Obviously, casino gambling enthusiasts all over the country consider Las Vegas to be their home away from home. The Strip alone is home to 30 casino resorts, spanning the spectrum from the opulence of Bellagio and Venetian to the gritty, old-school gambling halls like Casino Royale and O’Shea’s.
Guide to Video Poker Games. Poker is a classic game that most people across the world have heard of. But what is video poker? Well, it essentially combines the classic game with advancements in technology which allow gamblers to play such games online. Top 5 Video Poker Games in November. Jacks or Better.
There are dozens of varieties of video poker. I recommend Jacks or Better because it's the original VP game, it's widely available, and most importantly, the strategy is pretty easy. Learn the strategy. You can't just guess or you'll lose money hand over fist. The majority of video poker games at The Cosmopolitan pay at 99% or better with some lower denomination machines paying at 98% or better. Easily the best video poker on The Strip and a host of first rate dining, entertainment and drinking options as well. They include 3 play, 5 play, 10 play, 50 play and even 100 play versions of the single play games. COSTS MORE TO PLAY THE SAME DENOMINATION GAME To play multiple play video poker you must first bet the maximum number of credits (usually five) for each line (play.
Branching out away from The Strip offers dozens of additional options, so its no wonder why so many video poker fans flock to Las Vegas every single year.
On the flip side though, I know many players who only make it out here once or twice a year. For them, visiting Las Vegas offers just a few days to experience the country’s best video poker options.
So what about the other 360 or so days during the year?
Hopefully folks have a quality local casino – either commercial or tribal – where they can enjoy their favorite video poker variants. And that’s a fair bet, based on the map marking casino presence in all 50 states that you can check out down below:
As you can see, only nine states in the U.S. – Utah, Hawaii, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont, and New Hampshire – are casino no-go zones. Las Vegas style casino resorts can be found from coast to coast, in California and New Jersey and everywhere in between.
But here’s the big question for video poker grinders – how do these non-Vegas venues compare with the real thing?
Examination of Las Vegas Casino Pay Tables for Comparison
As you well know, video poker pay tables are becoming increasingly hostile for low-stakes players. The trend definitely started in Las Vegas, where casinos aren’t shy about offering the inferior pay tables shown below for a game like Jacks or Better:
Jacks or Better Pay Table Comparison
TABLE | PAYBACK |
9/6 | 99.54 percent |
9/5 | 98.45 percent |
8/6 | 98.39 percent |
8/5 | 97.30 percent |
7/5 | 96.15 percent |
6/5 | 95.00 percent |
Unless you’re willing to bet big, you just won’t find very many of the old 9/6 full pay Jacks or Better machines in Sin City any longer.
It’s the same sorry situation for other popular versions of video poker too. As the tables below show quite clearly, any game – even the strategic gambler’s fan favorite Deuces Wild – can be turned into a money pit when the casinos start tinkering with pay tables:
Deuces Wild Pay Table Comparison
TABLE | PAYBACK |
25/15/9/5/3/2 | 100.76 percent |
25/15/11/4/4/3 | 99.96 percent |
25/16/10/4/4/3 | 99.73 percent |
25/15/9/4/4/3 | 98.91 percent |
20/12/10/4/4/3 | 97.58 percent |
20/12/9/4/4/3 | 97.06 percent |
25/16/13/4/3/2 | 96.77 percent |
20/10/8/4/4/3 | 95.96 percent |
25/15/10/4/3/2 | 94.82 percent |
Double Bonus Poker Pay Table Comparison
TABLE | PAYBACK |
10/7 | 100.17 percent |
9/7/5 | 99.11 percent |
9/6/5 | 97.81 percent |
9/6/4 | 96.38 percent |
8/5 | 94.19 percent |
7/5 | 93.11 percent |
Double Double Bonus Poker Pay Table Comparison
TABLE | PAYBACK |
10/6 | 100.07 percent |
9/6/4 | 98.98 percent |
9/5 | 97.87 percent |
8/5 | 96.79 percent |
7/5 | 95.71 percent |
6/5 | 94.66 percent |
If you’re a video poker player who doesn’t get out to Las Vegas as often as you’d like, but you still want to find the best pay table options near you, look no further than the vpFREE2 database. This invaluable video poker resource allows you to search your region (just use the “FILTER” tab to get started) for every machine and pay table in the area.
I’ll let you play around with the vpFREE2 search tool on your own, but the list below has been compiled to highlight the five best video poker venues in every corner of the country. Leaving aside Nevada and its various gambling zones, vpFREE2 breaks things down into five key regions – East, Midwest, Gulf Coast, West, and Canada.
On that note, I’ll take the top contender for best video poker provider in each of the five regions.
