By Spencer Musick
Whether you’re a new or a seasoned video poker player, finding games that offer a the right blend of accessible strategy, excitement, and good odds is always a moving target. Some games, like Jacks or Better in its full pay version, may offer good payouts and an easy strategy, but the extremely low volatility can make for a somewhat boring ride over the long term.
Other variations like Double Double Bonus in its full pay version are more exciting to play, with good payouts, but the high volatility of these games can be a bankroll killer if you happen to hit an unlucky run. Thankfully, there are some variants of video poker that offer a great balance of all these factors: exciting gameplay, easy to learn strategy, and good returns.
One such gem in the world of video poker is “Not So Ugly Deuces Wild” (abbreviated NSUD). In this article, we’ll delve into four compelling reasons why this game stands out as an excellent choice for players seeking an engaging, fun, fair, and potentially profitable video poker game.
Favorable Pay Table
The foundation of an attractive video poker game lies in its pay table. NSUD boasts the most favorable pay table of any commonly-found deuces wild variant seen in casinos today, returning 99.73 percent with perfect play and a 5-coin bet. Although there are variations of deuces wild with higher returns, they are not widespread in today’s casinos, and when found are often available only at lower denominations and are not eligible for comps. Let’s take a look at the pay table for this form of Deuces Wild:
You can spot NSU Deuces wild by taking note of the returns for five-of-a-kind and a straight flush, which pay 16 coins and 10 coins respectively back to the player for these winning combinations. These hands—with the help of wild deuces—will normally appear around once for every hour of play given a good pace and decent luck. You can and should expect sessions where you are devoid of these and the other better paying hands; but over time, these sessions will be compensated for with times when you run significantly better than average. Remember, Video Poker is a marathon, not a sprint!
Note how heavily weighted the pay table is toward winning combos ranked at the straight flush and higher. In NSUD a huge portion of your return is weighted to hands that appear only occasionally, resulting in a ride that can be either great or god-awful depending on if you are drawing to these winning combinations—but the ride is certainly never boring! In particular, well over 1 percent of your total expected return is weighted to the 4 deuces mini jackpot, which you can, on average, expect to see once in a day’s play. But again, expect days when you never see this winning hand and prepare your bankroll accordingly. Thankfully, running this poorly doesn’t happen every day you play, but it can and does happen.
The expected return of NSUD is quite favorable to the player, but because so much of that return is weighted to hands that occur less frequently, you will need a much larger bankroll to play NSU than you would for a game like Jacks or Better at the same denomination. The rule of thumb for Jacks or Better is that a player needs 4 times the amount of a royal flush to withstand the expected swings in that game over the long term. For a volatile game like NSUD, the player should have at least 6 times the amount of the Royal flush to have a comfortable “buffer” in their bankroll.
About Video Poker Pay Tables and Strategy Charts
The Jackpot Gents website has all of the information a player needs on video poker pay tables for games like NSUD: https://thejackpotgents.com/video-poker-pay-tables/
Deuces Wild “NSUD” Not So Ugly Deuces Pay Table with 99.57% Payback
And, there are also FREE video poker strategy charts that you can print out and bring with you to the casino: https://thejackpotgents.com/deuces-wild-video-poker-strategy-charts/
Wild Deuces add excitement to the strategy
The inclusion of wild cards introduces an exciting element of unpredictability and significantly alters the strategic landscape of the game, and this requires a shift in strategy.
The biggest mistake that one can make as a player of any deuces wild variation is not learning the proper strategy for this family of video poker games. In particular, the strategy is very different from those games based on Jacks or Better like Bonus Poker and Double Double Bonus—so a mentality shift is required when picking up NSUD if you have previously learned the strategy to one of these other common games. For NSUD, the strategy table is broken down into parts based on how many deuces are in the initial hand dealt to the player, and many of the strategy principles seem counterintuitive.
A simple strategy for NSUD is often the best bet for a new player: you will still get a good chunk of the expected return, with fewer complex situations to potentially trip over when playing in a casino. To get the full return of a game like NSUD, the strategy is quite complex, but a simple strategy can get you darn close to that full 99.73 percent.
The most important thing to do as a player is to trust the strategy that you learn. Whether you choose a simple one or a more complex one that offers a higher return, you must never deviate from it based on intuition or hunches. Some of the most beautiful casino hotels on earth have been built with the money of people who had great hunches. Casinos base their assumed advantage over you based on math alone: you must rely on math alone to have any realistic shot of walking away a winner.
