Video Poker Money Guide
Video poker offers you a distinct head start toward managing your money. Statistically, you'll part with less money playing video poker than you would if you were playing other casino games. The house edge in video poker is substantially smaller when you play Jacks or Better 9/6. If you add a few proven money management tricks and a few common sense tricks, your money will go further playing video poker for entertainment, and you have a much better chance of walking away a winner if you practice a little discipline.
Losing Your Mental Edge Increases the House Edge
Because video poker combines skill with luck, you'll need to be mentally sharp whenever you play. The skill component of video poker requires you to be in complete control of your faculties when you play. If you make mistakes, you alter the house edge and you lose any advantage that you gained by selecting a game with a low house edge.
Keep track of the time. It's easy to lose track of the time in a casino, and staring at a video poker machine can put you into what amounts to a light trance. Set an alarm, if necessary to limit your play.
Take frequent breaks. When you're tired, you get sloppy, and that defeats the superior house edge.
Don't drink and play video poker. Alcohol can impair your focus and mental concentration. (Why do you suppose that the casinos ply you with free drinks?)
Leave the machine when you get tired. Come back when you're in shape to play.
Slow Down and Take Your Time
Have you ever paid attention to what's going on around you in a casino? The atmosphere gives new meaning to lights, camera, and action.? Everything is loud and fast, by design. Every aspect of the atmosphere is geared toward putting you at a further disadvantage by distracting you and making you play faster, all in an effort to part you and your money faster. Distractions cause mistakes, and mistakes increase the house edge.
Make a conscious effort to slow down.
Study each hand.
If you're playing at home, you can mute your speakers to increase your concentration.
You're Not Playing with Play Money
When you play online or you play with one of the new machines that use bill receptors, it's easy to forget that you're playing with real money.
Set limits and stick to them. Set a bankroll for a specific period of time. If you lose your bankroll, walk away.
When you build up a nice winning cushion, cash out and tuck some of the money away. If you lose the rest of your money, you still walk away a winner.
Don't give back all your winnings. Somehow, people have come to believe that they should play until all their money has gone into the machine. How on earth can you expect to win if you expect to feed all your money to the machines?
Don't Get Greedy
Greed is the number one factor in turning a winner into a loser. Don't let the greed bug bite you.
