Video Poker Casino
Posted : admin On 7/27/2022- Best Video Poker Machines
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Video poker is a popular Jackpot cash mobile casino game based on five card draw poker, one of the most popular poker variations, played all over the world by different types of players. Easy no-download video poker! Jacks or Better, Bonus, Double Double, Deuces, Joker Poker, total of 17 variations plus perfect play trainer.
Video poker, that old casino favorite, is available online as well! If you're a video poker lover, that's great news. Even better is the fact that you'll find an incredibly low house edgewith online video poker.
Video poker offers you incredibly high RTP: in fact up to 99.73% RTP! It's also very easy to play.
In our Complete Guide to Online Video Poker, we'll cover everything you need to know (whether you play online or in a casino)
Which Video Poker Games Pay Out the Best?
Many online casinos offer video poker variations with some amazingly high Return to Player (RTP) percentages.
And by far, Game King's video poker is leading the pack here! Check out these high RTP values:
- Triple Play Draw Poker (playing Deuces Wild): 99.73% RTP
- Five Play Draw Poker (playing Deuces Wild): 99.73% RTP
- Jacks or Better: 99.54% RTP
- Double Double Bonus Poker: 99.51% RTP
- Bonus Poker: 99.16% RTP
- Double Bonus Poker: 98.98% RTP
Where to find Game King video poker?
You can find Game King video poker at these online casinos.
Virgin and Tropicana (New Jersey) were the first to bring Game King's great video poker games to the US.
In Pennsylvania, Hollywood and SugarHouse online casino has Game King's great video poker variations.
Of course, with the largest legal online game selection in the U.S., it's not surprising that Golden Nugget (New Jersey) has some of the best video poker you'll find.
Video Poker Software Providers
Even when you play at a land-based casino, video poker uses software that's very similar to what you'll find online. Some of the leading providers for online video poker software are:
- NetEnt
- Spin Games
- Game King/IGT
- 888
- Amaya Gaming
- Microgaming
- PlayTech Video Poker
- Vegas Technology Video Poker
Most software providers offer slightly different versions of the same games, but their payouts can be quite different. For example, Spin Games' Jacks or Better pays out less on a flush thanother versions.
Online casinos rarely offer games from more than 2 different providers. To find the name of the provider, you need to either 1) click on the Information icon on the game or 2) do a search byname of game provider.
Video Poker Selection at Online Casino
Some online casinos offer an enormous video poker selection. We've gathered some of the top contenders here.
Borgata and BetMGM
Borgata, the Atlantic City mega-casino, has an online casino, and they've also teamed up with BetMGM. They have great offerings for video poker lovers
- Bonus poker
- Double bonus poker
- Double double bonus poker
- Double double Regal poker
- Jacks or Better
- Game King Jacks or Better
- Ultimate Texas Holdem
- Destiny poker
- Deuces Wild
- Jester Poker
- Triple play Draw Poker Multi-hand
- Five play Draw Poker Multi-hand
- Texas Holdem Bonus poker
- Ultimate Texas Holdem
- Casino Holdem poker
Try Borgata or BetMGM with free bonus cash!
SugarHouse Video Poker (Pennsylvania and New Jersey)
SugarHouse also has an outstanding selection of video poker titles. Here's what you'll find:
- Bonus Poker (Game King)
- Double Bonus Poker (Game King)
- Double Double Bonus Poker (Game King)
- Jacks or Better (Game King)
- Triple Play Draw Poker (Game King)
- Five Play Draw Poker (Game King)
- Ten Play Draw Poker (Game King)
- DJ Wild (Shufflemaster Games)
- Mississippi Stud (Spin Games)
- Texas Hold'em Plus (Spin Games)
- Regal Poker (Spin Games)
- Double Regal Poker (Spin Games)
- Double Double Regal Poker (Spin Games)
- Regal Poker Delux (Spin Games)
- Jester Poker (Spin Games)
- Deuces Wild (Spin Games)
- Jacks or Better (Spin Games)
Golden Nugget online (New Jersey)
Golden Nugget also has nearly 20 video poker games. These include:
- Tens or Better
- Triple Play Draw Poker
- Bonus Poker
- Regal Poker
- Deuces Wild
- Aces and Faces
What is Online Video Poker?