One final helpful tip: if you are truly new to the world of video poker, you might consider learning a simple strategy to NSU Deuces Wild before learning any variation of Jacks or Better. Because the strategies are so different, you will avoid accidentally crossing over between these two styles of play—something that those of us who know multiple types of strategies often struggle with, even as seasoned players.
The inclusion of wild deuces can make for exciting and rewarding gameplay!
Pictured above, the author hit the four deuces jackpot on a machine at a locals casino in Las Vegas.
Game Availability
There is no point in taking the time to learn a new, potentially profitable video poker game if you cannot find it easily in your favorite casinos. Thankfully, one of the bright spots in today’s video poker landscape—which has seen casinos tightening payouts and diminishing players clubs in many cases, is that NSUD remains widely available in casinos around the country, including in Las Vegas (albeit only off the Strip), and in local or Indian casinos as well. It is just a matter of finding where the game is available at a denomination that suits your bankroll.
A great resource to find this and other video poker games at both local casinos around the country and in Las Vegas is vpfree2.com. This website is updated frequently by video poker devotees, and offers information on game availability, location, comp allowances, and casino hosts.
Note that there are downgraded versions of NSUD that are also widely available. One of them, often referred to as LVAirport/Illinois Deuces, returns just under 99 percent, but a decent comp allowance can still make this an attractive game to play. Further, you can use the same simple strategy for downgraded Illinois Deuces as you would for the full-pay version, making NSUD a very useful tool to have in your arsenal as a video poker player. Downgraded versions of these games will almost always be given full comp equity by the casinos—so that is another advantage to being aware of the different variations of NSUD. You never know when a promotion might turn an “okay” game into a great one. Playing a slightly lesser version of a still decent game can often be a smart move to get casino hosts to shell out more extra comps like rooms, meals, and show tickets. Be smart, seek out good opportunities and you will be surprised at the comps and benefits that come your way.
Easy Promotions and Comps
Although casinos, in general, don’t give as many or as good of comps to video poker players as they do to those who player lower returning games like slots, you might be surprised at what casinos are willing to give back to those who play video poker consistently. Because NSUD has a favorable return to player with proper strategy, it doesn’t take much in the way of comps to get the player at an even-game or even a slight advantage over the house. Things like free rooms, food allowances, show tickets, travel reimbursement—the value of these comps adds up and can turn a good game for the player into an advantageous one—provided that she or he has enough bankroll to weather the swings in the game that we have outlined above.
Another consideration worth mentioning is that many casinos have downgraded the promotional availability for common games like 9/6 Jacks or Better, because they know that players are aware of the good returns of this game. But because the strategy of Deuces Wild variations is more difficult and not as widely known, often these games have escaped this tightening trend. In off-strip casinos in Las Vegas, for example, NSU can be found for full comp benefits at a number of larger resorts, including on bar-top machines where drink comps and service make for an enjoyable and entertaining time for the player.
One slot club—even before extra promotions and mailers are factored in—gives a comp allowance that amounts to .3 percent of total expected value from the game, meaning that the player is already at a very slight advantage over the house given proper strategy when playing NSUD. Learn to play NSUD well, seek out the places that give fair comps, and this is a game that can offer hours of entertainment along with a very fair shot at walking away from the casino a winner.
Conclusion
Not So Ugly Deuces Wild emerges as a standout choice in the vast landscape of video poker games. Its combination of a favorable pay table, entertaining gameplay, availability in casinos and promotional equity in terms of comps, creates a gaming experience that caters to both seasoned veterans and newcomers to video poker alike.
Players who appreciate the thrill of making strategic decisions, the excitement of wild cards, and the potential for substantial payouts will find Not So Ugly Deuces Wild to be a rewarding and engaging choice. As with any casino game, responsible and informed play is key to maximizing enjoyment and potential profits. Just make sure you have a sufficient bankroll to withstand the swings involved in a volatile game like NSUD.
So, whether you’re a casual player seeking entertainment or a seasoned strategist aiming for optimal returns, Not So Ugly Deuces Wild invites you to enter a world where skill meets chance, giving you a solid shot at making a little money on your trip to the casino, earning decent comps, and having a great time playing this interesting and rewarding form of video poker.
Best wishes for Good Luck out there in the casinos!
Spencer Musick is an advantage video poker player and sports journalist. He is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, but has lived as far afield as Beijing, China. He enjoys playing favorable casino games where comps and benefits create an advantage for the smart player. When he is not chasing good comp opportunities or enjoying a cold beer at a video poker bar top machine, you can find him running long distance road races at cities around the US, including Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and at the upcoming Boston Marathon!