How To Play Video Poker Online

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Video poker is a well-liked casino game that is easy to learn, especially if you know how to play Poker. The aim of video poker is to form the best possible hand with the 5 cards you have been dealt. Should you want to know more about this exciting game, hop on board, we’re going to tell you exactly ‘How To Play Online Video Poker’. Video poker can be played with real money or with free credits at our best Bitcoin USA casinos.

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The Objective Of Online Video Poker And Its Rules

Just like slots, video poker is played on a machine. Is there a connection between video poker and slots? The only thing they have in common is that both of them are played on a machine, and their respective outcomes are governed by a random number generator (RNG). While slots require no skill, video poker requires a bit of craft knowledge, called poker hand ranking.

Video poker is the not-too-distant cousin of Poker, and it is played with the standard deck of 52 cards. There is a multitude of video poker varieties; each has its own RTP, respective rules, odds and online betting strategy.

Why Video Poker?

•It is similar to five-card draw poker and is played with a standard deck of 52 cards (Jacks or Better).
•To be a good player at video poker, you must know poker hand ranking (Pairs, Trips, Full House, Four-of-a-kind, etc.)
•Each video poker variant (Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Double Bonus Poker, etc.) has its own RTP, odds and rules.
•Video poker players receive a bonus from online casinos on their first deposit (https://sportbookcasinos.com/online-casino-promo-codes/).
•The theoretical return to player percentage of video poker is above 98%, making it one of the best casino games to play.

Before you start playing online video poker, decide on how much money you want to risk. Once done, choose the video poker variant you like and bet the maximum 5 credits. The machine will then ‘Deal’ you 5 cards electronically.

The next step is to form the best possible hand with the 5 cards you’ve been dealt. For example, should you receive two Aces, 3, 4, and 5, you’ll keep the Aces, and discard the rest of your hand (3, 4 and 5). Click on ‘Draw’, and you’ll receive another 3 cards; hopefully, you’ll hit a good hand.

Online Video Poker Hand Rankings

You can’t be successful at video poker if you don’t know the various hand rankings. The payout you’ll receive is proportionate to your hand ranking. The higher it is, the larger the payout. Let’s cover the ranking of each hand, so make sure you know them next time you play. These rankings are from high to low.

Royal Straight Flush: This is the Holy Grail of video poker and the highest hand. It’s made up of a 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace, all of the same suit (diamonds, hearts, clubs or spades).

Straight Flush: It is the second-highest video poker hand ranking and consists of 5 consecutive cards of the same suit, e.g. 7, 8, 9, 10, J.

Four Of a Kind: When you are dealt four cards of the same kind such as four 8’s, four 10’s and so on (cards suits don’t matter). It’s also known as a ‘penalty’.

Full House: When your hand has 3 cards and 2 cards that are the same type. It can be 3 Aces with 2 Kings, or it can be 3 Queens with two 10’s. You get the picture. When you get dealt this hand, you must keep it, because it is an excellent hand.

Flush: A Flush is 5 cards of the same suit that is not in any particular order. It can be 2, 6, 7, 10, and Ace.

Straight: When you receive 10, J, Q, K, A of different suits, it is known as a Straight. The cards must follow each other numerically, but don’t have to be of the same suit.

Three Of a Kind: When you have 3 cards of the same value such as three 3’s, 3 Aces and so on.

Two Pair: Is basically a double pair that can be two 7’s and two 5’s.

High Card: A single card that’s an Ace (high-card) or it can be Jacks or better. When you don’t have a hand, or so to speak, you always lead with the high card.

Different Video Poker Variants and Rules

When we started playing video poker, we were surprised when we heard Jacks or Better is not the only variant. It’s the most popular no doubt, but there are other much-loved video poker varieties such as Progressive Video Poker, Deuces Wild, Joker Poker, Multi-Hand Video Poker, Aces and Faces, 10s or Better and All American. Basically, there’s a video poker type for each and every player. Ain’t video poker great!

Multi-Hand Video Poker

As the name states, multi-hand video poker comprises of many hands that allows you to bet on up to 50 hands at a time. It is the same as the standard video poker but gives you the option of getting 20, 30 and 50 hands in one go. You’ll win some hands and lose some hands.

Deuces Wild Rules

Deuces Wild is another popular video poker variant that’s played with a deck of 52 cards. If you don’t know what a ‘Deuce’ is, it is any 2-valued card. The 2 serves as the wild card, and when it appears, it can take on any value you assign it. For example, if you are dealt 3 Aces and a Deuce (2), the Deuce serves as the fourth Ace. You can get up to 5 Aces when you play Deuces Wild!

Joker Poker Rules

An extra card, known as the Joker, is added to the pack; hence the name Joker Poker. Instead of 52 cards, there are 53 cards in the deck, and the Joker acts as the Wild. Just like Jacks or Better, you aim to form the highest possible hand with Joker Poker. The best hand is a Royal Flush, and the lowest is Kings or better.

