Updated on: November 15th, 2024
Do you enjoy playing video poker? Well, now you can play all of your favorite variations, including Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, from the comfort of your own home. Video poker games are incredibly popular online.
The reason is simple; the game meshes strategy and luck to create a truly thrilling gaming experience.
If you would like to find out more about playing video poker online for real money, you have come to the right place! Below we go through all you need to know about playing the game at real money online casinos.
How to Play Video Poker
Video poker often seems like a scary casino game to players who are not familiar with it. However, it is so easy to play! Here is a quick how to play guide to get you started:
- Place Your Bet – every poker game starts with an ante bet (the name for the bet placed before the cards are dealt).
- Build Your Hand – look at your cards, and decide which you will hold to and which you are going to discard.
- Croupier Deals Again – more cards are dealt to you, and you replace the cards you discarded. You now have an opportunity to bet on your hand again or to fold.
- Collect Your Winnings – if you have been lucky enough to win something with your hand, you can collect your winnings. Now you are ready for your next hand.
Video Poker Hand Rankings Explained
Top Video Poker Games Online
There are hundreds of video poker variations available online. Many casinos offer a number of these games to video poker players, including:
Jacks or Better
Also known as draw poker, Jacks or Better is the most popular variation of the game. All you need to earn a payout in this game is a hand of “jacks or better.”
Ace and Faces
This is a popular variation of Jacks or Better. The only difference is that you get paid more for four of a kind that features either Aces or Faces.
Deuces Wild
In this variation, deuces are seen as wild cards meaning that you can finish more winning hands. Because of this, the payout table isn’t as rewarding as other games.
Joker Poker
The joker card is used in this variation of the game. It acts as the wild card, so it is easier for you to finish more winning combinations.
Although these are the most popular poker video online games, there are so many others available. We recommend visiting one of our recommended casinos to determine whether you find another variation that appeals to you.
Online Video Poker Strategy
There aren’t any definitive real money video poker tips that will work across all variations. But here are some general tricks that are sure to get you thinking more strategically:
- Start with Jacks or Better – this is the most popular version of the game to play for real money. It is also the easiest to play. We recommend that players use basic strategy as they’ll reduce the house edge to 0.5%.
- Check a game’s payout structure – you want to make sure that you play a variation of the game with a payout table that appeals to you.
- Keep winning hands – it is hard to craft a winning hand, so we never recommend getting rid of cards that complete one. This is especially true if you have a hand that features three of a kind or better.
Play Free Online Video Poker Games
You can play video poker online for fun. Most casinos offer players access to free versions of the game. There are a couple of reasons you should try playing free games, including the following:
- When you play video poker free play games, you allow yourself to learn how a game works in a risk-free environment.
- Free video poker machines give you a chance to keep playing a game even if your bankroll is depleted. This means that even if you don’t have any funds to gamble with, you can still play the game.
History of Video Poker
The first video poker game was created in 1979 by SIRCOMA, which would later go on to become International Game Technology.
The game became viable to produce when it became possible to combine television monitors with solid-state processing units during the late 1970s. (It is not by accident that this was also the period in which the first personal computers were produced.) During the 1980s, video poker grew to become incredibly popular with patrons at brick-and-mortar casinos, particularly in Las Vegas.
Players generally prefer casino online poker video games because they offer better odds than other slot games. They also tend to allow players to focus on developing a specific strategy that could, in some way, impact the outcome of the game, even if only minimally.
Today, video poker is also available in casinos around the world. They are some of the most played games offering players ridiculous cash prizes. It doesn’t seem as if this game is going anywhere for a long time.
Online Video Poker Real Money – FAQs
Yes and no. The answer to this question is dependent on the gambling laws in the state you live in. Some states allow you to play casino games online, whereas others don’t. So, do your due diligence and check the laws in your area.
No, video poker machines are not rigged. These games make use of RNG systems to determine the results of hands. This means a game assigns numbers to each card and/or hand and then generates results by randomizing these numbers.
Video poker games combine the best parts of slots and poker. The game works as a hybrid; you try to create poker combinations with your hand. If you understand poker rules, you already know what combinations you will be looking out for. (If not, scroll up for a quick look at all the available hand combinations.)
We really like Jacks or Better. It is the most traditional form of the game and is very easy to learn. It also acts as a stepping stone to more complicated variations of video poker. Double double is also pretty popular.
Yes, you can chat at video poker. However, we wouldn’t recommend trying to do so as a casino will ban you if they catch you cheating. Also, you will have to pay back your winnings too.
It is generally believed that Deuces Wild provides players with the best chance of winning. As for hands, here are the odds you face for each combination:
• Royal Flush – 1/649740
• Straight Flush – 1/72193
• Four of a Kind – 1/4165
• Full House – 1/694
• Flush – 1/509
• Straight – 1/255
• Three of a Kind – 1/147
• Two Pairs – 1/21
Your odds of getting a royal flush are set at 1/649740. So, don’t bank on it.
This is dependent on you. Video poker offers more strategy, whereas slots often offer bigger wins and more glamorous gameplay. It is easier to win in video poker, though.
No strategy is going to ensure that you win each game you play. The best way to ensure that you walk away with winnings after a game session is not to get greedy.
There is no quantifiable amount. Some games offer big cash prizes, whereas others offer smaller rewards but with a lower house edge.
