What Is a Casino? What Is Gambling?This site is about casino gambling strategy. (You probably gathered that from the logo, the header tag, and the URL, but heck, these days–you never know.) When I write about something, I like to break it down into its components and really understand the pieces and parts. Once I understand them, I can understand how they’re put together. So this page about casino gambling strategy page starts by defining three words:

• Casino
• Gambling
• Strategy

Now that’s not the end of what I hope to accomplish on this page. After getting the definitions out of the way, I’m hoping to synthesize those three definitions into something useful–a strategy that you can use to get the most enjoyment out of your gambling hobby.

Like almost all casino games, you should always remember that video poker machines are designed for one main purpose: make a profit (house edge) for the casino. Either way, the more you play, the. To play video poker you will tap on the cards you wish to keep or on a button on the console, and then draw cards you wish to replace. You win by having a traditional poker hand, and the amount you win is determined by the machine you are playing on. In video poker, just like regular poker, you will be given five cards.

• 100% up to £1000
• 100% up to $300

What Is a Casino?

A casino is a building where gambling goes on. That’s a broad definition, but it’s an accurate one. It’s also a little bit out-of-date, because now that there is an Internet, a website could also be considered a casino, or even just a software program on a computer or an iPhone. In those cases, the website or software replace the building.

If you think about it for a minute, a lot of places that you didn’t think of as casinos are actually casinos. For example, you can’t turn a corner in the airport in Las Vegas without bumping into a slot machine. That means that the airport there is also a casino.

In a lot of states, video poker machines are commonly found in bars. That makes those bars casinos also.

A bingo hall is also a casino. Playing bingo is gambling, albeit a very socially acceptable form of gambling. Some churches offer bingo, and when they do, they’re not just a church–they’re also a casino.

Some places only offer poker. They’re called cardroom or poker rooms. Even if they don’t offer what you might consider “traditional” casino games like roulette, blackjack, or slot machines, poker cardrooms are still considered casinos.

Even a horsetrack or a dogtrack can be considered a casino.

Why go into this much detail about how many different places fall under the definition of casino? Because it clarifies why the content on this site covers so many diverse subjects.

Picking the Right Casino Games to Gamble On

Players can find many games to gamble on at an online casino, but some games are better than others. Some casino gambling games are easier to win than others, because the house edge is lower. Games like blackjack and video poker are games of skill where strategy counts, while other games are pure games of chance.

Picking the right casino game helps a player stretch their bankroll, increasing one’s excitement and enjoyment while betting. Below is the house edge of the most popular casino games. The lowest house edge equals the right bet to choose. Many rules affect blackjack odds, so I use Vegas Strip Blackjack where blackjack pays 3:2, doubling is allowed, the dealer stands on soft 17, and splitting to four hands is allowed.

• Single-Zero Roulette: 2.70%
• Double-Zero Roulette: 5.26%
• Single-Deck Blackjack: 0.50%
• 2-Deck Blackjack: 0.78%
• 6-Deck Blackjack: 0.91%
• 8-Deck Blackjack: 0.97%

• Craps: Come/Pass Line Bet: 1.41%
• Craps: Don’t Come/Don’t Pass Bet: 1.36%
• Craps: Any Seven Bet: 16.67%
• Baccarat: Banker Bet: 1.06%
• Baccarat: Player Bet: 1.24%
• Baccarat: Tie Bet: 14.36%

Best Online Gambling Sites

• 100% up to £1000
• 100% up to $300

How to Win Casino Games

Using time-tested betting strategies is the best way to win at casino games. For instance, basic strategy in blackjack provides the player with the optimal play in each scenario. In other games, no strategy exists besides finding the best bets in the game and using a winning betting system to manage your bankroll. Avoid the trendy betting systems like the Martingale, but instead use bankroll management to assure you limit losses when the game doesn’t go your way and lock in winnings when you’re on a winning streak.

What Is Gambling?

Gambling is when you wager money on games of chance or skill. It’s not the chance element that makes the activity gambling; it’s the betting of the money on the outcome of something.

For example, if you bet $20 on a game of billiards, you’re gambling, even though it’s a game of skill.

Legal definitions about gambling on games of skill and gambling on games of chance can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but gambling is gambling.

Gambling Tips to Win

Do your research, because there are online casino tips for winning that you can follow to boost your chances of winning and lower your risk of ruin. Casinos have a house edge in most games, which you should consider the price of entertainment. The great thing about gambling is you have a chance to win back the price of admission and then some. The casino winning tips below should give you a start on your research.

Use Rewards and Bonuses: Never turn down comps of any kind. Always accept bonus offers, player rewards, and other promotions. Nothing lowers the house edge more than free money, so never play without using sliding your slots card into the machine or without inputting a coupon code you have.

Choose a Win Goal: “Win goal” is a money management term. It means you set an amount at which you end your gaming session. If you’re win goal is $500 and you win $500, you immediately quit playing. If you’ve won $499, then it’s alright to keep playing. Setting a win goal helps you lock in winnings.

