Bet Max In Video Poker

Tip Category: Video Poker

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The major decision players make in video poker is which cards to hold after the cards are dealt. However there is an important decision that is made before that. Unfortunately many new players do not realize the significance of that decision.

This decision is how many coins to wager. Players can bet up to 5 coins in most online video poker games. One coin is wagered by clicking the "Bet One" button once. Two coins are wagered by clicking the "Bet One" button twice and so on. For wagering five coins players can simply click the "Bet Max" button. Many new players prefer to wager one coin at a time. That way they can get more deals and thus stretch their bankroll for more time. They are under the impression that it makes no difference to their expected payout whether they wager one coin or five. In this they are wrong and they have obviously not studied the payout table.

The payout table in video poker has six columns. In the first column are listed the various poker hands that result in a payout. The next five columns give the payouts for wagers of one to five coins. The concept is being illustrated for the most common game in video poker, Jacks or Better, but it applies to the payout tables of all video poker games. The payout for getting jacks or better with one coin is 1. The payout for getting jacks or better with five coins is 5, which is five times the earlier payout. The payout for getting two pairs with one coin is 2. The payout for getting two pairs with five coins is 10, which is five times the earlier payout. This is valid for all hands till straight flush. But with the highest possible hand, royal flush, things become different. The payout for getting royal flush with one coin is 250. The payout for getting royal flush with five coins is 4,000, which is sixteen times the earlier payout and not the usual five times. Five times the payout would have been only 1,250. Therefore by not betting with five coins players lose the advantage of a more than proportionate payout on the royal flush. And if there is a progressive jackpot to be won on the royal flush then it is hit only if five coins are wagered.

Some players argue that the probability of getting a royal flush is so low that the actual advantage is minimal. They are correct, but good wagering is about exploiting these minimal advantages especially when you have nothing to lose. Yes, you will be able to play fewer deals but that is not a monetary disadvantage. It can be compensated by reducing the coin denomination. Instead of wagering with one coin of $1 denomination if you wager with five coins of $0.20 denomination you can set right the equation and get back to the number of deals you planned for. But it would be foolish to give up the advantage that the casino offers on the royal flush with five coins.