Double Deuces Bonus 20/9 Strategy
Double Deuces Bonus 20/9 returns 97.68% with perfect play at medium-high volatility. The pay table and numbers below are computed combinatorially, not estimated.
Pay table
| Hand | Pays (per coin) | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Royal Flush | 800 | 1.77% |
| Four Deuces With Ace | 400 | 1.29% |
| Four Deuces | 200 | 3.10% |
| Five Of A Kind Aces | 160 | 6.66% |
| Five Of A Kind - 3s, 4s Or 5s | 50 | 4.00% |
| Five Of A Kind - 6s Thru Kings | 20 | 7.44% |
| Wild Straight Flush | 9 | 3.43% |
| Wild Four Of A Kind | 4 | 26.55% |
| Wild Full House | 3 | 6.28% |
| Wild Flush | 2 | 3.39% |
| Wild Three Of A Kind | 1 | 33.76% |
Royal-flush payouts above show the per-coin value at max bet — always bet five coins to earn the full royal jackpot.
Key numbers
- Return with perfect play: 97.68%
- Royal flush: about 1 in 45,165 hands
- Hit frequency (paying hand or better): 45.1%
- Volatility: Medium-High
How strategy works
From the five cards you're dealt, the correct hold is the one with the highest expected value — the average coins it returns over the long run. The biggest payouts here are Natural Royal Flush (800), Four Deuces With Ace (400), Four Deuces (200), which shape which draws are worth chasing. PerfectPLAY computes the optimal hold and its expected value for every possible hand, so you can learn the exact play rather than a rule of thumb.
You’re reading original analysis. Every hold and expected value here is calculated in-house by PerfectPLAY.vegas for this exact pay table — nothing aggregated, nothing taken from elsewhere. These are never generic charts copied from another site.
Hand-by-hand strategy
The optimal hold and its expected value for every key decision in Double Deuces Bonus 20/9, computed combinatorially by vpengine — not rules of thumb.
3 of a kind — over a made wild royal flush
Optimal hold: 3 of a kind — EV 118.61 coins. Next best: holding Wild Royal Flush — EV 100.00 coins (margin 18.61 coins). The optimal play discards a made wild royal flush (pays 100 coins).
4 to a Royal Flush — over a made wild flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a Royal Flush — EV 95.21 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild flush (pays 10 coins).
4 to a Royal Flush — over a made wild straight
Optimal hold: 4 to a Royal Flush — EV 95.31 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild straight (pays 5 coins).
4 to a Royal Flush — over a made wild straight flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a Royal Flush — EV 95.53 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild straight flush (pays 45 coins).
4 to a Royal Flush — vs Hold 1 pair
Optimal hold: 4 to a Royal Flush — EV 95.42 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 2.64 coins (margin 92.78 coins).
4 to a Royal Flush — vs Hold 1 pair: Aces
Optimal hold: 4 to a Royal Flush — EV 95.42 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 3.50 coins (margin 91.92 coins).
3 of a kind — over a made wild four of a kind
Optimal hold: 3 of a kind — EV 26.80 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild four of a kind (pays 20 coins).
Hold Wild 4 of a kind — over a made wild four of a kind
Optimal hold: Hold Wild 4 of a kind — EV 26.80 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild four of a kind (pays 20 coins).
4 to a Wild Royal Flush — over a made wild flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a Wild Royal Flush — EV 13.51 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild flush (pays 10 coins).
4 to a Wild Royal Flush — vs Hold Wild 3 of a kind
Optimal hold: 4 to a Wild Royal Flush — EV 13.61 coins. Next best: holding Wild 3 of a kind — EV 9.34 coins (margin 4.27 coins).
4 to a Wild Royal Flush — vs Hold wild 3 of a kind - Aces
Optimal hold: 4 to a Wild Royal Flush — EV 19.25 coins. Next best: holding wild 3 of a kind - Aces — EV 18.79 coins (margin 0.46 coins).
3 of a kind — over a made wild full house
Optimal hold: 3 of a kind — EV 15.83 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild full house (pays 15 coins).
Wild 3 of a kind - Aces — over a made wild full house
Optimal hold: Wild 3 of a kind - Aces — EV 15.83 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild full house (pays 15 coins).
Hold Wild 3 of a kind — vs 4 to a wild straight flush
Optimal hold: Hold Wild 3 of a kind — EV 9.34 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Wild Straight Flush — EV 8.83 coins (margin 0.51 coins).
4 to a wild straight flush — equal EV vs 2 to a Royal Flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a wild straight flush — EV 1.59 coins. Next best: holding 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.59 coins (margin 0.00 coins).
Both holds have the same expected value, so either is a correct play.
