Hunches and winning

Most video poker hands are losers. It is unfortunate, but strategy doesn't change this. The machine regularly wins nearly 60 percent of the time. Add in the hands that are a push and you're only ahead about 1 in 4 contests. High pay machines can be even stingier. You'll lose a lot before you win more.
Some players become frustrated with all the losing, so they abandon strategy and begin playing hunches. This is absolutely wrong from a mathematical point of view, but I disagree with people who say it should never be done. Playing a hunch is perfectly okay. Just realize that you are paying for the pleasure of making a guess. You might win, but on average you are more likely to lose. If you can live with that then by all means do what you "feel." Remember it's absolutely possible to throw away all five cards and still get a royal flush.