Pokermonia Jacks or Better Draw Poker with Progressive Jackpot for Selected Suited Sequential and None-Selected Suited Sequential Royal Flush— Jackpot starts at $100,000 95.8% to 98.5% Payback

(Note: The machine designates which sequential royal flush it will pay the jackpot to. All other sequential royal flushes are paid a secondary jackpot. What are the odds of getting a preselected sequential? Hold your breath—it's 17,000,000 to one! Any other sequential is a mere 4,700,000 to one. By way of comparison, the New York State Lottery odds are 12,900,000 to one and its jackpot starts at $2,500,000 and sometimes goes higher than the $40,000,000 mark.)

Selected Sequential
Royal Flush …….Main Progressive Jackpot
Sequential Royal . . Second Progressive Jackpot
Royal Flush……………………800
Straight Flush…………………..50
Four of a Kind ………………….25
Full House ……………………..6
Flush …………………………5
Straight ……………………….4
Three of a Kind ………………….3
Two Pairs………………………2
jacks or Better……………………1

Strategy for Pokermania
1. All pat hands…stand
2. Four cards in sequence of selected suit…draw one card (break anything else including a straight flush, flush or straight)
3. Three cards in sequence of selected suit.. .draw two cards (break anything else including a straight flush, flush or straight)
4. Four cards in sequence of non-selected suit.. .draw one card (break anything else including a straight flush, flush or straight)
5. Four cards to a royal flush…draw one card (break anything else including a flush or straight)
6. Two cards in sequence of selected suit.. .draw three cards (break anything else, including a straight, except hands above)
7. Three of a kind.. .draw two cards
8. Four cards to a straight flush.. .draw one card (break anything else except hands above)
9. Three cards to a non-selected sequential royal flush.. .draw two cards (break anything else except hands above)
10. Two pairs.. .draw one card
11. Four cards to a straight flush—inside draw…draw one card (break anything else except hands above)
12. Jacks or better…draw three cards (break anything else except hands above)
13. Three cards to a royal flush…draw two cards (break anything else except hands above)
14. Four cards to a flush.. .draw one card (break anything else except hands above)
15. Four cards to a straight with two or three high cards— outside draw…draw one card (break anything else except hands above)
16. Low pair…draw three cards (break anything else except hands above)
17. Four cards to a straight with fewer than two high cards— outside draw…draw one card (break anything else except hands above)
18. Three cards to a straight flush…draw two cards (break anything else except hands above)
19. Two cards to a non-selected royal flush with no ace or ten.. .draw three cards (break anything else except hands above)
20. Four cards to a straight with ace high—inside draw.. .draw one card (break anything else except hands above)
21. Two cards to a royal flush…draw three cards (break anything else except hands above)
22. Four cards to a straight—inside draw…draw one card (break anything else except hands above)
23. Any card of selected sequential royal in the proper sequence., .draw four cards (break anything else except hands above)
24. One, two or three high cards…draw four, three or two cards
25. All other hands…discard and draw five cards

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Megapoker jacks or Better Linked Progressive with $20,000
starting jackpot 97.6% to 98.26% Payback

Royal Flush in sequence . . Progressive Jackpot
Royal Flush……………………800
Straight Flush…………………..50
Four of a Kind ………………….25
Full House ……………………..8
Flush …………………………5
Straight ……………………….4
Three of a Kind ………………….3
Two Pairs………………………2
Jacks or Better …………………..1

Strategy for Megapoker
1. All pat hands…stand
2. Three or four cards to a sequential royal flush…draw
two or one cards (break anything else including a flush or straight)
3. Four cards to a royal flush…draw one card (break any-tliing else including a flush or straight)
4. Three of a kind…draw two cards
5. Four cards to a straight flush.. .draw one card (break anything except hands above)
6. Two pairs.. .draw one card
7. Four cards to a straight flush—inside draw…draw one card (break anything except hands above)
8. Jacks or better…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
9. Three cards to a royal flush…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
10. Four cards to a flush.. .draw one card (break anything except hands above)
11. Two cards to a sequential royal flush…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
12. Four cards to a straight with two or three high cards— outside draw…draw one car (break anything except hands above)
13. Low pair.. .draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
14. Four cards to a straight—outside draw…draw one card
(break anything except hands above)
15. Three cards to a straight flush—inside or outside draw.. .draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
16. Four cards to a straight with ace high—inside draw .. .draw one card (break anything except hands above)
17. Two cards to a royal flush.. .draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
18. One, two, or three high cards…draw four, three, or two cards (break anything except hands above)
19. Four cards to a straight with three high cards—inside draw.. .draw one card (break anything except hands above)
20. Three cards to a straight flush—inside draws.. .draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
21. All other hands.. .discard and draw five cards

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All American (or 'Gator Poker) 8/8 Jacks or Better Draw Poker with 4,000 coins for Royal Flush 100.7% Payback

Royal Flush……………………800
Straight Flush………………….200
Four of a Kind ………………….40
Full House ……………………..8
Flush …………………………8
Straight ……………………….8
Three of a Kind ………………….3
Two Pairs………………………1
Jacks or better …………………..1

