Video Poker Variations

Now for those players who are of the patient variety be prepared to have finally encountered the game of your dreams. Out of all of the assorted types of video poker there is a version of the game called full pay video poker. Full pay video poker machines are games which offer the nothing out of the ordinary maximum pay back percentage for that game type. However what is out of the ordinary is the pay back percentage expresses the long term expected value of the player's wager as a percentage. For instance, if the pay back percentage is ninety-nine percent this would point toward that for each one hundred dollars that the player has gambled, the player should expect to lose one dollar in the long run. Many pay back percentages on these full pay video poker games are often close to or even in excess of one hundred percent. This is all, of course, based on an assumption of error free perfect play.

What kind of a variation of video poker would full pay be if it did not have variations of its own? Full pay video poker has a few out of the ordinary deviations from the original recipe. The biggest, most popular variations are Full Pay Jacks or Better, Full Pay Tens or Better, Full Pay Deuces Wild, Full Pay Bonus Poker, Full Pay Double Bonus, and finally Full Pay Double Double Bonus.

As it was mentioned above the full pay versions of these games do offer an astounding payback. The pay back for full pay jacks or better, for example, offers a pay back percentage of just more than ninety-nine percent when played with the perfect strategy. There is a reason why full pay video poker is for the patient gambler because it must be remembered that winning the jackpot, otherwise known as the royal flush, is also part of the long term goal in every variant. A player should not play a full pay video poker game if they are expecting to win it big after just a few games. A player can expect to lose a number of times because even over many thousands and thousands of hands played, the player is playing a game that pays back less than one hundred percent. If a player were to go to a brick and mortar casino to play one of these full pay video poker game machines, it would be something of a puzzle to find them as they are disguised quite nicely with the regular video poker machines. Casinos intentionally place these full pay video poker machines right next to other video poker machines with pay schedules that offer less attractive pay back percentages, leaving it up to the player to discover which ones are the video poker game machines that offer full pay schedules. Even once a player has found one of these prized full pay video poker machines many land based casinos will configure the machine to only accept the full pay schedule if, and only if, the player puts the maximum number of credits is bet.

Full Pay Jacks or Better is the most common variation of video poker that is out on the market today. The title says it all, the pay offs begin at a pair of jacks or better. Full Pay Jacks or Better is also known as the nine sixths Jacks or Better; the nine refers to the pay off for a full house and the six refers to the pay off for a flush. Full Pay Jacks or Better has a theoretical return of ninety-nine point fifty-four percent when played with perfect strategy. Below is a table on how many credits with what hand will give a player a higher pay out and a certain percentage. One thing you will notice is that the pay off for a royal flush played with four credits versus one with five credits has a huge gap. The pay off schedule for most video poker game machines has a gap like this so that players who do not play with the maximum number of credits at a time are playing with a smaller theoretical return.

Royal Flush – 1 credit = 250/ 2 credits = 500/ 3 credits = 750/ 4 credits = 1000/ 5 credits = 4000
Straight Flush – 1 credit = 50/ 2 credits = 100/ 3 credits = 150/ 4 credits = 200/ 5 credits = 250
Four of a Kind – 1 credit = 25/ 2 credits = 50/ 3 credits = 75/ 4 credits = 100/ 5 credits = 125
Full House – 1 credit = 9/ 2 credits = 18/ 3 credits = 27/ 4 credits = 36/ 5 credits = 45
Flush – 1 credit = 6/ 2 credits = 12/ 3 credits = 18/ 4 credits = 24/ 5 credits = 30
Straight – 1 credit = 4/ 2 credits = 8/ 3 credits = 12/ 4 credits = 16/ 5 credits = 20
Three of a Kind – 1 credit = 3/ 2 credits = 6/ 3 credits = 9/ 4 credits = 12/ 5 credits = 15
Two Pair – 1 credit = 2/ 2 credits = 4/ 3 credits = 6/ 4 credits = 8/ 5 credits = 10
Jacks or Better – 1 credit = 1/ 2 credits = 2/ 3 credits = 3/ 4 credits = 4/ 5 credits = 5
Theoretical Return – 1 credit = 98. 05 percent / 2 credits = 98. 05 percent/ 3 credits = 98. 05 percent/ 4 credits = 98. 05 percent/ 5 credits = 99. 54 percent

The full pay video poker version called Tens or Better is a variation of the six fifths Jacks or Better. Here the minimum paying hand is a pair of tens, instead of a pair of jacks. The strategy that is used in both games is very similar in spite of the very different full house and flush pay outs. Full Pay Deuces Wild video poker is a variation in which all of the twos in the deck are wild. A wild card can be a substitute for any other card in the deck in order to make a better poker hand. In the variation Full Pay Deuces Wild the pay out for a four of a kind makes up approximately one third of the pay back percentage of the game. Another thing that is worth mentioning is that a four of a kind occurs on average approximately every fifteen hands. Full Pay Deuces Wild can be found with pay schedules that offer a theoretical return as high as one hundred point seven hundred and sixty-two percent, when played with perfect strategy. It is also available, and more common, with other pay schedules that have lesser theoretical returns. Below is a table on how many credits with what hand will give a player a higher pay out and a certain percentage. One thing you will notice is that the pay off for a natural royal flush played with four credits versus one with five credits has a huge gap. The pay off schedule for most video poker game machines has a gap like this so that players who do not play with the maximum number of credits at a time are playing with a smaller theoretical return.

