At the best casinos for video poker players in Las Vegas it's possible to find machines that pay in excess of 100% with perfect play. Note those words ‘with perfect play'–most of the 100%+ payback machines. Vegas won't really be Vegas again until we can play video poker at Chandelier Bar, so let's make it sooner than later. Chandelier Bar at Cosmopolitan is the fancy by which all other fancy is measured. Online casino coupons. So, that's our itinerary for when video poker bars open up in Las Vegas again. We'd love to hear about your favorite places to play.
Voted the Best Video Poker in Las Vegas. With a friendly gaming floor that's home to more than 1,000 slots and video poker machines, it's no wonder locals voted Fiesta Rancho the Best Video Poker in Las Vegas. Whether you prefer multi-hand, triple play, or 99.8% payback, Fiesta Rancho offers all of your favorite video poker variations in spades. We often play video poker and have a soda as we dont drink alcohol. The D Casino Hotel. Joe Vicari's Andiamo Italian Steakhouse at this location. Want to know why? The bartenders are great, always quick with service and ultra-friendly. Las Vegas is the best place to play video poker in the world. There are hundreds of machines in the Las Vegas Valley that return 100 percent or more when betting five coins and playing perfect strategy. None of these devices are located on the Las Vegas Strip.Video poker players will need to take a trip downtown or to locals casinos to find the best video poker games in Las Vegas.
If you can take one look at a photograph of Downtown Las Vegas in all its vintage glory, and still tell me The Strip can hold a candle to what Sin City used to be, I can't help you.
Despite my personal inclinations though, pale imitations of European landmarks paired with faux luxury at sky-high prices does appeal to a certain crowd. It must, with most of the 42 million visitors who made the trip to Las Vegas last year confining their entire experience to The Strip.
And hey, I don't mind seeing a cool show like Absinthe, superstar talents like Celine Dion, or the latest culinary masterpieces from Michelin Guide acclaimed celebrity chefs. Who doesn't, right?
What I won't do anywhere on Las Vegas Boulevard, however, is play video poker.
Simply put, The Strip is where video poker bankrolls go to die. Thanks to corporate consolidation within the gambling industry – MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment combine to operate 17 of the 30 casinos lining The Strip – players are left to the mercy of the house.
As you might suspect, casinos in the Silver State aren't exactly known for their merciful ways. After all, they didn't haul in $11.9 billion in gambling win last year alone by taking it easy on players.
Video poker players bear the brunt of it too, because the ubiquitous Game King machine from IGT allows casinos to tinker with the pay table as they see fit.
By changing the 9/6 full pay table in Jacks or Better, for example, the game's standard 99.54 percent house edge falls off a cliff:
Jacks or Better Pay Table Comparison
| TABLE | PAYBACK |
| 9/6 | 99.54 percent |
| 9/5 | 98.45 percent |
| 8/6 | 98.39 percent |
| 8/5 | 97.30 percent |
| 7/5 | 96.15 percent |
| 6/5 | 95.00 percent |
Playing basic strategy a 9/6 version of this video poker classic offers a perfectly reasonable – and even beatable when comps are factored in – payback percentage of 99.54 percent. That leaves a house edge of only 0.46 percent for players to overcome, which is right on par with the best skill games like blackjack.
But as the payouts are downgraded – through slight adjustments to the key pays on a full house and/or flush – Jacks or Better becomes nothing short of a travesty. If I wanted to battle against an unbeatable house edge of 5.00 percent, I'd splash around on a pure game of chance like double-zero roulette, not the ultimate strategic thinker's game Jacks or Better.