Set a Loss Limit: “Loss limit” is another bankroll management term and is the opposite of a win goal. It means you set a minimum amount at which you stop playing. Loss limits keep a gambler from going on tilt, while assuring responsible play. Your loss limit might mean you either end the session or take a few minutes break before using more of your bankroll.

Avoid Progressive Betting: You’ll read a lot about progressive betting systems like the Martingale, D’Alembert, and Fibonacci methods. Avoid any progressive betting system, which requires bigger wagers after losing hands/spins/rolls. Such bets win small amounts in the short run, but risk losing your whole bankroll if you get unlucky.

Folding in Poker Games: Mastering the art of folding is important in games like Texas Hold’em, Three-Card Poker, and Let It Ride. Poker players tend to be brave souls. It’s natural to make a call or raise the bet, but some of the best hands you’ll play are those in which you choose to fold. In online poker games, bluffing is marginal, so learning when you should call or not is key.

What Is a Strategy?

A strategy is a course of action you decide on in advance. For example, a gambling strategy might be to learn how to play blackjack using perfect strategy by memorizing a basic strategy chart, and then testing yourself with an online basic strategy tutor. The second step in that strategy might be to learn how to count cards by reading a book on the subject, picking a methodology, and practicing at your kitchen table until you can count down an entire deck in 60 seconds or less. The next step in that strategy might be to set aside a bankroll large enough to withstand the effects of standard deviation and avoid going broke. Your final step would be to embark on your new career (or avocation) as a card counter.

But that’s not the only valid gambling strategy. Your strategy might be to set aside $50 out of every paycheck to play the slots with. You make a single trip to a casino once a month with a bankroll of approximately $200. If you lose the $200, you quit for the session, and you return the following month to try it again. If you win $200 or more, you quit winners for the session, have some fun with your winnings, and return the next month with your new $200 bankroll that you’ve accumulated.

The first strategy (the blackjack strategy) is a positive expectation strategy, assuming you can develop the skills involved, and also assuming that you have the self-discipline to follow it. A positive expectation strategy is one which can expect to win money over a long enough period of time. In the short term, anything can happen, but in the long run, gamblers with a positive expectation strategy expect to win more than they lose.

The second strategy (the slot machine strategy) is a negative expectation strategy. Slot machines are a negative expectation game, and even reasonable money management tactics like the one outlined above won’t overcome the game’s built in mathematical disadvantage over the long run.

Is one strategy better than the other?

That depends on your goals as a gambler. If your goal is to earn a living gambling, then you’d want to stick with some kind of strategy and game where you can get a positive expectation. Blackjack, poker, video poker, and sports betting are all gambling games where you can get a positive expectation IF you acquire the necessary skillset.

On the other hand, if your goal is to entertain yourself and occasionally celebrate a big win, and you don’t mind spending the money for that entertainment, the slot machine strategy above would work fine for you. Almost all other gambling and casino games besides the ones I mentioned in the last paragraph are negative expectation games, so you cannot hope to get an edge when playing them. Games like roulette, slot machines, craps, and keno have a negative expectation, and anyone who plays them long enough will experience more losses than wins.

Best Gambling Strategies

Those are single tips for the most popular games, but readers might want more details. In the section below, we go over the best strategies for each popular game, including video slots and Texas Hold’em. Keep in mind that casino strategies which work in brick-and-mortar gaming establishments do not always apply to online and mobile casinos. Handy tips exist for each game, so each best strategy tip will help you walk out of the casino with a bigger bankroll than otherwise.

Best Slots Strategy

As a general rule, slot machines have no strategy element. Winning or losing is purely a matter of chance. Skill-based slots are legal in Las Vegas and Atlantic City now — and should become mainstream in a few years. Also, some progressive jackpots go so high that playing becomes a positive expectation game, though winning on a progressive slot machine is still a matter of pure chance. Avoid the zigzag method and other proposed slots systems, because slot machines have no betting system proven to win.

Best Blackjack Strategy

Basic blackjack strategy optimizes your decisions in order to get the best possible house edge, counting cards is how you gain an advantage over the casino. Card counters are not welcome at casinos, though it’s a legal way to beat the casino. A variety of card counting methods exist. Some are easy to learn and others are complicated. Keeping a count while you act nonchalant in order to fool the dealer and the pit boss is the hard part. Live dealer blackjack offers the best chance to count cards and not be noticed.

Best Three Card Poker Strategy

Experts on casino strategy have different theories on which 3-Card Poker hands to play. Some think you should only hold a hand with a king-or-better. Others suggest a Q-10 is the minimum cut-off point. Both are wrong. Computer simulations show that the optimal strategy is to play any hand which is Q-6-4 or better. If you want something simpler to remember, then the best Three-Card Poker strategy is to play any hand which is Queen-Six or better.

Best Let It Ride Strategy

The biggest mistake players make in Let It Ride is “letting it ride” too often. Unsuited 9-10-J is not a playable hand in Let It Ride, for instance. When you hold 3 cards at the beginning of a hand, you should only let the bet ride when you hold: a paying hand (of course), any three to a Royal Flush, three suited cards besides 2-3-4 or A-2-C, or any three to a Straight Flush when (at least) one card is 10 or higher. Unless you hold one of these hands, you need to fold.

