|
Video poker is one of the few casino games where a player who is willing to do some work can have an edge. "Doing work" consists of both learning correct or near correct strategy and seeking out machines with generous payoff tables. The rules of video poker are simple; you play 1 to 5 coins, the machine give you five cards, you choose which to hold and which to discard, the machine replaces your discards and pays you off according to the value of your hand. The number of variations of video poker is constantly increasing. Wild cards have been introduced, some games feature multiple decks, bonuses for certain four of a kinds are common, and payoff tables can vary from one machine to another. To have an edge the player must play correct or near-correct strategy appropriate to their game and payoff table. The player who picks a machine at random and plays by common sense is going to lose over the long run. Serious players trust in strategy that is the product of computer analysis and make the best play near or at 100% of the time. In general the more complicated and long a strategy is the closer to 100% accuracy it will come. Serious players also don't just play any machine but are diligent about researching and finding ones that have the most generous payoff tables. Miscellaneous Advice and Comments * Always play the maximum coins. I have never seen a machine that didn't offer a bonus on the highest hand for five coins played. If you are uncomfortable playing five coins then drop down to a lower coinage.
* The cards are chosen at random. There is no switch inside the machine that can make the machine loose or tight.
* A royal flush can come along at any time with equal probability. A machine is never "overdue" in the sense that it become more likely to hit. Theories such as that a machine will get very tight right before hitting a royal are simply not true. Given no change in strategy a royal is just as likely to be hit right after the last one as a million trials since the last one.
* Always use a slot club card if there is one, and there usually is. This is free money for playing and can often make the difference in having an edge or not.
* Do research on where the most generous machines are. The wizard of Odds can help with that.
Michael Shackleford is better known as the Wizard of Odds. His web page of gambling advice can be found at www.thewizardofodds.com
|
