Tens or Better Variations

Video poker is a clear option for experienced players and total novices because of its inherent simplicity and high entertainment value. Such games intrigue as they have the lowest house edge of all other games that are normally available at the casino floors, and what is even better is that players can determine what advantage the house will gain over them with a single glance at their pay scheme.

Tens or Better is one more of the fan-favorite video poker variants, the precursor to which is Jacks or Better. The popularity of this video poker variant has soared owing to the fact that the game has some unique characteristics, as winning combinations are formed easier when compared to the other video poker variants available out there.

In order for players to make the most out of their betting session, they should gain a better insight into the different versions of Tens or Better they will come across and the intricacies of each one of them.

All There Is To Know About Tens or Better

To the unwary player, Tens or Better might seem like a go-to video poker variant simply because a pair of Tens is enough to get a payout, but as you might already know, these amendments in the paytable will have an impact on the payoffs offered for the rest of the most common hands.

Video poker is one of the few casino games in which players have a say in the outcomes, and this is why such games enjoy such great acceptance. In fact, Tens or Better shares a lot of common traits with Jacks or Better as no wild cards or Joker are used. This is to say that the number of cards in play will invariably be 52.

What Does It Take To Play Tens or Better
Winning Hands in Tens or Better
Probabilities of The Winning Hands in Full-Pay Tens or Better

What Does It Take To Play Tens or Better

As is the case with all other video poker variants, the first decision gambling enthusiasts will need to make once they pick a game to enjoy is how much they would like to wager. Normally, as they proceed with their betting session, players will be required to decide on the coin denomination and then choose the number of coins they would like to stake.

Thus, if we presume that the chosen coin size is $0,20 and you have opted for betting five coins, this means that the total staked amount will be $1. No matter the case, it is recommended to always stake the maximum number of five coins because otherwise, the payout offered for a Royal Flush will shrink dramatically. Betting five coins or four coins will make the difference in terms of payouts as in the first case, gambling enthusiasts will be in for 4.000 credits, while in the second, the offered payout will be just 2.000.

With some Tens or Better variants players will be treated with, there will also be the opportunity to select from single and multi-hand modes. The number of hands gambling enthusiasts will be given a choice from varies widely between the different variants of Tens or Better, but on most occasions, gambling enthusiasts will be allowed to bet on up to 50 or 100 hands at once.

Number of Credits 1 credit 2 credits 3 credits 4 credits 5 credits
Expected return percentage based on the number of credits 97.85% 97.85% 97.85% 97.85% 99.14%

As is happening with all video poker variants available out there, gambling enthusiasts should not worry too much if no winning hands are formed after the deal as, given that they make the best moves, they will still stand the chance to improve their hand and thus to bag a payout after the draw.


Winning Hands in Tens or Better

Tens or Better borrows its name from the lowest-paying hand in its pay scale as this time, players will be in for a payoff when they get two Tens, which is not the case with most other video poker games, where at least a pair of Jacks is needed.

With this in mind, the rest of the pay scale of these games and the pay scheme of Jacks or Better are cut from the same cloth. Yet, what old hands might notice right off is that some hands do not offer as bountiful payouts as in Jacks or Better, which will easily have an impact on the long-term profit of players.

Please note that the payoffs that will come players’ way while betting on Tens or Better will be fairly similar with most of its variants, they should always examine the paytable of the chosen game to ensure that they will get the most favorable deal.

As they take a closer look at the paytable of Tens or Better, players will notice that the most mouth-watering prizes are offered when Royal Flush is formed, and the next-best payer in the pay scheme of these games is Straight Flush. These hands are followed by Four of a Kind, Full House, and Flush. The hands that rank the lowest in the paytable of these video poker variants are Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pairs, and Tens or Better.


Probabilities of The Winning Hands in Full-Pay Tens or Better

Hand Probability
Royal Flush 0.000026
Straight Flush 0.000103
Four of a Kind 0.002358
Full House 0.011497
Flush 0.010654
Straight 0.012357
Three of a Kind 0.074265
Two Pair 0.129007
Tens or Better 0.254251
No winning hands 0.505482

Comparison of Full-Pay Variants of Tens or Better, Jacks or Better, and Deuces Wild

As is the case with slots, while playing video poker, gambling enthusiasts will get a payout, which corresponds to the formed winning combination. Taking this into account, in video poker, players will not struggle to find out what the probability of getting a specific card is as it is exactly identical with the cases when dealing cards from a standard deck of 52 cards. Please note that the chances of getting a specific card are no longer the same with video poker variants where wild cards or Jokers are used.

