How To Play Video Poker
Video Poker is traditional 5-card draw poker played against a machine. This is one of a few casino games that has an incredibly low house edge. Video Poker games at most online casinos include Deuces Wild Double Up, Joker Wild Double Up, All American Double Up, and Jacks or Better. With the right skill, strategy, and bankroll management techniques, your chances of winning are greatly improved in video poker games. These games are played on similar machines to slots, but players have a definite advantage by being able to choose which cards to hold and discard. Of course, it’s important to understand how to form winning hands.
Placing Video Poker Bets
With Video Poker games, you must first choose a game that you understand, read up on the rules, deposit, and make your selections. Whether you’re playing in demo mode or a real money mode, you follow the same process for placing bets. First things first: pick a game and make your bet selection. Video poker games allow you to deposit 1 coin, 2 coins, 3 coins, 4 coins, or 5 coins. You must choose your coin value by clicking the +/- buttons. The more coins you play, the bigger your payouts when you hit the high-ranking hands.
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Video Poker Bets & Payoffs
Your bet options in video poker games such as Jacks or Better require you to choose either the minimum bet, the maximum bet, or anything in between. This game has a theoretical RTP of 98.25% when you’re playing with perfect strategy. Optimal game strategy states that you will receive the biggest payouts if you play 5 coins and land a Royal Flush. Games like Jacks or Better may include a Double Playoff Round which is not regarded as an optimal gaming strategy.
• You choose your coin value and the number of coins you’d like to bet (1 – 5).
• Click the Deal Button and the RNG will automatically deal 5 cards face up to you.
• Choose which cards to hold (0-5) and you will be dealt a second and final hand.
• If you win, you have the Double Playoff Round which allows you to double your winnings until you lose or collect and walk away.
Unlike Roulette and Blackjack, there are no individual bets for different options. You simply wager on the 5 cards that are dealt to you and play your hands accordingly.
Video Poker Payouts
In a game like Jacks or Better, your payouts are determined by the pay table (The amount various among different online casinos). The lowest ranking hand that you can form to win is a pair of Jacks or Better. You will receive the biggest benefit when you wager 5 coins at the highest possible coin value. If you form a winning hand with just 1 coin, your winnings will be limited. For example, the following bets, coin amounts and payouts are applicable to Jacks or Better video poker:
As you can tell, there is a significant difference between forming a Royal Flush with just 1 coin wagered, and 5 coins wagered. Much the same is true with all other winning hand combinations that are formed. These include: Jacks or Better, Two Pairs, Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, Full House, Four of a Kind, and a Straight Flush. Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about holding premium hand combinations since the video poker game automatically does this for you. This valuable assistance can help you focus on your discards and bet selections.
A Royal Flush contains 5 cards of the same suit starting from 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace
A Straight Flush contains 5 cards in consecutive order of the same suit
Four of a Kind is simply four of the same cards from different suits
Full House refers to a pair and a trip.
A Flush this is 5 nonsequential cards of the same suit
A Straight features 5 sequential cards of different suits
Three of a Kind is otherwise known as a trip or triple
Two Pair indicates that a player has two pairs of different cards and a fifth card
Jacks or Better just as its namesake suggests – a pair of Jacks or Better!
With Jacks or Better, the return to player is 98.25% with optimal gameplay. This indicates a house edge of around 1.75%. Deuces Wild has a theoretical RTP of 97.06% with optimal game strategy.
Video Poker Games
Jacks or Better
Fancy a game of draw poker, a.k.a. Jacks or Better? This is one of the most popular video poker games on the circuit, and for good reason. It’s just like playing in an Atlantic City casino, only better – you get to enjoy it from the comforts of home, or on the go. A standard 52-card deck is used, and players can pick 3, 5, 10, or 50 hands at the same time. You can bet between 1 & 5 coins.
Winning hands include a Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, and Jacks or Better. You guessed it! There’s a gamble Win Bonus feature available in this game too. While the Gamble feature is in play, you have 6 opportunities to guess the color/suit of the next card that will be drawn. Make your selection and wait for the card to be flipped over. If you’re correct, you will double your winnings. If not, it’s back to the drawing board in Jacks or Better video poker.
All American Double Up
All American Double Up is an exciting variant of video poker played with a straight up deck of 52 cards. Get started with 1 hand, 5 hands, 10 hands, or a max of 25 hands in this Red, White, and Blue video poker game. This game features multiple winning hands including a Royal Straight Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flash, Straight, Three of a Kind, and 2 Pair.
The Double Up Bonus Gamble Feature allows players to go for gold and double winnings, or risk losing everything. Simply click the Gamble button to activate this bankroll booster. You will have to choose Red or Black, and if you’re correct, you will double your winnings. Guess correctly, and you’re in the money seats. Guess wrong, and you’re straight outta luck (SOL) with $0 in winnings. It’s your call player!
