How to Be Lucky at Video Poker

Video poker features more skill than most casino games. This attracts players who like using strategy to improve their odds of winning.

But video poker also contains a fair amount of luck too. And you can win some big payouts when you get lucky enough.

How can you increase the chances of bringing good fortune your way? Let's find out by defining luck in video poker and how you can increase it.

What is Luckin Video Poker?

Many consider video poker luck to be a good run of hands. Some players may even believe that they have a lucky video poker machine at the casino.

We all define luck at the casino in different ways. But the truth is that it has nothing to do with a mysterious force surrounding a certain machine.

Instead, there are several factors in video poker that combine to create good luck. Let's look at each of these factors in depth.

Big Payouts

Your odds of getting a royal flush are approximately 1 in 40,000 hands. Obviously it takes a tremendous amount of luck to get a royal flush and win 4,000 coins.

Other hands that offer big payouts include a straight flush, 4 of a kind, and bonus hands (available in certain games).

The reality is that a lucky rabbit's foot and other charms won't boost your chances of winning a large video poker payout. Instead, you just have to keep playing and hope that big hands and good fortune come your way.

Hand Odds

Every video poker hand has certain odds of being dealt. And these odds vary based on which video poker game you're playing.

But you can use general odds to get a rough estimation on how often to expect certain video poker hands. Here are the odds behind getting each hand:

Dealt Odds

  • Royal flush = 1 in 650,000
  • Straight flush = 1 in 72,000
  • 4 of a kind = 1 in 4,200
  • Full house = 1 in 700
  • Flush = 1 in 500
  • Straight = 1 in 250
  • 3 of a kind = 1 in 47
  • Two pair = 1 in 21
  • High pair = 1 in 8

Draw Odds

  • Royal flush = 1 in 40,000
  • Straight flush = 1 in 9,200
  • 4 of a kind = 1 in 420
  • Full house = 1 in 90
  • Flush = 1 in 90
  • Straight = 1 in 85
  • 3 of a kind = 1 in 13
  • Two pair = 1 in 7
  • High pair = 1 in 4

Payback

The video poker world is filled with countless games and pay tables. And each game / pay table combination features its own specific payback.

Payback determines how much money a game will pay over the long term. Here's an example:

I emphasize the word "theoretically" because luck plays a role in determining how much you earn. But higher payback means that you have a stronger chance of winning money as you keep playing.

Payout Cycles

Earlier we covered the odds behind getting each video poker hand. Some players refer to these odds as payout cycles.

For example, the payout cycle for a royal flush would be 1 in 40,000 hands. This means that players believe they need to play 40,000 hands to get a royal.

The truth is that luck has a lot to do with when you actually get a royal flush. For example, you could get two royals within 40,000 hands or go 100,000 hands before you get one.

Random Number Generator

Some video poker players fixate on how machines run hot and cold, and they go around the casino trying to find hot machines.

Hot and cold streaks happen in video poker. But a certain machine doesn't run hot because of some random luck factor.

The random number generator (RNG) determines what hands are dealt in video poker. The RNG cycles through number combinations and randomly selects one to determine the cards you receive.

If you haven't won anything for 10 hands in a row, then you can blame the RNG - not bad luck.

Strategy

The words strategy and luck don't seem like they mesh in video poker. But you can improve your odds of winning by using the correct strategy.

The right strategy differs based on what video poker game you're playing. The same strategy that works for Deuces Wild won't deliver optimal results for Double Bonus.

Using good strategy ensures that you'll get closer to the best payback for a specific game.

But it's important to remember that strategy mainly enhances your long-term odds of winning. Luck plays a big role in deciding your short-term video poker winnings.

Volatility

Volatility refers to the tendency for rapid changes and unpredictability. Video poker is one of the more volatile games in the casino.

The reason why is because you're dealing with a wide range of payouts that include everything from a royal flush worth 4,000 coins to a pair of aces worth 1 coin.

You're going to see plenty of smaller payouts. But every game is volatile in order to make up for the larger payouts at the top, such as royals, straight flushes, and 4 of a kinds.

Another thing worth mentioning is that volatility can change based on the specific game you're playing. Bonus games like Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus, and Triple Bonus have top heavy payout structures with more volatility.

Meanwhile, Bonus Poker and Jacks or Better (JoB) have a more even payout structure in comparison to other video poker games. This means that you can expect frequent small payouts and less volatility.

How do You Improve Your Luck in Video Poker?

