Video poker has a lot in common with straight poker, like the odds of winning and the types of hands you need in order to win. Just like playing at a standard poker table, there are ways to get the best video poker odds. Here are a few tips to help you get ahead.

Choosing Your Game

The strategy used for Jacks or Better is different than the strategy for Deuces Wild because the alternate rules result in different video poker odds. Looking at a game's payout table helps when trying to decide what to play. The payout table shows the winning combinations and how much those combinations pay to a winner. One of the exciting things that video poker games offer is that some provide a bigger and better return back to the players.

Reading the Pay Table

It is very simple to choose which game has the higher payouts from the pay tables. Always check what numbers are in the first column. The best video poker odds are 10 to 7 or 9 to 7, because they payout over 100%. Of course, this doesn't mean you always win, but rather, it means that when you win, the amount of money you get is often more than double what you bet.

On average, if you were to play 50,000 hands, the odds say that you will have won every possible hand combination, including the royal flush. A skilled video poker player can play up to 750 hands an hour due to how fast video poker machines can deal. Understanding your payout table and playing intelligently are the most effective ways to find the best video poker odds.