Online Video Poker Guide

Online video poker is quite popular nowadays, and you can find it in virtually all UK casinos. The concept first appeared on the casino scene in the 1970s. It blended both Poker and Slots into one exciting electronic game brilliantly.

Fundamentally, its theme contains the classic five-card draw poker game with a twist. You play it on an electronic machine instead of a table. And, the cards making up your poker hand are replaced by reels, rows, and paylines of classic slot machines.

As a result, it instantly began charming numerous casino fans worldwide. But not all experiences are pleasant. If you intend to play video poker online, read reviews of new casino sites to identify various hallmarking traits that distinguish them from others.

Online Video Poker Benefits

Forget about those days, mate, when you had to travel to London, Birmingham, or Las Vegas to gamble!

Online casinos have brought all sorts of gambling games to your fingertips. Online video poker is one such game that is readily available with top UK casino sites at a click of a button.

Here Are Some of the Benefits of Online Video Poker

• It is an easy game to play.
• If you understand its simple strategy, you can pick up easy winnings.
• It works for most operating systems.
• It has plenty of instant-play variants around.
• There are fewer restrictions on it.
• Your chances of winning in online video poker are way higher than playing at a land-based casino due to its high RTP (return to player) percentage.
• The best online Video Poker games have both superior quality sound and graphics.
• Some online video poker versions also have a progressive jackpot attached to them.

 

Popular Online Video Poker Variations

Online video poker has many variations. Before you try out any of them, read the terms and conditions carefully. Some adaptations also have bonus rounds like a slots bonus feature, mainly governed by luck. Here are some of the popular online video poker variations.

• Deuces Wild

It is the most common variant of online video poker, in which all of the four Deuces (2 cards of club, heart, diamond, and spades) work as ‘Wilds’ on slot machines. You can substitute it for any other card in the deck to increase your hand strength. It uses standard 52-deck cards.

The game begins with five cards like standard poker, and you can discard or replace some of them before the showdown. Make sure you retain your 2s, and to win playing deuces wild, you need at least three-of-a-kind.

• Joker Poker

It also uses a standard deck of 52 cards. In it, you can substitute a Joker card with any card in the deck like a wild. Like Deuces Wild,  in it, you can create a 5-Of-A-Kind, but to receive a payout, a pair of Kings or Aces is all you need.

• Jack or Better

It is a version of poker wherein you get five cards on the screen. You choose which of these cards to keep and discard or replace cards you don’t want to keep. Later, the showdown determines if you have won or lost to the house.

It is the best-known casino online video poker game. If you play it strategically, you can minimise the house edge, offering an expected return of 99.46%. The payout in it begins if you have just 2 Jacks in your final hand.

• 10s Or Better

It is similar to the Jack or Better version, but instead of two Jacks, it needs two Tens for payout to begin.

• Two Way Royal

Its gameplay is similar to Joker Poker. The only difference is it has two Royal Flush hands – A High Royal Flush (A, K, Q, J, 10, suited)and a Low Royal Flush (5, 4, 3, 2, A, suited). The payout in it begins like Joker Poker with a pair of Kings or Aces.

• All American

It is a regular video poker game with the only difference in its design – The Uncle Sam theme. Also, it gives you the same payout for Straight, Flush, and Full House, irrespective of the fact that Full House is more difficult to get than Straight.

 

Differences Between Online Poker and Video Poker

Both of them are similar in terms of gameplay rules. However, some fundamental differences make video poker more popular than online poker.

Gameplay

• In online poker, you play against other players.
• In video poker, you play against the machine.

Payout

• The payout depends on the jackpot or prize pool in online poker, and you can double your stake or have a fixed rate.

• In video poker, your payout, some hands, and combinations have fixed payouts, where you either win or lose. Its payout also varies on the version of online video poker you play.

USP

• If you love bluffing, online poker and live poker can give you the best experiences.
• If you want to have a hang of the game, a standalone video poker machine is all you need to suffice.

Layout/Outlook

• The online poker rooms resemble the live poker tables that you can play with friends and family.

