Video poker players are quite different than other casino gamblers. While it may look similar to a slot machine , playing video poker is a very different thing. That’s because video poker is actually a skill-based game that’s uniquely blended with the randomness of a shuffled deck of cards. Historically, video poker was the first skill based game to show up in the casino.
Sound math and probability principles are built into all the variations of video poker games. There’s nothing hidden from the player when playing a video poker machine. Video poker players play with a classic 52-card deck (except in the Joker’s Wild game). Cards are dealt with the exact randomness of a standard deck so you’re just as likely to be dealt one card as another. That being the case, it’s possible to determine the exact probability of any of the 2,598,960 possible initial deals. Better than that, we can also determine the exact probability of any final hand being dealt when we hold cards or discard certain cards.
Since we know the probability of the final hand, we can assign an expected value of the hold or discard. In that way we can determine best cards to hold or discard to give us the highest return over time. Video poker players don’t play hunches or guesses. We know the probabilities and make our decisions are based on the mathematical expectations.
For example, we might hold a pair of Aces instead of keeping four cards to a flush. But we don’t do that because we just hope to pick up more Aces. We do it because it’s the better play. We know that the probability of being dealt a Flush is exactly 9 in 47 (nine remaining cards of that suit out of the 47 cards remaining in the deck). We also know there are two remaining Aces out of that 47 but there’s also way more possibilities of improving the hand by getting Two Pair or a Full House.
When we multiply the payout of each final winning hand by the probability of getting that hand and sum these values we get our expected value. The expected value of a Pair of Aces is greater than that of our 4-Card Flush so we play a Pair of Aces. There’s only one ‘best play’, and that’s it.
Similarly, if we had a Pair of 9’s within that Flush, we would hold the 4-Card Flush instead because the expected value is greater than that of a Low Pair. Continuing this pattern, if that 4-Card Flush were instead a 4-Card Straight, we would hold the Low Pair over the 4-Card Straight because the Low Pair has the higher expected value.
Playing video poker can be compared to using a basic strategy when playing Blackjack. In video poker there is a strategy for each of the different variations of the game. That is, there is a correct hold and discard for any hand that we’re dealt. Best of all, you can know the exact payback of a video poker machine by looking at a chart of what the winning hands pay (the pay table). If you see two machines with identical pay tables, then you can expect identical returns, when you play with the correct strategy.
You can learn more about video poker and practice playing realistic games online. You can play for free or get added benefits for a small fee. There’s also a tutor mode to teach you the correct hold and discards for the most popular games. Please feel free to give it a try today.
Hello. I hope that egrrybody is well!
I tried 20 card mystic 8s (I haven’t tried these much in the past). I couldn’t believe it! On only 8 of 10 I somehow only hit an 8 spot and I want to say 8 7 of 8s for over $450 on a 40 cent bet! Then maxed it and kept hitting only 7 of 10 and kept hitting multiple 7 of 8 and tons of 6 of 8 . Tagged over $900 with only $40 in! . Also the next night (amazingly on the same machine) I hit 8 of 10 again! No solid 8 but 12 7 of 8 (yes, 12!!) for over $600 and for the machine over $1000 betting 60 and 80 cents just hitting 7 of 10s
That’s whats amazing about this system! You always have a 2 number cushion! You wrap 8 numbers in a 10 spot and don’t need 9 of 10 to hit big! You could hit 8 of 10 (instead of say 7 of 8 or solid 8) and get a big pay. Even with 7 of 10 per say . On a $1.60 or more bet you will get $800 or up to a handpay for medium hits ! Amazing ! And before I got well over $1700 on mystic 7s on an 8 of 9 hit on 80 cents (I want to say 5 7 spots and all of the rest were 6 of 7). Pretty great return with only reasonable bankroll! Get the smart charts . At the price for the 4 card and 20 card version it is a no brainer .
You say that video poker deals are totally random. What is the explanation for me playing 9/5 Jacks or Better where 4 of a kind pays 125 and seeing none in 1 hour of play but when I switched to 9/5 deuces wild where 4 of a kind pays 25, I saw 6 natural 4 of a kinds in one hour. It seems a stretch to call that luck.
Thanks for the comment. The irony in your example is that it actually proves the randomness of the game. Any regular video poker player has stories like yours that they tell. I have dozens. You could have had the same thing happen on the JOB game and just thought that the ‘machine is making up for it’. Random is random. Sometimes it’s smooth and almost predictable and sometimes it takes an upswing or a downturn. But in the long run the numbers will work out to reflect the returns that anybody can predict by reading the paytable. Good luck and may the good news be yours.