he player aims to get the best hand possible. The payoffs are marked right on the face of the Video Poker machine. Betting is pretty straightforward. On any given machine you can typically choose $0.25, $0.50, $1, or $5 games. And the bets are 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, or 5x (or maximum bet) whichever game you're playing. So if you're playing a $1 game, you can place bets of $1, $2, $3, $4, or $5.

If you bet 5 coins, all winning hands are paid out multiplied by a factor of 5, except for the royal flush. This is a bonus amount designed as an incentive to play five coins. And those players who play less than maximum coins are setting up the best payoffs for those who do.

The first thing to note is that the game face shows you the payoff for each betting level. Invariably playing maximum bet pays off better, overall, than any of the lower multiples. Smart players pick the betting level they are comfortable with and choose their game accordingly.

So, if you are comfortable with a $5 bet, then pick a $1 machine and play at maximum bet for $5. In either case, you are getting the best payoff odds you can for that game. It is very important to know that the payoff ratios vary from game to game. These ratios do not necessarily reflect the true odds, so knowing your game helps you play smarter.

Pay Schedules
n a grouping of video poker machines, known as banks or carousels, all of which may look exactly the same, casinos will often 'mix-in' several video poker machines with inferior pay programs (short/partial pay). Most often in such a bank of regular non-progressive, non-bonus VP machines, only 1 or 2 may be the Jokers Wild 9/6 (nine coins for a full house, and 6 coins for a flush), while the rest are 8/5, 7/5, or even worse, 6/5.

This means that one player, on the 9/6 machine, will be winning more for the same hands than the other players. A 9/6 VP will generally hit the royal flush each 40,000 hands played, or every 80-100 hours of play, while the 8/5 each 45,000 hands, on average; the 7/5's each 50,000 hands; and the 6/5's only once about each 70,000 hands played.

JOKERS WILD STRATEGY

nly King and Ace are high cards in Jokers Wild VP game. Follow this general strategy:

• Keep a Joker if you get it. You'll only see in once in ten hands, on average.
• If you do not hold the joker, keep three cards to a royal over a pair of aces or kings because of the higher payout. You could catch another ace or king and still be paid.
• Don't keep an inside Straight.
• If three cards are consecutive cards for a straight flush, i.e., 5, 6, 7 of hearts, discard other cards even a small pair, for the higher payback. If not consecutive, keep the small pair.
• Straight Flushes are paid good.