Though you might think video poker is a mostly random game, but in truth, there is a right and wrong way to play just about any hand you’ve been dealt. Though there is no guarantee of success, the right course of action rarely changes from game to game. Put simply, certain moves in certain situations will always improve the odds of you taking home the jackpot.
This post looks at some of the more confusing hands you can receive on the deal and how to give yourself the best odds.
1. One high card and three cards to a straight flush
This can be a pretty frustrating deal, as there appears to be two tempting paths you can take: either go for the big money on the straight flush by mucking your high card plus the other non-value card, or muck everything but the high card and try to pair it up on the next deal.
While that big money straight flush is attractive, your odds are better with option two. There are more outs in the deck for you to hit a pair or three of a kind than there are for your straight flush. This also applies to two high cards and three cards to a straight flush.
2. 10 and Jack on-suit, plus three card to a straight flush
Yes, a suited Jack/10 combination might look pretty. The odds of it bearing fruit, however, are not good. The straight flush is the best online bet. Get rid of the Jack and 10 and chase the straight.
3. Four cards to a straight and three cards to a straight flush
Here’s an enviable deal – lots of outs, lots of choices and many ways to make a big pay-out. It is, however, also quite a troublesome deal as you’ve no guarantee of winning anything and a huge chance of being frustrated no matter how you proceed. Though nobody could blame you for chasing the big payoff on the straight flush, the straight is the safer and more advisable bet.
4. One low pair and three cards to the straight/straight flush/royal flush
The low pair – one of the most irritating things to be dealt in video poker. Yet, even though you might be excited by the possibilities of all those big hands, in this case keeping your pair and sacking the other cards is the smart move. You have a much higher chance of combining the pair than hitting the two cards needed to make the other hands.
As you can see, video poker is more than just chasing after the big hands. Really, it is about always slicing the odds in your favour. Consider these tips next time you play in a gambling casino online and give yourself the best chance of success.
