Video Poker Strategy - Best Odds & RTP for Aussie Players

Video poker blends skill and luck in a way that gives you control over your results. Unlike pokies where outcomes are purely random, video poker lets you make decisions that directly impact your chances of winning. This guide to video poker shows you exactly how to play smarter and increase your returns.

At Reels of Joy, we've seen players transform their results by applying proper video poker strategy. The difference between casual play and strategic play can mean the gap between a 95% return and a 99.5% return on your bets. That's real money staying in your bankroll over time.

Understanding Video Poker Odds and How the Game Works

Video poker machines use a random number generator to shuffle a standard 52-card deck (or 53 cards in games with a joker). You're dealt five cards initially, then choose which to hold and which to discard. The machine deals new cards to replace your discards, and you get paid based on your final poker hand.

The house edge in video poker ranges from 0.46% to 5% depending on the video poker variant and paytable. Compare this to pokies, which typically have a 2% to 15% house edge. Video poker pays better than online pokies because the game requires skill, and casinos know that most players won't use optimal strategy.

Every video poker machine displays its paytable on screen. This tells you exactly what each winning hand pays. A full-pay Jacks or Better machine (also called 9/6 Jacks or Better) pays 9 coins for a full house and 6 coins for a flush when betting one coin. This version offers a 99.54% RTP, meaning the house edge is just 0.46%.

The random number generator cycles through millions of card combinations every second. When you hit "deal," you get whatever cards the RNG landed on at that exact millisecond. Video poker is predetermined in the sense that the RNG determines the deck order, but your decisions about which cards to hold completely change your outcome.

Rules of Video Poker: The Foundation of Winning Strategy

You need to understand poker hand rankings before you can play video poker effectively. Here's the hierarchy from lowest to highest paying hands:

Pair of Jacks or Better: A pair of jacks, queens, kings or aces
Two Pair: One rank's two cards and another rank's two
Three of a Kind: Three identically ranked cards
Straight: Five consecutive cards (any suit)
Flush: Five cards of the same suit (any order)
Full House: Three of a kind plus a pair
Four of a Kind: Four identically ranked cards
Straight Flush: Five cards in sequence, all the same suit
Royal Flush: 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace of the same suit

Most video poker games require a minimum hand of a pair of jacks to win anything. Hands weaker than this (like a pair of tens or lower) pay nothing. This rule shapes your entire strategy because you'll sometimes break a low pair to chase a higher-value hand.

Always bet the maximum number of coins per hand. Video poker machines pay a bonus for hitting a royal flush when betting max coins. A royal flush typically pays 250 coins per coin bet (250:1, 500:2, 750:3, 1000:4) but jumps to 4000 coins when you bet five coins (800:1). This creates an expected return boost of roughly 2% just from that bonus.

The gameplay flow works like this:

Insert your bet (one to five coins)
Press deal to receive five cards
Select which cards to hold
Press draws to get new cards
Machine evaluates your final hand and pays according to the paytable

You can play video poker at online casinos for real money or try free video poker games to practise without risk.

Video Poker Variants: Choosing Your Game

Different poker variants offer different strategies and odds. Pick one variant and master it before moving to another. Here are the most popular video poker games you'll find at online casinos:

Jacks or Better: The Foundation Game

Jacks or Better is the most common video poker game and the best starting point for new players. Full-pay 9/6 Jacks or Better offers 99.54% RTP with perfect play. The basic strategy is straightforward, and the game has no wild cards to complicate decisions.

When playing Jacks or Better, you should hold a low pair (tens or lower) over a single high card. A low pair doesn't pay anything by itself, but it gives you chances to improve to two pair, three of a kind, full house, or four of a kind. The expected return from holding a low pair beats the expected return from holding one or two high cards.

Deuces Wild: Maximum Variance

In Deuces Wild, all four 2s (deuces) act as wild cards that can substitute for any card. This dramatically changes the paytable and strategy. Full-pay Deuces Wild offers 100.76% RTP, making it one of the best video poker variants for skilled players.