Something vital to remember is that the payoff offered for a Royal Flush is what the majority of the video poker versions available out there have in common. Such hands consist of 10, J, Q, K, and A of one suit, and as long as gambling enthusiasts consistently stick to the optimal strategy, a payout for such hands will be awarded once per 40.000 hands.

Normally, the way such hands pay off is the same, and staking between one and four credits means that the rate at which players will be paid will be 250 to 1. Opting for the maximum number of credits is what avid casino fans should consider doing, as in such cases, the offered payout will be 800 to 1.

Paytable of Full-Pay Tens or Better
Paytable of Full-Pay Jacks or Better
Paytable of Full-Pay Deuces Wild

Paytable of Full-Pay Tens or Better

Number of Credits
Hand 1 2 3 4 5
Royal Flush 250 500 750 1.000 4.000
Straight Flush 50 100 150 200 250
Four of a Kind 25 50 75 100 125
Full House 6 12 18 24 30
Flush 5 10 15 20 25
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
Three of a Kind 3 6 9 12 15
Two Pairs 2 4 6 8 10
Tens or Better 1 2 3 4 5

Paytable of Full-Pay Jacks or Better

Number of Credits
Hand 1 2 3 4 5
Royal Flush 250 500 750 1.000 4.000
Straight Flush 50 100 150 200 250
Four of a Kind 25 50 75 100 125
Full House 9 18 27 36 45
Flush 5 10 15 20 25
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
Three of a Kind 3 6 9 12 15
Two Pairs 2 4 6 8 10
Jacks or Better 1 2 3 4 5

Paytable of Full-Pay Deuces Wild

Number of Credits
Hand 1 2 3 4 5
Natural Royal Flush 250 500 750 1.000 4.000
Four Deuces 200 400 600 800 1.000
Wild Royal Flush 25 50 75 100 125
Five of a Kind 15 30 45 60 75
Straight Flush 9 18 27 36 45
Four of a Kind 5 10 15 20 25
Full House 3 6 9 12 15
Flush 2 4 6 8 10
Straight 2 4 6 8 10
Three of a Kind 1 2 3 4 5


Most Common Tens or Better Variants

If you are not a total novice at playing video poker, you might be aware that in order to do well out of your betting session, full-pay video poker variants are your best bet. In order for players to tell the best versions of Tens of Better apart from the rest of the options available out there, they should pay closer attention to the payouts specific hands award.

Full-Pay Tens of Better
25/6/4 Tens or Better
25/5/5 Tens or Better
20/6/5 Tens or Better
40/20/6/5 Tens or Better

Full-Pay Tens of Better

As we explained already, the full-pay or 25/6/5 variants of Tens or Better are the ones avid casino fans should always keep a lookout for because they offer heftier payouts. If the casino you are currently playing at offers such a variant, you should easily give it a shot because applying the optimal strategy means that the maximum RTP they can achieve is 99.14%, which is a difference of around 0.40% with the full-pay versions of Jacks or Better. Of course, this expected return can only be achieved, given that gambling enthusiasts wager the maximum number of coins.

Number of Credits
Hand 1 2 3 4 5
Royal Flush 250 500 750 1.000 4.000
Straight Flush 50 100 150 200 250
Four of a Kind 25 50 75 100 125
Full House 6 12 18 24 30
Flush 5 10 15 20 25
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
Three of a Kind 3 6 9 12 15
Two Pairs 2 4 6 8 10
Tens or Better 1 2 3 4 5

In order for players to recognize the full-pay versions of Tens or Better, they should take a closer look at the payouts that are awarded when Full House and Flush are formed. Choosing full-pay variants of Tens or Better means that when Flush is formed after staking five credits, the profit of gambling enthusiasts will be 20 coins (25 coins minus the stake of 5 credits players have made).

As likely as not, at this point, you might find it challenging to say whether such games are worthwhile or not. Now, if we compare the paytables of the full-pay variants of Jacks or Better and Tens or Better, what you will notice right off the bat is that Jacks or Better pays at a higher rate for a Full House and Flush, and the offered payouts will be 9 for 1 and 6 for 1, respectively.

Gambling aficionados should also consider their chances of getting the least-paying hands while playing each of the games as well. Giving Jacks or Better a try means that players should expect to see the least-rewarding hands around 21% of the time. Going for Tens or Better means that a pair of Tens, which is the least rewarding hand, will be formed around 25% of the time.

As one would expect, the better chances of getting the least-paying hand are made up for with the reduction of the payouts offered for high-ranking hands like Full House and Flush.


25/6/4 Tens or Better

The 25/6/4 version of Tens or Better is very infrequently found, but checking out for its availability is recommendable because it is almost as good as the full-pay variants.

