If you walk through any casino, past the flashing modern video slots, you will inevitably find rows of old, blocky Video Poker machines.

Playing Video Poker strictly on gut feeling or intuition is a guaranteed way to destroy this massive mathematical advantage and lose your bankroll.

Reading the Video Poker Paytable

The paytable dictates exactly how much each specific poker hand pays out, and it is the sole factor determining the machine’s overall house edge.

This specific machine pays exactly 9 coins for a Full House and 6 coins for a Flush on a single coin bet.

• Always check the payout for a Full House and a Flush before sitting down
• A “9/6” machine (9 for Full House, 6 for Flush) is the gold standard for players
• An “8/5” machine significantly increases the house edge and should be avoided entirely

Why You Must Always Bet Max Coins

However, the payout for the absolute rarest hand, the Royal Flush, is heavily, disproportionately weighted toward the massive 5-coin maximum bet.

If you bet 1 coin, a Royal Flush might pay a disappointing 250 coins.

Playing Like a Video Poker Robot

Professional players memorize complex, rigid strategy charts that rank every possible starting hand from best to worst.

For example, if you are dealt a Low Pair and a Four-Card Flush, the math dictates you must always hold the Pair.

By finding the correct paytable, betting the absolute maximum, and playing flawlessly like a robot, you can nearly eliminate the house edge.