Understanding Level Up Video Poker

Level Up video poker is a series of online video poker games at Australian online casinos powered by Microgaming. It is more challenging than the regular games. A number of video poker variants are available in the Level Up format such as Jacks Or Better, Aces & Faces, Deuces Wild and Joker Poker. The payout tables are unchanged, only the game play is different. A generic description is given below.

Level Up video poker consists of 4 hands, which are played in sequence. You move to the higher level only if you draw a winning combination in the lower level. Otherwise the game ends. You select your wager per hand in the usual manner. Four times that amount is deducted from your account upfront. If you lose the game midway, then you forfeit the bets for the higher levels without playing those hands. If you draw a winning combination in the first level you are paid as per the payout table, but the amount is held in escrow. You move to the second level. If you win there, then you win two times the payout table amount. Similarly, winning in the third level results in a payout of 4 times the normal amount and winning in the fourth level results in a payout of 8 times the normal amount. If the player loses in an intermediate level or wins in the fourth level, the accumulated payouts are credited to his account. One very important facet about Level Up video poker is that each level uses a separate full deck. Therefore the optimum strategy at each level is the same for the single hand game for that video poker variant.

Level Up video poker games have two additional features that increase the advantage to the player. The first feature is the Free Ride Card. This card can be randomly dealt at any level and appears next to the dealt hand of the level being played. With this card, even if you do not draw a winning hand as per the payout table you will progress to the next level. You will not win any amount but the game will not end. The second feature is the Auto Complete. You should keep in mind that all four initial hands are dealt upfront, but exposed only when the level is reached. If you lose at any level and there is a natural royal flush dealt at a higher level, you will receive a compensatory payout.