Natural Royal Flush – 1 credit = 300/ 2 credits = 600/ 3 credits = 900/ 4 credits = 1200/ 5 credits = 4000
Four Deuces – 1 credit = 200/ 2 credits = 400/ 3 credits = 600/ 4 credits = 800/ 5 credits = 1000
Wild Royal Flush – 1 credit = 25/ 2 credits = 50/ 3 credits = 75/ 4 credits = 100/ 5 credits = 125
Wild Royal Flush – 1 credit = 15/ 2 credits = 30/ 3 credits = 45/ 4 credits = 60/ 5 credits = 75
Straight Flush – 1 credit = 9/ 2 credits = 18/ 3 credits = 27/ 4 credits = 36/ 5 credits = 45
Four of a Kind – 1 credit = 5/ 2 credits = 10/ 3 credits = 15/ 4 credits = 20/ 5 credits = 25
Full House – 1 credit = 3/ 2 credits = 6/ 3 credits = 9/ 4 credits = 12/ 5 credits = 15
Flush – 1 credit = 2/ 2 credits = 4/ 3 credits = 6/ 4 credits = 8/ 5 credits = 10
Straight – 1 credit = 2/ 2 credits = 4/ 3 credits = 6/ 4 credits = 8/ 5 credits = 10
Three of a Kind – 1 credit = 1/ 2 credits = 2/ 3 credits = 3/ 4 credits = 4/ 5 credits = 5
Theoretical Return – 1 credit = 99. 679 percent / 2 credits = 99. 679 percent/ 3 credits = 99. 679 percent/ 4 credits = 99. 679 percent/ 5 credits = 100. 762 percent

Full Play Bonus Poker is just like all the other variations of video poker in that it is based on Full Play Jacks or Better, but Full Play Bonus Poker offers a higher pay out percentage for four of a kind. In the game the player is dealt out five cards and then can choose which cards to keep or discard. Like in real five card draw poker, new cards will be dealt out accordingly. The final part of this game is when the final hand must consist of a pair of jacks or better in order to win. The game Full Pay Bonus Poker has multiple versions featuring different bonus pay outs based on the ranking of the four of a kind.

One of the most popular versions of full pay video poker is Full Pay Double Bonus. This variation of the game has a special bonus pay out for four aces. This variation offers up to a theoretical return of one hundred point one thousand seven hundred and twenty-five percent if it is played with perfect strategy. Needless to say, it is also available with other pay schedules that have lesser theoretical returns. Below is a table on how many credits with what hand will give a player a higher pay out and a certain percentage. One thing you will notice is that the pay off for a royal flush played with four credits versus one with five credits has a huge gap. The pay off schedule for most video poker game machines has a gap like this so that players who do not play with the maximum number of credits at a time are playing with a smaller theoretical return.

Royal Flush – 1 credit = 250/ 2 credits = 500/ 3 credits = 750/ 4 credits = 1000/ 5 credits = 4000
Straight Flush – 1 credit = 50/ 2 credits = 100/ 3 credits = 150/ 4 credits = 200/ 5 credits = 250
Four Aces – 1 credit = 160/ 2 credits = 320/ 3 credits = 480/ 4 credits = 640/ 5 credits = 800
Four 2, 3, or 4 – 1 credit = 80/ 2 credits = 160/ 3 credits = 240/ 4 credits = 320/ 5 credits = 400
Four 5 - K – 1 credit = 50/ 2 credits = 100/ 3 credits = 150/ 4 credits = 200/ 5 credits = 250
Full House – 1 credit = 10/ 2 credits = 20/ 3 credits = 30/ 4 credits = 40/ 5 credits = 50
Flush – 1 credit = 7/ 2 credits = 14/ 3 credits = 21/ 4 credits = 28/ 5 credits = 35
Straight – 1 credit = 5/ 2 credits = 10/ 3 credits = 15/ 4 credits = 20/ 5 credits = 25
Three of a Kind – 1 credit = 3/ 2 credits = 6/ 3 credits = 9/ 4 credits = 12/ 5 credits = 15
Two Pair – 1 credit = 1/ 2 credits = 2/ 3 credits = 3/ 4 credits = 4/ 5 credits = 5
Jacks or Better – 1 credit = 1/ 2 credits = 2/ 3 credits = 3/ 4 credits = 4/ 5 credits = 5
Theoretical Return – 1 credit = 99. 1079 percent / 2 credits = 99. 1079 percent/ 3 credits = 99. 1079 percent/ 4 credits = 99. 1079 percent/ 5 credits = 100. 1725 percent

