If you have ever gambled in your life, you must have wondered if there is a game that can be easily learned and earn money quickly and safely. No game guarantees you a sure win if you are not good at that game. There must be a certain amount of knowledge as well as experience, so that the gain is somewhat certain. However, of course, the most important factor is luck, as with any other game. If you decide to play video poker, you should know some basic things about the game.
Types of video poker
At the very beginning, there were not so many different variants, but there was only one, the basic one. The most popular version is Jacks or Better, from which new versions were created. Some of the most popular versions are:
Joker poker – in the classic deck, one joker is inserted, which can replace any other card.
Tens or better – almost exactly the same as Jacks or better, except that in this version a couple of tens also pays out a win.
Deuces wild – this version is similar to joker poker. Any deuce you get replaces any other card, 2 is wild.
How to play video poker?
If you want to earn money playing poker, it would be best to read the video poker guide, in order to familiarize yourself with the rules of the game and certain strategies for playing. As an example, we will take the most popular version of video poker, Jacks or Better. When you choose to play jacks or better, you are choosing to play directly against the casino. This game is similar to any other slot game, but still there are some differences. Classic slot games use computer programs called random number generators – RNG. The poker machine also uses this program. The main difference between RNG slot programs and RNG video poker programs is that RNG poker machines are programmed to use probabilities just like playing real poker. The chances of getting a certain card are 1:52, and the chances of getting a certain suit are 1:4. Like slot machines, poker machines have pay tables. In video poker, the payout depends on the poker hand you have and that way players are aware of the probability of getting a certain hand. When playing jacks or better, it is important to know the rules of the game and to accept certain playing tips, so that your potential winnings are more secure.
Jacks or Better rules
Jacks or better rules are simple and easy to learn. All you need for a winning combination is to have a pair of jacks (or a pair of Q,K,A) in your hand. As in classic poker, the goal is to have the strongest sequences in your hand. When you start the game, you decide on the number of hands you will play, which can be 5, 10, 25, 50 or even 100. The more hands you play, the higher your chances of winning. Also, at the very beginning you decide on the bet per hand. Jacks or better hand strengths from weakest to strongest:
Jacks or Better – only one pair of Jacks or some other stronger card (Q, K, A)
Two pairs – a double pair of cards. For example: you have two 10’s and two 5’s in your hand.
Three of a Kind –if you have three cards of the same number in your hand, then you have three of a kind.
Straight – the five cards in a row. For example: 7, 8, 9, 10, J.
Flush – the five cards of the same suit.
Full House – three cards of the same number + two cards of the same number in the hand. For example: three Q’s and two 9’s.
Four of a Kind – four cards of the same number.
Straight Flush – five cards in a row and all cards have the same suit.
Royal Flush – a sequence of five cards from 10 to A in the same suit.
A strategy to win
In addition to the basic rules of the game, it is also necessary to know certain strategies in order to improve your game and have a greater chance of winning. If you use the right strategy, you can win up to 99.54% of your bets.
Choose as many hands as possible to play – the more hands, the better chance you have of getting the strongest hand
Play at maximum stakes – if you play at the highest stakes, your winnings will be much higher, and if you get a royal flush, your winnings will be up to 16 times higher than if you play at the smallest stakes!
You don’t have any sequence or Jacks? – draw 5 new cards
If you have nothing in your hand, keep the Jacks or a stronger card if you have it
Got a pair in your hand but it’s weak? – be sure to keep that pair, and replace the remaining three cards, because the chances of getting three of a kind, full house and poker become much higher than if you discard that “weak” pair.
Are you missing two cards for a straight flush? – keep three lucky cards and try your luck
Are you missing two tickets for the royal flash? – keep three lucky cards and try your luck, because if you get those two missing cards, you can win hundreds of thousands of euros.
If you get a triple, full house or poker in the first hand, don’t change anything.
If you have three cards of the same sign – keep those three cards and discard the other two.
Knowing these strategies is not enough without practice. In order not to risk losing money, due to insufficient knowledge or practice, it would be best if before you decide to play video poker for real money, you should try one of the numerous simulations that you can find on the Internet. By using the simulator, you will be able to play the game for as long as you want, completely free, to try out the listed strategies. After a while, when you play the simulation long enough, when you go through various situations, you will be ready to bet real money and play video poker to make money.