Number of Credits
Hand 1 2 3 4 5
Royal Flush 250 500 750 1.000 4.000
Straight Flush 50 100 150 200 250
Four of a Kind 25 50 75 100 125
Full House 6 12 18 24 30
Flush 4 8 12 16 20
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
Three of a Kind 3 6 9 12 15
Two Pairs 2 4 6 8 10
Tens or Better 1 2 3 4 5

If you happen to find such a variant of Tens or Better, you will notice that the payout a Flush offers is brought down, and instead of being paid at the rate of 5 for 1 for a Flush, gambling enthusiasts will collect a payout of 4 for 1. As a result of the reduction of such payouts, the return percentage of these games will shrink by almost 1%, and will stand at 98.10%. The amendment of the payout for a Flush is not something to overlook as such hands will be formed more frequently than players might expect.


25/5/5 Tens or Better

Another variant of Tens or Better, which can be found on rare occasions is the 25/5/5. As the name of such games suggests, players will be offered lessened payouts for a Full House than the ones we described already. As the table shows, the payout for Full House is scaled down, and when such a hand is formed, gambling enthusiasts will rack up a prize of 5 for 1 instead of 6 for 1.

The cut of the payout rates of these common hands is reflected by the return percentage of these games, and normally, their RTP will run at around 97.99%. Please bear in mind that players will achieve this RTP only when they stake the maximum number of credits. Otherwise, the return percentage of the game will decrease even further.

Number of Credits
Hand 1 2 3 4 5
Royal Flush 250 500 750 1.000 4.000
Straight Flush 50 100 150 200 150
Four of a Kind 25 50 75 100 125
Full House 5 10 15 20 25
Flush 5 10 15 20 25
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
Three of a Kind 3 6 9 12 15
Two Pairs 2 4 6 8 10
Tens or Better 1 2 3 4 5

20/6/5 Tens or Better

The variant of Tens or Better gambling aficionados are most likely to come across while being on the lookout for such video poker games is the 20/6/5. This is hardly surprising considering the fact that these Tens or Better variants give the house an even greater edge.

As evident from the name, with this video poker variant, gambling enthusiasts will not walk away with a payout of 25 for 1 for a Four of a Kind, but will instead be paid at the rate of 20 for 1, which indeed is a sharp reduction. The payoffs offered for Full House and Flush are worth considering as well, and by closer inspection of the pay scheme of these games, players will notice that these hands award payouts of 6 for 1 and 5 for 1, respectively. Because of all these adjustments that are made to the paytable, the expected return percentage of these games will drop down to 97.96%.

Number of Credits
Hand 1 2 3 4 5
Royal Flush 250 500 750 1.000 4.000
Straight Flush 50 100 150 200 150
Four of a Kind 20 40 60 80 100
Full House 6 12 18 24 30
Flush 5 10 15 20 25
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
Three of a Kind 3 6 9 12 15
Two Pairs 2 4 6 8 10
Tens or Better 1 2 3 4 5

40/20/6/5 Tens or Better

The 40/20/6/5 variants of Tens or Better are present on very rare occasions, but if gambling enthusiasts happen to find such, they should give it a wide berth. The reason why gambling enthusiasts are advised to steer clear of such variants of Tens or Better is that the house gains an immense edge through the reduction of the payouts offered for Four of a Kind and Straight Flush. The payouts for Four of a Kind is significantly lowered, and getting such a winning hand will render players eligible for a payout of 20 for 1, and not the regular payoff of 25 for 1. The payoff for a Straight Flush is decreased sharply too, and instead of 50 for 1, such winning hands pay at the rate of 40 for 1.

It is easy to see why this is a lesser-paying variant of Tens or Better, and choosing it means that the expected return percentage will shrink to 97.86%.

Number of Credits
Hand 1 2 3 4 5
Royal Flush 250 500 750 1.000 4.000
Straight Flush 40 80 120 160 200
Four of a Kind 20 40 60 80 100
Full House 6 12 18 24 30
Flush 5 10 15 20 25
Straight 4 8 12 16 20
Three of a Kind 3 6 9 12 15
Two Pairs 2 4 6 8 10
Tens or Better 1 2 3 4 5

RTP of The Different Variants of Tens or Better Compared

One of the biggest mistakes gambling enthusiasts tend to make is going for one of the versions of Tens or Better without forethought, and more specifically, without inspecting its RTP.

Naturally, when the casino advantage is smaller, this means that players will be able to keep more money than they will when playing slots, for example. In spite of the fact that this does not happen at an even pace, gambling enthusiasts need to know that the difference in the house edge will have a more noticeable effect on their bankroll over the long haul.