One of my original points is that we all define luck differently in casino games.

Some consider luck to be winning a huge jackpot. Others feel lucky when they earn a bunch of small payouts and can continue playing.

This means that the way in which you improve your video poker luck varies based on your definition of the concept. Below I'll discuss some ways that you can boost your luck with regard to different beliefs on the matter.

Do You Want to Win Big Payouts? - Play Progressive Jackpot and Bonus Games

Does your ideal video poker session involve winning one or more large prizes? If so, then you need to stick to games that give you the best chance to win big.

A great place to start is with progressive jackpot games because this is where you'll find the largest prizes.

As you may know, a progressive jackpot continues growing until somebody wins. This means getting a royal flush in the case of video poker.

Your odds of being dealt a royal flush don't improve in a progressive game. But the potential payoff for doing so does.

The key is that you need to play a game where the jackpot is worth over 4,000 coins. On a quarter denomination game, the progressive jackpot would have to be worth over $1,000.

Another option is to play video poker machines that offer bonus payouts. This means opting for Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus, and Triple Bonus.

Let's look at a Double Double Bonus pay table for an example:

9 / 6 Double Double Pay Table

Hand 1 coin 2 coins 3 coins 4 coins 5 coins
Royal flush 250 500 750 1,000 4,000
Straight Flush 50 100 150 200 250
4 aces + 2 to 4 400 800 1,200 1,600 2,000
4 2s to 4s + A to 4 160 320 480 640 800
4 aces 160 320 480 640 800
4 2s to 4s 80 160 240 320 400
4 5s to Ks 50 100 150 200 250
Full house 9 18 27 36 45
Flush 6 12 18 24 30
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
3 of a kind 3 6 9 12 15
2 pair 1 2 3 4 5
Jacks or better 1 2 3 4 5

This game includes 5 bonus payouts for various four of a kind hands. And this is on top of the large payouts for a royal flush and straight flush.

The downside is that you only receive 1 coin for a two pair, which creates extra volatility.

Do You Want to Win Frequent Payouts? - Choose Less Volatile Games

Some video poker players would rather win a lot of prizes and keep their bankroll steady, rather than go through long dry spells when hunting for big payouts.

If you're in this class, then you need to search for the least volatile video poker variations. A couple of examples include Bonus Poker and Jacks or Better.

Here's a pay table for Bonus Poker:

8 / 5 Bonus Poker

Hand 1 coin 2 coins 3 coins 4 coins 5 coins
Royal flush 250 500 750 1000 4000
Straight flush 50 100 150 200 250
4 aces 80 160 240 320 400
4 2s to 4s 40 80 120 160 200
4 5s to Ks 25 50 75 100 125
Full house 8 16 24 32 40
Flush 5 10 15 20 25
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
3 of a kind 3 6 9 12 15
2 pair 2 4 6 8 10
Jacks or better 1 2 3 4 5

When compared to the bonus variations that we covered earlier, Bonus Poker doesn't feature many big payouts at the top. Furthermore, you still get 2 coins for a two pair.

Are You Looking for the Best Chance to Win? - Study Strategy & Choose the Best Games

Some video poker players just like to relax and play by instinct. This is especially the case among those who value big payouts and progressive jackpots.

Others want to maximize their odds of winning in the long term. If this describes you, then you'll need to study strategy and pick the best games to improve your luck.

One of the easiest ways to study strategy is to grab a strategy chart. These show you what hands to keep in order of importance.

Let's look an example using a 9 / 6 Jacks or Better strategy chart:

  • 1. Royal flush, straight flush, 4 of a kind
  • 2. 4 cards to a royal flush
  • 3. Full house
  • 4. Flush
  • 5. 3 of a kind
  • 6. Straight
  • 7. 4 cards to a straight flush
  • 8. 2 pair
  • 9. High pair (aces to jacks)
  • 10. 3 cards to a royal flush
  • 11. 4 cards to a flush
  • 12. Unsuited KQJT
  • 13. Low pair (10s to 2s)
  • 14. 4 cards to an outside straight w / 0 to 2 high cards
  • 15. 3 cards to a straight flush
  • 16. Suited QJ
  • 17. 4 cards to an inside straight w / 4 high cards
  • 18. Suited KQ or KJ
  • 19. Suited AK, AQ, or AJ
  • 20. 4 cards to an inside straight w / 3 high cards
  • 21. 3 cards to a straight flush
  • 22. Unsuited KQJ
  • 23. Unsuited QJ
  • 24. Suited JT
  • 25. 2 unsuited high cards w / king high card
  • 26. Suited QT
  • 27. 2 unsuited high cards w / ace high card
  • 28. Jack
  • 29. Suited KT
  • 30. Queen
  • 31. King
  • 32. Ace
  • 33. Discard everything

Another good way to learn is by using a video poker trainer. These are programs that point out your correct and incorrect decisions as you play the game.

