PokerAnswers.com

Question 8: I was told that unless I play maximum coins in a video poker machine, I would never hit the royal flush. Is that true?

A: No, in a video poker machine it’s not true. I have also heard people say that the poker machines are set to give more royals with short coin play since it would still be under 100% return, and it might entice players to play five coins. This is also a myth. You have the same probability of hitting a royal regardless of how many coins you play.

The randomizing shuffle stops when the first coin is dropped or the first Bet button is pushed in online video poker, and the deck is unchanged until the gaming hand is over. In online video poker, the difference is that when you play five coins, you typically win 4000 coins for a royal, which is an 800-for-1 payoff, whereas if you play fewer coins, you get only 250-for-1. That costs you about 1.3% to 1.5% of your payback. You still have the same chance for a royal, but short coin play makes it nearly impossible to beat any game in the long run.