The minimum paying hand in Deuces Wild is three of a kind (not a pair). You'll need stronger hands to win, but the wild cards help you get there. Never discard a deuce under any circumstances.

Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus Poker

These variants pay extra for four of a kind hands, especially four aces. Double Bonus offers 100.17% RTP with optimal play, while Double Double Bonus provides 98.98% RTP. The enhanced payouts for four of a kind come at the cost of reduced payments for two pair and sometimes full houses.

Bonus Poker and Other Variants

Bonus Poker pays premium amounts for four aces but maintains decent payouts for other hands. You'll also find games like:

Joker Poker: Adds one joker to the 52-card deck as a wild card
All Aces Poker: Massive payouts for four aces
Caribbean Stud Poker: Table game variant (not video poker, different strategy)

Video poker is also available in multi-hand formats where you play 3, 5, 10, 50, or even 100 hands simultaneously from the same initial deal.

Best Video Poker Strategy: The Core Principles

Basic video poker strategy revolves around making mathematically optimal decisions for every hand. These decisions are based on expected return calculations. Here's what you need to know.

Reading Video Poker Paytables

The paytable determines your RTP and house edge. Two Jacks or Better machines might look identical but pay differently. Always check the payouts for full house and flush:

9/6 Jacks or Better: 9 coins for full house, 6 for flush (99.54% RTP)
8/5 Jacks or Better: 8 coins for full house, 5 for flush (97.30% RTP)
6/5 Jacks or Better: 6 coins for full house, 5 for flush (95.00% RTP)

That 4.54% RTP difference between 9/6 and 6/5 Jacks or Better means you'll lose an extra $45 for every $1,000 you wager. Over a session, this adds up fast. Hunt for the best paytables and avoid short-pay machines.

Basic Strategy: Hold or Discard Decisions

Video poker strategy charts show you exactly which cards to hold for every possible starting hand. Here's a simplified Jacks or Better basic strategy (in order of priority):

Royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind: Hold all five cards
Four to a royal flush: Hold the four royal cards, discard the fifth
Full house, flush, straight, three of a kind: Hold the paying hand
Four to a straight flush: Hold those four cards
Two pair: Hold both pairs
High pair (jacks or better): Hold the pair
Three to a royal flush: Hold those three cards
Four to a flush: Hold those four suited cards
Low pair (tens or lower): Hold the pair
Four to an outside straight: Hold those four cards
Two suited high cards: Hold them
Three to a straight flush: Hold them
Two unsuited high cards: Hold them
One high card: Hold it
Nothing: Discard all five cards and draw five new ones

This ranking system tells you what to hold when you have multiple options. For example, if you're dealt three cards to a royal flush plus a low pair, you hold the three to a royal (priority #7) and break the low pair (priority #9).

Common Strategy Mistakes That Cost You Money

Holding a kicker with a pair: If you have a pair of jacks and an ace, hold only the jacks. The ace (your "kicker") reduces your chances of improving to three of a kind or better.
Breaking a paying hand to chase a royal: If you have a paying flush that includes four cards to a royal, hold the flush. The guaranteed payout beats the long-shot royal draw.
Holding three to a straight or flush over a high pair: Always keep the high pair. Pairs of jacks or better pay immediately and have good improvement odds.
Playing insufficient coins: Betting fewer than five coins costs you 2% in expected return due to the reduced royal flush bonus.
Not adjusting strategy for different variants: Deuces Wild strategy differs completely from Jacks or Better. Using the wrong strategy chart kills your RTP.

Advanced Video Poker Strategy Techniques

Once you've mastered basic strategy, these advanced concepts will improve your chances further.

Expected Return Calculations

Every possible hold decision has an expected return (also called expected value). When you're dealt five cards, you might have 10 or 15 different ways to hold cards. A strategy chart has already calculated which hold produces the highest average return over thousands of simulations.

For example, if you're dealt four cards to a flush and one high card:

Holding the four to a flush gives an expected return of about 1.06 coins per coin bet
Holding just the high card gives an expected return of about 0.37 coins per coin bet

You hold the four to a flush because 1.06 beats 0.37. Professional players memorize these expected returns for complex situations.