Joker Wild Double Up
It’s time to ramp up the video poker action with Joker Wild Double Up. This unique video poker game features a 53-card deck – the Joker is #53. Wherever the Joker appears, luck follows. This game can be enjoyed with a minimum of 1 hand, and a maximum of 25 hands. Players also have up to 5 bet levels with varying coin values in this game.
The winning hands in Joker Wild Double Up include a Natural Royal Flush, Five of a Kind, Royal Straight Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flash, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, and Kings or Better. This video poker game blends skill and good fortune in a game of action-packed entertainment. You can even boost your winnings with the Double Up Bonus Gamble Feature. Simply select the Gamble Option and pick the correct color of the card to double your winnings.
Deuces Wild Double Up
Deuces Wild Double Up Video Poker is a classic favorite among online casino players. The lowest ranking cards – Deuces – are now wild. This 52-card game is played fast and furious, with between 1, 5, 10, or 25 hands at a time. It’s the real deal. Players have up to 5 bet levels with varying coin values. Once you’re ready to fire up those video poker reels, click the deal button and watch the magic unfold.
The winning hands in Deuces Wild Double Up Video Poker include a Natural Royal Flush, Four Deuces, Royal Straight Flush, Straight Flush, Five of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Four of a Kind, and Three of a Kind. You can also boost your winnings with the Double Up Bonus Gamble feature. Remember? Choose red or black and if your guess is right you’ll double your winnings. If not, you’re back to $0. The bonus round continues for 5 reveals. Are you feeling lucky? Deuces Wild may be your game!
The Benefits of Free Video Poker
1. Play video poker games at zero cost
2. Enjoy video poker games with no pressure at all
3. Try different betting tactics and strategies for free
4. Sample multiple video poker games at your leisure
5. Put your poker skills to the test against the machines
6. Zero intimidation since there are no other poker players
7. Fine-tune your video poker game before switching to real money mode
The Benefits of Real Money Video Poker
1. You can test your video poker skills and win real money
2. Atlantic City video poker games available on your screen
3. Play real money video poker on PC, mobile, tablet or phablet
4. Play all the hottest real money video poker games in one place
5. Enjoy low minimum bets and high maximums with real money video poker
6. No need to hit the casinos in Atlantic City – play video poker online
7. Enjoy big wins with Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild Double Up, and Joker Wild Double Up
Video Poker Terminology
Aces and Eights – a video poker variant where players receive a higher payout when they have 4 of a kind hands featuring aces or eights.
Ace High Card – if a player is holding an Ace as the high card, no pairs, or higher combinations.
Action – this refers to the betting action that takes place on a video poker machine.
Boat – a Full House is known as a Boat, this includes a pair and 3 of a kind in the same 5-card hand.
Credits – when you play video poker, the cash you have in the machine, or the tokens you have available to play are known as your credits. Casinos routinely differentiate between dollars and credits to make it easier for the player to gamble.
Deuces Wild – Deuces are 2s. When deuces are wild, it means that the 2s substitute for other cards to form winning hands.
Double Bonus Poker – high paybacks are awarded to players who form 4 of a kind including Aces, 2s, or 3s.
Double Double Bonus Poker – this is a popular variant of Bonus Poker. Players will get paid out double if they form hands with a specific kicker. Kickers are cards that will help you to double your payouts when you land 4 of a kind with Aces, 2s, 3s, and 4s.
Draw – in video poker, you only get to draw different cards one time. You can choose at least 1 card of 5, or all 5 cards. Simply click the draw button and you will have your final hand dealt to you. If the pay table determines that you’re a winner, you will be paid out accordingly.
Face Cards – face cards include the Royals – Jacks, Queens, and Kings.
Four of a Kind – Four of a Kind or 4 of a Kind are four cards of the same rank. This could include 4 x Kings, 4 x 2s, or any other combination. Generous payouts are awarded for 4 of a Kind.
A Full House – a Full House includes a pair and 3 of a kind. This is also known as a Boat. You may have a hand containing 3 sevens and a pair of Queens.
Hand – all 5 cards that you are holding is known as your hand. If you’re holding a Flush, a Full House, 4 of a Kind, or a Royal flush, that is also known as your hand.
Hold – the cards that you choose to hold are the cards that you do not discard. You’re dealt 5 cards face up, and you can choose which cards to keep. Those are the cards you are holding.
The House Edge – the house edge indicates the payback on the specific game you’re playing. If a game has a 2% house edge, it means that a player can expect an RTP (return to player) of 98%. Most the time, the house edge ranges between 0% and 10%, with video poker having one of the lowest house edges for the casino.