1 – Fort McDowell Casino in Fountain Hills, Arizona
The vpFREE2 database reveals 10 casinos in the West region where 99.9 percent payback rates can be found.
But it’s Fort McDowell that has the most, as this tribal casino located to the Northeast of Phoenix, Arizona house three variants which reach the “golden” number video poker players crave:
Fort McDowell’s Best Video Poker Options
VARIANT DENOMINATION(S) | FULL PAYBACK | COIN |
Deuces Wild 44 | 99.96 percent | 25¢, $1 |
Double Double Bonus | 99.96 percent | 25¢, $1 |
Super Aces | 99.94 percent | 25¢ |
Deuces Wild | 99.81 percent | $1 |
Double Bonus Deuces Wild | 99.81 percent | 25¢, $1 |
Triple Bonus Plus | 99.80 percent | $1 |
Not So Ugly Ducks (Deuces Wild) | 99.73 percent | 25¢, $1 |
Triple Double Bonus | 99.58 percent | 25¢, $1 |
Jacks or Better | 99.54 percent | $1 |
The centerpiece of Fort McDowell’s video poker lineup is Deuces Wild 44, which takes its name from the following pay table:
Deuces Wild 44 Pay Table
HAND | PAYOUT |
Natural Royal Flush | 800 |
Four of a Kind (with 2s) | 200 |
Royal Flush (w 2s) | 25 |
Five of a Kind | 15 |
Straight Flush | 11 |
Four of a Kind | 4 |
Full House | 4 |
Flush | 3 |
Straight | 2 |
Three of a Kind | 1 |
You’ll also find 9.6 full pay Jacks or better at the Fort, and low limits of $0.25 make the games accessible for everybody.
2 – Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
With hundreds of machines offering nine different variants – eight of which meet the minimum 99.0 percent payback rate – Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan is like a little slice of Las Vegas meets Midwestern charm.
Best Video Poker To Play At Casino
And as you can see below, this venue’s video poker lineup is top-notch:
Soaring Eagle’s Best Video Poker Options
VARIANT DENOMINATION(S) | FULL PAYBACK | COIN |
Double Double Bonus | 99.96 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
Triple Bonus Plus | 99.80 percent | $1 |
Not So Ugly Ducks (Deuces Wild) | 99.73 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
Bonus Poker | 99.66 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
White Hot Aces | 99.57 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
Jacks or Better | 99.54 percent | 5¢, 25¢, 50¢, $1, $5 |
Pick’em (Pick a Pair) | 99.24 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
Double Bonus | 99.11 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
Best Type Of Video Poker To Play
With coin denominations ranging from a nickel to a five-spot, nobody is left out of the premium pay table party at Soaring Eagle.
3 – Silver Slipper Casino Hotel in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Of all the casinos found in the Gulf Coast region, only the Silver Slipper in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi has four different variants offering a full pay table.
Well, the Deuces Wild game isn’t 100.76 percent payback, but the Not So Ugly Ducks version and its 99.73 percent rate is the best you’re going to get outside of Las Vegas:
Silver Slipper’s Best Video Poker Options
VARIANT DENOMINATION(S) | FULL PAYBACK | COIN |
Not So Ugly Ducks (Deuces Wild) | 99.73 percent | $1 |
Bonus Deluxe | 99.64 percent | $1 |
Jacks or Better | 99.54 percent | $1 |
Bonus Poker | 99.17 percent | 25¢ |
4 – Mohegan Sun Casino Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut
One of two massive mega-resort casinos in Connecticut (along with Foxwoods), the Mohegan Sun Casino holds a special distinction among East Coast video poker venues.
As the only place back East offering a player edge game – albeit at the high-limit $10 coin denomination – Mohegan Sun has the best pay tables around:
Mohegan Sun’s Best Video Poker Options
VARIANT DENOMINATION(S) | FULL PAYBACK | COIN |
Double Bonus Double Jackpot | 100.09 percent | $10 |
Pick’em (Pick a Pair) | 99.95 percent | 25¢, $1, $5, $10, $25 |
Double Bonus Deuces Wild | 99.81 percent | $1 |
Jacks or Better | 99.54 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1, $5, $10, $25 |
Double Double Bonus | 98.98 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1, $5, $10 |
5 – Pure Casino Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Unfortunately for the canucks out there, Canada’s video poker scene is as sparse as the Great White North landscape in winter.
You won’t find a single 9/6 full pay Jacks or Better machine, for example, and ditto for most popular variants.
With that said, Pure Casino Calgary in Alberta has an array of low-stakes options that make the weaker pay tables much more palatable:
Casino Calgary’s Best Video Poker Options
VARIANT DENOMINATION(S) | FULL PAYBACK | COIN |
Double Double Bonus | 98.98 percent | 50¢, $1 |
Jacks or Better | 98.45 percent | 50¢, $1 |
Triple Double Bonus | 98.15 percent | $1 |
Bonus Poker | 98.01 percent | 50¢, $1 |
And in an honorable mention, check out Casino de Montreal for quarter-stakes machines.
