Out of all casino games, video poker is by far one of the best games to play. Because of different pay tables some video poker games are better than other, but overall video poker is among your best gambling options. Because of the limited floor space in Chicago land based casinos and because of the state regulated limit of 1,200 gaming positions per property in Illinois, video poker is not exactly priority number one for many gambling license holders.

The reason is very simple. In Chicago and Illinois land based casinos video poker machines are simply not very profitable. Reel slots machines and video slots machines attract a larger number of players and generate bigger profits. So considering the financial aspect, placing a lot of video poker machines in these land based casinos is not the most profitable decision. Why dedicate a lot of floor space to video poker machines when you can put in slots machines and make more money? After all, we all know that casinos are in it to make a profit and not to offer the best games. As long as people in Chicago and Illinois will rather play slots than video poker no land based casino will change its floor arrangement.

Nevada on the other hand is different. In Nevada land based casinos there are literally thousands of square feet of room, unlimited gaming positions, and a competitive market. All of these put together offer video poker player a wide range of games and machines to choose from. It is genuinely a video poker player’s dream. Since there are so many machines to choose from you can take your time, look around and find the most profitable machine. There are plenty of quarter, dime, and nickel machines, single-hand 5-coin machines as well as Triple Play, Five Play, and Ten Play.

When playing in a Chicago land based casino finding a good single-hand 5-coin quarter video poker machine is not as easy as it seems. Harrah’s Joliet Casino has a bank of Double Double Bonus Machines with a progressive Royal Flush jackpot but seats are at a premium most any time of the day. You will have a hard time trying to get a seat at any of these machines.

Triple Play and Five Play Machines are a popular alternative. The pay tables are acceptable, but if you have a low budget you will most likely lose, especially if you will not get the cards you need. Your chances of getting a big payout increase if you bet more coins, which is not really an option if you are on a low budget. You will most likely find yourself out of money in a short time.

Quarter Triple Play machines have a maximum coin bet of 15 coins, which is equal to $3.75.

Quarter Five Play machines have a maximum coin bet of 25 coins, which is equal to $6.25.

Quarter Ten Play machines have a maximum coin bet of 50 coins, which is equal to $12.50.

The thing is that you have better chances of getting a big payout if you bet maximum coins. But as you can see that is not really a piece of cake. Betting maximum coins can prove to be a big strain on your bankroll. No matter how you look at it a thrifty player will have a problem with betting maximum coins on every hand.

You will be in the clear if you get the cards you need and win big at least once. But if you lose several hands in a row you will quickly find yourself out of money. So for a low budget player these machines are not a good option.

My reasoning is this. On good hands, multi-hand video poker can increase your earning potential. On bad hands, it will also considerably increase your losing potential. Let’s say that you are playing a 5-coin single hand video poker machine. Only $1.25 is at stake and you have been dealt bad cards. In this case you should discard all 5 cards. Maybe you will get a good hand and win. And even if you don’t win, only $1.25 was at stake. But when playing multi-hand video poker the stakes are a lot bigger.

One word of advice: whenever you play multi-hand video poker select the slowest playing speed. If the casino offers this option you should use it to your advantage. Unfortunately most casinos block this option. They want you to play at a faster pace; they want you to play more hands per hour. This is because the house always has an edge and the more hands you play per hour the longer you subject your bankroll to that house edge. Playing at a slower pace can only help your game.

As a rule of thumb you should always check the pay table. Do not rush into things. Take your time and find the machine with the best, most profitable pay table. Only by checking out the pay table can you find out if a particular machine is profitable or if it has a high house edge and will cause you to lose all your money.