Expert Strategy for Double-Double-Bonus Video Poker

The payback on Double Double Bonus (DDB) is significantly less attractive than either Double Bous (DB) or Double Double Jackpot (DDJ). However, my observations confirm that many players prefer DDB and will often play it (at a lower payback) even when offered the competitive games (at a higher payback) in the same casino, or in the same aisle, for that matter.

On rare occasions when the players seem to be bucking my findings, it makes me uncomfortable. About ten years ago, my first cut at full-pay Deuces told me the game was only on a par with Jacks, but harder to learn and too streaky for most players. However, the players seemed to be saying otherwise, playing the game to the hilt.

Sure enough, they were right and my rework of my numbers confirmed that the game was in fact well over 100% payback. The players probably knew nothing about the stats but the coin tray was telling them what they liked to hear about payback.

I wish I could say that this story-line has been repeated, but several checks have still confirmed that DDB is the lowest of the trio of games with respect to payback, and by quite a margin to boot. For the Las Vegas market, DDB is not the best game to play among the "Bonus" games and it is purposely omitted from my "Winning Strategies" book and my special tipsheets on "Bonus" Games.

So what drives the players to the DDB's?
I suspect it is the pie-in-the-sky attraction of a 400 for 1 (2,000 for 5) payout on Four Aces with a 2, 3 or 4. This is currently the biggest available return on Quads . Or maybe the public is being misled by the 9/6 payouts on Full House/ Flush wins, thinking that what worked for Jacks or Better Draw Poker also applies to DDB. Of course it doesn't and even with its 9/6 table and the Quads bonuses, the game is below 99% return.

This author would really welcome some feedback from DDB players or others who think they can explain this puzzling situation. But in the interests of those who find DDB attractive, I'll define the expert strategy here and, like your friendly car-dealer, literally "give it away" because I simply will not sell it.

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Strategy Table

Hand	Expected Value
Royal Flush	800
4 Aces with 2,3,4	400
4 Aces	320+ (DRAW!)
Four 2,3,4 w/A,2,3,4	320
Four 2,3,4	160+ (DRAW!)
Straight Flush	50
Four 5's-K's	50
4 Card Royal	19
3 Aces +2,3,4	12 (Hold Kicker)
3 Aces	10 (Bust Aces FHS)
Full House	9
Three 2,3,4	7
Flush	6
Three 5's-K's	5.4
Straight	4
4 Card Strt Flush	3.5
Pair A's	1.9
Two Pairs	1.7 (Non- A's)
Pair J's-K's	1.5
3 Card Royal	1.4
4 Card Flush	1.1
Pair 2,3,4	1
4 Card Straight w/3HC	0.8+
4 Card Straight w/2HC	0.8
4 Card Straight w/1HC	0.7+
Pair 5-10's	0.7
3 Cd Ins Strt Flush w/2HC	0.7
4 Card Straight w/0HC	0.7-
3 Cd DIns Strt Flush w/2HC	0.6+
3 Cd Ins Strt Flush w/1HC	0.6+
4 High Cards	0.6
2 Cd Royal (no A or 10)	0.6-
2 Cd Royal (no 10)	0.6-
3 Cd Ins. Strt Flush w/0HC	0.5+
4 Cd Ins. Strt w/3HC	0.5+
3 High Cards(KQJ only)	0.5
2 High Cards	0.5-
1 High Card	0.4+
2 Cd Royal (w/10 no Ace)	0.4
3 Card DI Strt Flush 0 HC	0.4
RAZGU	0.3 (Draw 5)

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Pay Table

Hand	Pays
Royal Flush	4,000
Straight Flush	250
4 Aces with 2,3,4	2,000
4 Aces	800
Four 2,3,4 w/A,2,3,4	800
Four 2,3,4	400
Four 5's-K's	250
Full House	45
Flush	30
Straight	20
3 of a Kind	15
Two Pairs	5
Pair of J's or Better	5

All Pays are Per Coin, Assuming 5 Coin Play

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