Double Up Feature in Video Poker Explained

Video Poker is a very popular game at online casinos, especially if you talk about one of the full-pay game variants. It is one of the skill-based casino games, where applying the optimal strategy of double up can help you lower the house edge considerably and beat the game.

One of the options some Video Poker variants offer is Double Up. Stay with OnlineGambling24, to learn how it works and if you should go for it.

How Video Poker Double Up Works

Double Up is a common extra feature incorporated in some Video Poker variants including the most popular ones. It becomes available after you create a winning hand and offers you an opportunity to double your payout. As soon as the round finishes, you will be asked whether you want to double up your winning. You can click on the Collect button and keep your original payout.

There Is a Fifty-Fifty Chance

The Double Up feature is considered one of the better bets you can make at the casino in theory. However, you should bear in mind that it comes down to luck as cards are drawn by the RNG, and no skill can help you guess which one of them will be higher than the house card. There are some speculations on the way the Double Up option works, like the one suggesting that the feature favours the winners with low-ranking hands. Yet, these do not hold water.

Think of Double Up as a coin flip. Each of the cards can be either lower or higher than the house edge, so there is a fifty-fifty chance to double your winning. Since a tie results in a push in most cases, meaning that you won’t lose your original payout, the Double Up feature comes with a house edge of 5.8%.

So, Should You Go for Double Up?

Knowing that there is a chance to increase your winnings won’t leave you indifferent, and we have to admit that this option is quite tempting. Yet, there is no consensus on whether you should use it or not. A rule of thumb would be to avoid using the feature on games where an RTP is over 100%. By doing so, you would practically decrease the edge you have over the casino. Also, you can use it when your payout is not very large, so you won’t risk losing a considerable amount of money.

The Double Up feature increases the volatility of Video Poker games for sure. You can use it if you want to add more excitement to the gameplay from time. A higher volatility means more risk, so play responsibly.