FIVE VIDEO POKER TIPS

Do NOT use Auto Hold: Some online casino software will offer the options of the software automatically holding the best cards of a dealt hand and playing the entire hand out for you. The problem with this is if you are trying to go after a royal flush or a straight, it may not recognize this and instead keep high cards hoping for a pair result. As good as some of this software is, it may not be optimized for your strategy, so if you are serious about winning you will want to play the cards yourself.

Have a strategy: This ties into the first tip a bit- if you don’t have a strategy, auto hold won’t matter. But you should have a strategy, as video poker has a little bit of skill involved and is not based on just luck. For instance, you may have a pair of aces in your hand, but if you also have a KQJ, you may want to break up that pair and see if you can get a 10 to complete your straight, and especially if it is of the same suit- which means you would win with a Royal Flush. So basically, how you play your hands depends on how much you want to win- smaller, more frequent amounts with pairs or one big amount with a huge hand. It’s up to you, but the point is to have a strategy and stick with it.

Play max coins: This should be a part of your strategy, no matter what it is. If you can play with a quarter but up to three coins, then play the full 75 cents. If you hit on a big hand and didn’t play max coins, I guarantee you will be sorry. If this is the case, you will not hit on that big bonus amount; instead you will find a much smaller amount coming your way. Playing max coins means that you will win the max amount of money for any hand you hit on, and this is always a good thing.

Look for games with bonus rounds or Progressive jackpots: Bonus rounds and Progressive jackpots are great ways to increase your winnings, and quick! A bonus round means you can further push your wager and possibly double your money or more. A Progressive jackpot is an amount of money that grows with each play then is paid out to one lucky, random winner who gets the right hand. Either way, they are a thrill to win and require max coins, as stated in the last point.

Take your time: This is especially true if you are playing multi-hand Video Poker. There is not time limit- you will not hit on a better hand or have better results if you rush through your games. All rushing does is lead to reckless play and more losses. Take your time, and use your strategy. Not only will this prolong play, allowing for more bang for your buck but it ensures better play and therefore better results. Practicing also helps you with your strategy and will help you see the benefits of slower play when it comes to Video Poker.