How To Play Video Poker at a Casino

Video poker can be played for small sums of money, which is why it attracts a lot of attention. Video poker follows the same rules as regular poker, but, according to the website WizardofOdds, it defies the old rule that the "house always has the advantage." It suggests you look for liberal pay tables on specific machines, and then apply basic poker strategy. Video poker machines can be operated by inserting money directly into it, or by coins or a gaming card.

Instructions

1. Note the payout percentage payout of the machine based on the hands you make. This could impact which cards you keep in certain situations.

2. Keep any pairs you are dealt. The object of video poker is to make a pair or better, thus if you are dealt a pair you will automatically win that round. In addition, this will give you a chance to draw to three of a kind, a full house, or four of a kind, which will pay a lot of credits if you hit one of them. You should always keep a made hand (a hand that will automatically win), so in addition to a pair, keep all five cards if you are dealt a straight (five sequential cards in a row) or a flush (five cards of the same suit.

3. Keep four cards in a sequential order if you have no pairs. This will give you a 17 percent chance of making a straight, since there are eight cards out of the remaining 47 that will complete your hand. Straights pay significantly more than pairs, so it is worth the odds to draw to a straight rather than a pair if you have four cards in a row already (For example, if you have a 5 6 7 8 and Jack, you would keep everything but the Jack).

4. Keep four cards of the same suit if you have no pairs. This will give you a 19 percent chance of making a flush, which pays more than a straight.

5. Keep the highest card you have if you are not dealt any of the scenarios described in the above steps. This will allow you to draw to the highest possible pair.

References

• Wizard of Odds: Video Poker Strategy
• Video Poker 365: How To Play Video Poker