Tens or Better Video Poker is extremely similar to the Jacks or Better Video Poker variation, with the only difference being that in this game you have to have a minimum of a pair of tens in order to win the best casino payout. Due to it being a little bit easier for the player to have a winning hand the payouts are slightly less than Jacks or Better. Having said this, you have more chances of winning at least a small amount in this game.
How to Play Tens or Better
When playing tens or better the payouts will start at tens of better, as the name suggests. What your goal will be throughout the game is to create a poker hand that has at least a pair or tens or higher than this. The payouts will increase in size depending on what winning hand you have that is better than a pair of tens. In order to play all you need to do is follow the steps listed below:
- Sign in to your online casino account, or open a new account with the best online casinos found here at CasinoTop10.
- Top up your account using your preferred payment method.
- Select the amount you want to bet on one round of Tens or Better video poker.
- On the screen you will see a ‘deal cards’ button. Click on this when you are ready to start playing and five cards will be selected at random from a 52 card standard deck of cards to make your first hand.
- From the five cards that appear on your screen, you will have to evaluate if you have a strong or weak poker hand, and make a decision on whether or not you want to discard any cards in order to possibly get a better hand. You can use the strategy table below to help you do this.
- If you think you can get a stronger poker hand get rid of the cards you don’t want by clicking on the ‘deal cards’ button again, and you will get new cards to replace the ones you chose to discard.
- When you get your new cards you will be able to see if you are eligible for a payout. You have to have at least a pair of tens to win, if you only get one pair of 7s for example, you lose the wagered money.
- In order to play another round all you need to do is click on the ‘deal cards’ button on your screen and you will be given five new cards for a new round of tens or better.
Optimal Strategy for Tens or Better Video Poker
Just like with other kinds of video poker games, your chances of winning the larger payouts will depend on your ability to form a better poker hand. The strategy of how to make the best possible winning hand is very similar to Jacks or Better, with only some slight differences. We have outlined the possible situations you may encounter when you receive your cards, and what to do depending on which cards you have in your hand to make the best card combination.
| First Hand of Cards | Optimal Strategy |
| Royal Flush | Hold on to all your cards |
| Straight Flush | Hold on to all your cards |
| Four of a Kind | Hold on to all your cards |
| Full House | Hold on to all your cards |
| Four of a Royal Flush | Draw one card |
| Flush | Hold on to all your cards |
| Three of a Kind | Draw two cards |
| Straight | Hold on to all your cards |
| Four to a Straight Flush | Draw one card |
| Two Pair | Draw one card |
| High Pair | Draw three cards |
| Three to a Royal Flush | Draw two card |
| Four to a Flush | Draw one card |
| One Low Pair | Draw three cards |
| Four to a Straight | Draw one card |
| Three to a Straight Flush | Draw two cards |
| Two to a Royal Flush | Draw three cards |
| Two High Cards | Draw three cards |
| One High Card | Draw four cards |
| Five Disconnected Low Cards | Draw five cards |
Pay Table for Tens or Better
The payouts are almost identical to the Jacks or Better pay table, but with slightly lower payouts for the royal flush, full house, and flush winning hand, and payouts start at a pair of tens as the lowest possible winning hand. Although the table below is the standard payout table for this variation, it’s always wise to check the pay table of the online casino you are playing at and check for any differences.
| Card Outcome | Payout |
| Natural Royal Flush | x250 |
| Straight Flush | x50 |
| Four of a Kind | x25 |
| Full House | x6 |
| Flush | x5 |
| Straight | x4 |
| Three of a Kind | x3 |
| Two Pairs | x2 |
| Tens or Better | x1 |
Doubling in Tens or Better
In some online casinos, you could have the option of doubling. How this works is that if you win a hand, you can choose to have five new cards appear on the screen. The first card, the dealer’s card, will be dealt face-up, whilst the remaining four will be dealt face down. From the four cards, you have to pick just one, and if the value of the card is higher than the dealer’s card you can double your original winnings. If it’s a tie you can leave the game and collect winnings, or double again. However, if you lose you won’t get to hold on to your winnings. Some online casino may even offer half doubles – you can double half your winnings and put the remaining balance securely into your online casino account
Play at the Best Online Casinos Found on CasinoTop10
If you want the most possible winning combinations then this variation is the video poker game for you. Use one of our online casino reviews to decide where you want to start playing – you only need a pair of tens in order to start reeling in the money!