Inside Straight – When a player has 5 cards in consecutive order, it is known as a straight. Aces are either low or high, and could feature as follows: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace. An inside straight is rare and takes place when a player has 4 cards to straight and is missing one of the middle cards.
Jacks or Better – this is one of the most popular video poker variants. When you have Jacks or Better, the first paid hand is a pair of jacks. The best hand you can form is a Royal Flush.
The Joker – most every deck has 52 cards. If there are 53 cards, the additional card is a Joker. It acts as a wildcard and substitutes for other cards to form winning combinations. These are otherwise known as kickers. Jokers can increase your payouts on specific hands, but in certain variations of video poker it will have limited value.
Maximum Bets – this is the maximum wager that you can place in a game of video poker. In many games, use the Max Bet button to place the Maximum Bet. In all forms of video poker, the Maximum Bet that you can place is 5 coins at the highest bet value.
Minimum Bets – this is the opposite of the Maximum wager that you can place in a game of video poker. It is the minimum bet that is possible to allow you to get dealt in. It is not advisable to place minimum bets since if you win you will not receive the maximum payout. This is especially true if you hit a premium hand like a Royal Flush.
Multihand Video Poker – the Multihand option allows you to play multiple hands simultaneously. Each of these hands is distinct from the other and players must place an identical-sized wager on each hand that is dealt. Players are dealt 5 cards and the player decides which cards to hold and which cards to fold for each hand individually.
The Odds – the odds are like the RTP (return to player) and the house edge. The odds are the probabilities that are associated with specific outcomes in the game. Based on the expected outcome, you can decide what actions to take in video poker games.
Optimal Video Poker Strategy – when you play video poker using the best tactics and strategies, you are playing with an optimal strategy.
An Outside Straight – if you need to form a straight and you have 4 consecutive cards with the final card at either the low end or the high-end missing, you have an outside straight. As an example, you may be holding 5, 6, 7, 8, and you need a 4 or a 9 to form a straight.
Paint – Any card that is a Royal a.k.a. face card (Jacks, Queens, or Kings) has paint on it.
A Pat Hand – A Pat hand is the very best hand you can form, even if you’re able to draw additional cards. If you’re holding a Royal Flush, a Flush, a Straight, or a Straight Flush, you have a Pat hand.
The Pay Table – every video poker variant has a pay table associated with it. It determines how much you will get paid when you have a winning hand combination. Paytables determine your payouts when you have placed wagers with 1 coin, 2 coins, 3 coins, 4 coins, or the maximum 5 coins. Always check out the pay table before you play a game of video poker, so you know what to expect when you form winning combinations.
Payback Percentage – the long-term payback percentage determines how much players can expect to receive when playing a specific video poker game. If the payback percentage is 98%, this means that over the long-term you can expect to receive $98 back for every $100 that you wager. The trick is that you must use perfect playing strategy.
Perfect Playing Strategy – the decisions you make in video poker can be optimized by using tactics and strategies for holding, discarding, and drawing new cards.
Progressive Jackpot Video Poker – several video poker games have progressive jackpots associated with them. This simply means that these video poker terminals are connected through the online casino or casino and a percentage of every real money bet goes towards the progressive jackpot prize pool. To win the progressive jackpot, you typically must work your way through multiple stages as opposed to simply hitting a Royal Flush.
RNGs – these are known as random number generators. This computerized software program randomizes the outcomes to ensure that every draw has the same probability of occurring. Video poker machines and the cards that are dealt act independently of player wagers. Every time a player presses the deal button, the RNG automatically generates outcomes.
Royal Flush – this hand includes an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 in the same suit. This is the best hand that you can form in video poker. The odds of this occurring are approximately 1:40,000
A Straight – this is a 5-card hand in sequential order. A straight could be 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 of different suits.
A Straight Flush – A Straight Flush includes any 5 cards in sequential order of the same suit.
Strategy Guide/Card – casinos/online casinos may offer you expert tips, tricks, or strategies for video poker games on guides or cards.
Tens or Better – this video poker variant requires players to form a winning hand with a pair of tens or better. This is the minimum paying hand.
Three of a Kind – this is known as a trip, triple, or simply 3 cards of the same rank. Any 3 cards will do including 3 x Kings, or 3 x Aces, etc.
Two Pair – in a 5-card video poker hand, 2 pair includes a pair and another pair, and the fifth card. This could include 2 x Tens and 2 x Kings, and a fifth card.
Wildcard – a wildcard, or a wild is simply a card that substitutes for any other card in a video poker game. You may have played Deuces Wild, which allows 2s to substitute for other cards in the deck.
Winning Hand – a winning hand is a paying hand. Look at the pay table to see what winning hand combinations are possible.