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Double Bonus Poker Guide: Rules, Strategies & Expert Tips
In this article, I’ll cover Bonus Poker strategies, rules, and how to play. With an expected return of 99.17% when played correctly, mastering this approach can give you a real edge. I’ll walk you through the most important decisions to help you get the best possible results every time you play.
Bonus Poker Rules
Bonus Poker is a variation of video poker with rules similar to Jacks or Better, but there are some important differences that affect your strategy and potential payouts:
- Standard Deck: Bonus Poker is played with a standard 52-card deck and no wild cards.
- Winning Hands: The lowest paying winning hand is a pair of Jacks or better (J, Q, K, or A).
- Bonus Payouts: Unlike Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker awards higher payouts for Four of a Kind hands. Specifically, you get bigger rewards for four Aces and four 2s, 3s, or 4s compared to other quads.
- All other hand rankings follow traditional poker rules, such as straight, flush, full house, etc.
- Max Bet Recommended: To unlock the highest possible payout for a Royal Flush, always play the maximum number of coins per hand.
- No Dealer or Competition: There is no dealer hand or other players, your payout is determined by your final hand only.
Quick Fact: The main rule difference in Bonus Poker is the boosted payouts for specific Four of a Kind hands. Always check the paytable before you start!
How to Play Bonus Poker
Getting started with Bonus Poker is simple. Just follow these steps to play each round:
- Select your bet amount. Choose how many coins to wager for the hand. For the biggest payouts, I recommend betting the maximum number of coins.
- Receive your cards. You’ll be dealt five cards from a standard 52-card deck.
- Choose which cards to hold. Click or tap on the cards you want to keep. Any cards you don’t hold will be replaced in the next step.
- Draw new cards. The discarded cards are replaced, forming your final five-card hand.
- Check your result. If you have a pair of Jacks or better, or a stronger hand, you’ll be paid according to the Bonus Poker paytable. Special bonuses apply for certain Four of a Kind hands.
Remember: You’re playing against the machine, not other players or a dealer, so focus on making the strongest hand possible every round.
As you will see in the paytable above, Four of a Kind Aces pays out significantly more than a Straight Flush. Four of a Kind 2s, 3s, or 4s pay slightly more than a Straight Flush, while any other Four of a Kind (5s through Kings) pays the same as a Straight Flush.
Just like most versions of video poker, playing with 5 coins increases the jackpot for a Royal Flush significantly, so I recommend betting the maximum whenever possible to take advantage of this bonus.
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.
| Hand | Payout (with 5 coins) | Combinations | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 4,000 | 495443136 | 0.000025 |
| Straight Flush | 250 | 2129604264 | 0.000107 |
| 4 of a Kind Aces | 800 | 3903775812 | 0.000196 |
| 4 of a Kind 2’s to 4’s | 400 | 10509866328 | 0.000527 |
| 4 of a Kind 5’s to K’s | 250 | 32688417336 | 0.001640 |
| Full House | 45 | 229516869924 | 0.011514 |
| Flush | 35 | 216873645000 | 0.010880 |
| Straight | 25 | 223676319912 | 0.011221 |
| 3 of a Kind | 15 | 1484391167856 | 0.074468 |
| 2 Pair | 5 | 2577523603752 | 0.129308 |
| Jacks or Better | 5 | 4290810981444 | 0.215259 |
| Nothing | 0 | 10860710822436 | 0.544855 |
| Total | 19933230517200 | 1.000000 |
Bonus Poker Strategy
The strategy shown below gives you the best chance of getting consistent payouts with Bonus Poker. Since there are many video poker variations, and each one requires a slightly different approach, make sure you’re playing Bonus Poker before following this strategy chart.
How to use the strategy table: Start at the top of the table and work your way down. Find the highest-ranking hand that matches the cards you were dealt. Hold those cards and discard the rest for the best possible chance to win.
Best to Worst Hands
| Order | Hand |
|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush |
| 2 | Straight Flush |
| 3 | Four of a Kind |
| 4 | 4 of a Royal Flush |
| 5 | Full House |
| 6 | Flush |
| 7 | Three of a Kind |
| 8 | Straight |
| 9 | 4 of a Straight Flush |
| 10 | Two Pair |
| 11 | High Pair |
| 12 | 3 of a Royal Flush |
| 13 | 4 of a Flush |
| 14 | Unsuited 10, J, Q, K |
| 15 | Low Pair |
| 16 | 4 of an Outside Straight |
| 17 | 3 of a Straight Flush |
| 18 | Suited J, Q |
| 19 | 4 of an Inside Straight |
| 20 | Suited J, Q or J, K |
| 21 | Suited A,K A,Q or A,J |
| 22 | Unsuited J,Q,K |
| 23 | Unsuited J,Q |
| 24 | Suited 10,J |
| 25 | 2 Unsuited High Cards, K High |
| 26 | Suited 10, Q |
| 27 | 2 Unsuited High Card, A High |
| 28 | J only |
| 29 | Suited 10,K |
| 30 | Q only |
| 31 | K only |
| 32 | A only |
| 33 | Garbage, discard everything |
Outside Straight: This hand needs a card at either end to complete the straight. For example, if you have 5, 6, 7, 8, either a 4 or a 9 will complete your straight.
Inside Straight: This hand needs a specific card in the middle to complete the straight. For example, if you have 3, 4, 6, 7, only a 5 will make the straight.
This is meant as a guide only, but if followed correctly, it will give you the best chance of winning at Bonus Poker.
Bonus Poker Tips
Based on my experience, I’ve put together these Bonus Poker tips to help you avoid common mistakes, make better decisions, and get the most out of every hand:
- Always play the maximum number of coins to unlock the top payout for a Royal Flush.
- Check the paytable before you play. Choose machines that pay more for Four of a Kind hands, especially Aces and low cards.
- Use a strategy chart or reference guide until you’re confident with every hand decision.
- Hold a low pair (2s through 10s) instead of single high cards, as pairs can improve to bigger hands.
- Never break up a made flush or straight just to chase a higher payout, unless you’re drawing to a Royal Flush.
- If you’re dealt four cards to a Royal Flush, always go for it, even if it means breaking up a winning hand.
- Don’t get discouraged by losing streaks. Most hands do not result in a payout, so patience is essential.
- Practice with free Bonus Poker games online to build confidence and perfect your strategy before playing for real money.
Related Articles:
Advanced Video Poker Strategy
How To Play Joker’s Wild Poker
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