Video poker is played with software that randomly deals you cards. You play against the computer, so to speak, not other people.
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Just like in physical poker, there are many different kinds of poker you can play with video poker.
What is the difference between physical video poker and online?
The feel of online video poker is nearly identical to a physical machine. The rules are the same.
The main differences are in your favor: you can start out with a great bonus that gives you an edge up!
You can also find games with a much higher return to player than you'll ever find in a land-based casino.
How to Play Video Poker Games
Playing video poker is quite easy. For most games, you only have only two decisions to make:
- How much do you want to bet?
- Do you keep or discard any cards from your hand?
Generally, #1 is the same for all games; you can always choose your bet amount.
#2 may be different depending on which game you're playing. That is, some poker variations let you swap out more cards than others.
But some variations have additional bets. For example, the NetEnt has a version called Jacks or Better Double Up. This has a bonus bet opportunity built in called the Gamblefeature. Here, you can try to guess the color or suit of the next card. If you’re right, you 'double up' your winnings.
Play Jacks or Better Double Up at 888!
What is the difference between video poker and poker sites?
Video poker is played against a computer software. It has enhanced graphics and sound to give you that live-poker feeling.
Poker sites are usually more basic in their appearance. You play against other live players, not the computer.
Both kinds of poker use a random number generator to randomize the draw of the cards. It's the virtual equivalent of shuffling.
How Do I Find Video Poker?
To find a video poker game, find the Games tab on your online casino's page, and scroll down for video poker. (Some sites have a separate tab for video poker.)
Be sure to find 'video poker' if that's what you want to play (instead of at an online poker table). Sites like 888, Borgata, and PartyPoker that have both casino games and poker siteshave a tab that will take you to their poker site.
Here, clicking the Poker tab would take you to poker tables, not video poker.
On your screen, you'd click in the area circled in red to find video poker.
Online Video Poker Strategy
Your video poker strategy is simple: build the best hand you can. The order of best possible hands will depend slightly based on which game you are playing. But your only decision is whetheryou should hold or exchange your cards.
Video poker involves a lot more luck than strategy. You are not playing against other players, so you won't benefit from anyone else's bad decisions.
Also, the game uses a random number generator to select which cards are drawn. It is randomized with every dealing, which would be like playing with an infinite deck.
That means that card counting doesn't work with video poker. You only know that cards you can see and that you've discarded.
Types of Online Video Poker Games
There are over a dozen types of video poker. We'll review some of the most popular.
Deuces Wild
As the name suggests here, 2s are wild. That turns a losing hand toward some great possibilities. No wonder it has such an incredibly low house edge: 0.27%!
The great thing is that the game automatically calculates the best hand for you when you have those wild deuces. So you'll get the best possible hand automatically.
Play 'Deuces Wild' on Game King's Triple-Play and Five-Play poker for an unbeatable RTP: 99.73%! Available at these casinos:
- 888 (New Jersey)
- Borgata (New Jersey)
- Golden Nugget(New Jersey)
- SugarHouse (New Jersey and Pennsylvania)
- Hard Rock (New Jersey)
- BetMGM (New Jersey)
- Hollywood (Pennsylvania)
- PartyCasino (New Jersey)
- Virgin (New Jersey)
- Tropicana (New Jersey)
Jacks or Better
Jacks or Better is one of the most popular video poker games (although you have better odds with other versions). In this variation, only hands with at least a pair of jacks can play. Ifyou're the only one with a pair of jacks, you win!
As you might imagine, that cuts out a lot of action.
Jacks or Better, order of winning hands:
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pairr
Bonus Poker
Bonus Poker uses the same hands as Jacks or Better. However, the value of the cards is the opposite. In Bonus Poker, you want the lower cards. So, for example, four aces, 2’s,3’s, or 4’s are all very strong hands.
Why Play Online Video Poker?
While going to the land-based casino to play video poker may seem like the more appealing option, playing online will be a lot more beneficial short and long term.
Convenience
There is nothing worse than the hassle of having to travel hours just to find the closest land-based casino to play video poker. Playing video poker online has become increasingly morepopular for the big reason that you don't have to go anywhere to play.