Best Roulette Strategy

The best online roulette strategy is to find casinos which offer “la partage” or “en prison” rules alongside either European Roulette or French Roulette. This combination of rules lowers the house edge to 1.35%. High rollers should focus on French Roulette, the game which uses alternate bets which French names. The full/maximum or full/complete bet offers the best way to max out the betting limits for a high stakes gambler, because it is 12-bets-in-1 on the same roulette number.

Best Craps Strategy

When learning craps, study the “odds” bets, which have a house edge of 0%. The best craps bets are the basic ones: Come, Don’t Come, Passline, and Don’t Pass. Dice shooters need to know one addition bet, which is an add-on to the basic bets after the point is established. Taking the odds is a way to make a much larger wager on the original bet, thus watering down the house edge in a way. Casinos limit the odds players can take, which is a good sign it’s a good thing for you.

Best Texas Hold’em Strategy

Whole books have been written on the best Texas Hold’em strategy, but most of that doesn’t apply to online poker. Bluffing and reading bluffs is next-to-impossible in a virtual Texas Holdem game online, but third-party software exists that lets a player quickly study their opponent’s hand history. This provides insight into that player’s tendencies, helping you determine whether the player is loose/tight and aggressive/passive. With that data at hand, you can make winning decisions in online Texas Hold’em.

What’s the Difference Between a Gambling Strategy, Gambling Tactics, and Gambling Systems?

I outlined a gambling strategy above, but just to reiterate, a strategy is an approach to an activity.

A tactic is similar to a strategy, but it applies to individual decisions and individual situations. Deciding to become a card counter who uses the Hi-Lo counting method is a gambling strategy decision. Deciding whether or not to double down on an ace during a blackjack game is a tactical decision.

Many games of chance offer no opportunities to make tactical decisions. For example, in baccarat, you have no real effect on the outcome of each hand, no matter what decision you make. In roulette, you can decide what option to bet on, but all of the bets at the table have the same house edge, so the only tactical decision you’re making is whether you want to lose your money quickly or slowly.

In some games, like craps, different bets offer different odds. You can make a tactical decision to only place the bets which offer you the best odds.

A gambling system is a totally different animal though. A gambling system is almost always a scam sold by a con man. Gambling systems usually involve trying to manipulate the odds of a casino game by changing the sizes of your bets based on previous results. I’ll have a lot more to write about that particular subject in a future article, but for now, please trust me. Gambling systems don’t work. PLEASE don’t waste your money on them.

Learn the Best Betting Systems for Each Game

All casinos games have their own rules and strategies. The best way to win is to learn the casino betting systems for each game. This is true for every new casino game you play. The examples below illustrate the wide variety of casino winning tips which exist.

Casino Tips for Winning

1. Blackjack Basic Strategy: Consult a basic strategy chart when play blackjack. Free printable blackjack strategy charts exist online. Remember to use a basic strategy card specific to the rules you’re using.
2. Sucker Bets in Craps: Notice in the table above the wide disparity in craps bets. The basic Come Bet, Don’t Come Bet, Pass Line Bet, and Don’t Pass Bet have a comparable house edge to baccarat and some video poker machines. Many sucker bets exist in craps, including the worst of the bunch: the “Any 7” bet.
3. Single-Zero Roulette: If given the option, always choose single-zero roulette, better known as European Roulette and French Roulette. It’s easy to spot this form of the game: you’ll see only one 0-pocket on the wheel. In American Roulette, you’ll see a 0-pocket and a 00-pocket.
4. Banker Bet in Baccarat: The banker bet has better odds than the player bet in baccarat, even though you pay a 5% fee to the casino. Never make the tie bet in baccarat, which is a sucker bet if there ever was one.
5. SNG Double Up Strategy: In online Texas Hold’em, play in Sit’n Go double-up tournament to build your bankroll. The point isn’t to finish in 1st place, but to survive the bubble. If you have the short stack, play loose and aggressive, because most card players want to avoid the bubble. Avoid the big stack, but pick on the medium stacks in this casino double-up strategy.

What Now?

The rest of this site is dedicated to explaining how various casino games and betting games work. We’ll eventually offer analyses of all the casino games (and other gambling games) we can think of, along with some suggestions about what strategic and tactical approaches you might want to take toward those games, depending on your goals.

I don’t judge or look down on people for how they gamble. If you just want to plunk coins into a slot machine and hope for a win, that’s your business. More power to you. If you want to maximize how much money you can win playing poker or blackjack, that’s your business too, and I have enough experience in each subject to provide you with the tips and advice you need to get started in that endeavor.

Video poker is a popular pick for casino visitors who want the best chance of
winning. After all, some video poker games offer payback worth between 99.17%
and 100.76%.

The big catch, though, is that you need to use good strategy in order to
achieve these lofty payback percentages.