Bankroll Management for Video Poker Players

Your bankroll determines your bet size and which poker variant you should play. High-variance games like Deuces Wild require bigger bankrolls because you'll go longer between winning hands.

A safe approach for a session:

Bring 250x your per-hand bet for low-variance games (Jacks or Better)
Bring 400x your per-hand bet for high-variance games (Deuces Wild, Double Double Bonus)

If you're betting $1.25 per hand (5 coins at $0.25 each), bring $312.50 for Jacks or Better sessions. This bankroll gives you enough cushion to survive normal downswings while waiting for strong hands to hit.

Set win and loss limits before you start. Walk away when you hit either limit. Video poker players who chase losses or get greedy after big wins usually end up giving back their profits.

Progressive Jackpot Considerations

Some video poker machines offer a progressive jackpot for royal flushes. The jackpot grows with each bet until someone hits a royal. When the progressive jackpot gets large enough, it can push the game's RTP over 100%, giving you a mathematical edge.

Calculate the break-even point by finding where the enhanced royal payout makes the overall RTP equal 100%. For 9/6 Jacks or Better, this happens when the royal pays about 1,000 coins per coin bet (instead of the standard 800). Any jackpot above that gives you positive expected value.

Video Poker vs Pokies: Understanding the Difference

Video poker is played with skill and offers better odds than pokies (slot machines). Here's why:

Transparency: Video poker paytables show you exactly what you'll win for each hand. Pokies hide their RTP, and you never know your real odds.
Player control: Your decisions in video poker directly affect your results. Pokies require zero skill—you press a button and hope.
Better RTP: The best video poker games return 99.5% or more with optimal play. Most pokies return 85% to 96%, with many land-based pokies at 88% to 90%.
Lower variance: Video poker pays more frequently than pokies. You'll often get your bet back with a pair of jacks, keeping your bankroll stable. Pokies can go dozens of spins without any win.
Calculable odds: You know there are 52 cards in the deck and can calculate exact probabilities for any outcome. Pokies use hidden RNG weightings that you can't predict.

This is also why casinos are getting rid of video poker in some locations. Skilled players can achieve near-even results, and the house edge is too thin compared to pokies where recreational players lose faster. Floor space that makes $50 per day (video poker) gets replaced with machines that make $300 per day (pokies).

Video poker is based on skill and luck together. The random number generator deals you random cards (luck), but you decide which cards to keep (skill). A perfect player will outperform a casual player by 2% to 5% in RTP.

How to Practise Video Poker Strategy

Start with free video poker games to build your skills. Most online casinos offer demo versions where you can play without risking real money. Use this time to:

Learn the game of video poker mechanics
Test different strategies
Get comfortable reading paytables
Build muscle memory for common hold decisions
Track your results over hundreds of hands

When you're ready to play video poker for real money, start with low bet sizes. Even $0.05 per coin ($0.25 per hand on max bet) lets you play with real stakes while minimizing risk.

Print out a strategy chart for your chosen variant and keep it next to your screen. There's no shame in using a chart. Online casino play gives you unlimited time to make decisions, so reference your chart until the correct plays become automatic.

Use video poker training software or apps that show you the mathematically correct hold for every hand. These tools highlight your mistakes and track your accuracy percentage. Aim for 99%+ accuracy before playing for significant stakes.

Video Poker Terms and Conditions You Should Know

When you play at online casinos, read the bonus terms and conditions carefully. Many casino bonuses restrict video poker or give it reduced wagering credit.

For example:

Pokies might count 100% toward wagering requirements
Video poker might count 10% or be excluded entirely

This happens because video poker's high RTP means players can clear bonuses with less risk. Some casinos ban video poker entirely from bonus play.

Also check maximum bet limits during bonus wagering. Some terms and conditions cap your bet at $5 or $10 per round when clearing a bonus. Make sure these limits work with your preferred bet size.

Can You Consistently Win at Video Poker?

