While most players of casual gamblers play the penny slots, a dedicated and mathematically savvy crowd are almost always sitting in a different section of the casino. They are focused on Video Poker machines. They choose these older, simpler-looking machines for one very specific, highly lucrative reason: when played correctly, it is the fairest game in the casino. The gold standard of the game is Jacks or Better. This article will show you the math and provide the foundational strategy required to minimize the house edge and play like a pro.
How Jacks or Better Works
Different from playing against humans, Video Poker is not played against other people. It is just you and the math. The machine deals you five cards. You then choose which cards you want to keep and which to replace. The machine replaces your discarded cards with new ones, and the paytable determines your win. Just as it sounds, in "Jacks or Better,", the minimum qualifier is a single pair of Jacks.
Read the Screen
Before you sit down, you must check the payouts displayed on the game. They tweak the middle payouts to drain your money.
- A 9/6 machine is the holy grail
- This is incredibly fair
- Avoid 8/5 machines completely
Ignoring the 9/6 rule completely ruins the mathematical advantage of playing video poker in the first place.
What to Keep
After sitting at a good game, you must play mathematically perfectly. Never guess. Follow this hierarchy:
- A guaranteed payout is usually better than a massive gamble
- Math favors the pair
- Protect your initial wager
| Your Starting 5 Cards | The Rookie Mistake | The Pro Move |
|---|---|---|
| Pair of 10s | Tossing the pair | Keep the low pair always |
| Open-ended straight draw with a King | Playing safe | Discard the King and HOLD the 4-card open-ended straight draw. The math favors the straight payout here |
| The ultimate dilemma | Being too conservative | Go for the Royal jackpot |
In conclusion, playing 9/6 machines is the absolute best way to stretch your gambling dollar. If you find the right paytable and play like a computer, you will have a long session while losing very little mathematically. For more on syndicate casino have a look at our own web page.
