Deuces Wild is one of the most popular video poker variants Microgaming has ever launched, so much so that the software company decided to rerelease it in 2020. The new and improved version impresses with a slicker design and fancier graphics but the gameplay and features largely overlap with those of the original.
Built in HTML5, the upgraded Deuces Wild is playable on all devices and runs effortlessly on smartphones and tablets. Mobile users can enjoy it in landscape or portrait mode, depending on their preferences. Apart from the sleek visuals and fluid animations, the game attracts video poker aficionados with the availability of wild cards that improve their odds of forming qualifying poker hands.
 Game Provider: Microgaming |
Release Date: 2020 |
| Number of Hands:
No |
Coin Values: 0.25, 0.50, 1, 2, 5 |
| Min Bet: 0.25 |
Max Bet: 25.00 |
| Progressive Jackpot: No |
House Edge: 3.23% |
Design and Gameplay
Upon loading the game, video poker fans will immediately notice this version looks strikingly different from the original. The Microgaming developers have made a giant leap forward in terms of visual appeal, user-friendliness, and overall design. While retaining its simplicity, the new interface boasts added panache and more polish.
The variation opens to a sleek admiral blue backdrop, with the iconic Deuces Wild Logo on the left-hand side. The paytable dominates the screen, showing you all qualifying hands and their corresponding payouts at your current bet level. Players can adjust their wagers by clicking or tapping the chip-shaped button under the oversized cards.
The game accepts up to five coins per round, with values ranging from 0.25 to 5.00. The green deal button starts your game, while the blue draw button replaces the cards you wish to discard. The dynamic paytable highlights your payout if you form a qualifying hand after the draw. If so, you can collect your wins or try to boost them via the doubling feature.
Qualifying Hands and Paytable
| Hand Ranking and Payouts in Deuces Wild Video Poker | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand | 1 Coin | 2 Coins | 3 Coins | 4 Coins | 5 Coins |
| Natural Royal Flush | x250 | x500 | x750 | x1000 | x4000 |
| 4 Deuces | x200 | x400 | x600 | x800 | x1000 |
| Deuces Royal Flush | x25 | x50 | x75 | x100 | x125 |
| 5 of a Kind | x16 | x32 | x48 | x64 | x80 |
| Straight Flush | x13 | x26 | x39 | x52 | x65 |
| 4 of a Kind | x4 | x8 | x12 | x16 | x20 |
| Full House | x3 | x6 | x9 | x12 | x15 |
| Flush | x2 | x4 | x6 | x8 | x10 |
| Straight | x2 | x4 | x6 | x8 | x10 |
| 3 of a Kind | x1 | x2 | x3 | x4 | x5 |
The upgraded version shares its rules and paytable with the original. One standard deck is in play and the software reshuffles it after each round. All deuces in the pack are wild and can substitute for other card denominations for all qualifying hands except the natural royal flush.
Natural royal flushes are the highest-ranking hands, awarding 4,000 coins at the maximum bet level. A hand containing four deuces is the second-best payer with a payout of 1,000 coins, followed by a royal flush completed with the wild card. The lowest ranking hand in this variation consists of three of a kind. Pairs do not qualify for payouts in this variant.
In-Game Features of Deuces Wild Video Poker
| Gamble Feature | Yes |
| Quick Play | Yes |
| Auto Hold | Yes |
Deuces Wild is not overloaded with extra features but still allows for some level of customization. The lightning-shaped icon next to the green deal button activates the quick deal functionality which speeds up the dealing process and the overall pace of the gameplay. You can deactivate the feature by selecting the lightning button again. Note that this does not affect the outcomes of the hands in any way.
When players receive solid starting hands on the initial deal, the software automatically holds the cards they are supposed to keep. This feature facilitates those who are still struggling with mastering the strategy for Deuces Wild.
There is also the doubling functionality which becomes active on winning hands after the draw. You enter the feature by clicking the dice-shaped button. The software will deal you one exposed card and four facedown cards. Your winnings on the last hand double if you manage to pick a card with a higher value than that of the exposed card. If not, you lose whatever you have won in the previous round.
Theoretical Return of Deuces Wild Video Poker
Despite the advantage the wild deuces give to players, the game has a significantly lower theoretical return than many other video poker variations. It is fixed at 96.77% and does not change proportionately to your bet level as is the case in Jacks or Better. This percentage is more aligned with online slots than video poker. Keep in mind the way you play affects your winning odds. Make sure you master the optimal strategy for the game so that you know which cards to hold and which ones to discard in any given situation.
Deuces Wild Video Poker FAQs
What is the probability of winning the maximum payout?
The maximum payout of 4000 coins is awarded for a natural royal flush that does not contain any wild cards. There are over 451 million combinations for this hand but the likelihood of obtaining it is still minuscule at 0.0023%. By means of comparison, the probability of getting three of a kind, the lowest-ranking hand in the game, is nearly 28%.
Where can I play Deuces Wild?
Deuces Wild is prominently featured at Microgaming online casinos where players are typically granted the opportunity to give it a test drive in demo mode before they risk any real money. Some of the features and gameplay options may be unavailable to you, depending on where you are playing the game.
Is this the full-pay version of Deuces Wild?
Unfortunately, no. Had this been the full-pay version, the theoretical return percentage would have exceeded 100%, making it a positive expectation game. Full-pay Deuces Wild is unavailable at online casinos, at least to our knowledge.