How to Play Power Quads Video Poker
Power Quads video poker rewards players who stick with it over a long period of time. It keeps track of the four of a kind hands that a player makes. Once a player makes four of a kind with every rank on the machine, they’ll be awarded with a significant bonus.
Video poker variations seem to pop up every day. It’s such a popular attraction at casinos and gambling websites that it makes sense that you can play it in a lot of different ways. Manufacturers are quite crafty in coming up with different twists on the basic format.
Not that there’s anything wrong with the basic format. You can play basic Jacks or Better or other simple pay tables and still get a lot out of it. After all, the payback for even basic video poker outranks most slot machines and even a lot of table games.
Power Quads video poker takes that basic format and adds a little something extra to spice up the action. In fact, it’s relatively unique among video poker games in that it rewards players who keep returning to the machine over and over. A bonus awaits them if they keep after it.
Why Choose Power Quads Video Poker?
Power Quads video poker takes that basic format and adds a little something extra to spice up the action. In fact, it is relatively unique among video poker games in that it rewards players who keep returning to the machine over and over. A bonus awaits them if they keep after it.
The game requires you to create a log-in so it can identify all of your past play. Once it does, the Power Quads video poker software will keep track of all of your four of a kind hands. It will essentially cross them off in its memory as you hit four of a kind of each separate rank.
Once you hit four of a kind for all 13 possible ranks, the machine will award you a bonus. The size of the bonus depends on the casino in question, but it can run anywhere from 500 to 2,000 coins. That’s a payoff bigger than what you would receive on any individual hand besides the royal flush.
On top of that, Power Quads video poker offers all of the other benefits that you get from normal video poker. That includes the ability to choose among many different pay tables. You can pick based on your preferred style of play.
The key to getting the most out of Power Quads video poker is committing to play it as often as possible. Four of a kind hands don’t come around very often. As a result, you won’t be able to accomplish the bonus for getting quads in all of the necessary ranks unless you’re willing to give yourself enough of a bankroll to get there.
In the following article, we’ll explain exactly how Power Quads video poker works and how to play. We’ll go over the basic format of playing video poker, then we’ll explore the bonus system of Power Quads. Finally, we’ll look into different video poker concepts like pay tables, payback percentage, and strategy as it pertains to this game.
Playing Basic Video Poker
Video poker stands out among casino games for its friendliness to bettors. At the top of the list of its benefits is variety. Power Quads video poker is just one of many different varieties of the game for those who like to do a little exploring.
But the benefits don’t stop there.
- Video poker can be learned in a very short time. You’ll really be able to learn quickly if you have a little bit of a background in poker. But even newcomers to poker can get the hang of it in practically no time at all.
- Video poker requires no one but the gambler to play it. No pressure will come from casino patrons or employees about casino etiquette or protocol. You just have to put your money down and you’re ready to go.
- Video poker can be played at your own pace. Other games are dependent on other players and the speed of the dealer, spinner, or whatever casino employee is involved. But you can burn through hundreds of hands of video poker in an hour or so, or you can take it easy at a relaxed pace if that’s your preference.
- Video poker allows you to use strategy. This separates it from slot machines, even though the two games are often found in the same part of the casino. By choosing what cards to hold and what to discard from your original deal, you will make an impact on whether you win or lose.
- Video poker is governed by probability. Because there are only 52 cards involved, you will be able to estimate how often winning hands might show up. And you’ll be able to tell how each machine stacks up to others when you compare probability with the payout for those winning hands.
- Video poker ranks pretty favorably in terms of its expected payout. Payback percentage for most video poker games stands much higher than for slot machines. Even table games come up short to the top table games when it comes to payout.
- Video poker ranks as one of the top online casino games. In part, that’s because there is really no difference between the experience of playing video poker in a casino and that of playing it online at a top gambling site. Plus, you get most of the top variations and pay tables in the realm of video poker online as well.
There is a lot to like, as you can tell, for the gambler playing video poker. If you want that gambler to be you, we’re here to help. Take a look at the process of playing a hand of video poker, then we’ll move on to the unique nature of Power Quads video poker.
Step 1: Building a Bankroll
When someone mentions a bankroll in video poker, they’re simply talking about the money they’ll be using to play the game. You’ll hear this term often in the world of gambling. And it’s easy to create one in video poker.
If you’re playing at a machine, all it takes is for you to insert money into the machine. If you’re playing online, you’ll have to find an online gambling website, create an account at that site, then fund it.
The key to understanding a video poker bankroll is to realize that the coins or credits that you listed on your screen actually represent the money you put into the machine. Each coin or credit is equal to a single unit of the denomination you’ve chosen to play.
For example, imagine that you’re playing a 25-cent machine and put $5 into it. That amount of money will get you 20 credits at that machine, because 5 divided by .25 is 20.
