Top 10 Video Poker Mistakes - part one

Hello, my name is Mike Shackleford, also recognized as the Wizard of Odds, and in this video, I will detail the first half of the ten most frequent mistakes committed by video poker players. Be sure to check out Part Two for the remaining five.

#1 Playing Lousy Pay Tables

Regardless of your favored video poker variant, such as Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker, Double Bonus, or Deuces Wild, each game presents a unique set of pay tables. For instance, in Jacks or Better, the ideal paytable generally offers a nine-to-six payout, which means nine coins for a full house and six coins for a flush, while a poorer paytable could pay six-to-five. Understanding what constitutes a fair paytable is crucial, and it’s essential to seek out casinos that offer them. Avoid sitting down at machines that seem appealing without checking the paytable first. It’s vital to know what you can expect based on your optimal strategy and only play at machines with competitive payouts.

#2 Not Making a Maximum Coin Bet

Most video poker machines provide a significant boost for hitting a Royal Flush when you bet the maximum number of coins. For example, you may win as many as a thousand coins for a Royal Flush if you wager four coins, but this payout soars to four thousand coins if you bet five. Therefore, if you intend to play, make sure to always opt for the maximum coin bet to secure that full four thousand coins with a Royal Flush. Ignoring this could cost you approximately two percent of your expected value.

#3 Not Using a Player Card

Regardless of which game you choose at the casino, utilizing a player card is essential. Casinos track your play and reward you based on your activity. Although video poker players may not receive the same level of perks, the attractive low house edge means you can still receive plenty of offers such as complimentary buffets, hotel stays, shows, and gifts for your gameplay, including video poker. By not signing up for a player card, you are effectively passing up free benefits. It only takes a few minutes to register and just remember to use your card each time you play.

#4 Not Playing Proper Strategy

I understand it might be challenging, but video poker is largely driven by mathematics, and for nearly every hand, there is one optimal strategy alongside numerous incorrect approaches. In some cases, there may be ties regarding the best play. To tilt the odds in your favor as much as possible, it's wise to employ a mathematically sound strategy. These approaches provide guidance on situations like whether to hold three cards towards a Royal Flush or four cards to a flush, or whether to retain a pair of high cards versus three cards towards a Royal Flush. They effectively rank each hand in terms of expected value, enabling you to make informed decisions on which hands to maintain. Strategies for many popular video poker games, and even a calculator for inputting any game and paytable to generate the best strategy, can be found on my site, internetradiomercedes.com.

#5 Making Accidental Errors

Everyone has encountered that moment when you intend to press a button but accidentally push the wrong one, or don’t apply enough pressure for it to register. You might even realize your mistake the split second after hitting the button and before the new cards appear. To reduce errors, take your time while playing, and ensure that you press the buttons firmly enough to register your choices. Playing too quickly, especially if under the influence, can lead to many mistakes. Additionally, there are instances when you receive an excellent hand, but in your excitement, you fail to hold it and mistakenly hit 'deal', forfeiting your winning hand. This feeling can be extremely disappointing, so it’s crucial to stay focused, play at a manageable pace, and maintain sobriety to avoid these common errors.

Thank you for watching the first part of my series on the ten common mistakes made by video poker players. I encourage you to check out part two for the continuation of the list and gain further insights into video poker, including strategies for numerous games and performance statistics for almost all games and their respective pay tables.

For a vast array of video poker materials and resources, visit my website, internetradiomercedes.com.

Part 2

Written by: Michael Shackleford