The Game
”Deuces Wild” refers to a number of very popular video poker games, with each one of them utilizing a deck of 52 cards. All four Deuces (Twos) represent wild cards, which means that a player may use any Deuce as a replacement for any card so that they get a complete winning hand. As there are four wild cards to facilitate the completion of a winning hand, in these games the lowest rank for a winning combination is Three of a Kind. Profitable play in Deuces Wild requires the selection of a good game and, of course, accuracy.
Deuces Wild has an array of variations and the majority of them offer low returns. The games with the best payouts sometimes may rank as the top play, which a casino would offer. There are two appropriate gaming options one may choose between – Full-Pay Deuces Wild and Not-So-Ugly Deuces Wild. It is worth noting that such labels were given to the games by players, not by casinos or manufacturers of video poker machines. These names will not be found on machines in any casino.
”Full-Pay Deuces Wild” (FPDW) is also a reference to the game's pay table. This game variation will pay 5 coins per 1-coin bet for a combination such as Four of a Kind and 15 coins per 1-coin bet for a combination such as Five of a Kind. It enjoys the greatest popularity among casino players, as it provides the largest expected return (100.76%). This game may be found on machines with quarter-denominations at a few casinos in Las Vegas.
Another game variation, which requires a similar playing strategy, is the ”pseudo Full-Pay Deuces Wild” (pFPDW), with ”pseudo” meaning ”false”. This game will pay 5 coins per 1-coin bet for a combination such as Four of a Kind and only 12 coins per 1-coin bet for a combination such as Five of a Kind.
Now, let us take a look at the pay tables for both game variations.
| Deuces Wild Pay Table | ||
|---|---|---|
| FPDW | pFPDW | |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 |
| Four Deuces | 200 | 200 |
| Royal Flush w/2 | 25 | 20 |
| Five of a Kind | 15 | 12 |
| Straight Flush | 9 | 9 |
| Four of a Kind | 5 | 5 |
| Full House | 3 | 3 |
| Flush | 2 | 2 |
| Straight | 2 | 2 |
| Three of a Kind | 1 | 1 |
| Expected Return | 100.76% | 98.94% |
As we said, there are plenty of Deuces Wild games, which offer low returns. It is why our guide ignores them so that we can focus on those, which pay generously, including the games paying more for four Deuces.
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Double Deuces
Unlike the traditional Full-Pay Deuces Wild game, which pays 200 coins per 1-coin bet for a Four Deuces combination, the Double Deuces game pays out 400 coins per 1-coin bet for that same hand. The playing strategy for this game appears close to that for Full-Pay Deuces Wild. Below we are able to examine the pay table for two of its variations, which are obviously casino advantage games (ER<100.00%):
| Double Deuces Pay Table | ||
|---|---|---|
| 16 / 11 | 15 / 10 | |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 |
| Four Deuces | 400 | 400 |
| Royal Flush w/2 | 25 | 25 |
| Five of a Kind | 16 | 15 |
| Straight Flush | 11 | 10 |
| Four of a Kind | 4 | 4 |
| Full House | 3 | 3 |
| Flush | 2 | 2 |
| Straight | 2 | 2 |
| Three of a Kind | 1 | 1 |
| Expected Return | 99.62% | 98.86% |
Loose Deuces
This game offers 500 coins per 1-coin bet for a Four Deuces combination, or 2.5 times more compared to the traditional Full-Pay Deuces Wild. The best pay table for the game is now part of history. In the past one could be able to encounter a 17/10 variation of the game with an expected return of 101.6%. However, casinos and other establishments came to realize that providing players with such a huge advantage would undermine their profitability. But still, the game variation paying the least is 12/8, which offers an expected return of 99.20%, or well above the average return.