This is easier said than done because there are lots of different moves that
you can make on any one video poker hand. But the good news is that you can
gradually become a better player and make the right play again and again.

Let’s discuss how to use good video poker strategy below by looking at the
basics, strategy charts, training software, hand calculators, loyalty programs,
and bankroll considerations.

Strategy Basics – Bet Size & Picking Games

The best way to learn video poker strategy is from the ground up. Once you
understand the fundamentals, it becomes easier to learn the intermediate and
advanced techniques later on.

If you’re new to strategy, here are some basic concepts that are good to
start with.

Bet Size

Standard video poker machines give you the ability to bet between 1 and 5
coins per hand.

To many low rollers, the idea of betting just one coin per hand sounds
appealing. But the problem is that you won’t put yourself in line for maximum
payback.

The reason why is because you only stand to win the highest royal flush
payout when betting the 5 coin max. You can see this point illustrated below:

• 1 coin bet = 250 coin
  royal flush
• 2 coin bet = 500 coin
  royal flush
• 3 coin bet = 750 coin
  royal flush
• 4 coin bet = 1,000
  coin royal flush
• 5 coin bet = 4,000
  coin royal flush

The royal flush payout increases proportionately from 1 coins to 4 coins. But
there’s a large 3,000 coin increase when you move up to the fifth coin.

This is the sole reason why skilled players wager 5 coins on every hand.

Of course, you don’t have to bet the 5 coin max. After all, the royal flush
only makes up around 2% of the average video poker game’s payback.

But again, this is what you need to do in order to get the highest return
possible. Here’s an example using 9 / 6 Double Double Bonus:

• 9 / 6 Double Double
  Bonus w / 1 to 4 coins bet = 98.90% optimal payback
• 9 / 6 Double Double
  Bonus w / 5 coins bet = 100.07% optimal payback

Choosing Games

One of the simplest things that you can do to ensure your video poker success
involves picking the right games. After all, why put all the work into strategy
if you’re just going to play low paying machines?

When choosing a video poker variation, you should consider three main
factors:

1. Payback
2. Availability
3. Volatility

The biggest factor that most players focus on is the payback. Obviously you
want to get as close to 100% payback as possible, or even over.

The highest paying video poker games found in land based casinos include
Deuces Wild (100.76% payback) and 10 / 7 / 5 Double Bonus (100.17%). But the
problem here is that no casino outside of Nevada offers these games.

And this brings us to availability because you can’t play video poker
variations that you can’t find.

One game that most players have access to is 9 / 6 Jacks or Better, which
offers 99.54% payback. If you can’t find this, the next best choice is normally
8 / 5 Bonus Poker (99.17% payback).

These two games are also good with respect to volatility (a.k.a. variance),
or how predictable your short term results will be in relation to long term
payback.

If you don’t have a large bankroll, then you want to choose the least
volatile games. And the least volatile games are those that offer more small
payouts.

Bonus Poker is a good example because it offers the following small payouts:

Casino Poker Machine Strategy Tactics

Due to all of these smaller payouts, Bonus Poker will see you win more
frequently than most video poker games. And this is why it’s a good choice for
low rollers looking to preserve their bankrolls.

Choosing Pay Tables

Every video poker game offers different pay tables, and your goal should be
to pick the best available pay table for each variant.

Let’s look at examples of Double Double Bonus pay tables:

• 10 / 6 Double Double Bonus (DDB) = 100.07% payback
• 9 / 6 DDB = 98.98%
• 8 / 6 DDB = 97.89%
• 9 / 5 DDB = 99.87%

Here’s another example using Jacks or Better:

• 9 / 6 Jacks or Better
  (JoB) = 99.54% payback
• 9 / 5 JoB = 98.45%
• 8 / 6 JoB = 98.39%
• 8 / 5 JoB = 97.30%
• 7 / 5 JoB = 96.15%

The two numbers in front of both JoB and Double Double Bonus signify how much
they pay for a full house and flush.

In the case of 10 / 6 DDB, you’ll be paid 10 coins for a full house and 6 for
a flush. With 8 / 6 DDB, you’ll only get 8 coins for a full house and 6 for a
flush.

You gain no upside by choosing the worst pay tables. This is why it’s
important to look for the best table you can find for your favorite game.

One problem is that some land based casinos just don’t offer good pay tables.
In this case, you can either play online video poker or choose a lesser pay
table like the 9 / 5 or 8 / 6 version.

The key is that you know what to look for so you understand what kind of
payback you’re facing.

What Game Should You Start with?

The best video poker game to begin with is Jacks or Better, and here are the
reasons why:

1. The 9 / 6 pay table is available in many land based and online casinos.
2. The strategy is simpler than many other games.
3. JoB has low volatility.

The reason why JoB features simpler strategy than other variants is because
there aren’t as many payouts. With fewer payouts to consider, you’ll also have
fewer strategy aspects to worry about.