The Payback Percentage of Tens or Better And Its Impact on The Bankroll of Players
Comparison of the RTPs of The Different Tens or Better Variants

The Payback Percentage of Tens or Better And Its Impact on The Bankroll of Players

Many players tend to underestimate the role of the expected return percentage of the preferred video poker variants simply because they think that it does have much of an impact on their betting session. This cannot be further from the truth, especially if gambling enthusiasts are playing video poker seriously, as the RTP is a measurement of the amount the chosen game will pay back to them in the long term.

As you might already know, the RTP of video poker games is calculated by adding up the payouts the different winning hands offer and the chances of getting them. Fortunately for players, they are saved from the hassle of performing these calculations, and taking a look at the pay scheme of the chosen game is enough in order to get an idea of whether it is a good choice.

It will be exceptionally easy for gambling enthusiasts to recognize the worthwhile versions of Tens or Better because their RTP will be over 99%. In spite of the fact that the full-pay variant of Tens or Better falls short of the expected return percentage 9/6 versions of Jacks or Better boasts, this is not to say that they are not worthwhile.

Players are advised to go for 25/6/5 versions of Tens or Better for the very reason that the house edge will be the smallest, which will cause them to lose less money. Giving such video poker variants a shot means that for every $100 players wager, the house will collect $0.87%.

Just for comparison, 40/20/6/5 Tens or Better has an RTP of 97.86%, meaning that the amount the house will collect for every $100 staked will be $2.14, which should show players why the full-pay versions are a clearly better option. This also goes to explain why the 25/6/5 versions of Tens or Better are not that readily available as the house will gain less advantage over players.


Comparison of the RTPs of The Different Tens or Better Variants

Tens or Better Variant RTP
Full-Pay Tens or Better (25/6/5) 99.13%
25/6/4 Tens or Better 98.10%
25/5/5 Tens or Better 97.99%
20/6/5 Tens or Better 97.96%
40/20/6/5 Tens or Better 97.86%

Do not forget that in order for gambling enthusiasts to attain these RTPs, they should go for betting five credits and take advantage of the optimal strategy for playing Tens or Better.

As you can see, the versions of Tens or Better are not available in spades as is the case with Jacks or Better, for example. If you insist on playing Tens or Better, however, you are most likely to find either the full-pay or the 20/6/5 variants as these are the most prevalent options.


Strategy for Playing Tens or Better

Determining the direction gambling enthusiasts can go for based on the cards they are dealt is easily the most challenging thing about video poker. Remember that while playing Tens or Better, and video poker in general, the best decision will be the one, which has the highest expected value. Naturally, performing these calculations as you play can turn out to be rather challenging, especially for total novices. Fortunately for players, they are not required to crunch the numbers as they should simply use the table we have provided below.

Sticking to this strategy is pretty easy, and all players need to do is find the line from the table, which corresponds to the cards they are dealt. Please remember that when you get your cards, you should always start from the uppermost row of the table and keep moving down until the line where your hand is described.

Considering the fact that the paytable of Tens or Better and Jacks or Better are not the same, players should be aware that the strategy, which applies to Tens or Better is adjusted in order to reflect the payout awarded for two Tens. Thus, if gambling enthusiasts get four cards to a Flush and One Pair while playing Jacks or Better, the best decision will be to hold the four cards to a Flush. Naturally, the same decision will not work well for Tens or Better.

Moves Based on The Hand Players Are Dealt
Few More Things to Consider while Playing Tens or Better

Moves Based on The Hand Players Are Dealt

Hand the player is dealt Players’ Move
Royal Flush No cards should be thrown away
Straight Flush No cards should be thrown away
Four Cards to a Royal Flush Throw away the odd card
Four of a Kind Throw away the odd card
Full House No cards should be thrown away
Flush No cards should be thrown away
Straight No cards should be thrown away
Three of a Kind Throw away the two odd cards
Four Cards to Straight Flush Throw away the odd card
Two Pair Throw away the odd card
Tens or Better Throw away the three odd cards
Three Cards to a Royal Flush Throw away the two odd cards
Four Cards to a Flush Throw away the odd card
10, J, Q, and K Throw away the odd card
One Pair Throw away the three odd cards
Four Cards to a Straight (three strong cards) Throw away the odd card
Three Cards to a Straight Flush Throw away the two odd cards
Three Cards a Straight (three strong cards) Throw away the two odd cards
Two high cards of one suit Throw away the three odd cards
Four cards to a Straight (with open end) Throw away the odd card
J, Q, and K Throw away the two odd cards
K and J or K and Q Throw away the three odd cards
Two cards to a Royal Flush Throw away the three odd cards
10 and J or 10 and Q of one suit Throw away the three odd cards
Two strong cards Throw away the three odd cards
One strong card Throw away the four odd cards
All other cases Throw away all cards

Few More Things to Consider while Playing Tens or Better

It can safely be said that taking advantage of this strategy can be the key to a fruitful betting session, but there are a few more things gambling enthusiasts should be mindful of before they go ahead with their real-money bets.

