How To Win At Video Poker

Winning at video poker requires a different set of strategies than traditional poker. If you’re already familiar with basic video poker strategy, you’re probably eager to learn intermediate video poker strategy to increase your odds of winning. When learning intermediate video poker strategy it is important to understand that general strategy does not necessarily work well with all types of video poker.

For the purposes of this video poker training session, intermediate video poker strategy works best with Jacks or Better, however it can also be used successfully for Bonus as well as Double Bonus video poker since they are slight variations of Jacks or Better.

Discarding Hands

One of the first rules of intermediate video poker strategy is that you don’t discard a hand that is already made. For example if you’re dealt a pair of Queens and you’re playing Jacks or Better, then you should never discard those Queens. When you have a winning hand, discarding it can be a losing mistake.

Intermediate video poker players have already learned to trust their first instincts, and since the chances are slim that you will hit the hand you’re trying to make you should always keep a made hand. Keep in mind that most video poker machines preselect the next set of cards, which means traditional poker strategy doesn’t hold up.

Building Your Bankroll

Video poker players, whether playing for recreation or for fun, should always be trying to grow their bankroll. To do this you might have to start at the lowest levels available, which is €0.25 . I know this isn’t what you were thinking when you started playing video poker, but starting at the lower levels gives you an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the game before betting bigger.

Set loss limits and win goals for yourself and stick to them. Make sure you set realistic expectations and stick with them or you might find yourself constantly rebuilding your bankroll just to play at the lowest levels.

Moving Up

The next question many video poker players have is “when can I move up to the higher levels?” This is a good question and just like with traditional poker players the rule is the same; play at least 100 hours at each limit before you move up. It may seem like an arbitrary number, but the truth is 100 hours gives you enough play time to encounter every possible outcome and to try any of your own strategies and figure out why they did or did not work.

Keep It Real

When it comes to implementing intermediate video poker strategy you should always keep your expectations realistic, especially when it comes to your daily winnings. Keep your earning expectations in line with the levels at which you’re playing, so don’t expect thousands of dollars in your bankroll if you’re playing €0.25 levels.

When you keep your expectations realistic you can stay at a comfortable level of play until you’re ready to move to advanced or intermediate video poker strategy. An inexperienced player can quickly deplete his entire bankroll simply by playing at a level that requires more money than he or she has.