Once you’ve nailed the basics of how to play video poker, you might wonder if there’s a video poker strategy you can try. Well, the answer is yes there is! Check out this video poker strategy guide for an insight into the best moves when it comes to popular game variants like Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild.
Quick disclaimer: Gambling strategies are fun to try, but remember, you can’t influence the outcome of the game and the house always has the advantage.
Basic Video Poker Strategy
Starting simple, here are some basic video poker strategy tips you can use on any variant of the game:
1. Play max coins
Most video poker variants pay more for some hands when you play the maximum 5 coins. For example, in Jacks or Better, the Royal Flush hand pays 250 coins if you play 1 coin, but this increases to 4,000 coins if you play 5 coins (instead of the 1,250 that it should be).
2. Play highest RTP
The Return to Player (RTP) of video poker online differs between variants. For example, Jacks or Better has an RTP of 98.45, Joker Poker sits at 98.47%, Aces and Faces playing 1 to 4 coins is 98.5%, but 99.2% if you play 5 coins, and 2 Ways Royal is 97.02% for 1 to 4 coins and 99.13% for 5 coins. To slice a little more off that house edge, opt for video poker variants with the highest RTP.
3. Choose an outside over an inside Straight/Straight Flush
An inside Straight/Straight Flush is missing a card in the middle. An outside Straight/Straight Flush is missing a card at either end. The option that has two possible outs (outside) is preferable to the option with only one possible out (inside).
What is a Video Poker Strategy Chart?
Beyond the basics, the optimal strategy for video poker involves knowing what to hold and play based on mathematical calculations using deals, probabilities, and payouts. A video poker strategy chart/card features the resulting ‘priority list’ of all possible five card deals in the game, arranged in order from best at the top (eg. Royal Flush) to worst at the bottom (discard every card!) in terms of expected value over time. These deals are often condensed into a smaller, more digestible video poker strategy chart that you can refer to as you play.
How to Use a Video Poker Chart
It’s easy to learn how to use a video poker chart. Simply compare your five dealt cards to each row of the chart, starting from the top and working your way down. When you find a row that matches what you’ve got, you hold the stated cards.
When you’ve nailed the basics of how to use a video poker table, you might notice some moves that don’t quite make sense on the face of it. While many people think they already know which cards to hold, (or rely on hunches or if the machine is ‘playing hot or cold’), the optimal approach according to these strategy charts often flies in the face of logic, as you’ll see next.
Jacks or Better Video Poker Strategy Chart
Let’s jump right in with a look at a strategy chart for Jacks or Better video poker:
| Hand |
| Royal Flush/Straight Flush/Four of a Kind |
| 4 of a Royal Flush |
| Full House/Flush/Straight/Three of a Kind |
| 4 of an outside Straight Flush |
| Two Pair |
| 4 of an inside Straight Flush |
| High Pair (JJ+) |
| 3 of a Royal Flush |
| 4 of a Flush |
| Low Pair (22-1010) |
| 4 of an outside Straight |
| 2 High Cards suited (J+) |
| 3 of a Straight Flush |
| 2 High Cards unsuited (J+) |
| 10J+ suited |
| High Card |
| Discard all |
Jacks or Better Strategy Tips
Let’s cherry-pick some useful tips from that Jacks or Better strategy card to give you the best Jacks or Better strategy tips you should follow, in order:
1. Always hold the highest paying hands
Look out for Royal Flush, Straight Flush, or Four of a Kind hands and always, always hold those cards! These are the highest paying hands in the game.
2. Next, prioritise 4 of a Royal Flush
If you don’t have the three top hands above, next check to see if you’re one card away from the Royal Flush. If so, hold all involved cards and go for that missing card. Note that this action is valued more than actually landing a Straight or a Flush on the deal because of its combined probability and payout potential (ie. the extra payout if you land that one card is worth more over time).
Examples:
9d, 10s, Js, Qs, Ks – This is already a Straight, but the best video poker strategy over time says to go for that As to make up the Royal Flush.
Js, Qs, Ks, As, 2s – This is already a Flush, but the mathematical strategy calls for you to go for the 10s to make up a Royal Flush.
Counter-intuitive, right? There’s more…
3. Prioritise 4 of a Straight Flush over a High Pair
Examples:
7s, 8s, 10s, Js, Jd (inside)
8s, 9s, 10s, Js, Jd (outside)
These are already paying hands (well, the pair of Jacks only gives you your stake back), but over time, you’re better off going for the Straight Flush.
4. Prioritise 3 of a Royal Flush over 4 of a Flush
Because of your return, it’s better to hold the three cards of a Royal Flush over four cards of a Flush, even though you have a better chance of making up the latter. This runs in the face of what you might assume, but the maths holds true!
Example:
Jh, Qh, Kh, 2h, 3d – The hearts Flush is the more likely outcome, but in terms of value over time, it’s better to go for the Royal Flush.
Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy Chart
Deuces Wild strategy works a little differently compared to Jacks or Better strategy due to the inclusion of wild cards. It’s those wild cards – the 2s – that determine your strategy. Let’s check out a Deuces Wild strategy card:
| Deuces | Hand | Example |
| 4 | 4 Deuces | 2, 2, 2, 2 plus anything else |
| 3 | 3 Deuce Royal Flush | 2, 2, 2, Kh, Ah |
| 3 Deuces | 2, 2, 2 plus anything else | |
| 2 | 2 Deuce Four of a Kind or better | 2, 2, 5, 5, 7 |
| 2 Deuce 4 of a Royal Flush | 2, 2, Jc, Qc, 4d | |
| 2 Deuce 4 of a Straight Flush with two consecutive cards of 6-7 or higher | 2, 2, 6s, 7s, Jd | |
| 2 Deuces | 2, 2 plus anything else | |
| 1 | 1 Deuce Four of a Kind or better | 2, 3, 3, 3, 7 |
| 1 Deuce 4 of a Royal Flush | 2, 10c, Jc, Qc, 4d | |
| 1 Deuce Full House | 3, 3, 2, 5, 5 | |
| 1 Deuce 4 of a Straight Flush with three consecutive cards of 5-6-7 or higher | 2, 5s, 6s, 7s, Jd | |
| 1 Deuce Three of a Kind, Straight, or Flush | 2, 4c, 5c, 9c, Jc | |
| 1 Deuce 4 of a Straight Flush (with low cards) | 2, 3s, 4s, 5s, Jd | |
| 1 Deuce 3 of a Royal Flush | 2, Js, Qs, 4h, 7d | |
| 1 Deuce 3 of a Straight Flush with two consecutive cards of 6-7 or higher | 2, 6s, 7s, Jd, 7h | |
| 1 Deuce | 2 plus anything else | |
| 0 | 0 Deuce Royal Flush or 4 of a Royal Flush | 10s, Js, Qs, Ks, 5c |
| 0 Deuce Three of a Kind to Straight Flush | 5, 5, 5, 6, 8 | |
| 0 Deuce 4 of a Straight Flush | 5c, 6c, 7c, 8c, Jh | |
| 0 Deuce 3 of a Royal Flush | 10h, Jh, Qh, 3c, 7d | |
| 0 Deuce Pair | 7, 7, 4, 9, J | |
| 0 Deuce 4 of a Flush | 3d, 5d, 9d, Jd, 7h | |
| 0 Deuce 4 of an outside Straight | 4, 5, 6, 7, J | |
| 0 Deuce 3 of a Straight Flush | 4c, 5c, 6c, 10d, Ks | |
| 0 Deuce 4 of an inside Straight (except missing 2) | 5, 7, 8, 9, J | |
| 0 Deuce 2 of a Royal Flush, J, Q high | Ks, As, Jd, Qh, 3c |
Deuces Wild Strategy Tips
Cherry-picking some not-so-intuitive points from the strategy chart above, here are the top Deuces Wild strategy tips:
1. Hold your Deuces!
Ok, starting with a fairly obvious one, it’s quite clear from the chart that more Deuces is better. If those Deuces fall in abundance on your deal, hold them all!
2. Forget Two Pair
You may notice that the Two Pair hand is missing from this Deuces Wild chart. That’s because this hand doesn’t pay in Deuces Wild. The best action if you land a Two Pair is to hold just one of the pairs as it has a higher expected value.
3. Prioritise 1 Deuce 4 of a Straight Flush over a 1 Deuce Three of a Kind, Flush, or Straight
Ok, it’s starting to sound a bit complicated now! Just like some of the top strategy tips for Jacks or Better, some of these Deuces Wild tips fly in the face of initial logic, like this one. Basically, if you have four cards of a Straight Flush (one of them a Deuce) with three consecutive cards of 5, 6, 7, or higher, you should go for the Straight Flush over a guaranteed Three of a Kind, Flush, or Straight.
Example:
2c, 5c, 5s, 6c, 7c – This is already a Three of a Kind, but maths strategy says you’re better off going for the 4c or 8c to make up the Straight Flush.
2d, 6d, 7d, 8d, Jd – This is already a Flush, but the strictly strategic approach says to go for the outside Straight Flush.
2d, 6d, 7d, 8d, 10c – This is already a Straight, but optimal strategy recommends going for the 10d instead of the 10c to make up the Straight Flush.
Try Video Poker Strategies
It’s very easy to spot a winning video poker hand on the deal and immediately hold it for the draw. However, as you’ve just seen, this isn’t always the best move when it comes to optimal video poker strategy. Next time you’re playing video poker, hone your basic strategy by choosing a high RTP variant, playing max coins (responsibly, of course!), and opting for outside over inside Straights and Straight Flushes. Then you can experiment with these video poker strategy cards to shave a little more off that house edge!
FAQs
Yes! Because you get to choose which of your five dealt cards to hold, if any, there is scope for a strategic approach. A good video poker strategy involves choosing a high RTP game variant, playing max coins, recognising the difference between inside and outside Straight/Straight Flush hands, and using video poker strategy charts/cards to decide which hands to hold.
The best hands to hold in video poker vary depending on the variant you’re playing. The highest value hands tend to be the best, eg. Royal Flush, Straight Flush, and Four of a Kind. However, in Deuces Wild, it’s the 2s you should hold – the more, the better! – as they can help you make up the highest paying hands. Beyond that, complicated maths determines which cards you should hold over others, which is why a video poker strategy chart comes in handy.
Apart from the obvious high paying hands of Royal Flush, Straight Flush, and Four of a Kind, you should keep hold of 4 of the 5 cards that make up a Royal Flush as your next priority. The Jacks or Better strategy card featured in this post shows you which cards you should hold in order of priority. Note that a High Pair (JJ+) should be kept over a Low Pair as this game variant returns your stake for a pair of Jacks or Better.