And this pay table conundrum affects all the other variants as well whenever you play on The Strip:
Deuces Wild Pay Table Comparison
| TABLE | PAYBACK |
| 25/15/9/5/3/2 | 100.76 percent |
| 25/15/11/4/4/3 | 99.96 percent |
| 25/16/10/4/4/3 | 99.73 percent |
| 25/15/9/4/4/3 | 98.91 percent |
| 20/12/10/4/4/3 | 97.58 percent |
| 20/12/9/4/4/3 | 97.06 percent |
| 25/16/13/4/3/2 | 96.77 percent |
| 20/10/8/4/4/3 | 95.96 percent |
| 25/15/10/4/3/2 | 94.82 percent |
Double Bonus Poker Pay Table Comparison
| TABLE | PAYBACK |
| 10/7 | 100.17 percent |
| 9/7/5 | 99.11 percent |
| 9/6/5 | 97.81 percent |
| 9/6/4 | 96.38 percent |
| 8/5 | 94.19 percent |
| 7/5 | 93.11 percent |
Double Double Bonus Poker Pay Table Comparison
| TABLE | PAYBACK |
| 10/6 | 100.07 percent |
| 9/6/4 | 98.98 percent |
| 9/5 | 97.87 percent |
| 8/5 | 96.79 percent |
| 7/5 | 95.71 percent |
| 6/5 | 94.66 percent |
To get a taste of how hostile The Strip has become for sharp video poker players, just realize that you can no longer find a single full pay Deuces Wild machine and its famous player edge of 100.76 percent – anywhere on Las Vegas Boulevard. Not a single machine mind you, even in the best high-limit rooms where whales typically get the best odds in exchange for dumping serious sums.
Even so, I know there's plenty of players out there who are cut from my mold. Maybe it's nostalgia over the good old days, or just the frugal nature of grizzled veteran gamblers who prefer savings over spectacle, but Downtown Las Vegas still calls out to a significant segment of the video poker community.
Who am I kidding… it's mostly due to Downtown's abundance of full pay machines covering all the most popular variants.
By changing the 9/6 full pay table in Jacks or Better, for example, the game's standard 99.54 percent house edge falls off a cliff:
Jacks or Better Pay Table Comparison
| TABLE | PAYBACK |
| 9/6 | 99.54 percent |
| 9/5 | 98.45 percent |
| 8/6 | 98.39 percent |
| 8/5 | 97.30 percent |
| 7/5 | 96.15 percent |
| 6/5 | 95.00 percent |
Playing basic strategy a 9/6 version of this video poker classic offers a perfectly reasonable – and even beatable when comps are factored in – payback percentage of 99.54 percent. That leaves a house edge of only 0.46 percent for players to overcome, which is right on par with the best skill games like blackjack.
But as the payouts are downgraded – through slight adjustments to the key pays on a full house and/or flush – Jacks or Better becomes nothing short of a travesty. If I wanted to battle against an unbeatable house edge of 5.00 percent, I'd splash around on a pure game of chance like double-zero roulette, not the ultimate strategic thinker's game Jacks or Better.
And this pay table conundrum affects all the other variants as well whenever you play on The Strip:
Deuces Wild Pay Table Comparison
| TABLE | PAYBACK |
| 25/15/9/5/3/2 | 100.76 percent |
| 25/15/11/4/4/3 | 99.96 percent |
| 25/16/10/4/4/3 | 99.73 percent |
| 25/15/9/4/4/3 | 98.91 percent |
| 20/12/10/4/4/3 | 97.58 percent |
| 20/12/9/4/4/3 | 97.06 percent |
| 25/16/13/4/3/2 | 96.77 percent |
| 20/10/8/4/4/3 | 95.96 percent |
| 25/15/10/4/3/2 | 94.82 percent |
Double Bonus Poker Pay Table Comparison
| TABLE | PAYBACK |
| 10/7 | 100.17 percent |
| 9/7/5 | 99.11 percent |
| 9/6/5 | 97.81 percent |
| 9/6/4 | 96.38 percent |
| 8/5 | 94.19 percent |
| 7/5 | 93.11 percent |
Double Double Bonus Poker Pay Table Comparison
| TABLE | PAYBACK |
| 10/6 | 100.07 percent |
| 9/6/4 | 98.98 percent |
| 9/5 | 97.87 percent |
| 8/5 | 96.79 percent |
| 7/5 | 95.71 percent |
| 6/5 | 94.66 percent |
To get a taste of how hostile The Strip has become for sharp video poker players, just realize that you can no longer find a single full pay Deuces Wild machine and its famous player edge of 100.76 percent – anywhere on Las Vegas Boulevard. Not a single machine mind you, even in the best high-limit rooms where whales typically get the best odds in exchange for dumping serious sums.
Even so, I know there's plenty of players out there who are cut from my mold. Maybe it's nostalgia over the good old days, or just the frugal nature of grizzled veteran gamblers who prefer savings over spectacle, but Downtown Las Vegas still calls out to a significant segment of the video poker community.
