Playing video poker tournaments is a great way to make some extra money. However, it requires a little more than just putting your money on the line and hoping for the best.
It’s not easy to win at video poker tournaments, but there are ways you can improve your chances of winning. Here are some tips that will help you succeed when playing video poker tournaments.
Know Your Limits
Before jumping into an online video poker tournament, make sure you know what your own personal limits are. You’ll want to be confident that you’re able to stick within those limits before entering the tournament. If you don’t, then you may find yourself getting discouraged very quickly.
Some people say they can never win video poker tournaments because they have never been able to win one. That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to win a tournament; it just means that those people aren’t ready or willing to play as hard as they need to.
If you’ve played a game of video poker before, then you already know how to play. But if this is going to be your first time, take advantage of the free practice games available on all video poker sites. There are also tons of instructional videos out there that show you step-by-step how to play the various video poker variations available. These videos will walk you through everything from setting up your machine to playing the game itself.
Once you get used to the basic strategy behind each variation of video poker, you’ll be well prepared to enter a live tournament. And with luck, you’ll come out on top!
Have Fun
One thing you should always remember about video poker tournaments is that they are fun. If you don’t enjoy the game, then you won’t last long in the tournament. After all, why would anyone sit down for hours at a time to play a game they don’t like?
The key is to have fun while you’re playing. Don’t think too much about anything else during your sessions. Just focus on your cards and try to stay calm throughout the entire process. In other words, relax and play the game.
Set Up Your Tournament Strategy Properly
When you first start out, you probably won’t be aware of exactly how important proper setup is. For example, when you’re just starting out, you probably won’t realize that the minimum bet requirement is essential to your success. The same goes for the maximum bet requirement. Once you understand the importance of these factors, you’ll see them everywhere.
For instance, many players only set aside a small portion of their total bankroll for the actual tournament. They just put that amount in the middle of the betting range (usually around $1,000) and then keep going. This leaves the rest of their money sitting idle, which is a huge mistake. The fact is that most of the time, the higher bets end up being the winners, so you actually lose money by keeping the lower bets at all times.
When you’re playing video poker tournaments, you really need to set up three different pots. First, you’ll have the main pot where everyone plays. Then there will be another smaller pot, such as the mid-range pot, that has a slightly higher minimum bet requirement. Finally, you’ll have a much larger pot, such as the big pot, that has a much higher maximum bet requirement.
These are the three pots you’ll want to use depending on the situation. For example, let’s say that the big pot only requires $100, while the mid-range pot requires $50 and the small pot requires $5. Let’s assume that you won the big pot and now have $600 in the pot. Now, let’s say that two players are left in the competition. One player wants to continue playing while the second player decides to leave the table.
In this scenario, you’ll want to use the small pot. So, instead of taking the $5 in chips, you’ll take half of it ($2.50), leaving the remaining $1.50 for the other player who wants to continue playing. By doing this, you ensure that no one drops out without having enough money to pay for their next round.
This is just one example of the different strategies you can employ when playing video poker tournaments. It’s vital that you learn the ins and outs of the game completely before stepping into any tournament, so that you can maximize your chances of winning.
Don’t Get Too Excited About Winning
Many people tend to get too excited when they win a particular hand in a video poker tournament. While it’s always exciting to win, you shouldn’t do anything to jeopardize your chances of winning again. Remember, you’re competing against other players, so you want to make sure that you’re still able to beat them when you do win.
So, when you win a hand, don’t spend all day bragging about it. Instead, congratulate your opponent. Ask him or her how he or she managed to beat you, and then offer to split the prize in half with him or her.
You may be surprised at how often this works. You can even offer to give away the whole pot if he or she agrees. But don’t go overboard here. You don’t want to risk losing the next hand. If things start to look bad after you’ve won the first few hands, then you might want to drop out of the tournament altogether.
Play Smart With Your Bankroll
There is nothing worse than losing money while playing video poker tournaments, especially if you’re new to the game. You’d better hope that you can win back what you lost, otherwise you could wind up broke.
To avoid losing your entire bankroll, you should never use more of your cash than you can afford to lose. Remember, you’re gambling, so anything more than a reasonable percentage of your overall bankroll is risky. The more you gamble with your money, the less likely you are to win, regardless of the skill level involved.
Instead, you should save your money until you accumulate enough to cover a decent percentage of your total bankroll. Once you reach that point, you can then use the rest of your money to play video poker tournaments. With this strategy, you’ll reduce your risks significantly and increase your odds of winning.
Take Advantage Of Free Practice Games
Most casinos provide free practice games to help players test out their skills. These free practice games are usually provided by the casino. As a result, you can test out the games and the rules before committing to real money play.
Free practice games are particularly helpful for newbies who are trying to figure out the basics of video poker. You can learn how to calculate your odds, how to position your chips, and what kind of bet makes sense based on your current position. This information can help you decide whether or not it’s worth using your money to place a bet in the main event.
Michael C. Puckett is an avid casino player and has been playing at this casino since 2007. He loves to share his casino experience with others and has now decided to share his experience via this blog. He loves to write more on casino bonuses and promos.