I suggest starting with a free video poker trainer, which covers the most popular games like Aces and Eights, All American, Double Bonus, Jacks or Better, and Joker Poker. But you'll need to purchase an advanced video poker trainer to practice for most games.

As for game selection, skilled players want to choose the highest paying video poker variations. And the best way to do this in land-based casinos is to use the site vpFREE2.com.

This site features various tools that let you search specific casino destinations to find where the best video poker machines are. For example, I found plenty of machines in Las Vegas that offer over 100% payback.

When playing online video poker, you need to google different providers to see what payback their video poker games offer. Here's an example using Realtime Gaming video poker:

  • 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%

General Things that Every Video Poker Player Should Do

Much of what we've covered so far involves what you can do to increase your luck in video poker. But there are also things you should do regardless of what you consider to be lucky in video poker.

Let's check out three of these points below.

Look for the Best Pay Tables

Every video poker game features multiple pay tables. And most pay tables differ in terms of two or more payouts.

Let's look an example using 9 / 6 and 8 / 5 Jacks or Better:

9 / 6 Jacks or Better (99.54% payback)

Hand 1 coin 2 coins 3 coins 4 coins 5 coins
Royal flush 250 500 750 1000 4000
Straight flush 50 100 150 200 250
4 of a kind 25 50 75 100 125
Full house 9 18 27 36 45
Flush 6 12 18 24 30
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
3 of a kind 3 6 9 12 15
2 pairs 2 4 6 8 10
Jacks or better 1 2 3 4 5

8 / 5 Jacks or Better (97.30% payback)

Hand 1 coin 2 coins 3 coins 4 coins 5 coins
Royal flush 250 500 750 1000 4000
Straight flush 50 100 150 200 250
4 of a kind 25 50 75 100 125
Full house 8 16 24 32 40
Flush 5 10 15 20 25
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
3 of a kind 3 6 9 12 15
2 pairs 2 4 6 8 10
Jacks or better 1 2 3 4 5
The difference in these games is that 9 / 6 JoB pays one more coin for both a full house and flush.

This may not seem like a big deal. But 9 / 6 JoB actually offers 2.24% higher payback as a result.

You don't gain anything by choosing a lower pay table for the specific machine you want to play. I highly suggest that you get acquainted with the pay tables for your favorite video poker games and select the best ones.

Manage Your Bankroll

How long do you want your video poker bankroll to last? The best way to answer this question is by choosing games with your desired volatility and by doing some math.

Advanced video poker trainers have calculators that let you determine what kind of bankroll you need for specific games. The only catch is that you have to pay for these advanced programs.

If you're not up for doing so, check out the example below that covers Jacks or Better. This shows how your risk of ruin decreases as your number of units (coins) increases:

9 / 6 Jacks or Better

(99.54% payback)

Bankroll Risk of Ruin
1 unit ($1.25) 99.94%
50 units ($62.50) 96.88%
100 units ($125) 93.85%
500 units ($625) 72.81%
1000 units ($1,250) 53.01%
2000 units ($2,500) 28.10%
3000 units ($3,750) 14.90%
4000 units ($5,000) 7.90%
5000 units ($6,250) 4.19%
7500 units ($9,375) 0.86%
10,000 units ($12,500) 0.18%

Sign Up for the Slots Club

Land-based casinos don't start giving you video poker rewards right away. Instead, you need to join the slots club and insert your card into any machine you play.

You can join the slots club a couple of ways, including signing up at the player's desk or visiting a casino's website to see if there's a page for joining.

It doesn't matter how you sign up, but make sure that you do so in order to pick up comps on your play.

Conclusion

Video poker luck goes much deeper than just finally getting that elusive royal flush. Instead, it's a subjective concept that varies based on what you consider to be lucky.

Personally, I feel luckiest when I'm netting lots of wins and sustaining my bankroll. But others only feel lucky when they're winning big payouts.

Whatever your definition of video poker luck may be, I urge you to follow the tips listed here to get Lady Fortune on your side!