Double Bonus Poker

Video poker ranks among the most widely played casino games in the world, with various factors contributing to its popularity. The game boasts a low house edge and can be beaten as long as players implement a sound strategy and make optimal decisions. Both online and land-based casinos have now introduced an impressive number of video poker variations to satisfy the growing appetite of fans of this game.

• The Basics of Double Bonus Poker
• Double Bonus Poker Paytable and Hand Rankings
• Double Double Bonus Poker
• Basic Strategy in Double Bonus Poker

One of the best-known members of the extended video poker family is Double Bonus Poker. Like many other video poker variants, this one, too, is a derivative of the popular Jacks or Better. The game also shares several similarities with another Jacks or Better derivative, Bonus Poker, except that it comes with higher variance.

One of the main points of interest with Double Bonus Poker lies in the fact that it pays twice as many credits for forming a Four of a Kind with Aces, from which the game takes its name. Many players are quick to transition from Bonus Poker to Double Bonus Poker, but unfortunately, few of them pause to consider one key feature of this game – the doubled payouts for four Aces in Double Bonus Poker come at the cost of reduced payouts for Two Pairs, which is precisely what increases variance.

However, if one succeeds in finding a Double Bonus Poker game that offers full pay, they will be able to gain a slight advantage over the house. Add optimal playing strategy to the mix, and you will find Double Bonus Poker can indeed be a profitable option for video poker fans. The following article outlines some of the pivotal aspects of Double Bonus Poker and offers tips on basic strategy for smart players to follow.

The Basics of Double Bonus Poker

The rules of play in Double Bonus Poker are quite easy to comprehend. A full deck of 52 cards is in use and the game is based on the classic five-card draw. Players start by adjusting the size of their stakes per hand, with the option to play one to five coins on each round. Once the bet is made, players are dealt five random cards that make up their initial hand.

As in Jacks or Better and Bonus Poker, the objective is to determine which of the five cards are worth holding and which should be replaced so that you can form a winning hand. The player then receives replacements for the discards and is paid in accordance with the game’s paytable if a qualifying hand is completed after the draw.

On winning hands, players are offered an opportunity to increase their profits by taking advantage of the Double Up feature, which the majority of video poker variants share. If they decide to use this option, they will be dealt five additional cards. The house card is dealt face up next to four other cards that are face down. The player selects one of the four face-down cards and, if it is of higher value than the house card, the winnings from the last hand are doubled. If not, the profits are forfeited in favour of the house. In most variants of the game, a tie results in a push and the player retains their winnings from the last hand.

The Paytable and Hand Rankings in Double Bonus Poker

If you have ever played Bonus Poker, you will find the rankings of the winning hands in Double Bonus Poker are essentially the same. Minimum payouts start with high pairs of Jacks, Queens, Kings or Aces, while the highest-ranking hand is the Royal Flush. Players are recommended to always bet the maximum number of credits per hand, which is five, because of the bonus payout of 4,000 credits for Royal Flushes. The Royal is followed, in descending order, by the following hands – Straight Flush, Four Aces, Four 2s, 3s or 4s, Four 5s through Kings, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, and Jacks or Better.

While Double Bonus Poker follows the same rules and hand rankings as Bonus Poker, there are major differences between the two games in the payouts for certain hands, which is why players should always study the paytable before they start. The payouts for all Four of a Kind hands are higher.

The bonus payout for four Aces is especially appealing to players. Most variants of Double Bonus Poker offer a return of 160 credits per credit wagered for Four of a Kind with Aces. Four 2s, 3s or 4s will net you a payout of 80-to-1, while Four of a Kind with 5s through Kings pays 50-to-1.

Beware that in many cases these premium payouts for Four of a Kind hands come at a steep price because there are usually reductions in the payouts on other winning hands. The most important numbers players need to focus on when choosing a Double Bonus Poker variation are the payouts for the Full House, the Flush and the Straight.

A full-pay game of Double Bonus Poker pays 10 coins (per credit wagered) for a Full House, 7 coins for a Flush, and 5 coins for a Straight. One such full-pay variation is frequently referred to as a 10/7/5 game and is the best option for players because it allows them to gain the upper hand over the house thanks to the high theoretical return percentage of 100.17% when optimal strategy is used. In other words, full-pay Double Bonus Poker is a positive-expectation game.

The downside is that one has to look high and low for such full-pay 10/7/5 games. Most variants of Double Bonus Poker are short-pay, meaning they offer either 9/7/5 or 9/6/5 payouts for the Full House, the Flush and the Straight. This one-unit reduction in the payout for the Full House has a significant impact on the overall player return, which drops to 99.11% for the 9/7/5 variation. The 9/6/5 variant is even less profitable in the long term as it offers an expected return of only 97.81%. There are even Double Bonus games where the payout for Straights is further reduced to 4 credits per credit wagered and, needless to say, these can cause players’ bankrolls to plummet at a very rapid pace.

Another factor to consider when selecting a Double Bonus game is the payout for the Two Pair hand. To compensate for the bonus payouts on Four of a Kind hands, many Double Bonus variations offer decreased payouts on low-ranking hands such as Two Pair. Generally, Two Pair pays 2 coins per credit wagered, but in Double Bonus the payout is reduced to even money.