Let’s compare Jacks or Better to Double Double Bonus to illustrate this
point:

9 / 6 Jacks or Better Pay table

9 / 6 Double Double Pay Table

The JoB pay table has 9 payouts, while the DDB pay table has 13 payouts. As
you can see, this is a notable difference and one that makes DDB tougher to
play.

Now, this isn’t to say that the DDB playing process is any more difficult.
But if you’re looking to use optimal strategy, then you’ll have a much easier
time with JoB.

Another point worth making is that JoB is less volatile because it pays 2:1
for a two pair.

This doesn’t seem like a big difference, but consider that a two pair occurs
1 in 7.75 hands. Contrast this to the odds of a 4 of a kind occurring, which are
only 1 in 423.25 hands.

Video Poker Strategy Charts

Once you understand video poker games and what they pay, the next step is
learning strategy.

This is where things seemingly get difficult because you have multiple
options with every video poker hand. And each decision you make has an impact on
the long term house edge.

Let’s look at a sample 9 / 6 JoB hand to illustrate this point:

• You’re dealt: Kd 9h 7s 5c
  Jc
• Choice #1: Keeping Kd Jc
  results in 2.451 expected value (EV) on a 5 coin bet.
• Choice #2: Keeping only the
  Jc results in 2.324 EV.
• Choice #3: Keeping only the
  Kd results in 2.312 EV.

As you can see, there’s not a tremendous difference in the average expected
payout you’ll receive from each decision. But the difference becomes greater
over time as you continue playing hands.

This is why it pays to take every step possible towards improving your video
poker skills. And one of the best places to begin is with strategy charts.

What is a Video Poker Strategy Chart?

A strategy chart (a.k.a. card) ranks made and non made video poker hands in
terms of their importance. This becomes particularly helpful when you’re trying
to decide what to keep in a difficult hand.

Here’s an example:

• You’re playing Jacks or
  Better.
• You’re dealt: 8s 9s 10s Js
  8d
• You have both a two pair
  and 4 cards to a straight flush.

Keeping a made two pair is alluring because you’re guaranteed to win. But a
strategy chart will show you that 4 cards to a straight flush ranks just above a
two pair in this instance.

The great thing about strategy charts is that they provide a convenient
strategy reference while you’re playing. The downside is that you won’t find
strategy charts across the internet for every video poker game.

In fact, only the most popular video poker variations have charts. And this
is another thing that makes Jacks or Better a great game to start with because
you can easily find its strategy cards.

Simple and Advanced Strategy

Video poker strategy charts can be broken down into simple and advanced
versions. The reason for this is that simple cards often get you close to
optimal payback – just with fewer hands to remember.

Advanced strategy charts are meant to get you to optimal payback. But they
include more minor details that the average player won’t want to deal with.

You’ll also find intermediate charts that offer something in between
regarding both difficulty and payback. You can see simple, intermediate, and
advanced strategy charts in the following sections.

Simple Jacks or Better Strategy Chart (99.46% Payback)

1. Royal flush, straight flush, 4 of a kind
2. 4 cards to a royal
3. Full house, flush, straight, 3 of a kind
4. 4 cards to a straight flush
5. Two pair
6. High pair (As through Js)
7. 3 cards to a royal flush
8. 4 cards to a flush
9. Low pair (10s through 2s)
10. 4 cards to an outside straight
11. 2 suited high cards
12. 3 cards to a straight flush
13. 2 unsuited high cards
14. Suited K 10, Q 10, and J 10
15. One high card
16. Discard everything

Intermediate JoB Strategy Chart (99.52% Payback)

1. Royal flush, straight flush, 4 of a kind
2. 4 cards to a royal flush
3. Full house, flush, straight, 3 of a kind
4. 4 cards to a straight flush
5. Two pair
6. High pair
7. 3 cards to a royal flush
8. 4 cards to a flush
9. Low pair
10. 4 cards to an outside straight
11. A K Q J unsuited
12. 2 suited high cards
13. 4 cards to an inside straight w / 3 high cards
14. K Q J unsuited
15. Q J unsuited
16. J T suited
17. K Q, K J unsuited
18. Q T suited
19. A K, A Q, or A J unsuited
20. K T suited
21. One high card
22. 3 cards to a straight flush
23. Discard everything

Advanced JoB Strategy Chart (99.54% Payback)

1. Royal flush, straight flush, 4 of a kind
2. 4 cards to a royal flush
3. Full house, flush, straight, 3 of a kind
4. 4 cards to a straight flush
5. Two pair
6. High pair (As to Js)
7. 3 cards to a royal flush
8. 4 cards to a flush
9. Unsuited K Q J T
10. Low pair (10s to 2s)
11. 4 cards to an outside straight w / 0 to 2 high cards
12. 3 cards to a straight flush
13. Suited Q J
14. 4 cards to an inside straight w / 4 high cards
15. Suited K Q or K J
16. Suited A K, A Q, or A J
17. 4 cards to an inside straight w / 3 high cards
18. 3 cards to a straight flush
19. Unsuited K Q J
20. Unsuited Q J
21. Suited J T
22. 2 unsuited high cards w / king high card
23. Suited Q T
24. 2 unsuited high cards w / ace high card
25. Jack only
26. Suited K T
27. Queen, king, or ace only
28. 3 cards to a straight flush

Video Poker Training – Practice Makes Perfect

While using a video poker strategy chart is helpful, we stress that you can’t
find charts for every game. Moreover, some players may find it difficult /
boring to constantly refer to the chart for every hand.

