Betting the Maximum of 5 Coins Is the Only Way to Score Premium Payouts on a Royal.
If you are a die-hard slot player, you know very well that today's slot machines come in all different shapes, sizes, and flavors. The newer slots have high tech graphics and sound effects, game-within-a-game features, bonus jackpots, familiar TV game show themes, and more. BUT, there is one undeniable fact about a slot machine. It's impossible to calculate what a slot machine will pay back with the information that is provided on the face of the machine. Only two people know this deep, dark secret – your friendly casino slot manager and the slot manufacture that sold him the machine. So even though casinos may advertise that their slot machines pay 'up to 99%,' you have no clue that the slot machine standing in front of you returns that much, or probably a lot less.
- The pay-off odds for such hands is 4 for 1. The hands consistent of Three of a Kind bring pay-off odds of 3 for 1 as they could be formed in 54,912 ways. The Two Pair hands can be made in 123,552 ways and bring 2 for 1 pay-off odds. The Pair of Jacks or Better hand features pay-off odds of 1 for 1 and can be combined in a total of 2,062,860.
- As explained above, the payouts change according to how many coins you have bet. If you are betting one coin per hand then Jacks or Better pays 1x, Two Pair pays 2x, Three of a Kind pays 3x, Straight pays 4x, Flush pays 5x, Full House pays 8x, Four of a Kind pays 25x, Straight Flush pays 50x, and a Royal Flush pays 250x.
- For example, the popular Jacks or Better Video Poker game offers a payout of 1-1 for one pair of jacks. This would lead you to receive one coin back when betting one coin, or five coins back when betting five coins. The payout ratios are all connected as you move up the poker hands and coin levels.
Ahh, but standing next to those slot machines are the fewer in number, but higher in payback, video poker machines. Although they look like slot machines there is one big, major difference. All the information you need to determine a video poker machine's payback percentage is contained smack dab on the front of the machine.
So, unlike slot machines, reading a video poker machine's pay schedule is very important since it will give you information on the machine's payback. And since video poker machines are not all created equal, by understanding how to read a video poker machine you can scout a the casino floor and walla, find the ones that have the highest payback. Your job, therefore, is to understand how to read the pay schedules, and my job is to show you how easy it is to do it.
First you must understand that there is another important factor besides knowing how to read the pay schedules on video poker machines. And that is your skill in playing them.
Unlike slot machines where skill plays no role, it's quite different with video poker. You will be dealt five electronic cards and you must decide which cards you want to keep (or hold) and which ones you want to discard for new ones (i.e., you only get to draw once). Your objective of course is to end up with a five-card poker hand which results in a payoff. So, no matter how well you learn to read the machine's pay schedule, if you insist on discarding a low pair and keeping a single high card, or always keeping a kicker, your return will be much lower.
Fortunately, several video poker experts have already computed the optimum playing strategy for different video poker games. These strategies are available in books, videos, and software programs. But in the next issue of Jackpot I'll show you how you can play like an expert without having to resort to spending hours memorizing playing strategies.
Video poker machines that have the highest payouts are known as full pay machines. For example look at the pay schedule for the original version of Jacks-or-Bettor. Specifically we will look at the single coin pay schedule for three different machines.
Jacks-or-Better Pay Schedules
| A | B | C | |
| Royal Flush | 250 | 250 | 250 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| 4-of-a-Kind | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Full House | 9* | 8* | 6* |
| Flush | 6* | 5* | 5* |
| Straight | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 3-of-a-Kind | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 pairs | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Pair of Jacks or Better | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Payback Percent | 99.5% | 97.3% | 95.0% |
Every video poker machine that has ever been built will list somewhere on the front of the machine, or on the screen itself, the pay schedule for each winning hand for the number of coins (or credits) played. Glance at the pay schedules for machines A, B, and C above (for a single coin play). You will notice a difference in the payouts for a full house and flush. Machine A pays 9 coins for the full house and 6 coins for the flush. Likewise Machine B pays 8/5 and C pays only 6/5. No big deal you say? Well these slight differences in payouts result in machine A having an overall payback of 99.5% with expert play (this also assumes you play the maximum five coins and the royal flush payout for maximum coins played is 4,000 coins). The 8/5 Machine B, even with expert play, will yield a long term payout of 97.3% and the 6/5 Machine C only 95.0%.
Over 100% Payback Machines
When video poker players became smarter about how to select the full pay 9/6 Jacks-or-Better machines the casinos began to flood the market with all different kinds of variations. Each of these variations (eg. deuces wild, jokers wild, double bonus, etc.) have their own specific full pay schedule and expert playing strategy.
There isn't enough space in this column to list the full pay schedules for every type of video poker machine you will find in a casino Therefore, I've summarized the full pay schedules for the popular Deuces Wild and Double Bonus Poker machines as a starter. I've chosen these games because they are fairly popular and more importantly they offer the astute video poker player the opportunity to play with an expected return that exceeds 100% (that means these machines will pay out more coins then they take in over time with expert play).
