That beautiful Royal Flush!
Straight Flush
Four of a Kind
Full House
Flush
Straight
Three of a kind
Two pair
One pair of Jacks or Better
This listing of poker-hand rankings is basic training as we move forward in your Video Poker Education.
Next, the two techniques that are mandatory to becoming an educated and prepared video poker player are:
1) How to read a pay schedule with additional education to know the difference between short/partial pay and full-pay versions, plus
2) Strategies for all the VP types/games.
Pay Schedules:
In a grouping of video poker machines, known as banks or carousels, all of which may look exactly the same, casinos will often 'mix-in' several VP machines with inferior pay programs (short/partial pay). Often, in a bank of regular non-progressive, non-bonus VP machines, only 1 or 2 may be the Jacks or Better 9/6 (nine coins for a full house, and 6 coins for a flush), while the rest are 8/5, 7/5, or even worse, 6/5.
On 8/5 machines, a full house pays 40 for a full house and only 25 for a flush. You may think that 5 coins doesn't make that much difference, well, think again-you are now playing a short/partial pay machine. Casinos place them on the floor, counting on the uneducated players not noticing the difference.
You are looking at a distinct casino advantage with partial pay machines. Calculate that loss of winnings/hour and it's not a pretty picture as shown below.
9/6 Jacks+ expected loss playing 5 coins per hand is $13.20/hour; 8/5 Jacks+ costs over $20/hour; and lousy 6/5 VP's over $30/hour. Knowing which slots to play saves you about
$7-17/hour. Choose carefully.
This means that one player, on the 9/6 machine, will be winning more for the same hands than the other players. In fact, casinos hold 2% more money on VP's because players do not play strategically.
If you bet 5 coins, all winning hands are paid out multiplied by a factor of 5, except for the Royal Flush. This is a bonus amount designed as an incentive to play five coins. All those players who play less than max. coins are setting up the best payoffs for those who do.
Below is the average overall payback %'s for several VP versions.
These percentages are maintained with maximum coins per hand, 'full-pay' schedule play and perfect strategy.
1) 10/4 Loose Deuces--4 Deuces pays 2500=100.97%
2) 9/5 Deuces Wild=100.76%
3) 7/5 Jokers Wild--5 of a kind pays 1000, Quad pays 100=100.64%.
4) 9/6 Double Double Jackpot Poker--2 pair pays 1=100.35%
5) 10/7 Double Bonus--2 pair pays 1=100.17%
6) Pick 'Em Poker--pair of 9's+ min. payout=99.95%
7) 11/7 Triple Bonus Poker--Kings+ min.payout=99.94%
8) 9/6 Jacks+--2 pair pays 2= 99.54%
9) 8/5 Bonus Jacks+--2 pair pays 2, Four Aces pays 400=99.17%
10) 9/6 Double Double Bonus--4 Aces with 2, 3 or 4 pays 2000=98.98%
The first two numbers reflect the payouts for a full house and flush as per one coin payout.
Therefore, a 10/7 Bonus VP version #5, would pay 10 coins for a full house and 7 coins for a flush for a one coin bet.
The exception being for Deuces Wild versions--#1 and #2, which reflect the payouts for a straight flush and 4 of a kind as per one coin payout. The minimum payout for Deuces games is 3-of-a-kind.
#4 'Jackpot' version is also known as Aces and Faces where the higher payouts
are reserved for Aces, Kings, Queens and Jacks.
In addition, because Bonus VP versions offer higher payouts for four aces and four 2's, 3's and 4's, the pair and two pair payouts are often the same--1 coin. VP versions that pay 2 for 2 pair are #8 and #9 Jacks+ and Bonus Jacks+ in the guide above.
It bears repeating that these percentages are maintained with maximum coins, full-pay schedules and perfect strategy in play.
The actual payout of any video poker machine is determined not only by its schedule but also by how you select discards. Since playing errors can reduce the payout, just sitting down in front of a full pay machine won't help you unless you learn the correct strategies.
Specific strategies, paytable illustrations for all VP versions and top casino picks are covered in my book Video Poker Made Easier (Winning Strategies for Serious Players).
Until we meet again to continue your VP education, may all your VP choices turn out to be 'royalty'.
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