What else can you do to improve your game?

Video poker training is a great way to improve your skills while
simultaneously enjoying the game. Here’s an example of how it works:

1. You’re dealt: 9d Qh 4d 4c 2d
2. You only hold Qh
3. The trainer alerts you to the mistake, showing that you should’ve held 4d 4c

If you were playing video poker as normal, you’d never know that you made a
mistake in this situation. But thanks to the trainer, you’re alerted to the
mistake and can take note for future reference.

Another benefit to training programs is that they teach you through
repetition. As you continue making the correct / incorrect play over and over,
you’ll eventually learn what to do in each situation.

Let’s take a closer look at how video poker trainers work along with if free
training programs will meet your needs.

Choose Your Game & Pay Table

The first thing that you want to look for is the drop down fields that let
you choose the desired game and pay table. This ensures that you’re learning the
exact strategy you need for a specific game.

Below you can see some of the games and pay tables found on free trainers:

• All American – Pay tables
  include 35 / 8 / 8 / 8; and 34 / 8 / 8 / 8
• Bonus Poker – Pay tables
  include 50 / 80; 50 / 75; and 40 / 75
• Double Bonus Poker – Pay
  tables include 50 / 9 / 7; 45 / 10 / 7; and 40 / 10 / 7
• Jacks and Better – Pay
  tables include 9 / 6; 8 / 5; and 6 / 5

Select the Difficulty

Many training programs have various difficulty modes that you can choose.
Much like with strategy charts, the mode you pick has an impact on how close
you’ll get to optimal payback.

The simplest settings let you choose an easy or hard mode.

Easy is perfect for beginners who want to learn simplified strategy and still
get solid payback. Hard mode works for advanced players who want the best
possible payback.

The detailed (costly) training programs allow you to play a mode where you
only deal with hands that you previously missed.

Free Video Poker Trainers – Good for the Popular Games

The best way to
get started with video poker training is to do a google
search and use a free program. Once you find a program, you simply need to input
your game settings and begin playing.

The great thing about using free trainers is that you can get started within
seconds, and you don’t have to pay anything for the service. The downside is
that free programs don’t offer as many games or features as purchasable software

If you’re a casual video poker player, chances are that you won’t care about
the lack of games and features on free sites.

But if you’re a serious player who’s dealing with games outside the scope of
a free trainer, then you’ll need to upgrade.

Paying for Video Poker Training – Best Option for Serious Players

Free training programs don’t cover +EV machines and the higher paying online
video poker games. This is where software that you pay for comes into play.

These programs give you a larger variety of games to train with, and they
even allow you to customize pay tables.

If you’re playing a +EV game like Deuces Wild, Double Bonus, or Double Double
Bonus, buying a video poker trainer is a must.

The first reason why is because you need a program that actually covers your
desired game. Secondly, as you gain speed and repetition, you stand to make
larger hourly profits through +EV games.

Below you can see an example of a video poker trainer we found on Amazon:

• Optimum Video Poker,
  Advantage Play Trainer for Windows and Mac
• Price: $59.95
• Allows you to customize
  strategy charts.
• You can create new pay
  tables.
• Practice on a wide range of
  existing video poker games.
• Calculate the break even
  point of a progressive jackpot.
• Calculate volatility for
  games.

How Many Hours should You Spend with a Video Poker Trainer?

Once you start practicing, you may wonder how long you should continue with
video poker training. And the answer depends upon a variety of factors.

Here are some aspects to consider:

• What’s your current video
  poker experience?
• How much time do you have?
• How serious are you about
  becoming a great player?
• Are you training to conquer
  a +EV game, or close to it?

No two video poker players are the same, and there’s no concrete answer on
how long you should spend with video poker trainers. The more time you can
spend, the better.

It’s especially good if you can divvy up your training with real money
sessions. This helps you put into practice what you’ve learned through the
training sessions.

But if you’re totally new to video poker training, we recommend that you
spend at least a few hours training before betting real money.

Hand Calculators

One tool that you can use on the side of video poker trainers is a hand
calculator.

These are good to use in combination with training programs because they help
you figure out individual hands. Here’s how a video poker calculator works:

1. You pick a game and pay table.
2. You choose the 5 card hand you want to analyze.
3. Click the Process button.
4. The calculator shows you what the best
   play is, along with the EV that other players yield.

The advantage that hand calculators have is helping you figure out a single
hand. This isn’t possible with training programs, which randomly deal hands as
you play.

The one problem with hand calculators is that they’re slow to set up. It
takes several seconds to set up each hand, then you have to read the results
afterward.

