Super Draw 6 Poker

Introduction

Super Draw 6 Poker is another exciting variant from IGT. The unique aspect of this game is that players are always dealt an extra card during the draw. In addition to the standard six-card payouts, there are additional winning combinations. However, to access this six-card feature, players need to place an extra bet equal to their initial wager.

Rules

1. This game is an extension of traditional 3-, 5-, and 10-play video poker formats.
2. When a player makes the maximum coin bet during the base game, they have the opportunity to double their bet to obtain a sixth card for every hand's draw. This added wager serves as a fee to activate the sixth card feature and is non-refundable.
3. Once the feature is activated, along with the traditional payouts for winning hands, additional winnings from the six-card combinations will be included in the pay table.
4. At the start of the game, the player will receive a total of five cards.
5. For every hand, the player will always draw one additional card beyond the number of cards they chose to discard.
6. Each hand's payout is determined solely by the highest winning hand from the dealt cards.

Example

In the following image, you can see that I was initially dealt three deuces.

During the draw, my best hand transformed into a full house, yielding a payout of 45 coins. Meanwhile, my middle hand improved to four deuces due to the sixth card, resulting in a payout of 400 coins. My lowest hand remained a three of a kind, earning me 15 coins. In total, my winnings amounted to 460 coins, calculated as 45+400+15.

Images used with permission from Video Poker.com To participate in Super Draw 6, players need to hold a Gold level membership.

Return Tables

In the tables below, I present my evaluation of various return scenarios. The return figures are calculated by taking the product of the win amount, its probability, and halving it, as players are required to place two bets, making the return based on the total stake.

Displayed here is the return table for the 9-6 Double Double Bonus game. The bottom right cell indicates a return rate of 99.32%, with a standard deviation of 6.710179.

The following return table represents the 8-5 Bonus Poker variant. In the bottom right cell, you'll find that it offers a return of 99.49%, with a standard deviation of 5.849053.

Here is the return table for the 9-6 Bonus Poker Deluxe. The lower right cell shows a return of 99.84%, along with a standard deviation of 6.221718.

Presenting the return table for the 40-10-6-5 Bonus Poker Deluxe. The '40' pays out for two three of a kinds. It’s important to avoid confusing it with the 10-6-5 double bonus variation on VideoPoker.com, which shares the same payout structure but pays 50 for two three of a kinds. I believe this may have been a mistake made by VideoPoker.com. As for the 40-10-6-5 payout table, its lower right cell reflects a return of 99.13%, with a standard deviation of 5.559914.

This section features the return table for 9-6 Jacks or Better. The bottom right cell shows a return of 99.80%, accompanied by a standard deviation of 5.796115.

The return table for 9-7 Triple Double Bonus is shown here, with the lower right cell displaying a return of 99.80% and a standard deviation of 8.665713.

Return Summary

The tables below illustrate all available games and payout structures for Super Draw 6, with the column headers indicating respective returns. Payouts are denominated per coin bet based on a max-bet scenario.

VideoPoker.com features a Double Bonus game that adheres to the same generous 10-6-5 payout structure mentioned earlier, except it grants 50 for two three of a kinds instead of 40. The return for this variant comes to 99.3703%. I bring this up because it appears to be an unofficial IGT payout table and likely was set up incorrectly on VideoPoker.com.

Methodology

I utilized a robust looping program to conduct an analysis of Super Draw 6. This program requires approximately 15 hours to cycle through all 27,906,522,724,080 potential card combinations for any single paytable during the deal and draw phases.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank:

• I would like to express my gratitude to IGT for supplying me with a list of base games where Extra Draw can be utilized, along with their corresponding returns. After analyzing a few of these, I'm pleased to report that our findings match.
• VideoPoker.com Acknowledgment for allowing me to use screenshots from their game.

External Links

• Wizard of Vegas — Discussion about Super Draw 6.

Written by: Michael Shackleford