker hand, you can receive a prize based on a payout chart which is usually provided in the game.
Therefore the steps of playing video poker are the following.
- Select an online casino that offers online video poker and open an account
- Choose one of the available poker games (there are many variations)
- Select the betting amount — you can select 1 to 5 coins and select how much your coin is worth
- Receive five cards and analyze them
- Select the ones that you wish to replace
- Receive replaced cards
- Claim the prize if you have a valid poker hand
As you can see, the basic rules are rather easy. However, there are many video poker variations, so let’s take a look at some of the most popular ones.
Most Important Online Video Poker Games
There are so many video poker variations on the web right now, that it would be difficult to list them all here. That’s why I am going to mention just some of the most popular ones here. That doesn’t mean that the ones that aren’t mentioned aren’t good. It means that they are just less popular compared to the ones in this article.
Here’s a short overview of popular online video poker games.
- Jacks or Better – Video poker doesn’t consider a pair a valid hand, but Jacks or Better does. However, that pair has to be at least a pair of Jacks.
- Deuces Wild – Deuces are considered wild cards and can replace any other card to make a valuable hand.
- Bonus Poker – Some hands have better payouts than others.
- Double Bonus Poker — Also, some hands have better payouts than others
- Jokers Wild — Jokers can replace any card to help you create a valid hand.
- Pick ‘em Poker — You are dealt two cards, but get to pick the additional three cards.
These are just some of the variations, but they are definitely not the only ones. In fact, there are further variations with slightly different rules, such as Bonus Poker Deluxe, Double Double Jackpot Poker, Bonus Deuces Wild, Deuces & Jokers Wild, White Hot Aces and more.
Essentially, all of these titles differ a bit and this directly their odds and payouts. However, you should know that, in the end, the majority of online poker games have a similar RTP (return to player) percentage that usually goes up to 99%.
Finally, you should take into account that all of the games follow the hand rankings that are identical to all other poker games, and I will talk about that a bit later.
Video Poker Tips to Win
Video poker is a game of chance more than it is a game of skill. When compared to Texas Hold’em, video poker definitely lacks the human factor that accounts for the “skill” necessary in this game. In other words, you cannot read other players and bluff if there are no other players. Therefore, video poker relies on the element of luck, pretty much like online video slots.
However, there are still several things that you can do in order to improve your overall online poker experience. Let’s take a look at them.
Choose a Good Online Casino
There are many great online casinos out there, and some of them have a better offer of online video poker than others. Essentially, you want to choose a casino that has a great selection of video poker games and a generous bonus for new players.Of course, you should also choose casinos that have a proven history of successful payouts, and offer various deposit and withdrawal methods, so that you can start playing video poker as soon as possible.
The list of casinos offering online video poker is long, but I narrowed it down to just a couple of them that are worth your time and money. You can find them on this page, so feel free to explore them and learn how to get the most of them.
Master One Type of Video Poker
Although the beauty of online video poker is that it comes in many forms, I advise focusing on just one type for starters, especially if you’re new to this game. That way, you’ll be able to master the game, learning all those small tricks while in the process. Once you feel confident enough, you can start playing other forms of online poker.Practice Before Playing for Real Money
You probably wonder this — how to choose the best poker game for you if you haven’t tried them all? The good news is that you don’t have to play these games for real money at first.As a matter of fact, the majority of online casinos offer their users to play games for free by providing fake money. Therefore, if you opt to play for free, you’ll be able to explore the game an all of its options before actually using real money for that. However, you should also take into account that there will not be real-money rewards either, as long as you play the free version.
Once you try enough types of video poker, you’ll have a general idea about all of them, and some will be more appealing to you than others. That means you’re ready to choose one type and begin mastering the game for real money.
