Bankroll
The total amount of money a player has set aside specifically for playing video poker. Proper bankroll management is essential for sustained play and surviving natural variance swings.Example: A common rule of thumb is to have a bankroll of at least 1,000 max bets for your chosen denomination.
Bet Max
A button that automatically wagers the maximum number of coins (usually 5) per hand. Playing max bet is strongly recommended because it qualifies the player for the enhanced royal flush jackpot of 4,000 coins instead of 1,250.Example: On a quarter machine, max bet is 5 coins = $1.25 per hand.
Bonus Poker
A video poker variant based on Jacks or Better that offers enhanced payouts for four-of-a-kind hands, with different bonus amounts depending on the rank of the four matching cards. Four aces pays the highest bonus.
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Bust
To lose all credits or bankroll during a video poker session. Also refers to a hand that fails to achieve a minimum qualifying payout combination.
Coins
The unit of wager in video poker. Most machines accept 1 to 5 coins per hand. Betting 5 coins (max bet) activates the bonus payout for a royal flush, which pays 800-to-1 instead of 250-to-1.
Credits
The balance displayed on the video poker machine representing the player's available funds. Credits are used to place bets and are increased by winning hands. One credit equals one coin at the selected denomination.
Cycle
The statistically average number of hands required to hit a specific hand combination. The cycle does not guarantee a win within that number of hands; it is a long-term average.Example: The royal flush cycle in Jacks or Better is approximately 40,000 hands with optimal play.
Deal
The initial distribution of five cards to the player at the start of a video poker hand. After the deal, the player evaluates the hand and decides which cards to hold and which to discard.
Deuces Wild
A popular video poker variant where all four 2s (deuces) act as wild cards and can substitute for any other card to form winning hands. The minimum paying hand is typically three of a kind.
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Discard
To release one or more cards from the initial five-card hand in order to receive replacement cards on the draw. Cards not selected to hold are automatically discarded. You can discard anywhere from zero to all five cards.
Double Bonus Poker
A Jacks or Better variant offering significantly increased payouts for four-of-a-kind hands, with the highest bonus paid for four aces. The enhanced four-of-a-kind payouts come at the cost of a reduced two-pair payout (1-for-1).
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Double Down
A feature in some video poker machines that allows the player to risk their winnings from a hand in an attempt to double the payout, usually by guessing the outcome of a card comparison.
Double Up
A gamble feature offered after a winning hand where the player can attempt to double their payout. Typically, the player must guess whether a randomly drawn card will be higher than the dealer's revealed card. This is a 50/50 proposition with no house edge.
Draw
The second phase of a video poker hand where discarded cards are replaced with new cards from the remaining deck. The resulting five-card hand after the draw determines the final payout.
Edge
The mathematical advantage one side has over the other. House edge is the casino's built-in advantage; a positive player edge exists in certain full-pay video poker games when played with perfect optimal strategy.
Expected Value (EV)
The average amount a player can expect to win or lose on a particular play or decision, expressed as a mathematical value. EV is used to rank possible holds and determine optimal strategy for each hand.Example: Holding a pair of jacks in Jacks or Better has an EV of approximately 1.54, meaning you can expect to get back $1.54 for every $1 wagered on average.
Expected Return
The theoretical percentage of total money wagered that a video poker game will pay back over time when played with optimal strategy. Also known as Return to Player (RTP).Example: Full-pay Jacks or Better (9/6) has an expected return of 99.54%.
Gamble Feature
An optional bonus round presented after a winning hand that lets the player risk their winnings for a chance to double them. Usually involves guessing the color or suit of a hidden card. Also called Double Up or Double Down.
Game Cycle
The theoretical number of unique hand outcomes possible in a video poker game. In a standard 52-card game, there are 2,598,960 possible five-card combinations, and each draw combination further expands the total outcomes.
Hand
A single round of video poker play, from the initial deal through the draw to the final payout evaluation. Also refers to the five cards the player holds at any given point.
High Card
A hand that contains no qualifying winning combination. In most video poker games, a high-card hand is a non-paying result. The term also refers to the highest single card in a hand when no other poker combination is formed.
