At most casinos you’ll find a generous allotment of both video poker and slot machines on the floor. One player wonders if there’s a better option:
Which games have the highest return to player (RTP), video poker or slots?
Kathy B.
When played properly (as there is a one best strategy for them), video poker is designed to pay back better over time than slots. The worst paying video poker games are often in the neighborhood of 95% payback, whereas penny slots can reach down to 85% or so.
Casinos are of course aware of this, and so casino players club programs tend to factor in this differential. Earning tier credits and comps on video poker tends to require more bets to make up for the better payback. The $1.25 needed to bet 5 coins to qualify for a better royal flush payout on quarter denomination is generally above the minimum bet required to play a slot (although that differentiator is quickly closing).
Placement of video poker also often factors into payback – sitting at a bar with access to a bartender and easier flow of free drinks can often mean a haircut in the payback, a tradeoff some are fine with if it means that next cocktail makes it way over more quickly than looking for a cocktail server.
But even with those caveats, most video poker machines pay back better over time than the equivalent bet level on slots. But that requires you to know the game, as strategy is involved in Video Poker. Play hands wrong, or chase royal flushes too aggressively, and your payout could be below expectation – play poorly enough and slots could become a better bet in the end.
Fortunately there are ways to learn the games and improve your skills, so if that’s your plan, we encourage you to check those resources out.
Have a question? Submit yours here!
