When most people think of poker, they picture bluffing and mind games at a table full of opponents. American Poker — or Video Poker — is a completely different experience. There are no opponents, no bluffing — just you, five cards, and your decisions. The game is hugely popular at 393bet because applying the right strategy can push the RTP up to 99.5%, placing it among the highest returns of any casino game.
The core gameplay is straightforward. Place your bet, and the machine deals you five random cards from a 52-card deck. You see all five cards, then decide which to Hold and which to replace (Draw). New cards fill the discarded positions, and your payout is determined by the poker rank of your final hand.
What makes this game particularly compelling is that it's purely mathematical. For every possible hand, there is one definitive "best" decision that can be calculated mathematically. The collection of these decisions is known as "Optimal Strategy." Players who follow Optimal Strategy on every hand can expect their long-term RTP to stay very close to 99.5%.
Jacks or Better is the most fundamental and popular variant of American Poker. In this version, a pair of Jacks or higher (Queen, King, or Ace) earns the minimum payout — anything lower pays nothing. That rule is what makes the strategy so engaging, since you always need to think carefully about which hand gives you the best odds.
Deuces Wild is an exciting variant where all four 2s (Deuces) act as Wild cards — meaning they can substitute for any card in the deck. This changes the payout table compared to standard video poker, but with optimal strategy the RTP can reach as high as 99.7%. Deuces Wild is available at 393bet, and experienced players often consider it their go-to variant.
The Double Up feature is optional but a lot of fun. When you win a hand, you can choose to collect your winnings or play Double Up. In Double Up, one card is face-down while four are visible. You predict whether the hidden card is higher or lower — guess right and your winnings double, guess wrong and you lose it all. Mathematically it's close to a 50/50 shot, but a wrong call means your entire win is gone.
Multi-Hand Mode makes American Poker at 393bet significantly more exciting. You can play 3, 5, 10, or even 52 hands simultaneously. All hands start with the same cards; the ones you Hold stay in place while the rest are drawn independently for each hand. A strong Hold decision can result in big payouts across every hand at once.
393bet's American Poker offers a free demo mode, which is strongly recommended for new players. Spend some time there first — mastering poker hand rankings and knowing which cards to hold in each situation are essential skills. Without them, your balance can disappear quickly in Real Money mode. Once you've practiced enough in demo, playing for real money becomes a far more enjoyable experience.