Oftentimes, players underrate the significance of the number of credits they stake, and as we explained already, going for the maximum number of five credits is the best way to go to maximize their winnings. As noted earlier, Royal Flush is the most lucrative of all winning hands, and switching to betting four or fewer coins will result in a significant cut of the payout players will bag.

It is important to consider that even if no winning hands are formed after the initial deal, you should always check if you are holding any Tens or higher. Even if you have just one strong card, it is advisable to hold it simply because you will stand the chance to get a payout at least for Tens or Better.

In spite of the fact that it is a rather obvious recommendation, gambling enthusiasts are advised always to attempt to complete higher-paying hands rather than those that offer less handsome payouts.

This is to say that it is a better idea to try to get a Straight Flush or a Royal Flush instead of getting a Pair or Straight right off.


Best Variants of Tens or Better to Enjoy Online

Tens or Better grabs the attention of players with its straightforwardness, and the wide variety of such games players will find when placing their bets over the Internet is a testament to how fan-favorite they are.

Tens or Better by Red Rake
Tens or Better by Habanero
Tens or Better by WGS
Tens or Better by Microgaming

Tens or Better by Red Rake

One of the most intriguing versions of Tens or Better players will come across is the one designed by Red Rake. It is in a class of its own as its visuals stand out with their superb quality, which is not usually the case with most video poker games. The game’s RTP is around 99.15%, which is yet another reason why it is worth giving a shot.

Just like the rest of the video poker games that are courtesy of Red Rake, Tens or Better also supplies multi-hand play, and based on their preferences, gambling enthusiasts can bet on 50 hands at most. The auto-hold feature is one more common feature the video poker games designed by Red Rake share, and Tens or Better is not an exception. What inexperienced players might like about this game is that once they click or tap on one of the hands in the pay scheme, they will see what cards such hands are made of.

There is also a thunder button, which allows players to enjoy the game at a much faster pace.

The double-or-nothing game can be kicked off after a winning hand is completed, and it is easily not what players might be used to seeing as aside from the color of a face-down card, they can also try to guess its suit and thus to bag even heftier payoffs.


Tens or Better by Habanero

Habanero’s Tens or Better is a game players might be taken with if betting on a single hand at a time is not their thing. As they power up the game, they will be asked to decide if playing 1, 5, 10, 50, or 100 hands at once is what they want. In order for players to achieve the maximum RTP of the game of 99.14%, they should wager the maximum number of six credits.

This version of Tens or Better has several bonus features on offer, and along with the auto-hold feature, players can also go for auto-play. The latter can be activated for 50 for 100 rounds, and players are allowed to turn it off whenever they feel like it. As for the auto-hold feature, it will automatically hold the cards based on the optimal betting strategy for Tens or Better.

Yet, while playing this video poker variant, players cannot take advantage of the double-or-nothing bonus game.


Tens or Better by WGS

Avid casino fans who prefer old-school video poker variants should check Tens or Better by WGS. In spite of the fact that the game is not that eye-catching, it works smoothly at all times. The sound effects also mimic the ones of old-fashioned video poker machines, which adds up to the authenticity of the experience.

The staked amount can be anywhere between $0.25 and $50, which renders the game a perfect fit for all players, even the budgeted ones. Getting a win means that players can either collect their payout or opt for the double-down bonus game. Choosing the latter option means that players will see their winnings soar, on the condition that they pick a stronger card than the one, which is face-up. The best thing about the double-or-nothing game is that players can collect their winnings at any point.


Tens or Better by Microgaming

Microgaming is among the software providers that offer exceptionally extensive coverage of most genres of casino games, video poker included. Their 25/6/5 variant of Tens or Better resonates exceptionally well with players, which is not much of a surprise considering the bountiful rewards it offers and decent RTP of 99.14%.

What total novices will enjoy most about the game is that its control panel is quite simplified. Players can adjust their bets using the plus and minus buttons, and the amounts they can go for can range between $1.25 and $25. As they increase the number of credits staked, players will notice that the payouts they will be in for will be on the increase. Betting five credits is what it takes to try to collect the most whopping payout Royal Flush offers.

In spite of the fact that this version of Tens or Better does not offer the auto-hold feature, players can still benefit from the double-or-nothing one.

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