Step 2: Making a Bet
Betting is actually a big part of the strategy of video poker, although many don’t realize it. There is basically a right way and a wrong way with no real room in between. And the right way is to bet the maximum amount every single hand.
In the case of Power Quads video poker, that maximum amount, or max bet, is five coins. You can bet anywhere from one through five coins. But betting less than five will actually lessen your expected payback.
That comes from the fact that the royal flush rewards winners at much more favorable odds if they wagered five coins. One through four coins bet will get you 250 to 1 if you hit a royal flush, which is the highest-paying hand in the game. Doing so with a five-coin bet will return 800 to 1.
Also, don’t bet lower or higher based on what you think the machine will do each hand. Video poker is controlled by a random number generator within the software that ensures that each deal and draw is completely random. It’s better to keep it simple, make the maximum bet every time, and keep that massive payout for the royal flush in play.
Step 3: Playing a Hand
The easiest way to understand video poker is to think of it as a computerized simulation of the table game Five-Card Draw Poker. Five-Card Draw, like video poker, is based on a five-card deal. That’s followed by a draw round where you can replace cards from the deal with others from the deck in an effort to make the best possible hand.
There are differences though. Video poker requires you only to make one out of a predetermined list of winning hands instead of making the best hand at a table with multiple players. And video poker doesn’t concern itself with bluffing or other betting techniques used in the table games version of poker.
What are the winning hands you’ll be striving to make? Well, keep in mind that it’s partly dependent on the game. For example, wild-card games, which are available as part of the Power Quads video poker setup, have a different threshold for what constitutes winning.
But in most cases, you’ll be trying to achieve the following winning hands:
- Pair of jacks or better
- Two pair
- Three of a kind
- Straight (five cards of consecutive rank, like 3-4-5-6-7)
- Flush (five cards of same suit)
- Full house (three of a kind and two pair in the same hand)
- Four of a kind
- Straight flush (straight with five cards of same suit)
- Royal flush (ten, jack, queen, king, and ace of the same suit)
The hands above are listed from easiest to achieve on the top to hardest to achieve on the bottom. As you move down the list, pay for each winning hand goes up. Bonus Poker pay tables make the only exception to this rule, as many Bonus Poker games reward more for four of a kind than they do for a straight flush.
You will have two opportunities to make those winning hands. First, you’ll receive five cards on the deal. These cards will be sourced from a simulated deck of 52 cards containing exactly the same cards that you have in your deck at home.
Maybe you’ll get lucky and you’ll receive a winning hand right off the bat. Most likely, though, you’ll need to improve the hand. On the draw, you’ll have a chance to discard the cards you don’t want and have them replaced by others from the deck.
It’s important to understand that the deck, at the time of the draw, will only include 47 cards. The five that you were dealt won’t be in there. Also, keep in mind that you can’t get cards you discarded back in your hand on the draw, so make sure you don’t think they’re useful to you.
Let’s see how this process works. Imagine that you receive the following deal:
Even though there aren’t any winning combinations in this deal right off the bat, there are many possibilities for you going forward. The easiest one to spot is probably the pair of sixes.
By getting rid of the seven, eight, and nine on the draw, you could conceivably end up with two pair, three of a kind, a full house, or even four of a kind. And we know four of a kind is very important in the Power Quads video poker format.
Meanwhile, you might also notice that the six through the nine are connected in rank. By dropping one of the sixes and drawing either a five or a ten in its place, you’ll make a straight. Your chances of doing that are 8 (number of fives and tens in the deck) in 47 (number of cards left in the deck).
You can hold on to the six, seven, and eight of clubs. That will keep a straight flush, one of the highest-paying hands in all of video poker in play. It will also give you a chance at a flush if you can simply draw two more clubs in a row of any rank.
This hand illustrates the kinds of tough that you’ll face when playing Power Quads video poker. Ideally, you’ll be able to make them quickly, since the faster you play, the better your chances at profits. To learn how to do that, check out the strategy section below.
In any case, once you make your decision, you have to press the buttons underneath the cards that you want to hold. Keep in mind that you don’t have to discard any if you don’t want. And, by the same token, you can discard all five if you feel that’s the best play.
Once you do this, simply hit the “draw” button and the cards you discarded will be replaced. Once the hand is over, your winnings will be tallied. You can play hands in this manner as long as you have credits left in the machine, or you can cash out at any time.
That pretty much sums up how basic video poker works. Now, let’s talk about Power Quads video poker and the twist that makes it so exciting.
The Power Quads Video Poker Bonus
For the most part, you will play Power Quads video poker as you would any other video poker game. You’ll choose the pay table that you wish to play. And you’ll make your bets and play your hands in the same manner.
