Bonus Video Poker Strategy

Video poker strategy takes more space to display than blackjack strategy. There can be scores of lines. To properly use a video poker strategy chart it is important to know the difference between fully open and inside straights and straight flushes. You must also know the order of hands based on how much they pay. Try out our video poker strategy for free, or play video poker for real money. Played with the right strategy, video poker can become quite rewarding. While discussing all of the tiny nuances of video poker could take a lifetime we can go over some of the main ideas to get you on to the right track towards video poker mastery.

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The extra bonus payoff is a plus, but beware the volatility

By Henry Tamburin

The most important fact to remember about DDB is that it's a highly volatile game, meaning the bankroll swings are much greater than a less volatile game such as Jacks or Better. Let me repeat this so it sinks in: DDB is very volatile.

Double Double Bonus (DDB) poker is by far the most popular video poker game. Its popularity stems from the extra bonus payoff that you get with four aces, 2s, 3s, or 4s accompanied with a 'kicker' (a specific fifth card that is in the same hand as the four-of-a-kind). What follows are some facts about the game (good and bad), and some tips to improve your chances of winning.

Kickers

DDB Poker was the first video poker game to implement kickers. In fact, its name 'Double Double Bonus' is the result of the fact that the payoffs for specific four-or-a-kind hands pay double the amount paid in Double Bonus when a kicker is present. In DDB, a kicker is an ace, 2, 3, and 4.

The key hands in DDB that result in a bonus payout are:

Thus, it's possible to be paid the equivalent of half a royal flush (i.e. $500 on a quarter-denomination machine) when you are dealt four aces with a 2, 3, or 4 kicker. How often will this occur? Roughly once in 16,000 hands. This is greater than the once in about 40,000 hands occurrence for the royal flush. This payout of half a royal flush is what makes DDB such an exciting game for players.

Pay Schedules

The following table summarizes the different pay schedules for DDB that you are likely to encounter, and the accompanying ERs (expected returns). The most prevalent pay schedule is 9/6. The expected return for this game is 98.98%, assuming you play every hand perfectly and you play max coins. I would strongly encourage you to not play a 9/5, or even worse, an 8/5 DDB game, simply because the ER is miserable. (Note: I've seen even lower pay schedules for DDB; these games should absolutely be avoided!)

Finally, you'll see I've included a 10/6 pay schedule with a 100.06% ER. Unfortunately, this pay schedule is not readily available in most gaming jurisdictions. You will find them in certain locals casinos in Las Vegas, where the 10/6 pay schedule is offered in $1 and lower denominations. Check www.vpfree2.com for a listing of casinos that offer 10/6 DDB.

Double Double Bonus Pay Schedule

Payout per Coin Played

*4000 for a five-coin royal flush.

Playing Strategy

You might think the playing strategy for DDB would be identical to Double Bonus (after all, the names are nearly the same). But this isn't the case. The factor that most affects the strategy is the payoff for the flush (rather than the payoff for the full house and straight). The flush payoff for 9/6 DDB is 6 coins times your bet, whereas it's 7 coins in Double Bonus. (In fact, the playing strategy for DDB is closer to 9/6 Jacks or Better, because the flushes in the latter game pay 6 coins times your bet.)

The playing strategy for DDB is unique because of the extra value of Aces and kickers. For example, if you play DDB and you have a full house that contains three aces, you'd break up the full house and hold the three aces. Likewise, if you have a hand that contains two pair and one of the pair is aces, you only hold the two aces. You'll also be going for inside straights more often playing DDB, compared to Jacks or Better.

You'll find an accurate playing strategy for DDB on the video poker page at www.wizardofodds.com, including a list of 39 practice hands to test your playing skills. I'd also recommend that you consider using a video poker software training program on your home computer to practice the strategy—and there's no shame in bringing a strategy card to the casino, either.

Variance

Old style slot games. The most important fact to remember about DDB is that it's a highly volatile game, meaning the bankroll swings are much greater than a less volatile game such as Jacks or Better. Let me repeat this so it sinks in: DDB is very volatile.