High Pair
A pair of jacks, queens, kings, or aces in
Jacks or Better and related games. This is the minimum paying hand in most standard video poker variants, returning the original bet (1-for-1).
Hold
To keep a card from the initial deal rather than discarding it. Players select which cards to hold before drawing replacements. The decision of which cards to hold is the core strategic element of video poker.
House Edge
The mathematical advantage the casino has over the player, expressed as a percentage of each bet. A game with 99.5% return has a 0.5% house edge. Lower house edge games are more favorable for the player.Example: Full-pay Jacks or Better has only a 0.46% house edge with optimal play.
Max Bet
The maximum number of coins that can be wagered on a single hand, typically 5 coins. Playing max bet is essential to receive the full royal flush bonus payout of 4,000 coins rather than the proportional 1,250 coins.
Multi-Hand
A video poker format where the player plays multiple hands simultaneously from the same initial deal. After choosing which cards to hold, each hand draws independently from its own separate deck. Common configurations include 3-hand, 5-hand, 10-hand, 50-hand, and 100-hand.
Odds
The mathematical probability of being dealt or drawing a specific hand. Odds are used to calculate expected value and determine optimal playing strategy for each video poker variant.Example: The odds of being dealt a royal flush on the initial deal are approximately 1 in 649,740.
Optimal Strategy
The mathematically perfect set of hold/discard decisions for every possible hand in a video poker game. Following optimal strategy maximizes the expected return to the player and minimizes the house edge. Each variant has its own unique optimal strategy.
Pat Hand
A hand that is already complete and strong enough after the initial deal that no cards need to be drawn. Holding all five cards is called standing pat.Example: Being dealt Q♥ J♥ 10♥ 9♥ 8♥ (a straight flush) on the initial deal is a pat hand.
Pay Table
The chart displayed on a video poker machine showing the payout for each winning hand combination at each bet level. The pay table is the single most important factor in determining a game's expected return. Always check the pay table before playing.
Payout Percentage
The theoretical long-term return of a video poker game expressed as a percentage of total money wagered. Also known as Return to Player (RTP) or Expected Return.Example: A 99.54% payout percentage means the game returns $99.54 for every $100 wagered on average over millions of hands.
Progressive
A video poker machine or game where the jackpot increases incrementally as players make bets, until someone hits the qualifying hand (usually a royal flush). The progressive meter continuously grows until won, then resets to a base amount.
Return to Player (RTP)
The percentage of all wagered money that a video poker game will theoretically pay back to players over time when played with optimal strategy. Higher RTP means a lower house edge and a better game for the player.Example: Full-pay Deuces Wild has an RTP of 100.76%, meaning it theoretically favors the player with perfect strategy.
Royal Flush
The highest-ranking hand in video poker: ace, king, queen, jack, and ten all of the same suit. Pays 800-to-1 on max bet (4,000 coins for 5 coins wagered) in most standard games. The royal flush is the most sought-after hand in all of video poker.Example: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ is a royal flush in spades.
Short Pay
A video poker machine with a reduced pay table compared to the full-pay version of the same game. Short-pay games have a lower expected return and higher house edge. Identifying and avoiding short-pay games is essential to good video poker play.Example: A 8/5 Jacks or Better machine (8 for full house, 5 for flush) is short-pay compared to the full-pay 9/6 version.
Straight
Five cards in sequential rank order but not all of the same suit. An ace can be used as high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (A-2-3-4-5). Pays 4 coins per coin bet in standard Jacks or Better.Example: 5♠ 6♥ 7♦ 8♣ 9♠ is a straight (five through nine).
Straight Flush
Five cards in sequential rank order all of the same suit. The second-highest paying hand in most video poker games, ranking just below the royal flush. Pays 50 coins per coin bet in standard Jacks or Better.Example: 4♥ 5♥ 6♥ 7♥ 8♥ is a straight flush in hearts.
Strategy Card
A reference card or chart listing the optimal hold/discard decisions for every possible hand in a specific video poker variant, ranked by expected value from highest to lowest. Players compare their dealt hand against the strategy card to determine the best play.