But to take part in the Power Quads video poker bonus, you need to create an account so the game came identify you. The software will then keep track of all the times you’ve played. It will specifically log the times you’ve made four of a kind hands.
Four of a kind is a valuable hand in any case in video poker. But it takes on extra-added importance in Power Quads video poker. This is especially the case when you can spread those quad hands around to all of the different ranks.
In case you were wondering, the rank is just the numerical value of the card or the face identification. The 13 ranks in a standard deck of cards are:
- Ace
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Jack
- Queen
- King
The first time you make a four of a kind on a Power Quads video poker machine, the machine will note which rank was involved. And it will, so to speak, cross that one off the list.
Your goal is to reach the point where you manage to hit four of a kind hands with all 13 ranks. When you do, you will receive a bonus. Bonuses for Power Quads video poker machines can be 500, 1,000, or 2,000 coins.
Ideally, you can find a machine with a 2,000-coin bonus, since that would push your expected payback the highest of the entire group. But in any case, it’s a lucrative boost. The question is, how long will it take for you to receive it?
Well, four of a kind hands are rare, but not completely out of the question as a royal flush can sometimes seem. On average, you can expect four of a kind to come up somewhere in the neighborhood of once in every 400 hands.
That might seem like a lot. But consider that even a novice player can usually play three or four hands of Power Quads video poker per minute. That adds up to over 200 hands per hour.
More experienced players can churn through hands at an even faster pace, cutting down the expected time between quads. But it’s not as simple as getting “x” amount of four of a kind hands to get the bonus. You have to get the right kinds of four of a kind.
This can be tricky once you’ve knocked several off the list. You might end up hitting several quads with aces or kings, for example, before you do with lower cards. That’s because aces and face cards are more likely to be held in video poker because a pair of jacks or better is a winning hand.
Persistence is the key to doing well playing Power Quads video poker. If you stick with it long enough, you will eventually get that bonus. And, if you can get that bonus on a beneficial pay table, you might even remove the so-called house edge, which is what every gambler wants and we’ll discuss in a moment.
Once you do get the bonus, the game will reset and you’ll have to start from scratch in the quest for a new bonus. If you make Power Quads video poker your regular game, make sure to remember your log-in information so you get credit every time you play.
Pay Tables and Payback Percentages for Power Quads Video Poker
Pay tables provide you with the information about how much each winning hand will pay during a game of Power Quads video poker. They also lead the way to the payback percentage, which is a crucial piece of knowledge for a video poker player.
Power Quads video poker allows you to play many different kinds of pay tables. You can choose a conservative style like Jacks or Better. Or you can get wild and crazy and go for a game like Triple Double Bonus, which awards four of a kind hands quite aggressively at the expense of some more common hands.
No matter what pay table you decide, the bonus that comes with Power Quads video poker for four of a kind hands of every rank is still applied. And, depending on how much that bonus might be, you can really boost what you’re getting back from each of those specific styles of play.
That’s where the notion of payback percentage comes into play. No matter what casino game you’re playing, a payback percentage is an estimation of how much money will be returned to your bankroll after you’ve bet a certain amount.
For example, if you were to bet $1,000 on a given game in a casino or any online gambling site and the payback was $990 on average, the payback percentage would be 99%. That means the casino or online site would be taking $10, or 1% back. The 1% in that case is the house edge.
The vast majority of casino games have a built-in house edge. Casinos make their money with this principle in place. Otherwise, they would go out of business quickly.
There are certain video poker pay tables where a player, through a combination of the probabilities of hitting winning hands and the payback for those hands, can expect to make over 100% return in gameplay alone. But those games are extremely hard to find in casinos and pretty much nonexistent online.
The addition of the Power Quads video poker twist gives players a chance to eliminate the house edge if they can find the right pay tables. For example, the pay table below for Jacks or Better, without any embellishments, returns 99.54%. That’s an excellent return for video poker.
As a matter of fact, with a payback percentage like that, you could hope to indirectly make it over 100%. You would do this if you played the game often and managed to earn royalty points either at a casino or on an online gambling website.
But now, think about the bonus for Power Quads video poker. If you were playing that pay table and there was a 2,000-coin bonus in place for hitting Quads of every rank, that would add around 2% to the payback percentage. Such a boost would push your overall percentage for that Jacks or Better game over 101%, even before rewards are figured into it.
The key for all this to happen is for you to find the full-pay tables for the various video poker variations included on a Power Quads video poker. When looking at the pay tables that we have listed below, note that they are all full-pay versions. These are what you should be seeking when you find a Power Quads game.
Still, even if you can’t find these, you can easily approach or exceed 100% with even less lucrative pay tables when playing Power Quads video poker. It will require you to log into your account and play the game often enough to get that bonus. If you do, you can expect your payback percentage to rise perhaps two or three points, no matter what pay table you play.