Conclusion
Playing video poker against an inferior pay table leaves sharp gamblers feeling a little empty inside – just like 6 to 5 blackjack or watered down 3x-4x-5x on the Odds bet in craps. When you know the casino could offer a game at standard odds that give players a chance, only to see the house pad their edge with substandard pay tables, the blood can start boiling in a hurry. Fortunately, the vpFREE2 database makes it easier than ever before to avoid the sucker machines and confine your action to the best video poker venues around.
It’s a well-known fact downtown beats the pants off the Las Vegas Strip when it comes to player-friendly casino odds. It’s true for video poker, too. (On average, slots downtown are about 10% “looser” than slots on The Strip.)
According to a popular video poker expert who goes by “Coach Kitty,” downtown boasts some of the best machines and odds in all of Las Vegas.
She’d know. Coach Kitty estimates she plays an average of 850 hands an hour, or about 14 hands a minute. Gambling addiction signs and symptoms. That’s 14 decisions a minute, and we can barely decide what to have for lunch.
We prodded Coach Kitty to reveal some of her favorite video poker bars and machines, and she was up to the challenge.
There are a number of factors that make certain video poker bars “better” or “worse” (many serious players value casino freebies like food “comps” nearly as much as the money they make from their video poker wins), we asked our expert to name her favorite video poker spots with an emphasis on the most appealing odds of winning.
Vue Bar at The D
Among the benefits of this second floor watering hole at The D is the quality of the drinks, says our expert. We have independently verified this assertion.
Vue Bar happens to serve up some very good video poker odds as well.
Our video poker coach says, “You not only have the best chance of getting the best quality drinks, there’s also a good full-pay game with a progressive, in quarters.”
To be specific, the best game is Bonus Poker in quarters.
The ultimate goal of many video poker players, of course, is to try and find games that give as close to 100% payback, or “full-pay,” as possible.
Casino Bars at Four Queens
Happily, Coach Kitty names the casino bars at Four Queens as having great video poker. We say “happily” because we play there often and had no idea why. (Hint: It was mostly the liberal comps and long liquor pours.)
Coach Kitty says, “At both the casino bars at Four Queens, they have almost full pay Double Double Bonus video poker in 50 cents.”
Remember, the denomination is multiplied by five, so that’s $2.50 a hand. For the most part, the higher the denomination, the better the payback.
Related: 10 Things We Love About Four Queens Casino
The two bars are Kings Bar (near the casino’s west entrance, pictured below) and Palace Bar (near Wana Taco).
Among the other attributes of these bars, our expert says the bartenders are among the friendliest in town.
Boar’s Head Bar at Main Street Station
Our expert not only loves the video poker at Boar’s Head Bar, but also the beer.
“It’s a very nice bar, especially because they have microbrews from the nearby Triple 7 [Restaurant and Brewery] on tap. The bartenders are very nice there, too.”
Ultimately, though, it’s the gamble that makes Boar’s Head one of the best places to play video poker in Las Vegas. Pamper casino bonus codes 2015.
Coach Kitty says, “They have 9-6 Jacks or Better, which is really the best game with the lowest variance, in quarters, 50 cents and $1.”
The “9-6” refers to the payout for full house and flush. It’s kind of a shorthand for video poker players to tell if a game gives them more bang for the buck.
Now You Know the Best Video Poker Bars Downtown
![Best video poker to play at casino Best video poker to play at casino](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/n_-nMfaB7iE/hqdefault.jpg)
Now you know some insider secrets about downtown’s best video poker bars!
Video poker is unique in casinos because, unlike a shot machine, skill plays a big part in how your session goes. Coupon codes for silver oak casino. The more you know about the game you’re playing, the better your chances of winning.
Each video poker game has nuances in strategy, so bone up on the game you’d like to try with an app.
The WinPoker app ($9.99 in the Apple store) is popular among aspiring video poker players looking to get an edge.
If you find the right game, and the right bartender, video poker can be fun and lucrative, and offers some of the best odds for players in the casino.
You’re Not Going to Believe This, But…
Here’s an update to our story!
Following our chat with Coach Kitty, we started playing at her recommended video poker bars, and just a few weeks later, our very first royal flush! That’s a $1,000 win.
That’s right. We got our first royal flush after nearly two decades of playing video poker, and we got it at the video poker bar at Four Queens. Thanks, Coach Kitty!
While winning in casinos has a lot to do with luck, the more you know about the games, the luckier you’ll be!