Everyone loves a bonus, right? In that case, it would be safe to say that a double bonus is going to really catch video poker players’ attention.
As you can see, we can trace Double Double Bonus back to Jacks or Better. This means that the game has a specific set of hands that will earn you a prize. These hands are arranged on a pay table that lists the strongest hand at the top – the royal flush – and the lowest at the bottom (jacks or better). The strongest hand naturally pays the most while the weakest pays the least. There is more, as you will find out later in this guide.
At this point, you may be wondering what the big deal is with Double Double Bonus. As the name suggests, bonuses are a massive part of this game. They are what makes this title stand out from any other in the video poker sphere and draws more and more fans to Double Double Bonus year after year. You will find out exactly what these are as we progress through this guide.
We will also take a look at the strategy for Double Double Bonus, which is designed to help players minimize mistakes by choosing the right hand every time. You will also learn how to identify a full-pay table, which in DDB is known as a 9/6 table. With that, we will also cover how you can use the strategy on a full-pay table to avail of potential expected returns of 98.98%.
First things first, let’s take a look at how to play video poker.
If you are an experienced video poker player, please feel free to move on to the next section. For those who are new to video poker – and have chosen Double Double Bonus to begin their journey – please read the following information.
To play a video poker game, you must first find a machine. In this guide, we are writing about Double Double Bonus, so let’s assume you have stumbled across a DDB machine. Once you have entered money, you will then be required to select your bet. For example, let’s say that this is $1. Then, you must select how many coins you want to play per game. You can select between 1 and 5 coins in any game. One coin is $5, and five coins is $25.
Once you have your bets ready, select “Deal,” which is usually located at the bottom right of the screen or the machine. The software will then deal you five cards, with the machine’s “Auto-hold” function holding strong cards. Now it is up to you to retain the best cards you can while discarding those that are least likely to make the strongest hand. Once you have decided, select “Draw” from the screen or machine.
Easy, right? In principle, yes, but in practice, no. Video poker players understand that there are many possibilities when it comes to making a hand. This is just one of the many intricacies that separate an experienced player from a novice. Understanding how every video poker game is different – and learning the various nuances – also is important. This is why using a strategy is crucial to your success.
We will now cover what separates Double Double Bonus from other poker games. Additionally, we will show you how to use the specific strategy for this variant of video poker. Let’s do this!
There are few games that can claim the levels of awesomeness that Double Double Bonus can. While this game is based on the Jacks or Better-style pay table, there are some big surprises awaiting certain four-of-a-kind combinations. Four aces with either a 2, 3, or 4 is the bonus payout here, at an awesome 2000 credits (when playing with 5 coins). There are big payouts for four aces and four-of-a-kind combinations of 2s, 3s, or 4s with a low kicker. We will cover these in more detail in the “Analyzing the Pay Table” section below.
While we have highlighted all that is great about this game, it is important to know that there are drawbacks, too. Well, that does depend on how you look at things. The main feature of Double Double Bonus is that those big wins can be pretty spectacular. When you are not landing any, you will have to endure what feels like dry spells. We will discuss this in our pay table analysis section further down.
First, let’s take a look at how to choose your bets.
We covered how to choose bets in video poker above, so we will keep this brief. In Double Double Bonus, the process is the same as it would be in practically every other video poker game. You have the option to choose your bet amount, which will have a minimum and maximum bet, according to the machine. You also have a choice to make when it comes to how many coins you wish to select. You can play with between 1 and 5 coins (5 being the maximum).
We would always recommend that you play with the maximum amount of 5 coins, as this will form part of your strategy for the game. Given that the maximum payout of 4000 coins for a royal flush is only triggered by playing 5 coins, it always makes sense to ensure you are eligible to win this.
Clear enough? Excellent. Now let’s look at the deal.
Have you selected your bet amount and chosen your coins? Of course you have. Next, you need to select the “Deal” button located at the bottom right of the screen. Once again, we’ll keep this section brief, as we touched on it earlier in the “How to Play Video Poker” section.
Once you have made your selections, hit “Draw,” and you will have your final hand. Here, you will have those discards replaced by new ones. If things have gone your way, then you will be celebrating a nice win. In video poker, it is not always about playing for just the big wins, however. Sometimes, just breaking even will do.
