Video Poker Glossary - Terms and Definitions

Some Definitions of Common Video Poker Terms

Bonus poker - A common variation of jacks or better.

Cash back - This refers to the amount of the rebate given back by the casino's comp system. It's normally a (very small) percentage of the wager.

Coin in - The amount of money played through a machine. This is the amount that determines the cash back and any other comps.

Comps - Free perks from the casino in exchange for "action". Common comps include food, lodging, show tickets, and other gifts.

Deuce - Another word for a card ranked 2.

Deuces wild - A video poker game where 2's are wild cards.

Edge - The mathematical advantage, usually expressed as a percentage, and usually in the casino's favor.

Face cards, or faces - Any king, queen or jack.

Flush - Five cards of the same suit.

Four of a kind - Four cards of the same rank.

Four to a flush, or four-flush - Four cards of the same suit. A fifth card of the same suit will complete the flush.

Full house - Three cards of the same rank (3 of a kind) plus a pair of a different rank.

Full pay - The highest expectation game of a type of video poker. 9/6 jacks or better is the most common example of a full pay video poker machine.

Inside straight - Four cards to a straight, where there is only one rank that can complete the straight. For example, 3467. The 5 is the only card that can complete the straight.

Joker poker (also known as jokers wild) - A jacks or better variation that has a joker added to the deck as a wild card.

Kicker - A high unpaired card that's held in addition to a pair or 3 of a kind. Usually not something you would hold onto in a video poker game.

Pair - Two cards of the same rank.

Payoff or payback- A percentage defining the player's expectation.

Pay table - The payout schedule for a video poker machine.

Perfect play or Optimum play - Making the decisions with the best expectation in video poker.

Progressive jackpot - A shared jackpot that's linked to from many different video poker or slot machines that grows larger as players play.

Quads - Another way of saying four of a kind.

Rank - The number on a playing card, or its numeric value.

RNG - The computer chip that generates the outcomes on a video poker or slot machine. Random number generator.

Royal flush - Five cards of consecutive rank, starting from 10 going up to ace, that are also all of the same suit. The best possible hand in poker with no wild cards.

Short pay - The opposite of full pay. Refers to games with lower than full pay expectation.

Slot club - Programs for video poker players and slots player to reward them with comps for their play.

Straight - Five cards of consecutive ranking.

Straight flush - Five cards of consecutive ranking, all of the same suit.

Three of a kind - 3 cards of the same ranking.

Total return - Same thing as payback percentage.

Triple play - A video poker variation where your original hand becomes 3 hands.

Trips - Three of a kind.

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