The reason the game is more volatile is because those juicy four of a kind jackpot hands containing aces through 4s with a kicker occur infrequently, at the expense of a reduced payoff for the more frequently hit two pair, straight, flush, and full house hands. If you don't get lucky and get at least one four of a kind hand during a session, your bankroll will head south rather quickly. Because DDB has a high volatility, it also requires a relatively greater bankroll to get you through those long stretches from one jackpot to the next. Heed my advice and be prepared—emotionally, and financially—for the volatility that is inherent in this game.

Summary

DDB has these characteristics:

1. The game offers mini-jackpots for infrequent four of a kind hands with a kicker.
2. The ER of the common 9/6 DDB is 98.98%. This means most recreational players will lose in the long run playing this game because it's rare to find casino perks that will increase the overall EV to greater than 100%. If you're in Las Vegas, play the 10/7 DDB game.
3. The playing strategy is unique, and you need to learn it before you play (don't use the Double Bonus strategy even if the names of these games sound almost the same).
4. The game is very volatile, so expect large swings in your bankroll.

Tamburin's Tip of the Month

How would you play this hand in DDB?

Most players would hold the three aces along with a kicker because they're hoping to draw another ace, which would give them four aces and a deuce kicker for a half-royal payoff. However, making that play is a mistake. With DDB, if your hand has three aces and a 2 through 4 kicker, you shouldn't keep the kicker. The play that has the higher expected value is to hold the three aces and draw two cards.

A Closer Look At Double Double Bonus Poker.

Grand eagle casino no deposit bonus codes 2019.
This article shows our strategy for Bonus Poker. The expected return of Bonus Poker is 99.17%. This version of video poker is very popular so this strategy is very handy to learn.

Introduction

The first versions of Video Poker came about at the same time as personal computers in the 1970s. These were very basic however and offered only a couple of versions, nothing like what is available now. Video Poker has grown since then to become one of the most played games in casinos as it offers players the chance of solitude as well as some nice wins, especially if the holy grail of poker hands the Royal flush comes in.

Bonus Poker Rules

Bonus Poker is a version of Video Poker that is very similar to Jacks or Better.

In fact, the only difference is that in Bonus Poker you get better payouts for Four of a Kind.

So, to start you need to choose your stake, then you are dealt 5 cards from a standard 52 card deck. At this point, you can hold or discard each card. Any you discard are then replaced by other cards from the same deck. You are then paid out based on the strength of your hand. You aren't playing against a dealer or other players, so if your hand is a Pair of Jacks or better, you get paid. It's that simple!

Finally, you'll see I've included a 10/6 pay schedule with a 100.06% ER. Unfortunately, this pay schedule is not readily available in most gaming jurisdictions. You will find them in certain locals casinos in Las Vegas, where the 10/6 pay schedule is offered in $1 and lower denominations. Check www.vpfree2.com for a listing of casinos that offer 10/6 DDB.

Double Double Bonus Pay Schedule

Payout per Coin Played

*4000 for a five-coin royal flush.

Playing Strategy

You might think the playing strategy for DDB would be identical to Double Bonus (after all, the names are nearly the same). But this isn't the case. The factor that most affects the strategy is the payoff for the flush (rather than the payoff for the full house and straight). The flush payoff for 9/6 DDB is 6 coins times your bet, whereas it's 7 coins in Double Bonus. (In fact, the playing strategy for DDB is closer to 9/6 Jacks or Better, because the flushes in the latter game pay 6 coins times your bet.)

The playing strategy for DDB is unique because of the extra value of Aces and kickers. For example, if you play DDB and you have a full house that contains three aces, you'd break up the full house and hold the three aces. Likewise, if you have a hand that contains two pair and one of the pair is aces, you only hold the two aces. You'll also be going for inside straights more often playing DDB, compared to Jacks or Better.

You'll find an accurate playing strategy for DDB on the video poker page at www.wizardofodds.com, including a list of 39 practice hands to test your playing skills. I'd also recommend that you consider using a video poker software training program on your home computer to practice the strategy—and there's no shame in bringing a strategy card to the casino, either.