Below we are able to examine the pay table for three variations of Loose Deuces:
| Loose Deuces Pay Table | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 / 10 | 15 / 8 | 12 / 8 | |
| Royal Flush | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Four Deuces | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Royal Flush w/2 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Five of a Kind | 15 | 15 | 12 |
| Straight Flush | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Four of a Kind | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Full House | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Flush | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Straight | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Three of a Kind | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Expected Return | 100.97% | 100.15% | 99.20% |
Triple Deuces
Only one pay table is to be found for this game. It is a game of contradiction. In case a player draws a hand such as Four Deuces or a Royal Flush, there will be a generous payout. In all other cases, the player is likely to remain disappointed. Below we can observe the one and only pay table:
| Triple Deuces Pay Table | |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 800 |
| Four Deuces | 600 |
| Royal Flush w/2 | 20 |
| Five of a Kind | 10 |
| Straight Flush | 8 |
| Four of a Kind | 4 |
| Full House | 3 |
| Flush | 2 |
| Straight | 2 |
| Three of a Kind | 1 |
| Expected Return | 99.92% |
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Full Pay Deuces Wild
Not So Ugly Deuces Wild
The Strategy
We are going to present the play strategy for Full-Pay Deuces Wild in a table form, where the possible combinations are shown in order, with the highest-ranking hand being on top. The table should be examined from top to bottom so that one is able to locate the particular hand dealt.
The first column of the table shows the different hands dealt, while the second one points out which cards, if any, one needs to hold. After a player has found the specific combination, they need to conform with the instructions in the second column, unless, of course, their situation matches one of the exceptions in the third column. If the latter is true, the player needs to conform with the instructions in the third column, where exceptions are presented in order of relevance. If number one exception matches one's situation, they need to follow it. If not, they will need to move further to the number two exception and etc. The fourth column features actions one should never take when dealt that particular hand. It includes useful information, which could prevent costly mistakes.
| Dealt Hand (What is available) | What needs to be done | Exceptions | Actions one should avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | Hold a Natural Royal Flush (no Deuces) | None | 1. One should abstain from selecting the Double Down option, which may be available. |
| Wild Royal Flush | Hold Wild Royal Flush (one, two, or three Deuces) | 1. In progressive Full-Pay Deuces Wild paying over 5 400 coins, in case one has one Deuce, they needs to discard the Deuce and keep four to a Natural Royal Flush. | 1. One should never keep three Deuces instead of the Wild Royal Flush. They should hold the Wild Royal Flush. 2. Unless playing a progressive Full-Pay Deuces Wild paying over 5 400 coins, one should never keep four to a Natural Royal Flush instead of the Wild Royal Flush. They should hold the Wild Royal Flush. |
| Four Deuces | Hold Four Deuces | None | None |
| Five of a Kind | Hold Five of a Kind | 1. One should keep three Deuces instead of five Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes, Sevens, Eights, or Nines. | 1. One should never keep five Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes, Sevens, Eights, or Nines when dealt three Deuces. They should hold the Deuces only. |
| Straight Flush | Hold Straight Flush | 1. One should keep three Deuces. | 1. One should never keep a Straight Flush when dealt three Deuces. They should hold the Deuces only. |
| Four of a Kind | Hold Four of a Kind | 1. One should keep three Deuces. | 1. One should never keep Four of a Kind when dealt three Deuces. They should hold the Deuces only. |
| Full House | Hold Full House | None | None |
| Flush | Hold Flush | 1. One should keep four to a Natural Royal Flush or four to a Wild Royal Flush. 2. One should keep four to a Straight Flush, in case they include two Deuces and two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. 3. One should keep two Deuces. | 1. One should never keep a Flush over four to a Natural or Wild Royal Flush. They should hold the four to a Royal. 2. One should never keep a Flush over four to a Straight Flush with two Deuces, two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. They should hold the four cards only. 3. One should never keep a Flush when dealt two Deuces. They should hold the Deuces only. |
| Straight | Hold Straight | 1. One should keep four to a Royal Flush or four to a Wild Royal Flush. 2. One should keep four to a Straight Flush, in case they include two Deuces and two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. 3. One should keep two Deuces. | 1. One should never keep a Straight over four to a Natural or Wild Royal Flush. They should hold the four to Royal Flush. 2. One should never keep a Straight over four to a Straight Flush with two Deuces, two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. They should hold the four cards only. 3. One should never keep a Straight when dealt two Deuces. They should hold the Deuces only. |