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If you live in a state where legal online casinos are offered, it only takes a few minutes to get started playing video poker. All you need is a stable internet connection and a device toplay on. Playing video poker online allows you to play when you want, wherever you want.
Bonuses
Something you will rarely see at the land-based venue is the chance to claim a bonus and use it on any games on the casino floor. Online video poker is one of the many choices of games youhave to use your casino bonus on.
Claim an offer just for signing up and use the bonus cash on video poker to get a hang of how it's played, but also potentially win some big cash prizes!
Game Selection
Your options for video poker are much larger online than at the land-based venue. Instead of a few machines on the casino floor, you have an almost unlimited video poker selection online.There are multiple available online video poker platforms, which you can access from the comfort of your own home minutes after creating a casino account.
Unlike at the brick and mortar casinos, you will never have to wait for a video poker online game to start due to too many people.
Where is Online Poker Legal?
The legality of online poker in the US is a tricky subject for those not well versed in the subject.
Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are three states that have legalized both online casinos and online poker.
Nevada hasn’t legalized online casinos, but they do have legalized dedicated online poker rooms.
As of the time of writing, the only site that shares online poker players is 888. On this site, you can play alongside players from Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Michigan has recently legalized online poker, so players should expect to see legal poker rooms in Michigan in the very near future.
Can I Play Offshore Video Poker Rooms?
It’s always been possible to play video poker with offshore casinos. Offshore companies operate illegally in the U.S. Still, the nature of anti-gambling laws means the target is the operator,rather than the player.
However, now it is increasingly hard to find a way to deposit, much less withdraw, funds to an offshore account. Most major credit cards will not allow transactions with offshore casinos asthey operate illegally in the U.S.
You won’t get any help from US regulatory borders if you’re playing with a site based exclusively in Europe, for example.
Are Video Poker games rigged?
Legal, state-approved video poker games are definitely not rigged. The software is programmed with a random number generator.
The state's gaming division also monitors the games for fairness. Any casino caught rigging games would be fined very heavily.
Can you Play Video Poker Games for Free?
Yes, you can play nearly all the online video poker games online for free. You can take welcome bonus dollars and apply that to video poker at most casinos. Then, if you win, withdraw afteryou've met the wagering requirement.
You can also play in demo mode, but you can't make any money that way.
Video poker has such a low minimum bet that you can play for next to nothing online. We always like to put a little money down. You'll play more seriously even if you just have $0.25 in thegame.
Video Poker articles, videos and podcasts. Learn how to win at video poker. Find out the best strategies for playing video poker. Watch, read and listen to interviews with video poker expertsthat tell you the best tips for winning at video poker.
- Video Podcast – How to Become a Winning Video Poker Player with H. Tamburin
- Video Podcast – All about Video Poker with Michael “Wizard ofOdds” Shackleford
- Video Podcast – Video Poker – How to Win and How it Works with Steve Bourie
- Audio Podcast – The changing face of video poker with Linda Boyd
- Audio Podcast – Setting your video poker goals with Jean Scott
- Audio Podcast – Basics of video poker with Linda Boyd
- Audio Podcast – Choosing the best video poker paytables with JeanScott
- Audio Podcast – Becoming a professional video poker player with BobDancer
- Audio Podcast – Tips for improving video poker play with Linda Boyd
- Audio Podcast – Jean Scott discusses her helpful hints for video poker
- Audio Podcast – Dan Paymar shares his winning tactics for video poker
For regular casino game players, the complimentary food, drinks, and other
goodies collectively known as “comps” are akin to lifeblood.
Without comps flowing in, the average player will watch the house edge wreak
havoc on their bankroll. Gambling in the casino setting is a negative
expectation affair after all, so simply playing the games will almost always
result in losses over the long run.
But by securing valuable comps from the casino – perhaps a voucher for a free
buffet meal or a big discount on your room rate – players can overcome the
uphill climb inherent to all forms of gambling. This usually involves signing up
for the casino’s Players Club, or similar rewards based player tracking
promotion, so that every coin you spend is monitored and applied toward eventual
comp rewards.
The recipients of the most lavish comps are typically slot machine players,
as the slots offer a high enough house edge that the casino can afford to give a
little back. Table game players also enjoy a healthy menu of comps, but for
video poker specialists the pickings can be slim indeed.
