Q1: Is it possible to gain an advantage at Video Poker?

A1: The video poker strategy discussed here is for the common "8/5" machines. They are called 8/5 because of the 8-for-1 payoff for a full house and 5-for-1 payoff for a flush. "Joker's Wild" and "Deuces Wild" machines will require a much different strategy.

In order to have an advantage over the house, you must find a machine with a progressive jackpot that is larger than about 1750 maximum bets. ($8750 for $1 machines, $2200 for $.25 machines, $440 for $.05 machines) This level only makes the game even with the house. The jackpot must be higher than this in order to gain an advantage. The player's edge increases by about 1% for each addition of 350 maximum bets into the progressive jackpot.

Q2: Is playing five coins always better than playing one coin?

A2: Not necessarily. In fact, you’re usually better off playing one coin than playing five. The ratio of coins returned for winning hands is the same whether you play one coin or five, except when you hit a royal. For example, if a machine returns one coin for a pair of Jacks with one coin in, it will pay two for two coins, three for three, four for four, and five for max-coin play. This 1:1 ratio remains constant. Usually, though, a royal flush will return 250 coins for one coin, 500 for two, 750 for three, and 1,000 for four, then jump to 4,000 for five, which raises the per-coin ratio from 250:1 to 800:1. The shot at the bonus jackpot explains the popular advice to always play the maximum five coins.

Q3: When the cards are dealt, are the next five cards already lined up behind the first cards?

A3: No, they’re not lined up behind the first cards, but they have already been selected. When the random number generator selects the cards for a hand, it actually takes ten cards, not five.

Q4: What is the best video poker game to play?

A4: This answer depends on the denomination of coin you want to play with. You must learn to distinguish between good and bad pay schedules and play only the good. Furthermore, another factor in deciding which game to play is the game which you know how to play the best. Playing video poker well requires a high degree of skill, so if you don’t know how to play Deuces Wild, but you do know how to play Jacks or Better, then you are better off sticking with Jacks or Better. But it's always a good idea to learn the strategy of the other games, as the more games you learn, the more options you’ll have.

Q5: How big a bankroll do you need to play video poker?

A5: A bankroll is an amount of money set aside for gambling. If you’re going to play on a full-time basis, we recommend having at least a three-royal-flush bankroll. For casual players, we recommend a more psychological approach as there will be days where you’ll lose half a royal, or more. If losing just $500 scares you, you do not have the psychological bankroll for playing quarters. If losing $2,000 makes you late for the rent, forget about playing for dollars.

Q6: What's the best way to learn how to play successfully?

A6: You have to work at it. Video poker is a game where every hand has one best play and the strategies are complicated. Learning what these are takes time and effort. And the time and effort is rewarded by better results when you play.

Aztec Riches Casino has a nice balance between the bonuses and the competitions and drawings. They are offering a tiered bonus for new players on their first three deposits:

• The initial welcome bonus is a 100% matching bonus with a minimum deposit of $20 and a maximum of $100.
• The second deposit bonus is a 50% matching bonus with a minimum deposit of $20 and a maximum of $500.
• The third deposit bonus is a 25% matching bonus with a minimum deposit of $20 and a maximum of $2000.

Their drawings and competitions are as follows:

• Super Saturday – Cash prize drawing every 30 minutes
• Power Power Poker – Sundays play Jacks or Better Power Poker
• Turbo Charged Tuesdays – Play Five Reel Drive and win.
• Wild Wednesdays – Cash prize drawing every 30 minutes
• Thursday Thunder – Play Thunderstruck Slots and win.
• Blackjack Bonanza – Monthly tournament

The Casino Action group likes to keep some information close to their chest. On the Aztec Rewards page they mention loyalty points and state the following: "The more you play, the more we pay! Bonus points are paid out in units of 1,000. Redeem 1,000 points for $10 or redeem 5,000 points for $50! Our Silver, Gold and Platinum VIP members can redeem their Rewards at a higher rate - meaning more cash every week." This sounds wonderful but means nothing. How do players earn points? Are there games that are better for points than others? I have no idea, and their customer service reps aren't telling. This does not make the rewards program much of an incentive for me to join.

List of Poker Etiquette.

Do not move another player's cards before the winner has raked the pot.

Never touch or move another player's money without that player's permission.

If you put your cards face-down on the table and put a chip on top of them, your cards are safe.

It's traditional for a dealer to offer a cut of the deck to the player to his right. That player may cut, tap or pass the cut to the player to his right. A tap signifies no cut is needed.

Answering your mobile phone in the middle of a hand is considered the equivalent of folding your hand.

It is assumed you know all the rules of a game when it's played.

A player should not talk across a player who is involved in a hand. Chatting is fine, but it never should reach the point where it interferes with the flow of the game.

Use of profanity and obscenities is a violation of poker etiquette.

No player should create a disturbance by arguing or shouting.

A player can quit anytime without criticism, and no one should be rude about it.

At no time should any player make statements that could unfairly influence the play of a hand, whether or not the offender is involved in the pot

Respectful treatment of dealers also is part of poker etiquette.

Cards should be discarded on a low line of flight so that people can't see them, Chips should be placed as far forward as reasonably possible to make it easier for the dealer to scoop them.

Do not stack chips so is stacking chips in a way that interferes with dealing or viewing of cards or conceals how much you really have in play.

Players should speak up when they see an error such as an improper amount of a bet, a card going to the wrong person or a flashed card, or the pot about to be incorrectly awarded.

Players should manage their table space in such a way as to be fair and reasonable to other players be aware if you are infringing on another player's space

Don't lean forward or backward to see a player's cards. It is proper for an opponent to complain when a player constantly has the opportunity to see another's holecards,

A player who repeatedly violates these principles of poker etiquette is a disruption to the game, and accordingly ought to be subject to discipline, up to and including ejection from the game and being suspended or barred from the cardroom.