This isn’t nearly as efficient as a training program, which generates all the
hands for you. It’s also not as handy as a strategy chart, which allows you to
quickly reference where a hand ranks in hierarchy.

Nevertheless, hand calculators do have their place in the video poker world.
And what’s nice is that some training programs come packaged with calculators.

How to Find the Best Video Poker Games – Online and Offline

In the Basics section, we covered how important it is to
find the right games and pay tables. But how do you go about accomplishing this?

Sometimes casinos do the work for you by advertising that a bank of machines
offer “Up to 99.80% Payback.” In this case, all you need to know is your games
and pay tables to spot the high paying variation.

But in most instances, you need to do some research to find good games in
online and land based casinos. Let’s discuss a few ways that you can go about
this.

Use vpFREE2 to Find Top Video Poker Games in Land based Casinos

The ultimate tool for finding the best video poker machines in brick and
mortar casinos is vpFREE2.com. This website features search filters for finding
video poker in Canada and different regions of the United States.

Here’s how you use the vpFREE2 site:

1. Visit the “Casinos” tab at the top.
2. Choose your desired filter (Canada, East, Gulf Coast, Las Vegas, Laughlin, Mid West, Nevada, Reno Tahoe, and West).
3. Every casino in the region with video poker will be shown.
4. Payback percentages are listed in descending order.

One key with using vpFREE is that you need to understand what the game
abbreviations mean. For instance, “FPDW” means full pay Deuces Wild.

If you come across abbreviations that you don’t know, visit the “Pay Tables”
tab to figure them out.

We performed a search for Las Vegas, and here’s an example of what turned up
at Aliante Casino:

• 100.76% FPDW: $0.05, $0.025
  denominations
• 100.17% DB: $0.05, $0.25,
  $0.50, $1.00
• 100.07% DDB: $0.05, $0.25,
  $0.50, $1.00
• 100.15% LDW: $0.05, $0.25,
  $0.50, $1.00
• 100.07% DDB: $0.05, $0.25,
  $0.50, $1.00
• 99.80% TB+: $0.25, $0.50,
  $1.00
• 99.73% NSUD: $0.25, $0.50,
  $1.00
• 99.69% SDB: $0.25, $0.50,
  $1.00
• 99.64% Bdlx: $0.25, $0.50,
  $1.00
• 99.54% JoB: $0.25, $0.50,
  $1.00

As evidenced by the fact that they have three +EV games, Aliante Casino is
one of Vegas’ best when it comes to video poker.

Unfortunately, most casino searches won’t turn up video poker this good. But
if you know where the top games are in your area, then you’ll have a much better
chance of winning.

Google Online Software Provider Reviews to Find the Best Online Video Poker

No comprehensive site like vpFREE2 exists for finding the top online video
poker games. But you can still find this information by googling reviews on
software providers.

If you find the right reviews, you’ll see what each provider offers in terms
of video poker payback.

We googled Realtime Gaming (RTG), scrolled down to the video poker portion,
and found that they offer the following payback:

1. Aces & Eights (8 5 4 3 2 1) = 99.78% payback
2. Double Jackpot (160 80 80 40 20 8 5 4 3 2 1) = 99.63%
3. All American (35 8 8 8 3 1 1) = 99.60%
4. Jacks or Better (9 6) = 99.54%
5. Bonus Deuces Wild (9 4 4 3 1 1) = 99.45%
6. Double Bonus (45 10 7 5 3 1 1) = 99.37%
7. Double Double Jackpot (160 160 160 80 50 9 6 5 3 1 1) = 99.36%
8. Sevens Wild (25 15 10 5 3 2 2 1) = 99.16%
9. Pick ‘Em Poker (239.8 100 18 15 11 5 3 2) = 99.11%
10. Loose Deuces (25 15 5 4 3 2 2 1) = 99.07%
11. Bonus Deuces Wild (8 4 4 3 1 1) = 99.06%
12. Double Jackpot (140 70 70 35 20 8 5 4 3 2 1) = 98.99%

This list doesn’t include all of RTG’s video poker games, but it gives you an
idea on what to expect from their best paying video poker variants.

You can do the same with any other software provider that you want to know
about. Of course, the key is that you need to know software companies before you
can google them.

This isn’t difficult information to find, though, and it should only take you
a couple minutes to find some good video poker games.

From here, you need to find out which casinos a software provider supplies.
Again, this is another easy matter that won’t require much research.

Google Articles on the Best Land based and Online Video Poker

The first two methods that we discussed are by far the best with regard to
finding payback for both land based and online casinos. But if you’re looking
for one more, then you can also google / bing articles on the subject too.

You can search for phrases like the following:

• Best video poker payback
• Best online video poker payback
• Best video poker casinos

Whenever you search for these terms, you’ll find articles that discuss online
or land based casinos with good payback.

Again, this isn’t the most efficient way of finding quality video poker
games. But if you’re up for some reading, these articles make for interesting
subject matter.

Look for Progressive Video Poker that’s Offering +EV

One final way that you can search for good video poker is to scope out
progressive machines.