That’s because video poker is a skill based game which prioritizes strategy
over chance, factors which create a significantly lower house edge than most
games on the floor. Only blackjack played with perfect basic strategy (0.50
percent) can come close to the house edge rate offered to proficient video poker
players on a full pay Jacks or Better machine (0.46 percent).
And indeed, a few variants and pay tables can even provide the rarest sight
in all of casino gambling – a positive expectation game for the player.
Knowing this, casino operators have carved their comp programs for video
poker players down to size in recent years. Gone are the days when a video poker
savant could clear the same lucrative benefits that slot fiends brought in.
Today, the comp arrangements for video poker pale in comparison to those found
on the slots – usually at a 2 to 1 or even 3 to 1 ratio.
That doesn’t mean video poker fans should abandon all hope, however, because
there are still plenty of ways to increase your overall expectation via comps.
You just have to know where to look.
And that’s where we come in, because after three decades grinding out a
living on Las Vegas’ video poker machines, we’ve mapped out the optimal comp
plays for you. This page is presented as a guide to the world of comps for video
poker enthusiasts, so we’ll run though the logistics of how Players Club comps
work, where in Sin City to search for the most generous offers, and the impact
that comp hunting can have on your bottom line.
The Skinny on Casino Comps
The concept of casinos tracking player activity – and rewarding their
regulars (read: losers) with goodies to keep them coming back – is as old as the
industry itself.
Nobody likes leaving the casino with less money than they entered with, but
when you’re playing negative expectation games, that’s the inevitable outcome
more often than not. By setting up Players Clubs and other comp programs,
casinos can help alleviate the pain of losing just a little.
Free Video Poker Games
ExampleSay you head to the casino ready for a long day of grinding, but after a few
hours the cards aren’t cooperating and your bankroll for the day evaporates. Heading
home empty handed here wouldn’t be all that fun, but on your way out the door
you decide to check your Players Club account balance.
And lo and behold, the previous losing session added just enough points to
your account, earning you a free buffet and a night’s stay. Suddenly, a trip
which produced a $200 loss turns into a nearly breakeven experience, as you’ve
just saved $30 on the buffet dinner and $150 or so on the room.
That’s a simplified example of course, but it shows the power that comps can
hold for video poker players. We’re all going to incur losing sessions, as video
poker is still a negative expectation game for the most part, but saving money
elsewhere via comps can help you mitigate those losses.
Earning comps doesn’t take any effort either, aside from signing up for a
Players Club card or similar player tracking program when you visit any casino.
With the card in hand, head to your preferred area of the video poker parlor and
get to work – but don’t forget to insert that card first.
You’ll only receive comps based on tracked play, so if you forget to swipe
the card even once or twice, hours of play – and hundreds of dollars in comp
points – are flushed down the drain.
Most casinos provide you with a keyfob, lanyard, or some sort of device to
keep your Players Club card handy, so just make it a habit to bring them along
and your comps will always be covered.
The actual tracking systems vary from casino to casino – usually based on the
policy of the venue’s parent company – but you’ll largely receive a single comp
point for every increment of betting. Those increments can vary wildly depending
on where you play – which will be covered in the next section – but in most
cases, your wagering levels are repaid in kind through comp points.
You can visit the casino’s website, or even dedicated kiosks located
throughout the venue, to check the status of your comp point account balance.
Once again, the meaning of those points will differ from place to place, but the
general idea is that points can be used to “purchase” good and services
throughout the property.
We’ve already talked about buffets and rooms, but the most modernized comp
programs go all out, lavishing their players with spa treatments, retail
shopping discounts, rides and attractions for the kids, or even adventure tours
of nearby Hoover Dam or Red Rock Canyon.
These aren’t free gifts, as you’re essentially paying for them through your
accumulated video poker losses, but they do act as “rebates” on your expenses.
Without membership in a Players Club promotion, you’d be losing the exact same
amount of money on the machines, all while spending cash out of pocket for food,
lodging, and the assortment of goodies listed above.
Why spend that money twice, when a comp card allows you to get away with one
time expenses?
Now that you know the ins and outs of how video poker comps work, let’s take
a tour of Las Vegas to see where the best offers can be found.