Who am I kidding… it's mostly due to Downtown's abundance of full pay machines covering all the most popular variants.
On that front, this is a piece dedicated to the five best places to play video poker on fabulous Fremont Street in the Downtown district.
1 – The Plaza Hotel & Casino
An iconic fixture of the Downtown skyline since 1971, the Plaza has the highest payback percentage on Fremont Street thanks to its low-limit 1-Pair Joker Wild machines:
The Plaza's Best Video Poker Options
| VARIANT | FULL PAYBACK | COIN DENOMINATION(S) |
| 1-Pair Joker Wild | 100.65 percent | 25¢, 50¢ |
| Double Bonus | 100.17 percent | 25¢, 50¢¸ $1 |
| Double Bonus Plus | 99.76 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
| Bonus Deluxe | 99.64 percent | 25¢, 50¢¸ $1, $2 |
| Jacks or Better | 99.54 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1, $2 |
| Bonus Poker | 99.17 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1, $2, $5 |
| Deuces Joker Wild | 99.07 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1, $2 |
| Double Double Bonus | 98.98 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1, $2 |
The beauty of video poker at the Plaza is variety, as you'll find more than 225 machines covering 10 different variants – almost all of which offer full pay tables.
Best Video Poker In Vegas
2 – California Hotel & Casino
If you prefer the value-packed action found at Boyd Gaming properties, the California is your home away from home when playing Downtown.
Along with full pay Double Bonus and it's sweet 0.17 percent player edge, video poker at the California spans the spectrum from nickel stakes to five bucks a coin:
California's Best Video Poker Options
| VARIANT | FULL PAYBACK | COIN DENOMINATION(S) |
| Double Bonus | 100.17 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
| Not So Ugly Ducks (Deuces Wild) | 99.73 percent | 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢ |
| Super Double Bonus | 99.69 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
| Triple Double Bonus | 99.58 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
| Jacks or Better | 99.54 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
| Loose Deuces Wild | 99.20 percent | $1, $2, $5 |
| Bonus Poker | 99.17 percent | 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢, $1, $2, $5 |
| Double Double Bonus | 98.98 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
3 – El Cortez Hotel & Casino
The Strip keeps adding new casinos every year, but if you want to play at the oldest continuously operated gambling hall in Sin City, the El Cortez is the ticket.
Constructed in 1941, the El Cortez looks and feels like you've gone back in time to a bygone era. That antique vibe can be found in the video poker parlor too.
El Cortez' Best Video Poker Options
| VARIANT | FULL PAYBACK | COIN DENOMINATION(S) |
| Double Bonus | 100.17 percent | 25¢ |
| Super Double Bonus | 99.69 percent | $1 |
| Double Deuces Wild | 99.62 percent | 25¢, $1 |
| Triple Bonus | 99.59 percent | 25¢ |
| Bonus Deuces Wild | 99.45 percent | 25¢ |
| A-C-E-S Bonus | 99.40 percent | 25¢ |
If you couldn't tell, Bonus-based games are the specialty at El Cortez, so head here to hunt for those high-paying four Aces with a kicker jackpots.
4 – Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino
Originally opened in 1964 as the Lady Luck Casino, the newly renovated Downtown Grand is like a little slice of The Strip transported to Fremont Street.
Except for the full pay video poker machines, that is, which are led by the relatively obscure 'Super Aces' version of Bonus Poker:
Downtown Grand's Best Video Poker Options
| VARIANT | FULL PAYBACK | COIN DENOMINATION(S) |
| Super Aces (Bonus Poker) | 99.94 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1 |
| Jacks or Better | 99.54 percent | 25¢ |
| Bonus Poker | 99.17 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1, $2, $5 |
| Double Double Bonus | 98.98 percent | 25¢, 50¢, $1, $2, $5 |
In case you're unfamiliar with Super Aces, this game is just Bonus Poker with a premium jackpot payout of 2,000 coins (on a max-bet) when you land four of a kind in Aces.
Conclusion
Downtown Las Vegas is where it all started, from Benny Binion hosting the first World Series of Poker, the world famous $0.99 shrimp cocktail, and 100x Odds bets on the craps table. Legends were born there, million-dollar bankrolls were built and burned through in a day, and the world's gambling capital emerged like an oasis in the Mojave Desert sands. The old drag on Fremont Street has seen better days to be sure, but if you're a sharp video poker player, historic venues like the ones listed above are the most beautiful sight in Sin City.
