Most casinos reward video poker players for moving up in limits. An example of this is the $0.25 and $0.50 denominations offering 6/5 Bonus Poker (96.87%), while $1 has 7/5 Bonus Poker (98.01), and $5 going up to 8/5 Bonus Poker (99.17%).
The first number represents the full house payout. The second is a flush. If a pay table described has a third number, it is for a straight that changes from four to five, depending on the denomination.
A player’s instincts may tell them to give the 99.17% game action at the $5 denomination. That is fine if it is a comfortable level with a proper bankroll. However, most players should stick to the quarter game. Here are some reasons why.
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No W2G hands on most quarter video poker
Most quarter video poker games have payouts of $1199 or lower, keeping it under the $1200 W2G taxable threshold. You will even find some $1199 royal flushes. Some downtown Las Vegas bars cap the progressives at $1199.
There is a rare quarter video poker game with a payout of $2500 for the highest jackpot. It is Deuces Joker Wild. This game has five wild cards, which are all the deuces and a joker. A player wins $2500 on the maximum $1.25 bet when making all five wilds. The other way to get a taxable is if the progressive goes over $1199.
Expected loss per hand is lower, even on bad pay tables
The theoretical goal of playing any form of gambling is winning big. However, the realistic goal for most people is staying in the game. If your goal is the former and your bankroll permits, play the better pay tables at higher limits. If your goal is to stay in the game with the best value, stick with lower denomination games. Here are some reasons why.
If you find the Bonus Poker scenario discussed above in a casino, your best return per hand is still the quarter-denomination game. Here are the expected losses per hand in this situation. The math assumes five coins wagered and a perfect strategy used.
- $0.25 6/5 Bonus Poker: $0.039
- $0.50 6/5 Bonus Poker: $0.078
- $1 7/5 Bonus Poker: $0.099
- $2 7/5 Bonus Poker: $0.199
- $5 8/5 Bonus Poker: $0.208
- $25 8/5 Bonus Poker: $1.038
If your preferred game is Double Bonus, you are likely to find 9/6/4 at $0.25 and $0.50, 9/6/5 at $1 and $2, and 9/7 at $5 and higher denominations. This is what the expected loss per hand is on those pay tables and limits using perfect play and betting five coins:
- $0.25 9/6/4 Double Bonus: $0.045
- $0.50 9/6/4 Double Bonus: $0.09
- $1 9/6/5 Double Bonus: $0.107
- $2 9/6/5 Double Bonus: $0.213
- $5 9/7 Double Bonus: $0.223
- $25 9/7 Double Bonus: $1.113
Double Double Bonus is another popular game where the pay tables run like this through the denominations. The $0.25 and $0.50 games are often 8/5. At $1 and $2, it goes up to 9/5. At $5 and higher, 9/6 Double Double Bonus becomes available.
- $0.25 8/5 Double Double Bonus: $0.04
- $0.50 8/5 Double Double Bonus: $0.08
- $1 9/5 Double Double Bonus: $0.11
- $2 9/6/5 Double Double Bonus: $0.219
- $5 9/6 Double Double Bonus: $0.255
- $25 9/6 Double Double Bonus: $1.275
Quarter video poker may offer the best pay tables
There are some instances where quarter video poker is the best game available in a Las Vegas casino. For example, the best video poker pay table in the world is at Plaza. It is full-pay Joker Poker. It is only available in the quarter denomination. At Sam’s Town, the 9/7 Double Bonus Poker machines in the back of the casino have a progressive that resets to $1500. It is the best video poker game in that casino.
Most locals casinos cap the good video poker pay tables at the lower denominations. It is nearly impossible to find games better than 8/5 Bonus above $1 or $2. There are a few exceptions on the Las Vegas Strip and downtown.