Las Vegas’ Most Lucrative Comp Programs
The collection of casinos dotting the Las Vegas Strip, and their little
brothers doing business over in the Downtown Las Vegas district, may appear to
be separately operated venues – but corporatization has consolidated much of the
city.
MGM Resorts International, for example, owns and operates the following Las
Vegas casinos:
- Aria
- Bellagio
- Delano Las Vegas
- Excalibur
- Luxor
- Mandalay Bay
- MGM Grand
- Mirage
- Monte Carlo
- New York – New York
- Vdara
All casinos under the MGM umbrella use the same Players Club promotion, which
is known as M Life Rewards.
Video Poker Casino Games
Under the M
Life Rewards system, video poker players are entitled to one
Express Point (which is just their term for a base comp point) for every $10 in
bets placed. Thus, if you’re max betting a $1 machine for $5 per hand, you’ll be
accumulating 1 base point every two hands.
As these base points pile up in your account, the M Life Rewards system will
be paying close attention, as you’ll also earn Tier Credits based on your base
point earnings.
The best way to think of this division is that base points cover your daily
gaming activity, and can be spent instantly at the Starbucks or spa. Tier
points, on the other hand, cover your lifelong gambling activity, and can be
used to earn “lifestyle” bonuses like expedited check in, a special shortcut
line at the buffet and other amenities, and several perks designed to enhance
your next experience at an MGM owned property.
The chief rival for M Life Rewards is known as Total Rewards, which is the
Players Club program maintained by Caesars Entertainment and its collection of
casinos. The following Las Vegas venues are owned and operated by Caesars
Entertainment, and thus use the Total Rewards program:
- Bally’s
- The Cromwell
- Flamingo
- The Linq
- Harrah’s
- Paris
- Planet Hollywood
- Rio
Corporations aren’t exactly known for their creativity, so Total Rewards is
essentially a clone of M Life Rewards. Put more accurately, however, when M Life
was launched in 2011 it was designed to mimic the Total Rewards setup which was
pioneered a decade earlier.
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In any case, Total Rewards uses the same scheme of one base point per $10 in
video poker play, along with the opportunity to turn base points into new reward
tiers.
With the two major casino operators deadlocked at the same $10 / base point
system, video poker players who frequent The Strip don’t have many opportunities
to shop for the “best” comp program. Simply put, if you’re playing at a major
resort casino on The Strip, you can feel comfortable using either M Life Rewards
or Total Rewards to earn video poker comps.
By know you’re probably asking yourself if some of the casinos in Las Vegas
operate independently or at least under the umbrella of a smaller corporation.
And that’s a great question, because whenever you can escape the grasp of MGM
and Caesars Entertainment, that’s always an opportunity worth exploring.
Personally, we appreciate the handful of “Off Strip” casinos operated by Boyd
Gaming, as they offer one of the most generous video poker comp plans around.
If you’ve ever explored the outer boundaries of Las Vegas, or at least taken
a drive away from The Strip, chances are good that you’ve already visited a Boyd
Gaming property. Take a look at the list below to find all of the Boyd Gaming
casinos in Las Vegas:
- Aliante
- The California
- Gold Coast
- The Fremont
- Main Street Station
- The Orleans
- Sam’s Town
- Suncoast
Venues like The Orleans, Gold Coast, and Main Street Station fall under the
Off Strip category, while the California and Fremont are staples of the historic
Downtown District.
In each case, however, these casinos rely on the B Connected promotion to
track player activity and award comps.
Under the B Connected terms and conditions, comps are awarded to video poker
players at a rate of one point per $1 of wagering. That’s a full 10 times better
than either M Life Rewards or Total Rewards can offer, so right off the bat
video poker players are treated better at B Connected properties.
Of course, B Connected isn’t 10 times more generous than the competitors, and
the power of point dilution means that not all comp points are created equal.
That’s because the exchange rate used to turn comp points into actual cash
differs from plan to plan.
Under both M Life Rewards and Total Rewards, a single comp point is
equivalent to a single penny. In other words, every 100 base points you
accumulate (leaving aside the Tier system), you’ll have $1 in “free” cash to
work with.
