A player who takes time to practice video poker strategy before playing for money is a player more likely to walk away a winner. There are so many options for those who want to practice video poker for free you would be a fool to play without a little strategy training.
Video poker practice options online range from realistic simulators to old-fashioned text file FAQs and advice columns. You can choose a specific program, such as practicing Jacks or Better strategy, or learn more general video poker tips -- either way it is best to dip your toes into the water before you do a belly flop.
Jacks or Better was the original video poker game -- this game is still hugely popular and therefore also widely available. At full pay and played with perfect strategy, a player stands to earn a very respectable 99.54% No amateur will earn that kind of money -- not without practicing video poker strategy.
A solid bet for free video poker strategy is any website you would feel comfortable using for real money play. Think of "play money" games as "free video poker practice". Simple Java versions of games like Deuces Wild or Jacks or Better are available all over the web.
How do I practice video poker for free online? you ask. I suggest starting with a google search. I found thousands of venues offering at least simplistic replicas of video poker machines, all of which allow even amateurs the kind of game opportunity that could cost thousands in misplays.
Each video poker variety and paytable has its own unique strategy. The strategy for Jacks or Better is far different from that for Deuces Wild. And within each style of machine, different paytables can and will have different but easily memorized strategy. As a student of video poker, you will learn to read a paytable by looking at just two payout categories.
There is much to learn, so most experts recommend players concentrate on one or two major games at the outset. Figure out which video poker game you like, play a few free versions online, and then look for free video poker strategy sites related to that game.
If you get bored with that game -- well you lived, you learned, and there are others to choose from.
One nice thing about video poker, compared to slots, is that players can learn the payout percentage of the machine they want to play even before playing. The payout is determined by the pay tables, available for your free viewing pleasure at any strategy site worth its bandwidth.
Compare the pay table to the list at a site like Wizard of Odds and you'll see that the Jacks or Better pay table, as an example, can be played at a rate of up to 99.54%. If the pay table showed only an 8 coin payout for full house and 5 for a flush, it would be a significantly less lucrative 97.3% machine.
Once you've selected a machine and a paytable, you need to know the proper strategy in order to enjoy the highest possible payout. If your strategy is basically "just guess", you might get worse odds at a fair video poker machine than on the tightest of slot machines.
Free strategies for popular video poker games and their paytables are easier to find than Paris Hilton photos, and you can use software such as Frugal Video Poker to generate strategy for any other game and paytable you meet. Strategy to help you play better video poker is out there for the taking.
As you will learn while studying video poker strategy, some machines have a return of over 100% with perfect strategic play -- check out Deuces Wild strategy sites for a machine and strategy tips that will pay up to 100.77%.
Unfortunately, like any business, the casino is interested in keeping money within the four walls. These machines are uncommon, and do you blame the casino? According to SlotAdvisor.com, a video poker player's best bet for finding these Deuces Wild games is in downtown Vegas -- away from the Strip -- or at one of the "local's casinos".
Many a rag-tag casino has attempted to increase its customer base by stocking up on "loose" games. Next time you see video poker machines at your favorite truck stop, take a look at the pay schedule. If you know your video poker strategy, you could earn yourself a free ribeye at very least.
Proper play is essential to perfect video poker strategy -- no laziness. This is not like dieting. If you stop following the system for even a second, you may as well have not wasted your time learning.
The first step in understand strategy in video poker is acknowledging this simple fact: you won't get rich from video poker. Never. Not even if a machine pays 100% or more. Think about it this way: even at a pretty fast pace of 600 hands per hour, at an average of say $1.25 per hand, that's $750 wagered per hour.
If you play perfect strategy, make not a single mistake, and realize your full 0.77% advantage, you stand to earn $5.76 per hour. Heck, these days that's two bucks cheaper than minimum wage. Get your calculator out and check the math.
Don't forget, as even perfect video poker strategy acknowledges the need for ups and downs, you will need a pretty fat bankroll, say several thousand dollars, worth of cash you don't mind burning on the way up -- just to chase that bright and shiny royal flush.
Why make the casino owner richer? Learn free video poker strategy tips, and put a little gas money in your pocket next time you play.