Strategy for Ail-American or 'Gator Poker
1. All pat hands…stand
2. Four cards to a royal flush…draw one card (break anything else including a flush or straight)
3. Four cards to a straight flush.. .draw one card (break anything else including a flush or straight)
4. Three of a kind…draw two cards
5. Three cards to a royal flush…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
6. Two pairs.. .draw one card (break anything except hands above)
7. Four cards to a flush…draw one card (break anything except hands above)
8. Four cards to a straight—outside draw…draw one card (break anything except hands above)
9. Pair of jacks or better.. .draw three cards (break am/thing except hands above)
10. Three cards to a straight flush…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
11. Four cards to a straight—inside draw…draw one card (break anything except hands above)
12. Three cards to a straight flush—double inside draw .. .draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
13. Low pair…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
14. Two cards to the royal flush with no 10…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
15. Three cards to a straight (10, jack, queen)…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
16. Three high cards with no ace.. .draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
17. Three cards to a flush with one or two high cards.. .draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
18. Three high cards including ace…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
19. Three card straight (nine, ten, jack)…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
20. Two cards to the royal flush with a 10…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
21. One or two high cards…draw four or three cards (break anytliing except hands above)
22. Ace-10 of the same suit.. .draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
23. Three cards to a straight.. .draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
24. Three cards to a flush…draw two cards (break anytliing except hands abozv)
25. Two cards to a straight flush…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
26. All other hands…discard and draw five cards

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8/5 Jacks or Better Four of a Kind Bonus Draw Poker with 4,000 coins for Royal Flush 98.3% Payback

Royal Flush……………………800
Straight Flush………………….100
Four Aces……………………..50
Four 2's, 3's, 4's…………………40
Four of a Kind ………………….20
Full House ……………………..8
Flush …………………………5
Straight ……………………….4
Three of a Kind ………………….3
Two Pairs………………………2
Jacks or better …………………..1

Strategy for 8/5 Four of a Kind Bonus Poker
1 All pat hands…stand
2. Four cards to a royal flush…draw one card (break anything else including a flush or straight)
3. Four cards to a straight flush.. .draw one card (break anything else)
4. Three of a kind…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
5. Four cards to a straight flush—inside draw…draw one card (break anything except hands above)
6. Two pairs.. .draw one card (break anything except hands above)
7. Pair of jacks or better…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
8. Three cards to the royal flush…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
9. Four cards to a flush…draw one card (break anything except hands above)
10. Four cards to a straight with two or three high cards— outside draw.. .draw one card (break anything except hands above)
11. Low pair…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
12. Three cards to a straight flush—with one or more high cards—inside or outside draw…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
13. Four cards to a straight with one or no high cards—outside draw…draw one card (break anything except hands above)
14. Three card straight flush—inside or outside draw.. .draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
15. Four cards to a straight with ace high—inside draw …draw one card (break anything except hands above)
16. Two cards to the royal flush.. .draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
17. Three cards to a straight flush—double inside draw .. .draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
18. One, two, or three high cards…draw four, three or two cards (break anything except hands above)
19. Four cards to a straight with three high cards—inside draw…draw one card (break anything except hands above)
20. All other hands…discard and draw five cards

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High-Low Royal Flush Jacks or Better Draw Poker with 4,000 coins for Royal Flush and for Low Royal (2-6) Flush 99.1 % Payback

Royal Flush……………………800
Lo-Royal Flush …………………800
Straight Flush…………………..50
Four of a Kind ………………….40
Full House ……………………..6
Flush …………………………5
Straight ……………………….h
Three of a Kind ………………….3
Two Pairs………………………2
Jacks or better …………………..1

Strategy for High-Low Royal Flush
1. All pat hands…stand
2. Four cards to a low royal.. .draw one card (break anything else including a flush or straight)
3. Four cards to a royal flush…draw one card (break anything else including a flush or straight)
4. Three of a kind…draw two cards
5. Four cards to a straight flush—inside or outside draw…draw one card (break anything else)
6. Two pairs…draw one card
7. Pair of jacks or better…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
8. Three cards to a low royal or a royal flush…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
9. Four cards to a flush.. .draw one card (break anything except hands above)
10. Four cards to a straight with three high cards.. .draw one card (break anything except hands above)
11. Low pair…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
12. Four cards to a straight—outside draw…draw one card (break anything except hands above)
13. Three cards to a straight flush…draw two cards (break anything except hands above)
14. Two cards to a royal flush…draw three cards (break anything except hands above)
15. Four cards to a straight—inside draw…draw one card (break anything except hands above)
16. Three cards to a straight flush—double inside draw .. .draw two cards (break anything except hands above)

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However, we are not interested in playing this machine or any video-poker machine for less than full coin, so we are only interested in the five-coin line. Here we see that all the five-coin hands are merely multiples of the first line (i.e., the full house is nine coins on line one and five times that on line five, 45 coins) except for the royal flush line, which is 4,700 coins. The shorthand we will use in this book, therefore, is to divide the royal flush (or any special bonus hand) by whatever the total maximum coin is (in this case five) to arrive at a payscale that can be easily read. So, my description of the above machine will read as follows:

Jacks or Better Draw Poker 9/6 Machine with 4,700 coins for Royal Flush 99.85 % Payback
Royal Flush……………………940
Straight Flush…………………..50
Four of a Kind ………………….25
Full House ……………………..9
Flush …………………………6
Straight ……………………….4
Three of a Kind ………………….3
Two Pairs………………………2
Pair of Jacks or better………………1

You will note that we have simply divided the 4,700 coin payout of the royal flush on the fifth line by five, getting 940. The other lines reflect their line one payouts since these stay proportionally the same on the all-important line five. This is the common construction for describing video-poker machines. For those of you who wish to read other books on the topic (see "Recommended Reading" in the appendix), you will find that most video-poker authors use it in describing machines.

Still, with over a hundred varieties of video poker to choose from, what is the weary though wary player to do? It's relatively easy, really.

Pick the best version of the game you enjoy playing and stick to playing that version of that game. Forget all the rest. Become an expert in that one version of the game. Do this and you can not only have your game but beat it too. If playing one game is not to your liking then select the best versions of two or three games and play exclusively on those. This in and of itself is the most important factor for the video-poker player. Do not become lost in the jungle of options that the casinos plant before you. Most of the games aren't worth playing. However, for most locations in the country, you will be able to find some wheat sprinkled amongst the chaff to make your video-poker playing experience enjoyable and rewarding.

While you, as a player, face the task of deciding which video-poker games to play, I, as a writer, have to decide which video-poker games to analyze and offer strategies for. Would I be doing anyone a service by offering the correct strategy for playing a machine that returns 88 percent when right next to it will be a machine of the same general type paying 99 percent or more? Who are my readers anyway? The fact that you are reading this book is prima facie evidence that you desire to win. You obviously aren't one of the hordes who wander through the casinos and plop yourself down at any machine on a whim and a prayer. So why should I waste my time and your time with strategies for machines you or I wouldn't (or shouldn't) be caught dead playing?

So I won't.
What I shall do is this: I'll offer solid strategies for the best-paying machines of the various games. For the poorer versions of these games, I will alert you to the percentages you face should you decide (sadly) to play these versions. I'll take a rather arbitrary definition of "best machine" and postulate that any machine version of video poker that returns 98% or more is a good bet. These will be my "Group A" machines. "Group B" will be machines that you can play if none of the "Group A" machines are available in your area. The percentages for "Group B" machines will range between 95% and 97.9%. "Group C" are machines that I don't recommend, machines that fall under 94.9% percent return, but I'll alert you to their paybacks so you will be able to recognize them and avoid them. Next, I shall spend some time on proper money-management techniques, bankroll requirements and mental preparation.

Remember: I want you to have victory at video poker and to do this you have to know which battles are worth fighting and which you should retreat from.

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You are now entering an Alice-in-Wonderland world where, to quote Macbeth, "nothing is but what is not." Not all video-poker games are created equal. Even games with the same names on identical-looking machines are not necessarily the same game calling for the same strategies because the payout scale is different. The key variable in video poker of any type is the payout scale. For example, there are more than 20 varieties of Joker Wild Poker (Joker Poker) machines in operation. Yet, a close look at their payout scales shows that all are different in terms of the house's edge over the player—even if they appear to be the identical Joker Wild Game (for example: Joker Wild Jacks or Better). These payback percentages range from 102 percent (the player will get back $1.02 for every dollar put in the machine in the long run) to 88 percent (the player will get 88 cents back for every dollar put in the machine)—and this assumes that the player plays a perfect strategy for that machine. That's some big difference. You have to play perfectly to get back 88 percent? Yuck!

And the same holds true on the myriad machines and versions of machines throughout the video-poker world.

Indeed, at present count, over one hundred different video-poker games can be currently found on the floors of America's and the world's casinos. Many of these are variations of the following types: Jacks or Better Draw Poker, Tens or Better Draw Poker, Deuces Wild Poker, Joker Wild Poker (Joker Poker), and Deuces and Joker Wild Poker. Sometimes machines can be found that have bonus hands, second chance options and the like. To offer such options, the pay scale for the other hands has to be downgraded; more often than not such downgrading will totally eliminate the player's previous edge on this type of machine. Be doubly cautious because machines with the exact same names (say, All-American Draw Poker) can offer different payouts. You must read the payout schedule to know if a rose by the same name is a sweet-smelling flower or a horrible stinkweed. In video poker, what's in a name? Very little. It's the numbers that count. So pay attention to the payout scale.
It is also important to understand how to read a payout scale properly.

If we take the typical full-pay Jacks or Better, five-coin maximum machine, the payout will look like this:

Hand 1 coin 2 coin 3 coin 4 coin 5 coin
Royal Flush 250 500 750 1000 4700
Straight Flush 50 100 150 200 250
Four of a Kind 25 50 75 100 125
Full House 9 18 27 36 45
Flush 6 12 18 24 30
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
Three of a Kind 3 6 9 12 15
Two Pairs 2 4 6 8 10
jacks or better 1 2 3 4 5

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