What’s the Point of Multi-Hand Video Poker?

Video poker first entered casinos in the mid-1970s. At this time, it was a basic Draw Poker game that only offered one hand per round.


Video poker has since evolved to include different games and variations. Multi-hand video poker is definitely one of the most popular variants.

As the name implies, you can play multiple hands per round. The only catch, though, is that you don’t enjoy any better chance of winning with the multi-hand version. The RTP is the same no matter how many hands are played.

With that being said, is there any actual benefit to playing multiple hands? I’ll discuss this matter below by covering how the multi-hand game works along with its benefits and downsides.

How Does Multi-Hand Video Poker Work?

At the beginning of a multi-hand round, you have the ability to change the following options:

• Number of coins per hand (1-5)
• Number of hands (varies)
• Game speed

The ability to change the number of coins is common to all video poker games. You should consider risking five coins on all hands if you want to qualify for the maximum royal flush payout (4,000 credits).

The option to change the number of hands can vary based on the machine. For example, some multi-hand games may let you select anywhere from three to 100 hands.

Others don’t even allow you to change anything in this regard. You just play whatever number of hands the machine provides (e.g. 5).

As for playing multi-hand games, one hand will be face-up while all others are face-down. You decide what to keep and discard in the face-up hand.

All cards that you keep are reflected in every face-down hand. Upon selecting “Draw,” each hand will flip over. You’ll be paid for any winning hands.

Many Variations

Triple Play is the most common version of multi-hand video poker. Its name refers to the fact that it sees you play three hands per round.

Five Play is another popular video poker variation. Its name alludes to how it sees you log five hands in every round.

Of course, video poker games get even crazier than this. Some versions let you play as many as 100 hands simultaneously.

So, having many available hands increase the thrills of playing video poker. However, you should also consider that each hand represents a separate bet.

In the case of 100-hand video poker, for instance, you’ll be making 100 separate wagers. If you put five quarters on each hand, this equates to $125 in bets per round.

What Are the Benefits of Multi-Hand Video Poker?

Multi-hand video poker games have grown in popularity over the years. Here are the main reasons why they’ve become successful in casinos.

Get More Action

Single-hand video poker sometimes feels like watching paint dry. This is especially the case if you play a lengthy session.

Of course, you may simply love video poker and not mind playing one hand each round. But even if you’re the most ardent supporter of this game, you might still get bored with single hands.

Enter the multi-hand variation, which provides an opportunity to log several hands or more on each turn. You get extra shots to win and be entertained with this version.

More Chances at the Royal Flush

Your odds of drawing to a royal flush are approximately 1 in 40,000. Even if you play 1,000 hands per hour—an insane rate—you’ll only see a royal once every 40 hours on average.

Multi-hand video poker gives you an opportunity to score more royal flushes in less amount of time. With Five Play, for example, you’ll theoretically get a royal once every 11.5 hours when playing 700 hands per hour.

This still means that you’ll be waiting a fair amount of time before scoring 4,000 credits (on five-coin bet). However, you at least don’t need to log a 40-hour week to get a royal with the multi-hand version.

Fewer Strategy Decisions Required

As described earlier, the multi-hand game only requires you to make decisions with one hand. Every card you hold in this hand will be reflected in all other hands.

With that said, you get more bang for your buck from a strategic perspective. If you’re playing triple play, for example, then your decisions with one hand will apply to three.

Of course, the strategic element is probably a key reason why you play video poker. But then again, you can cut down on how many decisions you’ll need to make per hand with multi-hand machines.

Pick Up Extra Rewards

Extra loyalty rewards offer one more huge benefit to playing multi-hand video poker. If you’re somebody who loves comps, then you’ll really appreciate this aspect.

Here’s a look at what kind of rewards you can expect with a 100-hand game:

• A casino’s video poker comp rate is 0.1%.
• You bet $1.25 per hand.
• You play all 100 hands.
• You log 500 rounds per hour.
• 500 x 100 x 1.25 x 0.001 = $62.50 in comps per hour

Of course, playing 100-hand video poker also requires you to bet an extreme amount of money. If you have the bankroll to do so, though, then you’ll really appreciate the extra rewards.

Some of the comps that you can expect in Las Vegas casinos include cashback, free drinks, limo rides, meals, and hotel stays. Online casinos provide cashback, deposit bonuses, and free slots spins.

The good news is that you can look forward to more of these benefits no matter where you play when using multi-hand machines.

What Are the Drawbacks of Multi-Hand Play?

So far, multi-hand video poker sounds like a fresher and more exciting version of the single-hand game. However, you should consider the following downsides before jumping into the action.

Drains Your Bankroll Faster

Your bankroll is the biggest concern when playing multi-hand video poker. After all, nearly every variation is a negative-expectation (-EV) game.

More hands equal more theoretical losses. Here’s an example to illustrate this point:

Single-hand

• You’re playing 9/6 Jacks or Better (0.46% house edge) with expert strategy.
• You play 500 per hour.
• You risk $1.25 per hand.
• 500 x 1.25 x 0.0046 = $2.88 in theoretical losses per hour

Multi-hand

• You’re playing 9/6 Jacks or Better with expert strategy.
• You play 10 hands per round.
• You log 500 rounds per hour.
• You risk $1.25 per hand.
• 500 x 10 x 1.25 x 0.0046 = $28.75 in theoretical losses per hour

Of course, the hope is that you get lucky and win bigger profits through all of these hands. But you also need to be realistic in that you’re more likely to lose extra money.

Hard to Check All of Your Results

Multi-hand video poker can be overwhelming at first glance. It features lots of facedown hands that suddenly flip over when you select the “Draw” button.

You should get used to this aspect after playing for a while. However, it’s a lot to take in when you’re new to a multi-hand variation.

Can Put You in the “Slots Zone”

The slots zone is a phenomenon that happens to slot machine players who lose themselves in the action. Due to the high-quality graphics and sound effects, some gamblers tune out their surroundings and mindlessly play the game.

The same thing can happen with video poker. Even though video poker doesn’t feature the wild animations and sound effects of slots, it can still be hypnotizing.

You’re even more likely to fall into a trance when playing a multi-hand version. When sliding into the video poker zone, then you’ll suffer bigger losses and not even realize it.

Confusing for New Players

Are you new to video poker? If so, then you don’t want to cut your teeth with multi-hand variations.

You’ll find the multiple hands to be confusing. You may also struggle to figure out how your decisions with one hand correlate to all of the facedown hands.

That said, you’re better off starting out with a single-hand version. Once you get comfortable with a single hand, you can graduate to multiple hands.

Should You Ultimately Play Multi-Hand Games?

You can see that there are both pros and cons to consider with multi-hand video poker. Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine whether the positives outweigh the negatives.

Of course, your personality as a gambler will also factor into the matter. If you’re somebody who loves chasing royal flushes above all, then you may love the multi-hand game. It provides you with many more chances to score royals.

On the other hand, you might value your bankroll and time spent in the casino. In this case, you’re not going to like how much quicker your funds vanish with a multi-hand variation.

Overall, you just need to think about your own likes and dislikes when it comes to gaming. You can use these experiences to determine if you’ll ultimately enjoy playing multiple hands at once.

Conclusion

Multi-hand video poker isn’t for everybody. It sees you log more hands per round and, thus, leads to more theoretical losses.

You may be willing to take this chance, though, if you want more thrills and chances to win. Multi-hand games provide these exact benefits.

If you’re willing to accept the challenge of multi-hand video poker, then you’ll be able to easily find this variation in land-based and online casinos.