10 Hidden Secrets of Video Poker that You Need to Know!

Video pokers enjoy as much popularity as pokies. However, video pokers enjoy special attention from competitive players who take it up as a challenge. Whereas, some players like to bring some skills to their game rather than relying on pure luck. If you want to get into video poker, here are hidden secrets of video poker that will make your game more fun!

10 Hidden Secrets of Video Poker

1. Video Poker is better than pokies

Why? Because pokie machines are known to have lower RTP rates, and it was proved by some studies (especially, the offline pokie machines pay back less). Pokie fans either turn to online pokies or look for loose machines. The online pokies offer as much as 98% RTP, but video pokers can beat that too.

If you master video poker, you can get up to 101% RTP, which is more than what baccarat and blackjack offer. Experienced gamblers prefer table games to pokies on any given day. But owing to the low house edge, video poker offers a more favourable RTP.

2. The rules of video poker enable several payback percentages

Even identical video pokers might have very different paybacks. This may sound like pokie machines, but unlike pokies, there are no loose video poker machines. Moreover, video pokers disclose their payback rates. So, it is always smarter to go through the payouts for a flush and full house. The 9-6 Jacks or Better pays better than its 8-5 counterparts. 

3. Not all video pokers are actually video pokers (one of the fascinating hidden video poker secrets) 

Yes, some casinos have pokie machines dressed up as video poker games. You will usually find this kind of “video poker” machines at travel casinos. These are pull tab video poker, and they are Class II gaming machines. Bingo games determine the Class II outcomes over a network. The “entertainment” display can be confused for a video poker game. Meanwhile, Class III games give out non-progressive results randomly.  

4. You will lose faster at a Multiplay Video Poker

It is better not to opt for multi-hand poker because you are more likely to fumble and make costly mistakes. Every hand in a multi-play game is dealt from a different deck. But rarely a player knows these hidden secrets of video poker – the random numbers for the first hand are common across all the games. 

This means, if you win a single hand, you win all the 100 hands. Similarly, if you lose once, you lose all the hands. After the initial hand, every game operates using its own random numbers. Simply put, it’s similar to playing on 100 machines at once and betting on all of them. Obviously, at this rate, you are likely to exhaust your bankroll faster.

5. Use strategy cards the right way

This is especially important for players who have not used a strategy card before and one of the hidden secrets of video poker. You just have to remember these three key points while using strategy cards –

• Payoff rankings do not determine the strategy; probabilities of draws do.
• Ensure that you hold the 3 or 4-card hand that goes with the top strategy.
• Use a suitable strategy for every game. Mostly, beginners tend to mix and match strategies for different games.

6. The draw probabilities do Not change

If you are just starting, then it would take a while to realize that all hands do not deal down from a single shuffle. The probability of each hand is exactly the same, i.e., each card’s chances of showing up are the same. Unlike the 6-card shoe of Blackjack, video poker is played from a single deck that keeps shuffling for each round.

7. Volatility differs from one video poker game to the other

Explaining volatility in strictly technical terms can be difficult. But in simpler terms, you can think of volatility as how frequently a game will payout a huge prize. This is one of those hidden secrets of video poker that a few players know. 

Video poker games with high volatility pay out larger amounts irregularly. They are risky, and Double Bonus will be an ideal example of this.

In contrast, the low volatility machines pay out small prizes frequently. The less volatile games seldom pay out hefty prizes. Comparatively, the risk is lower in this. Jacks or Better can be considered a low volatility game.

8. Promotions are good for you; grab them!

If you wish to be a pro gambler, learn how to make good use of promotions. Casinos regularly offer bonuses or promotions like odd-hour promos, free spins, free games, or extra playing time. You can use promotions on a new game and learn that game. Or you could take full advantage of the bonus on a game that you have mastered.

Promotions do not guarantee that you will win, but they indeed give you some extra playtime. This is good for saving your bankroll and gives you a slightly better chance of winning. 

9. Learn from your history, and play better.

This does not mean you should keep immaculate records of each game and try to figure out future outcomes. Because this is illogical. Video poker outcomes are randomly determined, and your detailed logs will not help you gain an edge.

Instead, you can analyze your game and try to make more calculated choices. This will help you develop and improve your strategy.

10. There are no “hot” machines

Video poker machines are not loose, and the game demands some skills. Unlike pokie machines, video poker is completely unpredictable. The outcomes are highly random, making it impossible to determine if the machine is “hot.” The video poker machines just offer a better payback than the pokies.

These hidden secrets of video poker are meant to make players aware of how video pokers work. These pointers will make sure you have a good game and make informed decisions!

 

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