Video Poker Strategy: Beginner Tips and Winning Decisions

Video poker is a game that mixes traditional poker hand rankings with the fast-paced action of casino games like slots. It also brings in an element of strategic decision-making that sets it apart from those games of chance where you just wait to see the outcome.

To understand the video poker tips we’ll be looking at, you need to know that this isn’t a game played against a dealer or other players. It’s all about getting a strong hand of cards and nothing else, so there’s no bluffing or raising to worry about.

However, you can use some of the same strategies and concepts that are used in those other games, which you can also find right here at Buzz Bingo.

Video Poker Strategy Explained

This game has a lot in common with a few other casino games, but it also has unique aspects you need to know about before creating a strategy for video poker. We can start by looking at the basic mechanics of the gameplay.

• Rather than playing against a dealer or other players, you just have to aim to get a highly ranked poker hand. There are no rival hands to compare it to.
• You’ll be dealt a hand, but then be given the option of holding or discarding the cards in it. 
• The paytable lists the amount that could be won with each type of ranked hand. Once you have settled on your final cards, the hand will be compared to the paytable to see if a prize is awarded. 
• Classic poker hand rankings are used, so a royal flush typically claims the top prize, with a pair as the lowest-paying combination. Jacks or better is used in some games as the lowest-ranked hand, meaning that only two Jacks or better count as a pair.
• Different versions of video poker introduce a variety of additional rules, with the paytable showing how much each type of winning hand is worth. Some games have jackpots or other features you’ll want to know about.
• You don’t need to know all the poker terms [link to the Poker Terms and Definitions guide] under the sun to start playing, but understanding how strong hands are formed is vital.

You might get a strong hand at the start of the game, but it’s more likely that a winning hand comes down to how you hold or discard your cards. This means that wins are created by making informed decisions rather than relying solely on luck to get the right cards.  

Video Poker Strategy Tips for Beginners 

Even the best video poker tips won’t guarantee that you win every time that you play. You still need to rely on the right cards being dealt to you exactly when you need them. Yet, by making good decisions, you can improve your chances and your results in the long term. 

The first point we need to cover is an understanding of poker hand rankings. This is how you can see what cards are needed to complete a winning hand. By looking at this, you’ll give yourself a chance of making smarter moves that boost your chances of getting a winning hand.

You’ll also want to understand the expected value (EV) of this game. This comes from seeing how much you could win on a game and the chances of doing so. EV is calculated over many hands, so your results should match. In theory, you get closer to it as you play more hands.

Checking out a video poker strategy chart will also prove useful. This is a tool that takes you through each hand and shows you which cards to discard to get the best chance of winning.        

Another of the top video poker tips is to compare the paytable on games that you’re interested in playing. This will reveal whether the same hands provide different sizes of payout. You’ll also see whether any unique rules affect your chances.

There are also some common beginner mistakes to avoid. These include not checking the paytable before playing, using the same strategy for every video poker variant, and relying too heavily on instinct rather than assessing expected value.

Understanding Video Poker Odds and Decision Making 

The video poker strategy that you use has to be based on elements including the odds, the paytable, and the expected value.

The return to player (RTP) is another area to bear in mind. This is expressed as a percentage and tells us how much the game is expected to pay out. It’s important to note that this is based on long-term play over thousands of hands. Choosing a game with a higher RTP theoretically improves your chance over a large number of games.

As a long-term strategy, it makes sense to always choose a video poker machine with a favourable paytable. However, you need to play a lot of games before this factor can be expected to make a difference.    

FAQs About Video Poker Strategy

Is There a Video Poker Strategy That Guarantees Wins?

No casino strategies can guarantee wins in any playing session. At the heart of the game is a random number generator that ensures that the next cards to be dealt are always unpredictable.

What Video Poker Strategies Are Best?

The most effective way to play this game is to use strategy charts to help you make solid decisions each time. This means that you make the mathematically correct decision based on your hand and the version that you’re playing. 

What Video Poker Tips Should Beginners Use?

Check the paytable to see the exact rules and paytable for the version you’re going to play. You might also want to practise using a demo version before playing for real money.

Is Video Poker an Easy Game for New Players?

This is an easy game to understand, since it’s all about trying to get a winning poker hand. However, there are a few strategies and ways of playing that new players need to understand to boost their chances of winning.