Video poker is a type of skill-based slot machine that uses card faces instead of numbers, letters, and other symbols. To have the best odds of winning, you’ll have to be skilled at poker while also playing at machines that feature the best pay tables. But there is more to video poker than earning comps, perfect play, and pay tables. You also have to take advantage of the machines’ set up.
Pay Attention to Casino Improving Odds
While at a brick and mortar casino, you may notice the casino staff interacting with the machine for the patrons to see. They often do this to entice you to play these machines because they’re more than likely improving the odds of winning. Since poker slots aren’t typically visible in high traffic areas, casinos will do this to bring more people in. Pay attention and test those.
Online or Offline: Most Video Slots Win the First Time
Whether you’re playing free online slots or sitting in a high traffic casino, most slot machines are designed to make you win the first time. You can test this by trying a machine that hasn’t been used in half an hour and cycle each video poker game in intervals. Chances are if one machine is set up this way, they all are.
Adjusting Odds After Jackpots and Giveaways
Casinos don’t just adjust video poker odds randomly, they will also skew slot odds in your favor after holidays, Derby Days, or massive giveaways. In the slot community, it’s agreed that if the casino (including online) has a central computer-created or renovated after 2012, a central computer was installed to change odds frequently and quickly after key events.
Find Progressive Video Poker Machines
A progressive machine has a jackpot that continues to increase as long as the jackpot isn’t won. Often, multiple video poker machines are pooled or linked together to form an even larger winning amount. This amount us usually displayed prominently, again to attract the attention of passersby. Stick to these machines if they’re available because you can use all of the previous and following strategies while also giving yourself the chance of striking gold.
Welcome Bonuses or Complimentary Gifts
Although there are plenty of brick and mortar casinos that offer complimentary gifts when you become a member (free spins, discounts, or money to spend on games), it’s more common in online casinos. It’s in your best interest to find casinos that offer welcome bonuses, free spins, and other monetary incentives so you can start off on the right foot.
Find Your Winning Strategy and Stick to It
It’s tempting to just throw everything at the wall and see what sticks, but if a strategy is working for you, it’s usually more detrimental to you if you falter from it. As an alternative, if something isn’t working for you, try to determine whether this is bad luck or just a strategy that won’t work for that specific video poker game, slot machine or casino.
Locate Newer Brick and Mortar and Online Casinos
First, a word of caution: If an online casino is new, it’s in your best interest to research that casino to ensure they’re legitimate. Look in their terms of service, reviews online, and whether or not they have a license before uploading your payment information. It’s possible you could get scammed if you aren’t careful. Brick and mortar casinos, however, are usually safe.
Starting at a new casino, if they’re legitimate, offers many advantages. For one, new casinos will make it easier for you to win at all games, not just video poker. If you’re concerned that a new casino isn’t legitimate, wait a year and do more research. Winnings will still be high after a year of opening as they are always looking for new customers.