Many players enjoy sitting at the bar in a casino. That is because the best service is typically found there. Nearly all Las Vegas casino bars offer video poker machines embedded in the top. Jackpot capital codes. The quality of these games varies drastically from one casino to another.
Most of the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip offer terrible video poker games on bar tops. The house edge is often three or more percent on these machines. Players are better off finding a quality video poker machine on the casino floor and tipping the waitress well on the first drink order or simply paying cash for alcohol over playing poor video poker pay tables at the bar.
Once players move away from the Strip, the video poker quality at casino bars improves drastically. This includes locals casinos and ones in downtown Las Vegas.
Best Video Poker In Vegas Today
The most common playable video poker game at bars in Las Vegas is 8/5 Bonus Poker. This means that a full house pays 8 and a flush returns 5 for each coin wagered. Other decent games include 9/6 Jacks or Better, 9/7/5 Double Bonus and 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe.
There are two rules when playing video poker at the bar. Always play five coins to receive comped drinks and get the highest return on a royal flush. The other is to take care of your bartender. He or she may bend the drink rules if you give them motivation to do so. At the very least, being known as a good tipper will get your drink refilled quickly.
South Point Casino has the best video poker of any bar in Las Vegas. Players will find No-So-Ugly-Deuces (99.73%) at bars throughout the casino. The next-best game is 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe (99.64%). The same machines also spread 8/5 Bonus Poker (99.17%). The denominations are $.25, $.50, $1 and $2. Players receive 0.3% in cash back through the South Point players club on these games.
Plaza Las Vegas
The Plaza is located at the intersection of Fremont Street and Main Street in downtown Las Vegas. It offers the best video poker at the bar in any Las Vegas tourist area. The games below are at the Omaha Bar near the front of the casino. The games are of lower quality at the Sportsbook Bar.
The best games at the Omaha Bar at Plaza are 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe (99.64%), 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54%), 8/5 Bonus Poker (99.17%), 9/7/5 Double Bonus (99.11%) and Deuces and Joker Wild (99.07%). The denominations are $.25, $.50 and $1. The players club increases the return by about 0.13%. Slot points may not be used on video poker machines with these returns. They may only be used on slots or at the sportsbook car, which offers inferior video poker returns.
Main Street Station is on Main Street across from its intersection with Stewart Avenue in downtown Las Vegas. There are two games that return at least 99% at the main bar. They are 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54%) and 9/7/5 Double Bonus (99.11%). The denominations are $.25, $.50 and $1. The games return an additional 0.1% on the Boyd Gaming BConnected card. Players that make a natural four of a kind will receive a scratch off card worth a few dollars. The top prize in that promotion is $5,000.
El Cortez
El Cortez is located in the Fremont East area of downtown Las Vegas. There are two bars at El Cortez. Both spread 8/5 Bonus Poker (99.17%) and 9/7/5 Double Bonus (99.11%). The denominations are $.25, $.50, $1, $2 and $5. The players club returns an additional 0.2%.
Every bar at 4Queens offers 9/7/5 Double Bonus (99.17%). The $.25 denomination has a progressive. There are also $.50 and $1 denominations that do not have a progressive. The cash back rate is 0.31%. That amount doubles when redeemed for comps.
Station Casinos
The higher end Station Casinos all spread 8/5 Bonus Poker (99.17%) at the bar. The $.25 denomination has a royal flush progressive that is tied to all other machines at the bar. There are also $.50 and $1 8/5 Bonus Poker games at these Station Casinos. Some go as high as the $5 denomination.
Station Casinos locations with 8/5 Bonus Poker at the bar include Red Rock Resort, Green Valley Ranch, Palace Station, Texas Station, and Santa Fe Station. The Station Casinos Boarding Pass returns 0.3% in cash, comps or free play to players on these games. These video poker games qualify for point multiplier days.
Where Is The Best Video Poker In Vegas
Skyline Casino is a locals casino located on Boulder Highway near Sunset Rd. Its bar spreads 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe (99.64%), 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54%), and 8/5 Bonus Poker (99.17%). There are $.25, $.50 and $1 denominations. The $.25 games are networked into a royal flush progressive at the bar. Skyline Casino does not have a slot club.
