Advice for VP Newbies

13 May 2023

By Jerry Stickman

From Roy:

Hi Stickman,

I am fairly new to video poker. I am a member of a couple of video poker online VP groups. Many of the other players say that the best game is double double bonus. What video poker game do you recommend? Also, what game do you prefer?
Roy from Minnesota

Hi Roy,

Welcome to the fun and exciting world of video poker play. Hopefully, I can help you make the most of your video poker adventures.

I am not sure what “fairly new to video poker” means, but I will assume that you have not played very much at all.

That is fine. We were all there at one time.

Compared to slot machines, video poker is a great game for a couple of reasons. The player has a say in the outcome and the house edge is generally lower.

If you only plan on going to the casino two or three times a year and playing an hour or two each visit, you can probably play any game that sounds good to you. Just make sure you have enough money with you (that you can afford to lose) and don’t hit the ATM or go chasing losses.

Successful video poker play requires some work, work that quite frankly many regulars are not willing to perform.

Before recommending a specific game, I would like to give you some general tips for play. To maximize your chances of becoming a winner, here are some suggestions.

Pick games with high returns and low variance.

Higher returns mean more money in your pocket in the long run. Lower variance means smaller bankroll requirements due to gentler swings in your bankroll.

Some games with low variance include Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker, and Deuces Wild.

Returns are based on pay tables – and pay tables can vary from machine to machine for the identical game. You must check the entire pay table to be sure. Check the internet for information on video poker games and pay tables. There are several websites (including this one) that give specifics about returns and variance for many games.

Bet the five-coin maximum bet to get full payouts for royal flushes.

The pay for a royal flush is 250-for-1 if betting one to four coins. It becomes 800-for-1 fi five coins are bet.

Bet within your bankroll limits.

If you overplay your bankroll, you can be wiped out in short order. Make sure your session bankroll is adequate. It should be at least 100-200 times the total bet - $125-250 playing a 25-cent game with a $1.25 bet.

The $125-250 is for a session bankroll. One general rule of thumb for total bankroll is having at least four times the pay for a royal flush. So, playing a quarter game where a royal flush pays $1,000 for a $1.25 bet, a minimum of $4,000 is required for the total bankroll.

If, however, you only play a couple of sessions a year, make sure you have at least the minimum session bankroll for each session.

The above are tips that will help you and do not require a lot of work.

To get the maximum benefit from play, you must also learn the proper playing strategy for the game – and pay table – you are playing. These strategies are available online, in books, and even in casino gift shops on occasion.

Study the strategy for the game and pay table you will play until you are familiar with it. Many of the hold choices are obvious, but many are not intuitive. You can make a “cheat sheet” that you can bring to the casino with you. You can reference this whenever you are unsure of a hold. Most casinos have no problem with strategy chart use – if it is on paper.

I hope this helps. And I hope you enjoy many, many years of enjoyable video poker play.

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines. He authored the video poker section of “Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!” You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com