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.
HandPayout (with 5 coins)CombinationsProbabilityRoyal Flush4,0004954431360.000025Straight Flush25021296042640.0001074 of a Kind Aces80039037758120.0001964 of a Kind 2’s to 4’s400105098663280.0005274 of a Kind 5’s to K’s250326884173360.001640Full House452295168699240.011514Flush352168736450000.010880Straight252236763199120.0112213 of a Kind1514843911678560.0744682 Pair525775236037520.129308Jacks or Better542908109814440.215259Nothing0108607108224360.544855Total199332305172001.000000
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
OrderHand1Royal Flush2Straight Flush3Four of a Kind44 of a Royal Flush5Full House6Flush7Three of a Kind8Straight94 of a Straight Flush10Two Pair11High Pair123 of a Royal Flush134 of a Flush14Unsuited 10, J, Q, K15Low Pair164 of an Outside Straight173 of a Straight Flush18Suited J, Q194 of an Inside Straight20Suited J, Q or J, K21Suited A,K A,Q or A,J22Unsuited J,Q,K23Unsuited J,Q24Suited 10,J252 Unsuited High Cards, K High26Suited 10, Q272 Unsuited High Card, A High28J only29Suited 10,K30Q only31K only32A only33Garbage, discard everything
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.
This is meant as a guide only but if followed correctly it will give you the best chance of winning the session.
Related Articles:
Advanced Video Poker Strategy
How To Play Joker’s Wild Poker
