Video poker stands out among casino games for its unique combination of chance and skill. Unlike slot machines, player decisions directly impact long-term return rates. The optimal play strategy involves understanding hand rankings, calculating expected value, and making mathematically sound decisions for every possible situation.
The return percentage in video poker depends entirely on three factors: the pay table structure, your knowledge of optimal strategy, and your consistent execution of that strategy. Professional video poker players achieve return rates of 99-102% on specific pay tables by memorizing strategy charts and never deviating from mathematically optimal play.
Pay tables vary significantly between machines and casinos. A "full-pay" Jacks or Better machine returns approximately 99.5% with perfect play, while a "short-pay" version might return only 96-98%. The difference between full-pay and short-pay machines on the same game can mean hundreds of dollars over thousands of hands.
Optimal strategy dictates which cards to hold in every possible five-card hand. The general hierarchy prioritizes: royal flushes, straight flushes, four-of-a-kind, full houses, flushes, straights, three-of-a-kind, two pair, and one pair. However, the exact holding decision depends on the specific pay table and the probability of completing stronger hands after the discard.
Hand probability calculations are fundamental to optimal play. For example, with four cards to a flush, your probability of completing the flush on the draw is approximately 35%. Meanwhile, holding three cards to a flush while discarding one or two other cards significantly reduces your equity. Strategy charts account for these probabilities and guide you toward the decision that maximizes expected value.