The odds in video poker are similar to those in the standard poker variant, as the probability of being dealt a hand is the same. Before you play the variants of the game, it is important to check the payout schedule posted on the game. Opt for a game that offers a good return on the money you wager.
Payout schedule
The last column of the schedule will have the payout rates for Flushes and Full Houses for every unit you wager. In case a Jacks or Better game has a Flush that gives out six credits and Full House which pays out nine credits, the return rate for it will be approximately 99.5%. This makes it a good option for playing. Ideally, you should play on a machine that offers a ratio of Full House to Flush at 10:7 or 9:7. The games come with a payout percentage that exceeds 100.
Role of skill in affecting Video Poker odds
This does not mean that the poker games consistently pay out more than what players add as wagers. The high payouts are generally earned only by players who have good skills for playing the game. If a player is highly skilled, he can increase the positive expectation for winning. This is because it is a game in which player skills in making decisions about whether to hold or discard a hand on the basis of the likelihood it will make a high ranking hand, can affect their chances of winning.
Experienced players can get through 750 hands per hour. If they play at that rate for eight hours each in three days, they can get an expected win of about 1,750 credits. The odds in the game suggest that the likelihood of a player getting:
- Jacks or better – 1:4
- 2 pair – 1:7
- 3-of-a-kind – 1:13
- Straight – 1:89
- Flush – 1:90
- Full house – 1:86
- 4-of-a-kind – 1:423
- Straight-flush – 1:9,148
- Royal flush - 1:40,390
Optimal strategy
You need to take a few steps to be able to make the most of these odds. First, you should apply the optimal strategy for the video poker variant you are playing. Remember, the strategy for one variant will not be useful if applied to another variant of the game. The next aspect you should take into consideration is the payout schedule of the game you play. The schedule is generally featured along with the game and it will indicate the number of coins it will return. This will be contingent on the units you bet and the hand combination you get. To get a payout, your hand should have a combination featured in the payout schedule.
So before you start playing, ensure that you know how to apply the basic strategy for the variant of the game you are playing. Once you do this, you should ideally play a game with a high payout rate. These steps will help increase the probability of earning money in the long run. How does this happen? Video poker odds indicate that after approximately 50,000 hands, you would have received all possible hand combinations in the game. This will include some of the high-ranking hands like the Royal Flush, which pay out a lot.