Seeing as how you’ll earn one comp point for every $10 wagered, you’ll need
to bet $1,000 before you can collect 100 points – or $1.
Over at the B Connected casinos, however, the seemingly faster path to
earning points – through the one point for $1 wagered system – is far less
lucrative from the player’s perspective. Here, a you’ll need to earn 10 comp
points, rather than just one, to claim a single penny.
Thus, even though the B Connected system appears to be 10 times better for
video poker players at first glance, it somehow manages to be 10 times worse.
The preceding exercise should give you a firm grasp on how casinos try to
confuse their players. Sure, they’re providing “free” food and lodging to
regular players, which is always a nice thing to do. But by burying the most
important information under pages and pages of fine print, they’re hoping a
handful of players misinterpret, or otherwise mess up.
Scoring Free Drinks at the Video Poker Bar
Another way to extract value from the casino while taking a shot at the royal
flush jackpot is to frequent the lounge or bar.
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In today’s age, most casinos have transformed their entertainment venues into
further opportunity to gamble, so you’ll see video poker machines built right
into the bar. These machines are the same Game King model you’re familiar with
by now, although the pay tables may be slightly inferior.
In any case, when you sit down and plunk a few bills into the machine, you’ll
be entitled to comped drinks from the bartender.
In the old days, that bartender would serve as the proverbial gatekeeper,
scanning the screens to make sure players are actually betting – and betting
big. If you’re just min betting to score a free Heineken, the bartender would
simply ignore you and wait on the higher stakes players first. Up the ante to a
max bet, however, and click the buttons back and forth for a few minutes and
you’ll get their attention.
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Those were the old days though, and the age of modernization has changed
things in Las Vegas. A new system installed across Caesars Entertainment
properties does the bartender’s job for them,
tracking your betting levels and
frequency in real time. When a special algorithm determines that you “deserve” a
free drink, a green light will blink to signal the bartender. Otherwise, you’ll
be red lighted, forced to wait until you’ve bet enough to warrant a refill.
Obviously, veteran casino gamblers aren’t supporters of this automated
system, but then again, plenty of people were opposed to computerized five card
draw back in the day. This is the wave of the future, so you’ll be better served
by working within the system.
A recent survey of video poker bars conducted by the TravelZork website
tracked how free drinks are awarded across the various properties, and the data
was revealing to say the least:
- To score a free drink when playing quarter stakes video poker at a bar within
any MGM Resorts property, you’ll need to play an average of 120 hands while max
betting the $1.25 per hand. That equates to $150 worth of wagering before you
can tilt a cold one back. - Move to the Boyd Gaming collection of casinos, and the number drops to 105
hands at max bet quarter stakes – good for $131.25 in wagers before a comp is
offered. - But head over to a Caesars Entertainment casino and the rate drops to just 50
hands, which equates to just $62.50 in bets before a drink is delivered.
As you can see, you’ll get basically two and a half drinks by playing video
poker at a Caesars Entertainment bar for each drink you’d receive via MGM
Resorts.
That’s math anybody can get a grasp on. So if you’re a video poker player who
likes to exchange the solitary parlor for the livelier bar, head over to your
favorite Caesars Entertainment casino first and foremost.
Additional Resources
We’ve applied our own personal knowledge, and a bit of research to boot, when
compiling this page. Even so, we recognize that greater minds than ours have
taken on this great game of video poker before, and we don’t mind deferring
to the experts.
Consider the following books to be supplementary reading for your video poker
comp class. They were written by veterans of the game who have millions of
hands, and millions in comp dollars, under their collective belt. These casino
industry experts have already put in the work, so take advantage of their advice
to further improve your comp hunting game:
- Frugal Video Poker by Jean Scott
- Video Poker for the Intelligent Beginner by Bob Dancer
- Confessions of a Video Poker Winner Revealing Answers for Casual
Gamblers Who Want Truth Behind a Beatable Game by Greg Perry - Comp City: A Guide to Free Casino Vacations, Second Edition by Max Rubin
- The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Casino Comps by David Apostolico
Conclusion
Comps and the players club are important parts of any video poker player’s
arsenal. Every comp you get helps you get back some of the money the house takes
with their edge. Don’t play another hand of video poker before signing up for
the players club and comps.