If you walk through any casino, past the flashing modern video slots, you will inevitably find rows of old, blocky Video Poker machines.

Because you can see the cards and know a standard 52-card deck is being used, you can mathematically calculate the exact probability of every draw.

Finding the Full Pay Machines

Before you ever insert a single dollar, you must intensely study the brightly lit paytable printed directly on the glass of the machine.

If played perfectly, a 9/6 machine returns a staggering 99.54%, meaning the casino's mathematical edge is a microscopic, nearly invisible 0.46%.

• Always check the payout for a Full House and a Flush before sitting down
• A "9/6" machine (9 for Full House, 6 for Flush) is the gold standard for players
• An "8/5" machine significantly increases the house edge and should be avoided entirely

Chasing the Royal Flush Premium

The single most catastrophic mistake a Video Poker player can make is failing to bet the maximum number of coins per hand.

Because the mathematical RTP calculation assumes you will eventually hit a Royal Flush, failing to bet max coins completely destroys your long-term advantage.

Playing Like a Video Poker Robot

Professional players memorize complex, rigid strategy charts that rank every possible starting hand from best to worst.

For example, if you are dealt a Low Pair and a Four-Card Flush, the math dictates you must always hold the Pair.

Study the strategy charts relentlessly, and you will transform from a casual gambler into a formidable, highly profitable casino advantage player.