The Full Pay Double Double Bonus video poker is (surprise!), a variation of Full Pay Jacks or Better. This version of the full pay video poker game offers bonus pay offs for different kinds of four of a kinds, as seen in the pay out bullets below. Full Pay Double Double Bonus can be found with pay schedules that offer up to a theoretical return of one hundred point sixty-seven tenths of a percent, when played with perfect strategy. It is also available with other pay schedules that have lesser theoretical returns. Below is a table on how many credits with what hand will give a player a higher pay out and a certain percentage. One thing you will notice is that the pay off for a royal flush played with four credits versus one with five credits has a huge gap. The pay off schedule for most video poker game machines has a gap like this so that players who do not play with the maximum number of credits at a time are playing with a smaller theoretical return.

Royal Flush – 1 credit = 250/ 2 credits = 500/ 3 credits = 750/ 4 credits = 1000/ 5 credits = 4000
Straight Flush – 1 credit = 50/ 2 credits = 100/ 3 credits = 150/ 4 credits = 200/ 5 credits = 250
Four Aces with a 2, 3, or 4 – 1 credit = 400/ 2 credits = 800/ 3 credits = 1200/ 4 credits = 1600/ 5 credits = 2000
Four 2, 3, or 4 with A - 4 – 1 credit = 160/ 2 credits = 320/ 3 credits = 480/ 4 credits = 640/ 5 credits = 800
Four Aces – 1 credit = 160/ 2 credits = 320/ 3 credits = 480/ 4 credits = 640/ 5 credits = 800
Four 2, 3, or 4 – 1 credit = 80/ 2 credits = 160/ 3 credits = 240/ 4 credits = 320/ 5 credits = 400
Four 5 - K – 1 credit = 50/ 2 credits = 100/ 3 credits = 150/ 4 credits = 200/ 5 credits = 250
Full House – 1 credit = 10/ 2 credits = 20/ 3 credits = 30/ 4 credits = 40/ 5 credits = 50
Flush – 1 credit = 6/ 2 credits = 12/ 3 credits = 18/ 4 credits = 24/ 5 credits = 30
Straight – 1 credit = 4/ 2 credits = 8/ 3 credits = 12/ 4 credits = 16/ 5 credits = 20
Three of a Kind – 1 credit = 3/ 2 credits = 6/ 3 credits = 9/ 4 credits = 12/ 5 credits = 15
Two Pair – 1 credit = 1/ 2 credits = 2/ 3 credits = 3/ 4 credits = 4/ 5 credits = 5
Jacks or Better – 1 credit = 1/ 2 credits = 2/ 3 credits = 3/ 4 credits = 4/ 5 credits = 5
Theoretical Return – 1 credit = 98. 9154 percent / 2 credits = 98. 9154 percent/ 3 credits = 98. 9154 percent/ 4 credits = 98. 9154 percent/ 5 credits = 100. 067 percent

There are many other kinds of video poker game machines that only have positive theoretical returns when the progressive jackpot is high enough. Many internet gambling sites will advertise with colored banners when the progressive banner is high enough, because it will bring in a large amount of new players. It would even coerce old players to stick around a little longer to try and win the rising amount of money. Otherwise games that are not the perfect match, like eight fifths jacks or better, can become positive expectation when the jackpot is large enough. It is important to remember that when a player is looking for a full pay video poker game machine to look off the Las Vegas Strip as the strip will offer less attractive video poker pay schedules. If a player is looking on the World Wide Web then it is best to look for brand new internet gaming sites that are just starting out or very well established online casinos that know what they are doing and can afford the positive expectation.

Many casinos, whether they are online or land based, offer free memberships into their player’s club, slot club, or VIP clubs. Being a member in one of these clubs will surely grant the player at least a small percentage of the amount of money that is bet in the form of complimentary points. Brick and mortar casinos will be able to offer more of a variety of complimentary items such as food, drinks, hotel rooms, or merchandise, but both casino venues will be able to offer cash back. This however is not the norm. Sometimes the cash that is given back has the constraint that it must be redeemed at a later date. While playing online it is far easier to track what a player is playing than in a real live casino. Because of this tracking issue land based casinos will give their members club cards so that they can enter them directly into the video poker game machine. This monitoring of a player is to see how long a player plays or how much they bet so that it will be easier to identify when the player has accrued enough comp points to be eligible for additional complimentary gifts or prizes. Comp points or cash back from these clubs can make a significant difference in the theoretical return when playing video poker over a long period of time. A player could turn a negative theoretical return into a positive theoretical return just by taking the time to play a few rounds of a video poker game machine. All of this by playing a video poker game online or by using a club card at a video poker game machine in a brick and mortar casino.

Video poker is a fun alternate play style for all those who enjoy five card draw poker. It is not as stressful and it can certainly win you a good chunk of money.