Progressive Jackpot Video Poker

Want to know more about progressive jackpots? We tell you ‘How To Play Progressive Jackpots‘ here. When a video poker game is hooked up to a series of other video poker games, this is known as progressive jackpot video poker. Every time the game is played, a small percentage goes towards the pool. As a result, the jackpot just keeps on growing and growing. The jackpot is won when a player lands a Royal Flush because it is the ‘Premier’ hand in the game of Poker.

How to Play Online Video Poker and Win

We addressed the rules of the most popular variants in video poker and poker hand ranking. The aim of video poker is to win by getting the highest hand ranking cards. What is this so-called strategy? Long story short, you must know which cards to keep and which ones to trash (discard).

Make sure you keep the best/highest cards. If you are dealt 3 Kings, a 5 and a 2 card, you’ll keep the 3 Kings and discard the 5 and the 2. You’ll click on ‘Draw’ hoping for another King which would give you a four-of-a-kind hand. Even better, if you’re playing Joker Poker and you’re dealt the Joker and another King, then it’s five-of-a-kind! Pick a video poker variant you like, study its rules, know the hand ranking of each hand and the odds of a specific hand appearing.

Online Video Poker Frequently Asked Questions

Which Video Poker Variant Is The Most Popular?

A very popular video poker game is Jacks or Better because it’s easy to learn. If you want to play video poker, we suggest you start with this variant first.

How Did Video Poker Start?

Video poker originated as a casino game in Las Vegas casinos in the 1970s. Ever since it has been one of the most popular casino games played by millions of players the world over. You can play video poker at any reputable online casino.

How Many Decks Are Used In Video Poker?

Video poker makes use of a standard deck of 52 cards except for Joker Poker where the Joker acts as the 53rd card.

What Is The Best Hand In Video Poker?

Just like standard Poker, a Royal Flush is the best hand. If you are playing Jacks or Better, the worst hand is a pair of Jacks, and if you are playing Deuces Wild, the lowest hand is three-of-a-kind.

How Do I Play Video Poker At An Online Casino?

You can start by registering an account with our best RTG Casinos. Once you have provided a few personal details such as your name, surname, residential and email address and a few other personal matters, click on ‘Register’. Choose a banking method, make a deposit, choose the video poker game you’d like to play and decide how many coins you’d like to wager. That’s it.

What Is The Difference Between Video Poker and Poker?

In video poker, the player plays against a machine which has a built-in Random Number Generator (RNG) which randomly selects the outcome of each hand. In Poker and Blackjack, you are playing against the dealer and other players seated at the table.

Although the basics (poker hand ranking) is the same, real Poker has a few differences such as bluffing and intimidation, know when to go all in and when to fold. You must be able to read other players ‘tells’. In video poker, you don’t have this these distractions, and you can play the game undisturbed.

What Is The RTP (Average Theoretical Return To Player) Percentage Of a Video Poker Game?

Video poker can have an RTP of 100% if you use optimal strategy, also known as ‘positive expectation’. The best video poker machines are Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, All American and Joker Poker, their RTPs range from 98.3% to 99.5%.

Should I Always Bet The Maximum Amount Of Coins In Video Poker?

You should always bet the maximum of 5 coins in video poker in order to hit the jackpot of that game. The Royal Flush only pays if you have wagered the maximum 5 credits. If you have only wagered 1, 2 or 3 coins, the payout will be significantly lower. Check the paytable on the screen to know what you are betting for.

How Do I Read The Paytable In Video Poker?

We’re the first to admit that the Paytable can be confusing. The paytable has 5 columns with the various poker hands that display the payouts for betting with 1 coin and the maximum 5 coins. The hands are ranked from the highest (Royal Flush) to the lowest.

A Royal Flush is the best hand on any video poker machine. When you play Jacks or Better, the best paytable is 9/6. It means that it pays 9 coins for a Full House and for a Flush it pays 6 coins. If you’re not sure how to read a paytable, the Wizard of Odds explains it perfectly.

Do Online Casinos Offer Bonuses To Play Video Poker?

Yes, they do. Any amount you deposit will be equaled with the same match percentage. Should our instant payout casinos offer a deposit bonus (with a 100% match up to $100), and you deposit $100, then your deposit is matched with a bonus of $100, and you can play video poker with a bankroll of $200.

Each bonus has a wagering requirement that must be fulfilled first before bonus funds, and associated winnings are released. Unlike bonuses for slots that count 100%, video poker only counts a fraction like 10% or 5%. In layman’s terms, you can only cash out your winnings once you’ve done a prodigious amount of wagering.

If the WR (wagering requirement) is 40 times the bonus (40xb) for slots, you’ll have to wager 40x$100=$4,000. However, when it’s video poker which carries a game weighting of 10%, then the figure looks like this: $4,000/10%=$40,000. See the difference? Unless you are using the bonus to play slots, it’s best to avoid it when playing video poker and instead make a straight deposit (no bonus funds).

Is It Legal To Play Video Poker At Online Casinos?

Video poker is 100% legal at the casinos promoted on Sportbookcasinos.com. These casinos have been thoroughly vetted by us and are licensed in offshore regions such as Curacao, Panama and Costa Rica.