Tips for Occassional Casino Goers
June 16, 2008
There are plenty of players out there who only occasionally make a trip to the casino, and we want to make sure that if this is the case for you then you get the most out of your trips. These are three strategies that we think you can put into play right away to win more and have more fun at the casino. Video Poker Over Slots Video Poker gives you the advantage of higher paybacks than if you play slots. If you want to learn more about the game, pick up a few books from the experts and read some...
Quick Video Poker Strategy
May 21, 2008
Here is a couple of quick answers to Jacks-or-better video poker strategy questions such as which is the better draw: an open-end 4-card straight versus no high cards, one high card, two high cards or three high cards? A low pair opposed to two high cards? Two cards to a royal flush against a high pair (a winning hand), and three cards to a royal versus a high pair? Casino expert Mark Pilarski weighs in on these answers which should help you get a quick grasp on how to lower the house edge on the...
Jacks or Better Payouts
May 21, 2008
Jacks-or-better video poker machines have different paytables with the main difference being how much you are paid for a full house. The key to playing video poker is to make sure that you are getting the best return for your money possible. Most of the time, the higher the payout for a full house and a flush, the greater the return. Let’s look at the payouts: 9 for a full house, 6 for a flush has a 99.5 percent return 8 for a full house, 5 for a flush has a 97.4 percent return 7 for a full...
Video Poker Three of a Kind Improving
May 21, 2008
There is one hand that personally vexes me when playing video poker and that is when I get three of a kind. It seems that when I need to draw two cards, I rarely get a full house or even a four of a kind. The odds didn’t seem like they would be that good of improving since there are not a lot of cards out there to help improve the hand, so I decided to do some research and find out the true odds of improvement. I found out that while improving shouldn’t be expected, drawing to a full...
Video Poker Starting Hands - Jack - Ace
May 21, 2008
In video poker, which start-up hand is more valuable, one with an ace or one with a jack? Most people would probably instinctively say the Ace since it’s the higher card, but the Jack has more playing hands that go with it. Also, what do you think of two aces against two Jacks for a starting hand? Let’s see what casino expert Mark Pilarski has to say. Get up to 145% in Bonuses at BetUS! In Jacks-or-better video poker a lone Jack is worth more than a single Ace. True, paired up after...
Four Aces & Joker in Video Poker
May 20, 2008
A few weeks ago while playing video poker I got four aces and a joker before the draw, so I wanted to do a little research on those odds. Here is what I found: The probability of being dealt 5-Aces (53-card deck-including the Joker) before the draw are 2,869,684 to one. If you are playing on the same type of machine and receive four to a royal and the joker dealt naturally the odds on that hand would be 119,569 to one. Popularity: 2% [?] Read More →
Video Poker & Comps
May 20, 2008
If you factor in the comps that you receive from the casino, then you will find yourself in the positive over the long haul if you play perfectly on a full-pay Jack-or-better machine that pays nine coins for a full house and six coins for a flush. The key is to use a casino slot card to get credit for your play because in the United States alone, casinos give away over a billion dollars in comps each year. The amount of the comp is usually based off of the number of coins you cycles through the...
Drawing to Inside Straights in Video Poker
May 14, 2008
We frequently get questions from visitors regarding inside straights in video poker. Some people think that there are times that it is acceptable to draw one, and other people think that there is never a situation in which it would be appropriate. Let’s take a look at an example so we are all on the same page. An inside straight would be a hand like 4-5-7-8, a hand in which you would be hoping to draw a six. Is it smart to keep these cards and try to get the six? Not really, but that...
Odds on Natural Royal Flush in Video Poker
March 8, 2008
You could almost bet someone a large amount that they would never be dealt a natural royal flush on a video poker machine and feel pretty safe that you are never going to have to pay up. With a 52-card deck there are 2,598,960 possible hands, and what you’re asking for is that one of them to be dealt straight away. Those are long, tall odds. And what about all that time and money spent chasing down a natural Royal flush in hearts? Well, here’s the barnyard math. At a buck and a quarter...
Video Poker Odds Royal Flush
March 8, 2008
Doesn’t it seem that every time you are dealt one card short of the royal flush, when you draw you never get the card that you need? It can lead you to believe that the casino controls who and when someone hits the jackpot and takes home the cash. However, casino expert Mark Pilarski is here to deal with this nasty rumor and set you down the right path: I could bore you to tears by trying to explain how the pseudo-random number generator determines the cards you will get, but instead, I’ll...