Variance

Old style slot games. The most important fact to remember about DDB is that it's a highly volatile game, meaning the bankroll swings are much greater than a less volatile game such as Jacks or Better. Let me repeat this so it sinks in: DDB is very volatile.

The reason the game is more volatile is because those juicy four of a kind jackpot hands containing aces through 4s with a kicker occur infrequently, at the expense of a reduced payoff for the more frequently hit two pair, straight, flush, and full house hands. If you don't get lucky and get at least one four of a kind hand during a session, your bankroll will head south rather quickly. Because DDB has a high volatility, it also requires a relatively greater bankroll to get you through those long stretches from one jackpot to the next. Heed my advice and be prepared—emotionally, and financially—for the volatility that is inherent in this game.

Summary

DDB has these characteristics:

1. The game offers mini-jackpots for infrequent four of a kind hands with a kicker.
2. The ER of the common 9/6 DDB is 98.98%. This means most recreational players will lose in the long run playing this game because it's rare to find casino perks that will increase the overall EV to greater than 100%. If you're in Las Vegas, play the 10/7 DDB game.
3. The playing strategy is unique, and you need to learn it before you play (don't use the Double Bonus strategy even if the names of these games sound almost the same).
4. The game is very volatile, so expect large swings in your bankroll.

Tamburin's Tip of the Month

How would you play this hand in DDB?

Most players would hold the three aces along with a kicker because they're hoping to draw another ace, which would give them four aces and a deuce kicker for a half-royal payoff. However, making that play is a mistake. With DDB, if your hand has three aces and a 2 through 4 kicker, you shouldn't keep the kicker. The play that has the higher expected value is to hold the three aces and draw two cards.

A Closer Look At Double Double Bonus Poker.

Grand eagle casino no deposit bonus codes 2019.
This article shows our strategy for Bonus Poker. The expected return of Bonus Poker is 99.17%. This version of video poker is very popular so this strategy is very handy to learn.

Introduction

The first versions of Video Poker came about at the same time as personal computers in the 1970s. These were very basic however and offered only a couple of versions, nothing like what is available now. Video Poker has grown since then to become one of the most played games in casinos as it offers players the chance of solitude as well as some nice wins, especially if the holy grail of poker hands the Royal flush comes in.

Bonus Poker Rules

Bonus Poker is a version of Video Poker that is very similar to Jacks or Better.

In fact, the only difference is that in Bonus Poker you get better payouts for Four of a Kind.

So, to start you need to choose your stake, then you are dealt 5 cards from a standard 52 card deck. At this point, you can hold or discard each card. Any you discard are then replaced by other cards from the same deck. You are then paid out based on the strength of your hand. You aren't playing against a dealer or other players, so if your hand is a Pair of Jacks or better, you get paid. It's that simple!

You still get a payout for a pair of Jacks or better as the screenshot below demonstrates.

As you will see above, Four of a Kind Aces pays out significantly more than a Straight Flush, Four of a Kind 2's, 3's or 4's pay slightly more than a Straight Flush whilst any other Four of a Kind – 5's through to Kings – pay the same as a Straight Flush. As with most versions of Video Poker, playing with 5 coins increases the jackpot for a Royal Flush significantly.

Paytable and Odds

The table below outlines the payout for each hand, the number of possibilities for each hand and the probability of each coming in.

Bonus Poker Strategy

The strategy shown below gives you the best chance of getting a payout with Bonus Poker. As there are many variations of Video Poker and each has a slightly different strategy, make sure it is Bonus Poker you are playing before referring to it.

Start at the top of the table, working your way down until you find a hand that is relevant for the initial 5 cards you are dealt with. When you come across your hand, follow the instructions for the best chance to win.

Bonus Poker has an expected return of around 99.17% which makes it not a bad game to play from a payout perspective.

Best to Worst Hands

Outside Straight is a hand that needs a card at either end – e.g. 5, 6, 7, 8 – either a 4 or 9 would complete the Straight.

Inside Straight is a hand that needs a card in the middle – e.g. 3, 4, 6, 7 – only a 5 would complete the Straight. Lucky 88 slot machine.

This is meant as a guide only but if followed correctly it will give you the best chance of winning the session.

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