There are a lot of different video poker games out there with the word 'Double' in the title, but most of them are trouble for those of us who want to win on a regular basis. Let's see, there's Double Bonus (we know that can be a winner); Double Bonus Jackpot; Double-Double Bonus and Double Bonus Plus. At least those are the names I've seen, but what matters more is the pay schedule of the game, so ignore names when you go looking for these. All of them are variations of Double Bonus poker which is, in turn, a variation of Jacks or Better. But different manufacturers tweak the games, mostly in an effort to give the casino a better return and what we end up with is a patchwork of machines; some good, some not so good.

You'll notice that several pay more if the Four-of-a-kind has a specific 'kicker' (the fifth card). Do NOT hold a Three-of-a-kind with a kicker to go for the Four-of-a-kind. For example, if you were dealt 3 Aces, a King and a 5 and the game pays extra for Four Aces with a Face, the proper play is to hold only the 3 Aces. However, if you were dealt 4 Aces and, say, a 3 and the game pays extra for Four Aces and a Face, then you should discard the 3 and go for it. Confusing set of games, isn't it? Well, that's exactly what the casinos want. They want you to be confused, because the vast majority of the money they make at video poker is through players' mistakes.

To help end the confusion, here is a listing of the payout schedule for each of these 'Double' machines and the theoretical long term payout which can be attained if one uses the proper playing strategy. Some casinos lower the payout on the Full House or Flush from what's listed below, which gives them an even bigger edge. Thus, to get the return specified, the pay schedule must match in all respects. As usual, I've shown the payouts for 5 coins played.