Perfect Deuces Wild Strategy for Maximizing Payouts

Deuces Wild is a popular video poker variant with a high RTP and simple gameplay. If you’re looking for a version to master, Deuces Wild video poker could be the one.
We’ve written a few guides on how to win at video poker, but as the odds, payouts, and rules can differ slightly from one variant to the next, it’s also best to study specific strategies. With that in mind, let’s look at Deuces Wild strategy.
How to Deuces Wild Video Poker
Before getting into the Deuces Wild strategy, we must cover the basics. Luckily, Deuces Wild video poker is a very straightforward game:
Deuces Wild is based on five-card draw poker.
Players are dealt five cards.
They can discard and re-draw as many of those cards as they want.
After the redraw, the hand is settled.
Payouts are based on a paytable, which is always shown on the screen.
The minimum qualifying hand is three-of-a-kind (such as 5h, 5s, 5d, Kd, Jh)
The Best Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy
The most essential part of any video poker strategy is bankroll management. It’s something that you’ll hear about everywhere, from your local casino to the Vegas Matt video poker channel, and something that should always be at the forefront of your mind:
Set a budget based on how much you can afford to lose over a given week or month.
Break it down into sessions and bet limits.
Never deposit/wager more than previously established.
For instance, suppose you have $1,000 to spare at the end of the month, not including money you use for bills, savings, and other essentials. If you play every Saturday for several hours at a time, you may set a session budget of $250 and a unit stake of $10.
Drawing to a Royal Flush
Whether you’re playing Deuces Wild or video poker multiple hands, the royal flush is always the biggest prize. It usually offers a substantial reward that far outweighs the risk of drawing when you have only three cards.
So, if you draw the 10, J, and Q of the same suit, hold them, even if you make a pair or trips with the other cards. Even if you don’t hit the payload, you could still get a flush, straight, or three-of-a-kind.
Obviously, you should also hold four to a royal flush.
Three and Four of a Kinds
Hold any three of a kind if the above rule doesn’t apply. It’s a qualifying hand, so you’ll get a payout. If the other two cards don’t improve that hand, discard them. As for a four of a kind, that final card is a useless kicker, so drawing won’t make a difference, but it’s worth holding.
All Other Draws
Holding four to a straight or flush is always worthwhile. It’s a risk, as you likely won’t make a qualifying hand if you fail, but you have a high chance of landing and will get a good payout. You shouldn’t hold three to a draw unless you’re drawing to a royal flush.
Wild Cards
The deuce is always wild in this game, which means it will substitute for any other card in the deck. It can help to complete draws, flushes, and other big hands and should never be discarded.
Deuces Wild Strategy Chart
To help you understand the tips above, here’s a simple Deuces Wild strategy guide:
Initial Hand | How Many to Hold | How Many to Draw |
Four Cards to a Royal Flush | All Four in the Royal Flush | One |
Four of a Kind | All Four Matches | One |
Four Cards to a Straight Flush | All Four in the Straight Flush | One |
Four Cards to a Straight | All Four in the Straight | One |
Three of a Kind | All Three Matches | Two |
Three Cards to a Royal Flush | All Three in the Royal Flush | Two |
Conclusion: Using Deuces Wild Strategy
Whether you are using a Deuces Wild strategy chart or just learning the basics, this strategy guide can help you optimize your play and get the most from this variant. If it’s not the right game for you, there are many other video poker versions out there—check out our site, find the right video poker for you, and use the strategies discussed here to guide your play.
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