These reductions in the Two Pair payouts have an extremely negative impact on volatility. To put it more simply, players will experience more pronounced short-term swings when betting on Double Bonus Poker, especially in comparison with other video poker variants such as Jacks or Better and even standard Bonus Poker. Note that volatility will increase even if the player incorporates advanced playing strategies. The result can be unpleasant: you may end up losing more money, and at a much faster pace – those who lack the bankroll to sustain them through these swings risk ending their sessions empty-handed.

On the plus side, Double Bonus Poker provides players with the opportunity to land lucrative payouts whenever they form Four of a Kind with Aces, offering the premium payout of 160-to-1, or 800 credits on maximum bets.

Double Double Bonus Poker

Double Double Bonus is yet another derivative of Jacks or Better and, for the most part, closely resembles its cousin Double Bonus Poker. The game is played according to the same rules: players select a denomination, adjust the number of credits they play per hand, and attempt to draw a qualifying hand in order to collect a payout. Another similarity between the two “bonus” variations is the extra-high payout on Four of a Kind hands with Aces.

The biggest difference lies in the fact that the kicker (the irrelevant fifth card in the hand) also plays a significant role in how much money you collect. Players who draw four Aces are rewarded with 800 coins for a five-credit bet. An additional payout of 2,000 credits is awarded for hitting four Aces with a 2, 3 or 4 as the kicker. If players draw four 2s, 3s or 4s and their kicker is Ace through 4 in rank, they will again collect 800 coins for their five-credit bet. The other payouts coincide with those in standard Double Bonus.

Again, it is of utmost importance to check the paytable before you start betting on Double Double Bonus Poker, as some variants are far from full-pay. The optimal version of this game is said to pay 10 credits for a Full House and at least 6 credits for a Flush.

Strategy to Follow in Double Double Bonus Poker

It stands to reason that the basic strategy for Double Double Bonus differs from that of the other variation. In Double Double Bonus, players are advised to keep only the Ace whenever it is accompanied by two high cards of different suits. The value of the Aces in this game is not to be underestimated. Even if you are initially dealt a Full House, the best approach would be to break your pat hand and keep only the Aces (if there are any) in an attempt to draw a Four of a Kind. Aces are the most valuable cards in this game because they can potentially earn players the bonus payout.

Similarly, when you receive two Aces with a 2, 3 or 4 on the initial deal, the smarter move is to discard the low-value card instead of trying to use it later as a potential kicker. The same applies when players receive a Two Pair with Aces and two other paired cards – the mathematically correct decision is to hold only the Aces. The huge bonus payout is well worth the risk, is it not? Besides, even if you fail, you can still complete a Three of a Kind and collect a payout.

Basic Strategy in Double Bonus Poker

Finding a paytable that is worth your money and effort is only one of the conditions for beating the house at Double Bonus Poker. Many players who transition from Jacks or Better to Double Bonus make one crucial mistake – they fail to introduce suitable adjustments to their playing strategy. This is, indeed, a major omission because the huge bonus payouts on the Four of a Kind hands call for such strategy adjustments.

Recognising the correct draw decisions in this game is a bit harder than in other video poker variations. This is because players need to be aware of certain hand combinations that they would otherwise not keep in the other games. It should also be mentioned that it is possible to apply the strategy for 9/6 Jacks or Better when playing full-pay Double Bonus Poker, but this would reduce the expected return from 100.17% to 99.63%.

To avoid this, players should at least follow a basic strategy that takes into consideration the specifics of the Double Bonus paytable. Here are a few handy tips to start with. One should always hold strong pat hands, such as Straight Flushes, Royal Flushes and Four of a Kind. Pat Flushes, Straights and Full Houses should also be kept.

However, there is an exception to the above rule when players receive a pat Full House with three Aces on the initial deal. In this variation of video poker, it makes more sense to break the Full House, keep the three Aces, discard the pair and attempt to draw a fourth Ace for Four of a Kind and a hefty bonus payout. The odds of completing the quad are only 2 in 47, but the bonus adds significant value to this hand.

Another deviation from the strategies for Jacks or Better concerns high pairs when you receive a four-card open-ended Straight Flush on the deal. In Double Bonus Poker, the mathematically correct play is to discard the high pair and try to complete the Straight Flush, as the latter pays an impressive 250 credits on maximum bets. By comparison, the high pair will secure only an even-money payout. This holds true even for inside Straight Flush draws, which are still worth pursuing rather than playing it safe with the high pair.

When holding four-card Flushes that contain a high pair, the optimal play is to keep only the high pair. When the initial deal results in a pat Straight, it is better to hold the Straight instead of attempting improvement by replacing the off-suit card to complete a Straight Flush. If you are one card short of the coveted Royal Flush but are already holding a pat Flush, the correct course of action is to take the risk and try to draw to the Royal.

The above-listed recommendations are aimed mostly at Double Bonus rookies, as they are simpler and allow for quick yet correct decisions while learning the game. Once players have mastered this beginner strategy, they can move on to intermediate techniques and, later, to advanced expert strategies.