How to Play Better Video Poker for Fun

Learning perfect strategy for different video poker games can be tedious and time-consuming. Fortunately, you don't have to play an absolutely flawless strategy to enjoy the game. With just a basic knowledge of correct moves, you can improve significantly and enjoy some comps as well.

Playing Jacks or Better Tips

In this video poker game, you try to get the best poker hand you can in two draws. After an initial draw, you can hold the cards you like and discard what you don't like. A second draw will replace any cards you discarded. A pair of jacks, queens, kings or aces results in a tie between you and the machine and you get your wager back. That's why it is called Jacks or Better.

1) Drop your poker habits. Don't hold on to a kicker since it only reduces the chances of getting a better hand.

2) Ignore straight draws with a gap. The odds of making the hand are too low.

3) Don't chase three cards to a flush or straight. It should always be four cards to the hand.

4) Keep three cards to the hand only if it's a straight flush.

5) Always hold a one pair or a two pair.

6) A four of a kind rarely happens. If you have a two pair or a full house, don't try to change it hoping for quads.

7) If there is no hand on the first draw and you want to hold on to a card, make it a jack or better card. If you get a one pair off that you will get your wager back.

8) Play 9/6 machines or progressive 8/5 machines for maximum payback.

Playing Deuces Wild Tips

Deuces Wild makes all two cards wild. Wild means it can substitute for any card that gives you the highest hand possible. If you get an aces three of a kind, a two card and a jack, the two card becomes a fourth ace and you get a wild four of a kind.

Because the two cards are wild, you get better hands more often. (The rare four of a kind occurs quite often in this game.) To protect the casino from loss, they have set the minimum paying hand to a three of a kind.

1) Select a Deuces Wild machine that pays 5-1 on a four of a kind. Most payouts occur on this hand.

2) Never hold any single card.

3) Always hold a two card (deuce).

4) Unlike in Jacks or Better, you never keep a two pair in this game. Throw one pair away.

And the Best Tip of All…

Use your slot card to get comps and cashbacks. The casino probably won't have great comps for Deuces Wild, but whatever they offer, a slot card is always worth it. When you play correct strategy, you will lose less money and the comps only add to what you get back form the house.