4 to a wild straight flush — over a made wild straight
Optimal hold: 4 to a wild straight flush — EV 6.70 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild straight (pays 5 coins).
4 to a wild straight flush — vs 2 to a Royal Flush
Optimal hold: 4 to a wild straight flush — EV 1.59 coins. Next best: holding 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.57 coins (margin 0.02 coins).
4 to a wild straight flush — vs Hold Wild 3 of a kind
Optimal hold: 4 to a wild straight flush — EV 9.89 coins. Next best: holding Wild 3 of a kind — EV 9.34 coins (margin 0.55 coins).
4 to a wild straight flush — vs Hold single Deuce only
Optimal hold: 4 to a wild straight flush — EV 7.87 coins. Next best: holding single Deuce only — EV 4.75 coins (margin 3.12 coins).
4 to a wild straight flush — vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 4 to a wild straight flush — EV 1.48 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.45 coins (margin 0.03 coins).
4 to a Straight Flush — over a made wild straight
Optimal hold: 4 to a Straight Flush — EV 6.48 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild straight (pays 5 coins).
4 to a Straight Flush — vs Hold 1 pair
Optimal hold: 4 to a Straight Flush — EV 5.53 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 2.82 coins (margin 2.71 coins).
4 to a Straight Flush — vs Hold 1 pair: Aces
Optimal hold: 4 to a Straight Flush — EV 5.53 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 3.50 coins (margin 2.03 coins).
3 to a Royal Flush — over a made wild straight
Optimal hold: 3 to a Royal Flush — EV 5.89 coins. The optimal play discards a made wild straight (pays 5 coins).
3 to a Royal Flush — vs Hold 1 pair
Optimal hold: 3 to a Royal Flush — EV 5.85 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 2.82 coins (margin 3.03 coins).
3 to a Royal Flush — vs Hold 1 pair: Aces
Optimal hold: 3 to a Royal Flush — EV 5.82 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 3.50 coins (margin 2.32 coins).
3 to a Royal Flush — vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 3 to a Royal Flush — EV 5.93 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.45 coins (margin 4.48 coins).
Hold single Deuce only — over a made wild straight
Optimal hold: Hold single Deuce only — EV 5.19 coins. Next best: holding Wild Straight — EV 5.00 coins (margin 0.19 coins). The optimal play discards a made wild straight (pays 5 coins).
Hold 1 pair: Aces — vs 4 to a Flush
Optimal hold: Hold 1 pair: Aces — EV 3.50 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Flush — EV 2.55 coins (margin 0.95 coins).
Hold 1 pair: Aces — vs 4 to a wild straight flush
Optimal hold: Hold 1 pair: Aces — EV 3.50 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Wild Straight Flush — EV 2.16 coins (margin 1.34 coins).
Hold 1 pair: Aces — vs Hold 1 pair
Optimal hold: Hold 1 pair: Aces — EV 3.51 coins. Next best: holding 1 pair — EV 2.83 coins (margin 0.68 coins).
4 to a Flush — vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 4 to a Flush — EV 2.55 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.47 coins (margin 1.08 coins).
Hold 1 pair — vs 4 to a Flush
Optimal hold: Hold 1 pair — EV 2.64 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Flush — EV 2.55 coins (margin 0.09 coins).
Hold 1 pair — vs 4 to a wild straight flush
Optimal hold: Hold 1 pair — EV 2.64 coins. Next best: holding 4 to a Wild Straight Flush — EV 2.16 coins (margin 0.48 coins).
2 to a Royal Flush — equal EV vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.45 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.45 coins (margin 0.00 coins).
Both holds have the same expected value, so either is a correct play.
2 to a Royal Flush — vs Nothing: Discard all cards
Optimal hold: 2 to a Royal Flush — EV 1.47 coins. Next best: holding Nothing — EV 1.46 coins (margin 0.01 coins).
FAQ
- What's the most costly mistake to avoid in Double Deuces Bonus 20/9?
- Keeping a made wild royal flush. When you hold 3 of a kind, the correct play is to break the wild royal flush and draw — that hold is worth 118.61 coins versus just 100 for the wild royal flush.
- What's the closest decision in Double Deuces Bonus 20/9?
- 4 to a wild straight flush versus 2 to a Royal Flush — they tie exactly at 1.59 coins, so either is a correct play.
- Can I practice Double Deuces Bonus 20/9 at PerfectPLAY.vegas?
- Double Deuces Bonus 20/9 training is a PerfectPLAY.vegas membership feature. Bonus Poker 6/5 is free to try; join PerfectPLAY to practice Double Deuces Bonus 20/9 with real-time, hand-by-hand feedback and the exact expected value of every hold.