Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy

Hand	1 coin	2 coins	3 coins	4 coins	5 coins
Royal flush	800	500	750	1000	4000
4 deuces	200	400	600	800	1000
Wild royal flush	25	50	75	100	125
5 of a kind	15	30	45	60	75
Straight flush	9	18	27	36	45
4 of a kind	5	10	15	20	25
Full house	3	6	9	12	15
Flush	2	4	6	8	10
Straight	2	4	6	8	10
3 of a kind	1	2	3	4	5

It should probably be noted that full pay deuces wild is not a common offering, and most places offer what the Wizard of Odds calls "not so ugly" Deuces Wild, and some places offer faux full pay Deuces Wild. (This is the part where the Texas Holdem dealer tells me, "English only at the table, sir!")

In the "not so ugly" version of Deuces Wild, 5 of a kind pays 16 instead of 15, and a straight flush pays a 10 instead of a 9. This might make you think the return would be better on this version of the game, but it's not. Because the return on the 4 of a kind is reduced to 4...and that particular hand makes up 1/3 of your expectation in this game, so reducing the payout for that hand by 20% has a big effect on your expectation. Although the game still has a 99.7% payback, even with that change.

There are lots of other pay tables for Deuces Wild, and the payback percentage just keeps going down for these games. The hands and paybacks to look at are the 4 of a kind - you want to get paid at least 5 to 1 on this hand if at all possible, since it's the biggest source of your return.

Strategy for Full Pay Deuces Wild

Like the jacks or better strategy, you start at the top of the deuces wild strategy table and work your way down. The strategy is actually divided into 4 strategy tables, which are determined by how many deuces you have. (Also, if you're looking for a quick and dirty intro to strategy, check out our deuces wild tips article.)

4 Deuces

This is a great hand. Draw a card if you want to, but you pretty much have five of a kind here no matter what you draw.

3 Deuces

Not much to complain about here.

• Wild royal flush.

• 5 of a kind, with a pair of tens or better in addition to your 3 deuces.

• 3 deuces only, draw 2 cards.

2 Deuces

• Wild royal flush.

• 5 of a kind.

• Straight flush.

• 4 of a kind.

• 4 cards to a wild royal flush.

• 4 cards to an open-ended straight flush.

• 2 deuces only, draw 3 cards.

1 Deuce

• Wild royal flush.

• 5 of a kind.

• Straight flush.

• 4 of a kind.

• 4 cards to a wild royal flush.

• Full house.

• 4 cards to an open-ended straight flush.

• 3 of a kind.

• Flush.

• Straight.

• 4 cards to a straight flush with a gap.

• 4 cards to a straight flush with 2 gaps.

• A deuce + A34, or A35, or A45, any of which are suited.

• 3 cards to a royal flush with no ace.

• 3 cards to an open ended straight flush.

• 3 cards to a royal flush with an ace.

• Deuce only, draw 4 cards.

No Deuces

• Royal flush.

• 4 cards to a royal flush.

• Straight flush.

• 4 of a kind.

• Full house.

• 3 of a kind.

• Flush.

• Straight.

• 4 cards to a straight flush.

• 3 cards to a royal flush.

• A pair.

• 4 cards to a flush.

• 4 cards to an open-ended straight EXCEPT for 3456.

• 3 cards to a straight flush.

• 456 suited.

• 345 suited.

• TJ suited.

• 3 cards to a straight flush with 2 gaps.

• TQ suited or JQ suited.

• 346 suited or 356 suited.

• 4 cards to a straight with one gap EXCEPT A345.

• Nothing, draw 5 cards.

Just go down the chart until you find something that matches what you have in your hand, then hold that and either get paid or draw. The first part of each chart matches the payout schedule for the machine, since those are the highest hands, so they're easy to remember. You don't even have to memorize them unless you want to. (And if you play video poker much, you're probably already somewhat familiar with hand rankings anyway.)