| Three of a Kind | Hold Three of a Kind | 1. One should keep four to a Wild Royal Flush. 2. One should keep four to a Straight Flush, in case they include two Deuces and two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. 3. One should keep two Deuces. 4. One should keep four to a Straight Flush, in case they include one Deuce and three cards Five and higher, with 0 gaps. | 1. One should never keep Three of a Kind over four to a Wild Royal Flush. They should hold the four to a Wild Royal. 2. One should never keep Three of a Kind over four to a Straight Flush with two Deuces, two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. They should hold the four to the Straight Flush. 3. One should never keep Three of a Kind when dealt two Deuces. They should hold the Deuces only. 4. One should never keep Three of a Kind over four to a Straight Flush with one Deuce, three cards Five and higher, with 0 gaps. They should hold the four to a Straight Flush. |
| Two Pair | Hold one Pair! | 1. One should keep three to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should never keep one Pair over three to a Royal Flush. They should keep the three to a Royal Flush. 2. One should never keep both pairs when dealt Two Pair. They should hold one pair only. |
| One Pair (0 Deuces) | Hold the Pair | 1. One should keep three to a Royal Flush. | 1. One should never keep a Pair over three to a Royal Flush. They should hold three to a Royal. |
| Four to a Flush | Hold Four to a Flush | 1. One should keep three to a Natural Royal Flush. 2. One should keep three to a Wild Royal Flush, unless one is an Ace. Then, they should hold the Deuce only. 3. One should keep three to a Straight Flush, in case they include one Deuce, two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. 4. One should keep one Deuce. | 1. One should never keep four to a Flush over three to a Natural Royal Flush. They should keep the three to a Royal Flush. 2. One should never keep three to a Wild Royal Flush, if one of the cards is an Ace. They should hold the Deuce only. 3. One should never keep a Four Flush over three to a Straight Flush with one Deuce, two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. 4. One should never keep a four to a Flush with one Deuce. They should keep the Deuce only. |
| Four to a Straight (Open-Ended or Inside) | Hold Four to a Straight | 1. One should keep three to a Natural Royal Flush. 2. One should keep three to a Wild Royal Flush unless one is an Ace. Then, they should hold the Deuce only. 3. One should keep three to a Straight Flush, in case they include one Deuce, two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. 4. One should keep one Deuce. 5. In case an Inside Four-Straight includes an unsuited Ace, Three, Four, and Five, one should keep nothing. | 1. One should never keep four to a Straight over three to a Natural Royal Flush. They should keep the three to a Royal Flush. 2. One should never keep three to a Wild Royal Flush if one of the cards is an Ace. They should hold the Deuce only. 3. One should never keep four to a Straight over three to a Straight Flush with one Deuce, two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. 4. One should never keep a four to a Straight with one Deuce. They should keep the Deuce only. 5. One should never keep an unsuited Ace, Three, Four and Five to a Straight. They should keep nothing. |
| Three to a Straight Flush (0 Deuces) | Hold Three to a Straight Flush | 1. One should not keep three to a Straight Flush, in case the Ace is a low card. | 1. One should never keep three to a Straight Flush, in case the Ace is a low card. If that is indeed the case, they should hold nothing. |
| Three to a Straight Flush (one Deuce) | Hold one Deuce | 1. One should keep three to a Wild Royal Flush unless one card is an Ace and there is either a Straight or a Flush Penalty. They should hold the Deuce only. 2. One should keep three to a Straight Flush, in case it includes one Deuce, two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. | 1. One should never keep three to a Wild Royal Flush, in case one of the cards is an Ace and there is a Straight or a Flush Penalty. They should hold the Deuce only. 2. One should never keep only a Deuce over three to a Straight Flush with one Deuce, two cards Six and higher, with 0 gaps. They should hold the three to a Straight Flush. |
| High Cards | Hold nothing | 1. One should keep three to a Royal Flush. 2. One should keep two to a Royal Flush unless one of the cards is an Ace. If that is indeed the case, they should hold nothing. 3. One should keep two to a Royal Flush unless either card has a Straight or a Flush Penalty. Penalty cards are not applicable to Jack and Ten, Queen and Jack, Queen and Ten combinations. If there is a penalty, one should hold nothing. 4. One should hold one Deuce. | 1. One should never discard three to a Royal Flush. 2. One should never keep two to a Royal, in case one of the cards is an Ace. If that is indeed the case, they should hold nothing. 3. One should never discard a Deuce. |