As you may know, a progressive video poker machine’s royal flush jackpot
grows with each bet. And if the jackpot reaches a certain point, then it begins
offering +EV to players.

The point at which a video poker machine reaches the +EV point varies based
on the game and pay table. Here are some examples based on a 5 coin bet:

• ($0.25 Coin Denomination)
• 9 / 6 Jacks or Better = $1,220 (4,880 coins)
• 9 / 5
  Jacks or Better = $1,696 (6,794 coins)
• 8 / 6 Jacks or Better = $1,705 (6,820
  coins)
• 9 / 6 Double Double Bonus = $1,461 (5,844 coins)
• 9 / 5 Double Double
  Bonus = $1,944 (7,776 coins)

The idea here is that these jackpots have become worth so much that you’re
theoretically earning +EV due to the larger royal flush.

Of course, the catch is that your chances of getting the royal flush are
still low. But if you can find these opportunities and continue to take
advantage, then you can earn long term profits.

Not surprisingly, the best place to scout progressive video poker machines is
Las Vegas. But other casino hubs like Atlantic City, Louisiana, Mississippi, and
Reno can also offer big progressive jackpots.

Video Poker Loyalty and Promotions

No video poker player should play without loyalty rewards. Sadly, some
players miss out on comps because they don’t know to seek them.

Let’s cover how you can get video poker comps so that this doesn’t happen to
you.

Sign Up for the Slots Club

The Reasonwhy some people miss out on video poker rewards is because they
don’t sign up for the slots club.

Be sure to sign up online or in the casino because you need a slots club card
to collect video poker rewards. And the more you play, the more comps & cashback
you’re going to earn.

The comp rate differs based on where you play and what game you choose. But
it’s common for casinos to offer video poker players a rate between 0.1% and
0.3%.

Here’s an example of how a comp rate works:

• You earn a 0.2% comp rate.
• You bet $1,000 on a video
  poker game.
• You’d earn $2 in comps
  (1,000 x 0.002).

This doesn’t sound like much money, but it adds up as you continue playing
video poker.

Just be aware that every land based casino has their own way of dealing with
comps.

We’ve seen some casinos that’ll only comp you 0.01% if you play games with
over 99% payback. Others don’t care and will still offer you the standard 0.1%
to 0.3% on any video poker machine.

Make Sure Your Online Casino Offers Video Poker Loyalty

All you need to do to pick up loyalty rewards at internet casinos is make a
deposit and start playing. The casino software will automatically keep track of
your loyalty and reward you accordingly.

One thing to watch out for, though, is online casinos that don’t reward video
poker players. This breaks down into a few categories:

• Casinos that offer loyalty
  rewards to slots, table games, and keno players – but not video poker players.
• Casinos that offer video
  poker loyalty – but don’t include video poker in meeting bonus wagering
  requirements.
• Online casinos that don’t
  offer a loyalty program period.

All internet casinos offer fewer rewards to video poker players when compared
to slots, keno, and scratch card players. After all, video poker has one of the
lowest house edges in the gaming world.

But you should at least get something for your online play. If not, then you
need to search for another casino.

Can You Become a Professional Video Poker Player?

Given that certain video poker games offer over 100% payback, many players
wonder if it’s possible to become a professional.

Yes, technically you can become a video poker pro. But you also have to
consider the many pitfalls that accompany such a profession:

• The pay is low ($10 to $12
  an hour on FPDW w / comps included).
• This is like real work and
  there’s nothing glamorous about video poker.
• You need a large bankroll
  to survive the volatility.
• You’ll go weeks without a
  profit.
• You have to spend hours and
  hours in the casino every week.
• You have to play near
  perfect video poker.
• You must live in Vegas.
• +EV machines are gradually
  reducing throughout Vegas.
• You have to play on
  holidays, when double and triple point promotions are offered.
• The best machines aren’t
  always open.

These are the main things that any prospective pro must consider before
embarking on this difficult career.

In the end, you’re better off getting a regular job over playing video poker.
The game isn’t as profitable as it once was due to fewer +EV machines and
lucrative promotions.

But if you’re willing to take on the risk and you really love video poker,
then the option to be a professional is there.

Conclusion

Becoming a strong video poker player all begins with learning the
fundamentals, including the proper bet size, how to choose games, and how to
read pay tables.

Casino Poker Machine Strategy Games

Once you pick up these basics, the next logical step is to check out a
strategy chart. This helps you develop a strategy anchor that you can apply to
the nuances of other video poker variations.

Casino Poker Machine Strategy War Games

The ultimate step to becoming a successful player is using a training
program.

If you’re a casual player, free video poker trainers will serve your purposes
just fine. But when you want to take your game to another level, consider buying
a program so that you can practice +EV games.

Also don’t forget to take advantage of loyalty rewards. Sign up for the slots
club in a brick and mortar casino, and make sure that your online casino
delivers rewards to video poker players.

Casino Poker Machine Strategy Game

Improving your play takes time. But if you’re willing to put forth the
effort, then you’ll have a much better shot at beating video poker!