You can get very close to breaking even with perfect play on full-pay machines. Games like full-pay Deuces Wild (100.76% RTP) and Double Bonus (100.17% RTP) actually offer positive expected returns, meaning you'll win over time with flawless strategy.

However, these perfect paytables are rare. Most video poker machines offer 97% to 99% RTP, giving the house a small edge. You'll have winning sessions and losing sessions, but over thousands of hands, you'll slowly trend downward.

That said, video poker offers far better chances of winning than almost any other casino game. With proper strategy, you're playing at near-even odds, and short-term variance can produce long winning streaks.

Video Poker Payout Speed and Frequency

How often do video poker machines pay out? You'll hit some paying hand roughly 45% of the time in Jacks or Better. That means every second or third hand wins something, though most wins just return your bet (pair of jacks) or pay small amounts (two pair).

Big hands happen at these frequencies in Jacks or Better:

Royal flush: Once every 40,390 hands on average
Straight flush: Once every 9,148 hands
Four of a kind: Once every 423 hands
Full house: Once every 87 hands
Flush: Once every 91 hands

These numbers come from playing with optimal strategy. Poor strategy will reduce your hit frequency.

Finding the Best Online Casinos for Video Poker

Look for online casinos that offer:

Full-pay video poker machines with RTPs of 99%+
Multiple variants so you can choose your preferred game
Fair bonus terms that allow video poker play
Quick payouts when you win
Secure random number generator systems that are regularly audited

We offer a wide range of video poker games with transparent paytables and competitive RTPs. You can start with free video poker to practise, then switch to real money casino play when you're ready.

Final Thoughts on Mastering Video Poker

Video poker gives you the best possible odds of any casino game when you play with proper strategy. The game combines the excitement of poker hands with the convenience of electronic gaming.

Start with Jacks or Better to learn basic strategy. Master one poker variant completely before trying others. Always bet maximum coins to get the royal flush bonus. Hunt for the best paytables. Use strategy charts until optimal play becomes instinctive.

Your decisions matter in video poker. Every hand you play either adds to or subtracts from your expected return. Make the right choices, and you'll keep more of your bankroll while enjoying hours of engaging gameplay.

FAQs About Video Poker Strategy

Is there a strategy for video poker?

Yes, video poker has a mathematically optimal strategy for every hand. Using perfect strategy can achieve 99.5%+ RTP on full-pay machines.

What video poker game has the best odds?

Full-pay Deuces Wild offers the highest RTP at 100.76% with perfect play. For games without wild cards, full-pay Jacks or Better (9/6) provides 99.54% RTP

Should you hold a low pair in video poker?

Yes, hold a low pair (tens or lower) over a single or two high cards. However, you should break a low pair if you have four to a flush, four to a straight flush, or three to a royal flush.

Does video poker pay better than pokies?

Video poker pays significantly better than pokies. The best video poker games offer 99%+ RTP with proper strategy, while pokies typically range from 85% to 96% RTP.

Can casinos control video poker machines?

No, casinos cannot tighten video poker machines to change outcomes mid-play. Video poker uses a regulated random number generator that shuffles a standard deck. What varies between machines is the paytable offered (9/6 vs 8/5 vs 6/5), not the shuffle or card dealing.

Is video poker predetermined?

Video poker outcomes are determined by a random number generator that continuously shuffles the deck. When you press deal, you get cards from that random shuffle. The initial deal is random, but your strategy changes the final result.

Which version of video poker has the best odds?

Full-pay Deuces Wild (100.76% RTP) and full-pay Double Bonus Poker (100.17% RTP) offer the best odds. Among non-wild games, 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54% RTP) provides excellent odds and is widely available.

Can you consistently win at video poker?

You can achieve near break-even results with perfect strategy on full-pay machines. Some rare video poker variants offer over 100% RTP, giving you a mathematical edge.

How often do video poker machines pay out?

In Jacks or Better, you'll win something on approximately 45% of hands played. Big hands like four of a kind appear roughly once every 423 hands, while royal flushes hit about once every 40,390 hands with optimal strategy.

Video Poker Strategy: Your Complete Guide to Win at Video Poker