Notice I've highlighted the key payoffs for specific hands that you need to look for as you scout and read the different video poker machines in a casino. For the Deuces Wild machine make sure the 4-of-a-Kind payoff is 5 coins (not 4) and for the Double Bonus machines look for a 10/7 payout for the full house and flush.
Double Bonus Poker
| Royal Flush | 250* |
| Straight Flush | 50 |
| Four Aces | 160 |
| Four 2's, 3's, or 4's | 80 |
| Four 5's through Kings | 50 |
| Full House | 10 |
| Flush | 7 |
| Straight | 5 |
| 3-of-a-Kind | 3 |
| 2 Pairs | 1 |
| Pair of Jacks-or-Better | 1 |
| Payback Percent | 100.2% |
* 4,000 coin payout for Royal Flush with max coins played
Deuces Wild
| Royal Flush | 250* |
| 4 Deuces | 200 |
| Royal Flush with Deuces | 25 |
| 5-of-a-Kind | 15 |
| Straight Flush | 9 |
| 4-of-a-Kind | 5 |
| Full House | 3 |
| Flush | 2 |
| Straight | 2 |
| 3-of-a-Kind | 1 |
| Payback Percent | 100.7% |
* 4,000 coin payout for Royal Flush with max coins played
Jacks Or Better Payout Table
Are video poker machines rigged.
Greater Than 100% Return Means What?
In order to receive the greater than 100% return on the above machines you need to hit the royal flush since it contributes somewhere around 1.5% (depending upon the game) toward the overall payback percentage. The chance you'll hit a royal flush is about once every 40,000 hands or about 80 hours of play for most folks. Sometimes you'll get lucky and hit more then one royal flush during this time and sometimes you won't hit any. Over time however, you'll average hitting the royal about once every 80 hours. So, during the 79 hours of play on average when you don't hit the Royal Flush your return will be less then 100%.
What this means in dollar and cents is that most of the time you are playing video poker your bankroll will go south. It's not uncommon to have several losing sessions in a row even though you are playing a full pay machine expertly. In fact with video poker, you will lose more often than you will win, then get it back when you hit the royal flush.
Optimum Playing Strategy
I encourage you to read the video poker books by experts Bob Dancer, Dan Paymar, John Grochowski, Frank Scoblete, Skip Hughes, John (Lodestone) Kelley, and the late Lenny Frome to become familiar with the optimum playing strategy for whichever video poker game interests you. However, here's a tip that will get you started playing like a pro. Purchase an inexpensive video poker strategy card by one of these experts and take the card with you when you play. As the hands pop up on the screen, refer to the card so that you will always be making the correct play. And don't be embarrassed if you have to use it; even the pros carry and use them. Playing this way will be slow going in the beginning and cut down on your hourly win rate, but it's a way to get started with minimum study time.
Final Tips
Shamelessly copy the full pay schedule for each video poker game on an index card and take it with you to the casino to help you compare pay schedules.
Always use your slot card when you play video poker. Casinos will reward you with a combination of cash rebates, comps, and mailings of free offers just for playing. Often the total return for these rewards equals 0.25% (or more) of your total play.
Always play max coins to get the maximum payback.
Only play video poker on full pay machines. If you can't find any full pay machines, then only play on machines with the highest pay schedules that you can find.
Always play with your handy strategy card in hand.
When you scout the casino's inventory of video poker machines, don't forget to check out the multi-game machines for hidden full pay games.
Try to take advantage of double and triple point days. This means you will be earning double or triple points with your slot card, which will further increase your overall return percentage.
Be especially careful with the pay schedules on the multi-hand video poker machines (ten, twenty, fifty play) where you play more then one hand at once. Because the amount of money that you play is so much greater on these machines, playing one with a short pay schedule can be murderous to your bankroll.
If you have a computer and want to practice the playing strategies before you hit the casino, consider purchasing the excellent video poker software WinPoker by Bob Dancer.
Consider subscribing to Strictly Slots Magazine where you'll find some excellent articles on video poker for beginner and experienced player.
There are several Internet sites that offer good information for video poker players including www.videopoker.casino.com (Dan Paymar) and www.vid-poker.com (Skip Hughes).
Keep in mind that playing a full pay machine with expert strategy is no sure thing over the short term. In fact in any one short playing session you are more likely to be a loser then a winner. However, if you continue to play full pay machines with expert strategy and have enough bankroll to whether the short term fluctuations, then over the long term (about 250,000 hands) you will win more money then lose.
Casino gambling can be fun, exciting, and a little nerve-wracking. Knowing which casino games have good odds in your favor (gamble on these!) and which ones to avoid will help you to keep your cool — and as much of your money as possible. By making your money last, you extend your playtime; so manage your money wisely.
Casino Gambling Games with Decent Odds
For gamblers, four casino games offer decent odds. That is, if you made a hundred $1 bets at these recommended casino games, your average loss would only be about a buck. These odds aren't good enough to retire on, but they stretch your bankroll as far as possible, even if you're on a limited budget.