Here are the full-pay pay tables that are available on Power Quads video poker:
Jacks or Better Pay Table
| Coins/Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four of a kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full house | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two pairs | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Bonus Poker Pay Table
| Coins/Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four of a kind (aces) | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| Four of a kind (2s, 3s, or 4s) | 40 | 80 | 120 | 160 | 200 |
| Four of a kind (any other) | 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 |
| Full house | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two pairs | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Bonus Poker Deluxe Pay Table
| Coins/Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four of a kind | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| Full house | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two pairs | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Double Bonus Poker Pay Table
| Coins/Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four of a kind (aces) | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
| Four of a kind (2s, 3s, or 4s) | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| Four of a kind (any other) | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Full house | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 |
| Straight | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two pairs | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Double Double Bonus Poker Pay Table
| Coins/Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four aces without any 2,3,4 | 400 | 800 | 1,200 | 1,600 | 2,000 |
| Four 2s, 3s, 4s without any A,2,3,4 | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
| Four aces | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
| Four 2s, 3s, 4s | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| Four 5s through Ks | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Full house | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Three of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two pairs | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Pair of jacks + | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Triple Double Bonus Pay Table
| Coins/Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four of a kind – aces 2, 3, 4 kicker | 800 | 1,600 | 2,400 | 3,200 | 4,000 |
| Four of a kind – 2s, 3s, or 4s A, 2, 3, or 4 kicker | 400 | 800 | 1,200 | 1,600 | 2,000 |
| Four of a kind – aces 5s – Ks kicker | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
| Four of a kind – 2s, 3s, or 4s 5s – Ks kicker | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| Four of a kind – any other | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Full house | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Three of a kind | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Two pairs | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Pair of jacks + | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Deuces Wild Pay Table
| Coins/Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Four deuces | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1,000 |
| Wild royal flush | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Five of a kind | 16 | 32 | 48 | 64 | 80 |
| Straight flush | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
| Four of a kind | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Full house | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Flush | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Straight | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Three of a kind | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Strategy for Power Quads Video Poker
Earlier, we talked about payback percentages and how important they are for those trying to make a profit playing Power Quads video poker. One thing we didn’t mention is that you need to play the game with ideal strategy to reach those totals.
That concept might seem a little odd to newcomers. You might think there are many different strategies that can work playing the game.
In actuality, there’s only a sequence of holds and discards for every possible deal you can get that will unlock the greatest earning potential for the hand. This is a concept known as expected value, and it governs video poker strategy pretty tightly.
You can’t expect to teach yourself this ideal strategy. Even math experts would have a hard time breaking down all of the possibilities on the fly while playing. That’s why learning video poker strategy requires some help.
What normally happens in a game like Power Quads video poker with so many pay tables involved is that you first choose one you’re going to play regularly. This will allow you to tailor your strategy instruction to this specific pay table. After all, certain deals should be played differently depending on the numbers on the pay table.
Once you’ve done that, you should take advantage of one of the following methods:
- Video Poker Training Software: Software allows you to simulate video poker play based on a certain pay table. You then play as if you were in the casino playing for real. Whenever you make a wrong decision about what to hold and what to discard, the software will let you know so that you can learn perfect play over time.
- Strategy Charts: These can be found online, printed out, and memorized. They list all of the possible combinations of cards on the deal and rank them in terms of expected value. When you see the combination in your own ranked highest on the list, you’ll know what to hold and what to discard.
The only caveat here is that Power Quads video poker confuses the matter slightly with the inclusion of the quads bonus. For example, imagine that you have made quads with 12 of 13 ranks within the game and only need to hit four of a kind with fours to complete the cycle. You get the following deal:
Normally, you would keep the two pair, which would return you either 2 to 1 or even money, depending on the pay table. You could always then improve to a full house.
But depending on the size of the bonus, you might choose to keep only the pair of fours if that was the last quad you needed to hit. The possible boost to your bankroll from that might make it worthwhile to give up the sure win.
When in doubt, we suggest using video poker calculators to help. You can input all of the figures involved along with the deal and know what the right play is. If you’re getting close to the bonus in Power Quads video poker, you should check out examples like this on a calculator beforehand so you’ll know how to proceed.
Power Quad Video Poker Pros and Cons
- Ideal game for players who want to play video poker often
- Chance for over 100% expected payback
- Many different pay tables from which to choose
- It requires a large time and money commitment to play at the highest level
- Not always easy to find the full-pay tables
- Some might be concerned about the privacy aspect of the log-in requirement
Conclusion on Power Quad Video Poker
Power Quads video poker really rewards you for consistently solid video poker play over a long period of time. The big bonuses for completing the four of a kind cycle make this game one where you can legitimately expect to take back more than what you put in over time. Just be prepared to devote yourself to it if you really want to get to that stage.
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