Can You Make Money Playing Video Poker?
Yes, you can make money playing video poker with the right combination of high bets, strategy, and games. Every casino game also needs a dash of luck, but you can up your winning odds with some work.
First, you’ll need a decent understanding of five-card poker hand rankings and the video poker paytables. Then, you have to pick the highest payout games available and practice your skills. We’ve compiled a list of video poker games and some handy information below to get you started.
How Can Video Poker Be Beaten?
Don’t start playing right away; it’s time to do some research into how video poker pays out and what you can expect in return. All video poker machines have a calculated return-to-player percentage (RTP), the estimated winnings from thousands of hands.
The RTP is similar to the house edge expected from normal poker games, but these are the returns to you, not what the casino makes. We recommend aiming for the games with 99% RTP because the casino gets 1% or less of your winnings.
Most pro players will tell you to look for games with 100% payback, which is a longer list than you think. These can include Full-Pay Deuces Wild (100.76%), 10/7 Double Bonus (100.17%), and 10/6 Double Double Bonus (100.07%).
How Can You Make Money Playing Video Poker
So, how can you make money playing video poker without breaking the bank? Our pro players highly recommend starting with strategy. Leave the betting systems to the roulette players and keep a simple process in mind.
- Bet the max five coins and activate the full paytable potential to get the most out of your wins. But, keep your coin values low if it will impact your budget. You can still win plenty with a coin size less than $1.
- Find the best paytables before you click “deal” to ensure you’re getting the best deal from the machine. When combined with your five-coin bet, your edge jumps up, and you’ll be able to win more.
- Use strategy charts for each game to keep track of your hand and discard cards you don’t need. Following the cheat sheet will improve your winning chances and offer you some security for your decisions.
What Kind of Profits Can I Expect?
You can make money fairly quickly when you’re playing the right video poker games. These comparisons are calculated on you playing 1000 hands per hour with a standard bet.
| Game | Bet | Advantage | Calculation | Return |
| Full-Pay Deuces Wild | $1,25 | 0,76% | 1000×1,25×0,0076 | $9,50 |
| 10/7 Double Bonus | $1,25 | 0,17% | 1000×1,25×0,0017 | $2,13 |
| 10/6 Double Double Bonus | $1,25 | 0,07% | 1000×1,25×0,0007 | $0,88 |
With a $5 bet (five coins of $1 value each):
| Game | Bet | Advantage | Calculation | Return |
| Full-Pay Deuces Wild | $5 | 0,76% | 1000 x 5 x 0,0076 | $38 |
| 10/7 Double Bonus | $5 | 0,17% | 1000 x 5 x 0,0017 | $8,50 |
| 10/6 Double Double Bonus | $5 | 0,07% | 1000 x 5 x 0,0007 | $3,50 |
Best Video Pokers to Play
- Deuces Wild Poker – Payout: 100.76%
- Joker Poker – Payout: 100.64%
- Double Double Bonus – Payout: 100.07%
- Loose Deuces – Payout: 100.97%
- Jacks or Better – Payout: 99.89%
- Pick ‘Em Poker – Payout: 99.95%
- Aces and Eights – Payout: 99.78%
- All American – Payout: 99.60%
- Double Bonus – Payout: 99.37%
- Bonus Poker Deluxe – Payout: 99.17%