Based on Jacks or Better, Split Way Royal is an interesting variation of online video poker by Betsoft. It has a classic design and single-hand gameplay but at the same time, it comes with quite an unconventional paytable. In this game, the software provider defines two separate types of Royal Flush and they both pay 4000:1 when betting the maximum 5 coins.
Rules and Gameplay
Betsoft’s Split Way Royal is played with a single standard deck of cards and before each deal, players need to place a bet. They can choose the number of coins they wish to bet (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5), as well as the coin value ($/€0.01-$/€1.00). Once the bet is selected, players can start the game round with the Deal button.
Of course, they can keep any number of cards by clicking on them or by using the Hold buttons below each one of them. When they make their selection, they need to click the Deal button once again and all cards, that have been discarded, will now be replaced by new ones. If there is a winning poker hand, the prize can be collected immediately. Alternatively, players may choose to gamble it for the chance to double the funds.
In the Double Up round, players are displayed a face-up card for the dealer and four face-down cards – they need to pick one and hope that it will be higher than the dealer’s.
Paytable and Specific Features
| Hand | 1 coin | 2 coins | 3 coins | 4 coins | 5 coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Royal Flush (2-6) | 800 | 1600 | 2400 | 3200 | 4000 |
| High Royal Flush (10-A) | 800 | 1600 | 2400 | 3200 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 of a Kind | 40 | 80 | 120 | 160 | 200 |
| Full House | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
As you can see, Split Way Royal is a fairly standard video poker game but there is one small detail that makes it different from all other versions. And this is the so-called Low Royal Flush hand. Actually, this is simply the lowest possible Straight Flush (2-3-4-5-6) but it pays just like the highest one, the Royal Flush (10-J-Q-K-A) – 800:1 for 1-coin play and 4000:1 for 5-coin mode.
Conclusion
When played with a perfect strategy, Split Way Royal has a theoretical return of 99.97%, which is exceptionally high even for a video poker game. To secure decent, long-term profits, however, players need change the basic strategy for Jacks and Better video poker significantly so it could fit the specific payouts in this game.