Let’s Talk Video Poker

maronza1 · Sep 8, 2025

Lately I’ve been curious about video poker. It’s kind of like a mix of slots and poker – you get 5 cards on a screen, pick which ones to keep, and then it deals the rest. If you make a poker hand, you get paid.

The payouts depend on the hand and the version you play. For example, in Jacks or Better you need at least a pair of Jacks to win. The higher the hand, the better the payout – and the Royal Flush is the jackpot.

What makes it interesting is it’s not totally random like slots. Your choices actually matter. And depending on the pay table, the house edge can be really low – some versions are under 1% if you play perfect strategy. That’s way better than most slot machines.

👉 Have you ever played video poker?
👉 Do you just play for fun, or do you actually try to use strategy?
👉 Any favorite variations (Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Double Bonus)?

Would be cool to hear some of your stories or opinions on it.

MK_ · Sep 8, 2025

Well yeah they can have a low house edge... def use strategy, Jacks or better has a pretty low house edge and

it's easy to find most places, ... it really depends on the pay table of each game.. for instance a 9/6 is much

better than an 8/5 or lower... so always check out the full pay table in each casino👍

maronza1 · Sep 8, 2025

MK_ said:
Well yeah they can have a low house edge... def use strategy, Jacks or better has a pretty low house edge and

it's easy to find most places, ... it really depends on the pay table of each game.. for instance a 9/6 is much

better than an 8/6 or lower... so always check out the full pay table in each casino👍

Thanks for the input, but would like to know the strategy you have used while playing it

Tero · Sep 8, 2025

maronza1 said:
Have you ever played video poker?

About 35 years ago

The machine looked like this:

That was the time when no-one really cared if under age kids were stuffing their money into gambling machines. Sometimes we skipped class and played this in the near by gas station.
I didn't lost a fortune but didn't make one either.

maronza1 · Sep 8, 2025

Tero said:
About 35 years ago
The machine looked like this:

That was the time when no-one really cared if under age kids were stuffing their money into gambling machines. Sometimes we skipped class and played this in the near by gas station.
I didn't lost a fortune but didn't make one either.

Wow, that’s some real vintage video poker history right there 😄 Crazy how much things have changed – now it’s all digital with different paytables and house edges. But the excitement of hitting that good hand never really changes!

R.Holynskyi · Sep 8, 2025

I played video poker quite a lot, especially 10-15 years ago. Sometimes I made a decent profit, but more often than not, I lost my salary.
I had my own individual approach to the game. Video poker can be very different, and in my opinion, each slot machine is different from the other and has its own characteristics.

maronza1 · Sep 9, 2025

R.Holynskyi said:
I played video poker quite a lot, especially 10-15 years ago. Sometimes I made a decent profit, but more often than not, I lost my salary.
I had my own individual approach to the game. Video poker can be very different, and in my opinion, each slot machine is different from the other and has its own characteristics.

Wow, losing a whole salary to video poker must have stung 😅. Shows just how tricky it can be even when you’ve got your own approach. I like that you had a system though and curious if you felt it helped sometimes, or was it more of a “kept me in the game longer” type of thing?

TeUnit · Sep 9, 2025

I have not played in a long time, but before I played I would try to review the strategy for the specific game.

I would really try to take my time on the decisions and enjoy the comps.

In the olden days you could find some really good RTPs, but I dont think thats the case anymore.

belizebum · Sep 9, 2025

I have never done real well on Poker slots. Definitely not as thrilling as regular slots. When I worked at the Casino in San Pedro, somebody hit the jackpot on the first night. My boss was not thrilled. LOL.

najisami · Sep 9, 2025

I played video poker years ago in a local bar. There were 2 "Fruit" Slot machines and the one with poker.
I only played the latter from time to time and even won a couple hundred dollars a few times (4 of a kind 2 or 3 times a session).

Did I play for fun? What else would I play for? If you happen to win anything at any "machine", consider it a bonus on top of the fun.
It mostly is a draw game. If you flop a pair, you draw 3, if you flop 3 of a kind, you draw 2 and so on. If you call that a strategy, then yes, I've used it

.
As to a favorite variation, if I had to play again, I'd choose 2s Wild if available. But overall, I consider video poker just another kind of Slot machines.

dzsire · Sep 9, 2025

I usually play video poker (especially Jacks or better), but like in poker and gambling, you have to know how to get out. I think everyone needs to learn bankroll management, otherwise you are guaranteed to lose your bankroll.

Lena M · Sep 9, 2025

I don't think the term ‘perfect strategy’ can be used in the context of such games. No matter how ‘perfect’ your strategy is, casinos will always find “perfect” specialists who will adjust the machine to take your ‘perfect strategy’ into account

Igor G · Sep 15, 2025

I rarely play video poker. However, now that I have read quite a lot of new and interesting material, I am considering changing my approach to this game and trying to play more based on strategy and tactics rather than luck.
Everything is described in more detail here:

Video Poker: Pro Tips To Maximize Potential Profit

Video poker is one of the few casino games where, with a perfect strategy, you can get the house edge down to almost zero, and sometimes even have a slight advantage over the casino. 1. Game Selection is Everything Find a "Full-Pay" Machine:This is the single most important tip. The payout...

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Antonio777 · Sep 16, 2025

I would like to ask a question on video Poker. If you are playing Jacks or Better what would you do here: 2 J Q 2 4. Not suited for flush draw. Keep the pair of 22 or keep the JQ and try to break even? To me its a difficult choice. odds are better at pairing the JQ but if you hit the pair 22 It would pay , I believe 3 to 1? What would you do?

Peace,
Tony

ExMoroccan · Jul 20, 2026

If you like strategy but want something a bit more wild, look for Double Double Bonus. The variance is insane compared to Jacks or Better because you get massive payouts for specific four-of-a-kinds, but it's way more exciting. You definitely can't just play for fun though you gotta look up the exact strategy for whatever variation you pick or the house will just eat your bankroll.

Sunz of Beaches · Jul 20, 2026

I have considered multiple times to try it but in the end never did. Just too lazy to learn the rules for a game that I won't be able to beat in the long run.

infonazar · Jul 20, 2026

Regarding video poker, I have one important remark. You need to play with the maximum number of coins, and in this case you should have a very, very decent bankroll.
For those who are interested, everything is described in more detail here:

Video Poker Strategy Explained: The Math Behind Every Decision

🎰 CardsChat Casino Learning Series Part 2 of 3 – Video Poker Strategy Explained: The Math Behind Every Decision Now that we’ve covered the basics of video poker and optimal strategy, it’s time to dig deeper into the why behind those decisions. In this lesson, we’ll break down the math behind...

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Let’s Talk Video Poker

maronza1

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MK_

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maronza1

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Tero

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maronza1

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R.Holynskyi

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maronza1

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TeUnit

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belizebum

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najisami

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dzsire

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Lena M

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Igor G

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Video Poker: Pro Tips To Maximize Potential Profit

Antonio777

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ExMoroccan

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Sunz of Beaches

Sunz Tzu

infonazar

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Video Poker Strategy Explained: The Math Behind Every Decision

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