How to Become a Professional Video Poker Player?

If you have never played poker, you might imagine that the gameplay is all about competitions and tournaments like Texas Holdem. However, you need to know that video poker is played against the house and no other players. It means that you also need to beat the house edge which is always in favor of the casino. When it comes to video poker tournaments, they are very rare and you will usually need to travel a lot in order to find a certain event.

Professional players are looking for video poker versions with the small house advantage.  It includes versions where the house edge is 1% or less than that. If you combine the low house edge with the opportunity to earn some awards, you can really have a positive result from the game. By taking advantage of the same rule on a long-term basis, you can really make money for a living.

When playing video poker, you will have to build your earnings. On the other hand, Texas Holdem participants can make significant cash from only one tournament and make the most out of the experience. Video poker requires significant commitment and discipline.

You need to learn not only the playing rules but also sorts of machines and which bonuses you can take. Even with all these elements, you don’t have a guarantee of winning anything.

There is also an advantage of video poker in terms of knowing how much money you can make. It means that the probabilities of winning hands will never change. Just check the pay tables and you will learn more information.

Video poker is a simple game that can be played recreational. The game is based on the five-card draw version where you receive five cards and can decide which cards you want to keep.

Pay Tables are the most important part of the games and you can check them out to find more about the possible payouts.  The payback percentage is something that differentiates one poker version from another.

If you find the machine with a payback percentage of 99%, this is the right machine for professional players. If you find the machine with a 100% percentage or over, you will be able to make the profit of the game with perfect gameplay.

Here you can check the paytable for full version of Jacks or Better game: 

On the other hand, we can also mention the payback percentages of video poker variations including:

• Loose Deuces providing 100.97% RTP
• Downtown Deuces with 100.92%
• Deuces Wild with 100.76%
• Joker Poker with 100.64%
• Double Bonus with 100.17%
• Super Bonus Deuces Wild with 100.13
• Double Double Bonus with 100.07

If you want to become a professional poker player and earn money from the game, you need to play it without any mistakes. Some players think that knowing the rules of the game is enough to make winnings, but it’s not that simple. Even professional gamblers are not sure how to make all related calculations and form the best possible hands.

However, they have learned many things from experts and computer programs and now they can apply the knowledge in practice. Thanks to the set of skills, players are now able to make decisions within seconds which is important for making winnings.

If you want to practice video poker before playing for real money, you can use video poker software. Thanks to the software, you can engage in the game as if you play a real version of online video poker. As part of this opportunity, you will also have a virtual currency for betting purposes. The software will support players in their mission by alerting them about mistakes.

There are many free versions of video poker software and you can find compatible versions for both tablet and mobile phones. However, you need to know that free software versions are not recommended for those who want to take their gameplay to the professional level.

Be sure to find the software which simulates the paytable of Jacks or Better as it represents one of the most common poker variations.

Players can also find the paid version of the software which provides access to the titles with a 100% payback percentage. It means that you need to pay something in order to learn more about the gameplay and have an advantage.

A strategy card is very useful for poker players as it provides players information on calculations. Thanks to the strategy card, you can compare your hand to the possible card combinations you have received. As soon as you see the highest-value combinations which equal yours, you know which moves to take.

Apart from knowing the main rules of video poker, you need to react quickly during the game. It is not enough just to decide which cards to hold and which to discard. You also need to make a swift decision in the game to become a professional player.

The best players cannot even think about slowing down the gameplay as they will lose a lot.

If you want to become an expert gambler, you have to focus not only on your skills but also on available bonuses. Most casinos supply players with points if they sign up at the site. There is also an opportunity to earn points based on the deposits you make at an online casino.

Once you earn a sufficient number of points, you can use them in different ways. For example, you can get free money and boost your balance with real cash. Some platforms will provide bonuses for high rollers or reload promotions for returning customers.

Bonuses are very important for online gamblers as they can make a difference in the outcome. It is especially true if you are not able to find machines with a good payback percentage. When you play at land-based venues, you can receive different incentives such as food, lodging, or event tickets.