Always Pay Attention to Payout Chart
Payout chart is a chart that shows you how much money you’re going to receive for each type of hand. These charts are almost always visible during your session so that you can have a great insight into your possible rewards, this can help you have a better understanding of your bankroll and how to play your next hands.Adopt a Bankroll Management Strategy
Video poker, just like many other casino games, require you to manage your bankroll. It means that you should always be aware how much money you’ve spent and won on playing the game. There are various strategies that are universal for all casino games and can help you manage your bankroll better.The basic rule is to have two limits. The first limit is the one on the amount you’re willing to spend on playing video poker. Simply put, you should always determine the amount for your next session, or even for a whole week/month. That amount shouldn’t be big, and it definitely shouldn’t affect your income much. Just think of it as money you’d spend for entertainment.
The other limit is the winning limit. There’s an unspoken rule that every winning streak becomes a losing streak if you play long enough. That’s why it’s important to determine the winning cap when you play any casino game, including online video poker. Once you reach the desired amount in your session, you should quit for the day.
Bonus Hint: Don’t Use the GambleOption
Like many online video slots, some video poker games offer you to double your winnings by gambling them. You can choose this option after any winning hand and gamble your chances. It’s usually conducted by drawing a card. If you draw a higher card than the one presented, you’ll double your winnings. If you draw a lower — you’ll lose all your winnings.The gamble option is widely regarded as negative as it impacts the RTP and increases the house edge. That’s why you should avoid gambling your winnings after a successful hand.
Video Poker Odds of Winning + Payouts
Talking about video poker odds is actually talking about poker odds in general since the odds of having a certain hand are similar in the majority of poker variations. Therefore, let’s take a quick look at the odds. Make sure to remember the following table, as it can come in hand while you play the game.
Hand | Odds |
Royal Flush | 649,740:1 |
Straight Flush | 72,193:1 |
Four of a Kind | 4,165:1 |
Full House | 694:1 |
Flush | 509:1 |
Straight | 255:1 |
Three of a Kind | 47:1 |
Two Pairs | 21:1 |
Valid Pair (J, Q, K or A) | 7.96:1 |
Any Pair | 2.37:1 |
The chart above is for the game Jacks or Better, which is often considered a default type of video poker. In other words, you’ll receive a prize for one pair only if it’s jacks, queens, kings or aces.
What you will see below is a typical payout table for Jacks or Better. What you should take into account is that there are several types of video poker Jacks or Better games, which are basically divided by the Full House and Flush payouts. Therefore, if you play a 9/6 Jacks or Better, you’ll receive a payout that is nine times your bet if you have a full house and six times your bet if you have a flush.
Other types are 9/5, 8/6, 8/5, 7/5, and 6/5. Naturally, the one with the best odds is the 9/6 one. Here’s a short payout table overviewing the payouts for that game.
Hand | Payout |
Royal Flush | 800 |
Straight Flush | 50 |
Four of a Kind | 25 |
Full House | 9 |
Flush | 5 |
Straight | 4 |
Three of a Kind | 3 |
Two Pairs | 2 |
Valid Pair (J, Q, K or A) | 1 |
The important thing to take into account is that the payout changes depending on the type of video poker you play. Therefore, make sure to check it before you actually start to play for real money in order to have a better understanding of how it works.
Video Poker Strategy Chart – How Many Cards Should You Re-Draw?
The last thing I want to talk about in this article is the strategy for playing video poker. Once again, I’ll focus on Jacks or Better optimal strategy, but you should know that this strategy is similar to other variations of online poker.
Although there are various charts our there that can help you, I just wanted to point out this one that I deem essential for learning advanced video poker strategy. The chart below simply tells you how many cards you should drop (change) based on your starting hand. Let’s take a look.
Hand | Cards to Change |
Royal Flush | 0 |
Straight Flush | 0 |
Four of a Kind | 0 |
Full House | 0 |
Four cards of Royal Flush | 1 |
Flush | 0 |
Straight | 0 |
Four cards of a Stright Flush | 1 |
Three of a Kind | 2 |
Two Pairs | 1 |
High Pair | 3 |
Three cards of a Royal Flush | 2 |
Four Cards of a Flush | 1 |
Low Pair | 3 |
Four cards of a Straight | 1 |
Three cards of a Straight Flush | 2 |
Two cards of a Royal Flush | 3 |
Two high cards | 3 |
One high card | 4 |
All low unrelated cards | 5 |