Neither life nor gambling offers any guarantees, and your actual daily results may be far different than your theoretical loss, so plan accordingly.
Jacks or Better Video Poker (the 9/6 Version)
The 9/6 version of Jacks or Better is considered full pay because you get a payout of 9 for 1 for a full house and 6 for 1 for a flush. The 9/6 version is the only one whose payout rate makes it worthwhile to play. Tips for playing this game well include:
Make sure you're playing a full-pay 9/6 version by looking at the Full House/Flush payouts for one coin.
Because of the increased payouts for a royal flush, always play the maximum coins to get the best odds — even if that means finding nickel or quarter machines to stay within your bankroll.
Never keep a kicker (a high card along with a pair).
Throw away a small pair (tens or lower) if you have four cards to a flush or three cards to a royal flush.
Blackjack
The way to win at Blackjack is to get better cards than the dealer. The aim is to have your cards add up to a maximum of 21.
Play the table with the least number of decks.
Stay away from gimmick games like 6-5 blackjack, Spanish 21, or Super Fun blackjack.
Remember the following important tips
Double down on 10 or 11 when dealer shows 2 to 9. (To double down means you double your bet and are allowed just one more card.)
Stand on 13 to 16 when dealer shows 2 to 6.
Hit on 12 to 16 when dealer shows 7 or higher.
Never take insurance.
Craps
Rolling two dice is the essence of craps and what number those dice add up to determine whether bettors on the Pass line win or bettors on the Don't Pass line do. A new player's first roll is her come-out roll, and other players wager on what the shooter will roll. The smartest strategy is to stick to the following bets in craps:
Pass line bet with odds bet
Come bet with odds
Don't pass bet with odds
Don't come bet with odds
Baccarat
You may be intimidated by baccarat with its glitz, glamour, and European aura, but behind the stiff exterior lies a decent game for the average bettor because there are only three possible results of each hand and there's no skill involved — it's strictly the fall of the cards. A couple tips for doing well:
Always bet on the banker (house edge is 1.06 percent, meaning if you made a hundred bets of $1, your average loss would be about a buck).
You can also bet on the player's hand. (The house edge is only slightly worse than the banker's hand at 1.24 percent.)
Bets to Avoid in Otherwise Safe Casino Gambling Games
Jacks Or Better Payout
Some casino games are safer to gamble on than others, but even these have versions or bets that'll drain wallets. Avoid these casino game versions or bets at all costs:
Jacks or Better Video Poker (6/5 Version): The payouts are much worse on some versions of video poker. For example, when you make a full house on a 6/5 machine, you get paid only six coins instead of nine. Play only the 9/6 version of Jacks or Better.
Blackjack — the insurance bet: This side bet pays back 2 to 1 when the dealer has a blackjack, but the true odds are closer to 2.2 to 1, making this a losing bet over time. You're gambling, after all, you're all about the risk, so forget the insurance.
Craps — the field and proposition bets: The house edge can be as high as 16 percent for these seductive bad bets. (Can you say ouch?) Stick with Pass, Don't Pass, and Come bets.
Baccarat — tie bets: If you want to keep your money, steer clear of this bet; the house has an edge of 14.36 percent on tie bets. You want to enrich yourself, not the house.
Casino Gambling Games to Avoid at All Costs
If you're gambling in a casino, you know that the odds always favor the house. But some casino games have higher odds for the house than others, including the ones in the following list. Don't gamble on these games unless you want to go home with a lighter wallet:
Three-Card Poker
Let it Ride
Red Dog
Roulette
Caribbean Stud Poker
Big Six Wheel
Keno
How to Manage Your Money at a Gambling Casino
Successful casino gamblers understand the math and odds behind the games, but discipline with money is also critical. Managing your money at a casino requires self-control. Use these tips to keep yourself in the safe zone:
Never borrow money while gambling. Chances are good that you'll lose it, making a bad situation even worse.
Only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling with money you're scared to lose is neither enjoyable nor wise.
Set and stick to a budget. Write it on your forehead if you have to, but no matter what, when you hit that number, leave the casino.
Avoid ATM machines or lines of credit. Using credit is a really easy way to get financially overextended while gambling.
Limit your playing time. Taking a break keeps your mind sharp.
Hotel rooms have beds — use them. When you only gamble a few times a year, it's tempting to play marathon sessions. But your body and your bankroll aren't built to handle the casino's pulsating 24/7 schedule, so make sure you sleep and rest.
Don't drink and gamble. Gamble online with paypal. If the casino serves drinks for free, you should be very suspicious.
Remember the law of gravity — what goes up must come down. Casino profits soar when players get greedy. Quitting with a small win is far better than losing your shirt.
Don't play any game you don't understand. One of the fastest ways to burn through your cash is to jump into a game where the rules or strategies confuse you.
Never lie about your wins or losses. If you find yourself deluding a person or several people in your life about your gambling, take pause and reevaluate your gambling.
