Knowing the paytables has nothing to do with becoming an expert but everything to do with making sure your money goes as far as possible. Here are a few ways to make paytables work for you ...

VIDEO POKER

1. When choosing a video poker game, remember that different types of video poker have different paytables. This can have a big effect on the rules of a game and the best strategy to use when playing it. For example, some games pay out a bonus for particular types of four of a kind.

2. Before you begin playing, take some time to familiarize yourself with the paytable. This will tell you what payout you can expect for which hands. The paytable also gives you a good indication of what the return on a specific game is like. The general rule is that the higher the payout, the better the return. For example, Jacks or Better gives 9 for a full house and 6 for a flush and so this game has a 99.5% return.

3. Always play the maximum number of coins allowed. Many games offer bonuses on the highest hand for five coins played.

SLOTS

1. Bet the maximum number of coins. Imagine playing a single-payline progressive like Cash Splash, hitting the jackpot and only getting paid out $1,800 instead of the more usual $30,000 - just because you bet two coins instead of three.

2. Betting more coins on a single-payline slot activates more paytables, whereas on a multipayline it activates more paylines. This is an important concept to grasp as you might bet too few coins by mistake, then hit a big win on a payline you hadn't activated.

3. The paytable is also a handy reference to how many coins it takes to activate side benefits like bonus rounds or gamble features.

4. Not all paytables are calculated alike. On regular slots, paytables are quoted in coins, not credits or currency. The only slots that quote payouts in credits or units of currency are progressives.

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