Online casinos are also popular among players as they allow gamblers to enjoy a real-time experience from any possible place. Video poker is a perfect game for players who enjoy playing from smaller screens.

When you play the game, you can also count on regular bonuses which keep your interest on a high level. The most frequent bonuses you can find at online casinos are:

• Welcome Bonus: This offer is available as a percentage of the first deposit you make. For example, the provider can award players with 100% match up to $200. It means that you will have a doubled amount of your deposit to play with. However, you need to spend your balance first in order to use bonus funds. Welcome bonuses are perfect for new players as they provide them with a certain advantage from the beginning.
• Reload Bonuses: They work in the same way as a welcome bonus. You will typically have the minimum deposit amount as well as the maximum value of the bonus. Some online casinos enable players to use reload bonuses several times as opposed to welcome bonuses. Have in mind that reload bonuses are typically connected with rollover requirements. It means that you need to wager your bonus a certain number of times before cashout.

Following the playing rules and betting techniques, most players would consider that video poker is a simple game. Moreover, they would also think that becoming a professional poker player is also simple.

However, you need to know that casinos are gambling establishments that look to earn profit from their activities. Before taking an opportunity to play video poker on a professional level, you need to learn the limitations of the same lifestyle.

As we already mentioned, professional players should look for machines with a 100% payback percentage. However, it is very difficult to locate such machines in the market which is another challenge for professional players. Luckily, there are many websites that support players in the research process by informing them about the positions of such machines.

According to the official information, machines that provide players with a 100% payback percentage or more are mainly located in Nevada. It is a bit constraining for players who wish to become professionals, but don’t reside in the same state. While some players can afford travelling to Nevada for betting purposes, other players could not have such an opportunity.

If you play at online casinos, you will find many video poker machines which provide you with an opportunity to select a denomination. The denomination includes anything from a penny, a dollar, or several dollars, representing a single betting unit on the gambling machine. On the other hand, you will find machines that have already determined denominations.

If you visit video Nevada and want to play high-paying video machines, you may be disappointed about their denomination limits of only 25 cents. It reduces your chances to make significant winnings at the casino. Casinos are aware of customers’ intentions so they lower the denomination, making players reconsider their decisions.

That’s the reason why players switch to machines with negative projections which accept higher denominations. However, these machines also provide the house with a certain advantage.

When playing video poker machines, you should also be aware of bonus limitations. Some casinos have significantly limited the number of machines that provide 100% or even higher payback percentage. It means that players can earn only a limited number of points on these machines, which leads to fewer bonuses.

When you take a look at the paytable, you will notice that the royal flush hand pays the most. When it comes to the same hand, it is rare and you can expect to hit the same once per 40,000 hands. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will hit the royal flush even if you play 40,000 hands. Video machines work independently and every new deal and draw are random without connections to the previous rounds.

If you strive to hit high-paying hands, you may find it difficult to achieve. Those who are lucky will hit the hand more often, but others will need to have a significant bankroll to target the highest-paying hands.

To become a professional video poker player, you need to have a significant bankroll for betting purposes. It is not possible to just enter the casino with a couple of dollars. Poker players need significant cash in reserve in order to make the most out of the gambling experience.

Considering all challenges and limitations of becoming a professional player, you may think that a short-time thrill is not a sufficient incentive to join the game. Video poker is not for everyone, but only for the most stubborn and disciplined gamblers.

Even if you invest your time and money in the learning process, you don’t have a guarantee of winning anything.

Those who want to live from playing video poker should make even greater efforts.

They would need a set of skills, patience, and diligence to make money from this game. It includes spending a lot of time researching poker machines and their locations. Additionally, players should also search for the best bonuses for video poker players and spend long hours in an online casino.

If you decide to embark on this unique mission, you need to know that your life will change completely. Even if you can invest your time in poker, it would be hard to keep a stable relationship with your friends and family due to time limitations. That’s why you need to think twice before entering the world of video poker.