How to Play Bonus Poker – An Overview

By: Simon

Posted: November 10, 2023

Updated: November 10, 2023

4 of a kind bonus poker, by Amusnet Interactive, is a fast-paced video poker game. To play, you will need to know what kinds of hands there are in poker, but if you are not familiar with them then do not worry. Here, we will explore all the types of hands and how you can win when playing 4 of a kind bonus poker.

How to Play 4 of a Kind Bonus Poker

This poker game uses a single 52-card deck. When you have set your stake then you will be dealt 5 cards straight from the deck. Once the cards are dealt, you will have to choose which cards to hold onto, and then the dealer will redraw the rest of the cards. The point is to land a poker hand, which will give you a payout. There are 11 types of poker hands that can offer you prizes.

4 of a Kind Bonus Poker Different Poker Hands

Here are all the poker hands you can land, with short descriptions:

Jacks or Better: a pair of Js, Qs, Ks, or As
Two Pair: two pairs, such as a pair of 4s and 7s
3 of a Kind: three cards of the same value, such as three 10s
Straight: 5 sequential cards such as 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
Flush: 5 cards of the suit, such as five hearts
Full House: three of a kind and a pair

How to Play Bonus Poker — Picture Source: Flickr

4 of a Kind 5s to Kings: four cards of the same value from 5s to Ks, such as four 8s
4 of a Kind from 2s to 4s: four cards of the same value from 2s to 4s, such as four 2s
Straight Flush: five sequential cards of the same suit, such as 8, 9, 10, J, and Q of hearts4
Aces: four aces
Royal Flush: 10, J, Q, K, and A of the same suit

4 of a Kind Bonus Poker Paytable

When placing a stake, you will have 5 different bets to pick from. From lowest to highest they are 1, 2, 3, 6, and 10. Your bet size will change how much you receive when you land a winning hand. Here are the 11 poker hands from lowest to highest, with the potential payouts:

Jacks or Better: 1, 2, 3, 6, or 10
Two Pair: 2, 4, 6, 12 or 20
3 of a Kind: 3, 6, 9, 18, or 30
Straight: 4, 8,12, 24, or 40
Flush: 5, 10, 15, 30, or 50
Full House: 8, 16, 24, 48, or 80
4 of a Kind 5s to Kings: 25, 50, 75, 150, or 250
4 of a Kinds 2s to 4s: 40, 80, 120, 240, or 400
Straight Flush: 50, 100, 180, 600, or 500
4 Aces: 80, 160, 240, 480, or 800
Royal Flush: 250, 500, 750, 1500, or 8000

If you play with the minimum stake, which is 1, then the smallest payout is 1x, for a pair of Js or better. The biggest you can win with a stake of 1 is 250x if you land a royal flush. Compare this with the biggest stake of 10, where the minimum payout is 10x and the maximum is a massive 8,000x.

4 of a Kind Bonus Poker Gamble Feature

Whenever you are dealt a winning poker hand, you will be given the opportunity to double up with the gamble feature. This is a bonus feature in which you will have to predict whether a card is red or black. Once you have picked, the card on the screen will be uncovered and you will learn whether you won or not. If you made the wrong guess, then you will lose whatever you have won in the round. If you pick the right colour, you will double your winnings. This can be done up to 4 times, which can be seen in the example below:

If you win 3 credits, then the first double up will bring you 6 credits. The second will bring 12 credits, the third 24 credits, and if you win the fourth round then you will receive 48 credits.

4 of a Kind Bonus Poker Strategy

You may want to bypass the gamble feature if you have just landed 4 aces or a royal flush, as there is a substantial amount of money that you can lose. Big wins do not come around so often, so it is better to pocket them as soon as you are dealt the winning round.

However, for smaller wins, you may be tempted to use the gamble feature. The chance of you doubling up is 50-50, so you have to be careful. Also, if you do win the first round of the gamble, then you should consider whether to play on and double up again or not. While it may be tempting, you should be careful not to overplay your luck.

When it comes to poker hands, there are a number of great expert strategies that tell you exactly what to do with the cards you are dealt. These guides will give clear information on any possible hand dealt, specifically on which cards you should throw away and which you should hold onto.