As for those big wins, let’s see what the Double Double Bonus pay table looks like.
Any experienced video poker player knows that the first step to understanding any video poker variant is to study the pay table.
Nevertheless, you are unlikely to find another pay table as spectacularly top-heavy as Double Double Bonus. In other words, a video poker game where the upper tiers of the pay table are so stacked with potential big wins. The downside is that these big wins are infrequent, which means you are more likely to pick up wins on the lower end, which can make big wins few and far between.
Let’s analyze the pay table and look at the odds for each win.
Analyzing the Pay Table
Here is the pay table for Double Double Bonus video poker. Take a minute or two to familiarize yourself with the odds of each win.
| Hand | Odds |
| Royal Flush | 80 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 |
| 4 of a Kind (aces) with a low kicker (2,3 or 4) | 400 to 1 |
| 4 of a Kind (aces) with any other kicker | 160 to 1 |
| 4 of a Kind (2s, 3s or 4s) with a low kicker (A, 2, 3 or 4) | 160 to 1 |
| 4 of a Kind (2s, 3s or 4s) with any other kicker | 80 to 1 |
| Any 4 of a kind with an ace kicker | 80 to 1 |
| Any 4 of a kind with any other kicker | 50 to 1 |
| Full House | 9 to 1 |
| Flush | 6 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 to 1 |
| 2 pairs | even money |
| A pair of jacks or better | even money |
So, what do you think of the pay table? Unsurprisingly, a royal flush is the highest payout on Double Double Bonus. Like most video poker games, a win on a royal flush pays out at 800 to 1. You can win the top prize of 4000 coins if you are playing with the maximum stake, which makes it very important to make sure you always play with five coins.
Next down, a four of a kind (2s, 3s, or 4s) with a low kicker (A-4) will also win 160 to 1. A four of a kind (2s, 3s, or 4s) with any other kicker is 80-1, as is any four of a kind with an ace kicker. Any four of a kind with any other kicker is 50-1.
As you can see by the odds of the smaller wins, things do tend to get a little paltry when we reach the full house (9 to 1) and flush (6 to 1). A straight gets you 4 to 1, a three of a kind 3 to 1, but the two pairs at odds of even money is the one win that is paid lower than many other video poker variants. With any of the bonus games, this is common, however.
There will be times when you may not truly understand what hands you can make from the cards you have, which makes it very important to always play with a strategy. The Double Double Bonus strategy below is very straightforward, and we have laid it out for you in simple terms below.
A simple tip: always play video poker with a strategy. Just because you are using a strategy doesn’t mean you’re not still awesome. Even the most experienced players will rely on a strategy at some point. Join the club. It’s a good one, and you will thank us later.
You might have seen us cover strategy charts for other variants of video poker. If you haven’t come across a strategy chart before, we will show you how it works in the next section.
We will keep things as simple as possible when discussing how to use a strategy chart. The great thing is that we don’t really have to make an effort to simplify things, as the chart is easy to understand anyway.
Nonetheless, we have provided some instructions for you before you use the strategy chart. Whether you are an experienced video poker player looking to sharpen up, or a newbie playing your first game, the instructions below are straightforward.
Instructions for using the strategy chart:
Easy, right? You betcha. Ready to take a look at the chart? Let’s go!
Refer to the instructions above when using this chart:
As you can see from the list above, there is a lot of information to remember. With time, this will become second nature, however.
As the old saying goes, “the proof is in the pudding.” With Double Double Bonus, that pudding is not going to come around very often, but when it does, it will taste great. In fact, it could keep your belly full for some time. On the other hand, the dry spells that you might encounter during a session might be a little frustrating. As with any casino game, there is always a chance of this happening, as luck is the most important factor to winning. Double Double Bonus is no different.
One of the true charms of Double Double Bonus is how fun it is to play. Waiting on those four-of-a-kind combinations to come in adds a real sweet kick to the game. So much so that it might even keep your mind off landing a royal flush. How many games can you roll off your tongue that can do that?
All in all, Double Double Bonus is an action-packed game that has its dry spells. It is fun and quirky and friendly to novice players as well as those with a little more experience. Playing with the strategy above will keep potential expected payouts at around 98.98%, which is pretty sweet for any game.
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