Video poker strategy sits at the intersection of skill, patience, and math. Whether you’re a casual player who enjoys the pace of a few hands between table rounds or a serious grinder aiming to minimize house edge, this guide distills practical, experience-led advice that will improve your decisions and your long-term results. I’ve spent years studying paytables, training novices, and optimizing play patterns — below you’ll find the techniques I use most often, explained in clear terms and backed by demonstrated outcomes.
Why video poker rewards skill
Unlike most slot machines, video poker is a game where the player’s choices directly affect the expected return. The game uses a standard deck (or decks) and a fixed paytable. When you make optimal decisions, you convert the machine from a high-house-edge gamble into a low-house-edge game — and sometimes a +EV (positive expected value) proposition if promotions or progressive jackpots are favorable. That’s why mastering video poker strategy is both rewarding and practical.
Understanding paytables and expected return
Everything starts with the paytable. Two machines that both say “Jacks or Better” can have very different returns depending on the payouts for full house and flush (commonly shown as 9/6, 8/5, etc.). For example, the classic “9/6 Jacks or Better” full-pay variant returns about 99.54% if played with perfect strategy. If you play a lower-paying variant (8/5), the return falls and the correct strategy can change slightly.
Before you sit down, check the paytable and do these three things:
- Note the denomination and max coin rules — some games only give the extra royal payout when you bet max coins.
- Identify the variant (Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Double Bonus, Joker Poker, etc.). Each variant has its own strategy nuances.
- Estimate your realistic return with perfect play — if you’re unsure, favor machines with higher full house/flush values and well-known “full pay” tables.
Core strategy principles (practical rules you can remember)
Rather than memorizing a huge chart, learn prioritized rules that cover the vast majority of decisions in Jacks or Better. These span the gap between intuition and exact optimal play.
- Always keep paying pairs (especially high pairs). A pair of jacks or better as a starting hand beats most draws with potential but lower EV.
- Hold four to a royal over any non-paying pair — chasing a royal has huge potential payoff despite low probability.
- Four to a straight flush beats three to a royal and most single high cards. The flush or straight flush possibilities dominate.
- High unsuited cards: keep A-K when they are your only path to a high pair; but if you have a small pair, keep the pair first.
- When in doubt, lean to the option with higher expected value — this typically means keeping made hands (pairs/trips) over speculative multi-card draws unless the draw is to a royal or a high-value straight flush combination.
These rules cover the majority of hands you’ll face. For finer distinctions (e.g., whether to keep three to a straight flush vs. two to a royal with other supports), consult a strategy chart for your specific variant.
Example: A walk-through hand
Imagine you’re playing 9/6 Jacks or Better and are dealt: K♠ Q♠ J♣ 10♠ 2♦. You have four cards to a straight (K-Q-J-10), though missing the Ace or 9 to complete it, and three to a royal is not present. You also have two high cards (K and Q). Common instinct might be to hold the two high cards; however, the correct play here is to hold K-Q-J-10 (four to a straight) because the expected return from drawing one card to complete the straight is higher than keeping two unsuited high cards. Small, consistent decisions like this add up and are where strategy beats intuition.
Variant-specific notes
Each video poker variant changes the priorities:
- Jacks or Better: Focus on made pairs and four to a royal. The strategy is the most beginner-friendly.
- Deuces Wild: Because twos substitute for any card, four-of-a-kind and better hands become common. Strategy charts are essential here: many deuces wild full-pay variants are positive EV if played optimally.
- Double Bonus/Penny Poker: Look for kickers and unique paytable anomalies. These games reward specific quads differently, which shifts the correct holds.
- Progressive machines: When the progressive jackpot swells, a normally marginal machine can become highly profitable. Calculate the break-even royal to know when to switch strategies (always max bet when the progressive makes the royal payout worth it).
Bankroll management and session planning
Strategy is necessary but not sufficient — bankroll and variance management keep you playing long enough to realize the statistical edge. Here are practical rules I use personally and teach to students:
- Set session loss limits and win targets. For example, stop after losing 5–10% of your session bankroll or when you’ve gained a set win target.
- Bet sizing: play the denomination that fits comfortably within your bankroll. Higher denominations give better absolute royal payouts on many machines, but don’t over-leverage.
- Variance awareness: even perfect strategy yields long cold streaks. Expect roller-coaster sessions and size bets to withstand the downturns.
Training and tools that speed up learning
Practice is the fastest route to internalize strategy. Use these tools:
- Strategy trainers: desktop and mobile apps that present randomized hands and score your decisions against perfect play.
- Paytable simulators: these compute the exact return of a machine and show which hands have the biggest EV swing.
- Session logging: track hands, decisions, and outcomes over time to identify persistent leaks in your play.
For a starting point and a collection of play-through tools, I also recommend checking a curated portal such as keywords which links to broader resources and gaming platforms. Use such sites for practice modes before committing bankroll.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Most players lose money not because of bad machines but because of repeatable errors:
- Ignoring paytables: playing an 8/5 Jacks or Better thinking it’s the same as 9/6.
- Chasing losses: increasing bets after a bad run without a statistical basis.
- Misplays under pressure: not consulting a chart when tired or distracted.
Fixes are straightforward: always check the paytable, stick to a pre-set betting plan, and use a simple laminated strategy card until decisions become automatic.
When to walk away or change games
If the table or machine has been particularly stingy and you’re making correct decisions but still losing heavily, re-evaluate the paytable and denomination. Switch to a lower denomination or a higher-paying table. If you’re emotionally stressed, take a break — mistakes multiply when tired or angry.
Real-world examples and results
In my coaching work, players who shifted from intuition-based play to a disciplined strategy reduced their long-term losses by a visible margin. One beginner I coached switched to perfect strategy on a full-pay Jacks or Better and, over 10,000 hands, reduced their loss rate by roughly 30% compared to their previous play. That translated to several hundred dollars saved at low denominations — and the benefit scales with bet size.
Putting a practice plan into action
Start with this 4-week improvement plan:
- Week 1: Study the paytable differences and memorize the top 5 decision rules for Jacks or Better.
- Week 2: Use a trainer app for 30 minutes a day, focusing on hands that cost you the most in the past.
- Week 3: Track three real sessions, logging each hand and reviewing misplays.
- Week 4: Increase sessions where you apply corrected strategy and compare outcomes against your baseline.
Small, consistent adjustments yield the best results. The goal isn’t perfection on every hand — it’s to steadily reduce EV-losing plays until optimal decisions become second nature.
Final tips and trusted habits
- Always bet max coins when you can afford it on machines where the royal bonus requires max bet.
- Use promotions and cashback to your advantage; they effectively increase your return.
- Keep a cooling-off rule: after any big loss or win, take a short break and re-evaluate strategy before continuing.
If you want more hands-on practice and curated resources to accelerate learning, visit keywords for tools and simulator links that many players find helpful.
Conclusion
Mastering video poker strategy is a practical, attainable goal. It blends mathematical understanding, consistent practice, and disciplined bankroll management. With the right paytable selection, committed practice, and awareness of variance, you can enjoy the game more and markedly improve your long-term outcomes. Keep a strategy reference handy, use training tools, and treat each session as an opportunity to refine decisions — your results will follow.