To give a brief summary of the expert strategies, the main goal is to try to play for the big hands. If you have an opportunity to reach a full house or straight flush, you should always discard the cards that will not fit into the sequence and risk going for the big money. Though this may mean throwing away a guaranteed smaller payout, in the long run, it will get you closer to winning a massive payout, thus giving you a huge potential profit.

Learn the Rules Thoroughly

Caribbean poker is a game in which you have to beat the dealer’s hand. You will need to set an ante bet first, and once you click on deal you will receive 5 cards faced up. The house will also be dealt 5 cards but only one of these is faced up. At this point, you will have a choice whether you want to double up your ante bet to conclude the round, or if you want to fold. If you double your bet then the dealer's cards will be revealed and whoever has the best hand will win. If you fold, then you lose your ante bet.

The premise of the game is simple, and even if you have never played before you can still win. When you are dealt your 5 cards, you will see notifications if you have a winning hand.

No Sidebets - Good or Bad?

Some gamers look for side bets and minor jackpots in video poker or table games. Whilst Caribbean poker, by Betsoft, does not include side bets or a jackpot, you should not write it off immediately. There may be no official side bets, but in each round you will indirectly make side bets. And the best part is that it does not come at any cost!

The goal of each hand is to beat the dealer, and when you lay down your ante bet, you can receive an extra boosted payout if your hand consist of any of the following:

High card/One pair: pays out at 1:1
Two Pairs: pays out at 2:1
Three of a kind: pays out at 3:1
Straight: pays out at 4:1
Flush: pays out at 5:1
Full house: pays out at 7:1
Four of a kind: pays out at 2:1
Straight flush: pays out at 50:1
Royal flush: pays out at 200:1

One way of looking at it is that Caribbean poker has free side bets. You will not need to stake any extra money and can reap some sweet rewards if you are dealt the right hand.

Practise Before You Play With Real Money

This counsel is true for all kinds of casino games. When you play games at the top online gambling sites in the US, then you will have the opportunity to test the games for free before you commit any real cash to them. This is a luxury that can be found at all of the best online casinos.

When you play the demo version of Caribbean poker, you will have play with virtual credits. This means you can choose your stake and also see how much you have won or lost whilst playing. If you play for long enough, you should become extremely familiar with the game and will know what you are doing when you decide to play with real money.

Read Expert Strategies

Winning by luck is great, but if you take other considerations into your playing, then you should increase your chances of winning. Table games and video poker in which players have a certain level of control opens the doors to many strategies. For Caribbean poker, you may find a strategy that tells you what to do in certain scenarios. This does not mean that you will overcome the dealer in every round, but you will give yourself a better edge and therefore may win more money in the long run.

Be Patient

You should not underestimate the value of the fold button. No player likes to fold or throw away their ante bet as it feels like giving up or some sort of surrender. However, smart players will recognise that in the long run it can be crucial to increasing their edge against the house.

When you fold, you are basically not throwing extra money onto a hand that you think will lose anyway. There is no way of knowing whether that hand may go on to win - or if the dealer will fail to qualify and you will receive only a small portion of winnings. Keep in mind this one crucial piece of information: If your ante bet is worth 1 credit, your raise should be worth 2.

Every time you have a poor hand and raise, you are actually losing x3 your ante bet. If the dealer fails to qualify, then you will turn a small profit, but this is not what most players aim for, as there is a greater chance of the dealer beating a weak hand. You should know when to throw away the ante. Look at it this way, if you burn an ante and save yourself, you have bought yourself two more rounds in which you may beat the dealer (or even land a great hand that will pay out a massive sum).

Plan Your Budget

Patience is key to Caribbean poker, and to keep your patience you will need to think about how your budget. It is better to spend smaller portions of money than to bet with big bulks. Being foolhardy does not bode well for gamblers, and you need to be prepared for the fact that it may take a while for things to go your way if they do at all on the day. Make sure you do not overspend, and more importantly, do not play recklessly and try to win back any money you have already lost. If you keep your head, you have a much better chance of beating the house and picking up some great rewards.