• Video poker resembles a slot machine. Even though it shares the same skill set, you can only practice it on different poker variants, experimenting with different strategies to learn how the game works.

RTP – Return to Players

• In online poker, the RTP depends on the player’s skills or strategies. Highest RTP – Pai Gow Poker with RTP 97.34%.

• In video poker, the RTP depends on the poker variant, playing rules, strategies, and the ability to predict probabilities. Moreover, in video poker, specific versions like Deuces Wild and Super Aces offer RTP 100.76% and 99.94% (respectively), much higher than any online poker game.

 

Poker Rules for Beginners

The rules in online video poker vary with its variants. But, the potential of winning in it depends on the strength of the cards you got.

Weak Hands

It is a hand in which you are least likely to win. If you only have high cards (like Ace or King) and one pair belonging to the bottom of the list (like 2’s or 5’s) – it is a weak hand.

Medium Hands

It means you won’t come last in case of a showdown, as you have cards higher up the rank. If you have two pairs, three-of-a-kind, straight, or flush – it is a medium hand.

• Two Pairs – It means two sets of pairs of cards (Cards of the same rank).
• Three-of-a-kind – It means three cards of the same suit.
• Straight – It means you have five consecutive cards, like 7, 8, 9, 10, J.
• Flush – It means you have five cards of the same suit, like five spades or diamonds.

Strong Hands

It is a hand that everyone chases while playing a video poker game. If your hand contains a Full-house, four-of-a-kind, straight flush, or royal flush- it is a strong hand.

• Full-house – It means when you have a hand with three of a kind and a pair.
• Four-of-a-kind – It means when you have four cards of the same rank, like four kings or four queens, etc.
• Straight flush – It is the second strongest hand in poker and comprises five consecutive cards on the same suit.
• Royal flush – It is the strongest hand in poker. It comprises 10, J, Q, K, and A, all of the same suite.

 

How to Play Video Poker

If you are a beginner in online video poker, get started by signing up for one of our top-rated UK casino online sites. As you are playing against a computer rather than opposition players, ensure to read the reviews of casino sites and check out the online video poker variants they offer first.

The gameplay might vary from one version of online video poker to the other, but it remains the basic procedure of playing it.

• After registering and opening your casino account with the casino site, select the variant of online video poker you want to play – Deuce Wild, Jack or Better, etc.
• Place your bet before the cards get dealt.
• Next, you will be dealt five cards at random.
• Choose the cards you want to keep by clicking ‘Hold.’ Pick those cards that contribute to strengthen your hand. (Refer to Poker Rules)
• To replace the cards you don’t want to keep, click ‘Deal’ again. It will replace your cards with an equal number of cards, giving you your final hand.
• Check the paytable of the version of the video poker game online. If you win, your bet gets multiplied by the amount mentioned in that paytable.

Note –  Hands that are easiest to complete; pay substantially less. The hand that pays the most is the hardest to hit – like Royal Flush.

Even if many video poker games accept bets as high as £25 per hand, remember winning depends on the strength of your hand. As a beginner, you must avoid placing such bets.

Quick TIP: Play online video poker for free on Сardozabooks and polish your skills to strengthen your hand. 

 

Top Online Video Poker Providers

Top online casinos depend on reputed software providers for premium graphics and sleek volatile gameplay with high RTP. Therefore, whenever you pick a casino for playing online video poker, go with the one that uses top-rated providers with a growing reputation among players and the gambling community.

Several reputable providers serve video poker games to online casinos, but the top five of them are –

• NetEnt

• Microgaming

• Play’N Go

• Playtech

• Real-Time Gaming

 

Tips to Win at Online Video Poker

Playing video poker can be an exciting and rewarding experience game. But it is highly addictive too. Therefore, you must gamble responsibly to avoid losing your hard-earned money blindly.

Here Are Two Strategies You Can Follow to Win as a Beginner.

Five-Card Draw Strategy

The five-card draw strategy is all about knowing when to draw and what to discard your card. Here are specific pointers to keep in mind.

• If you have got one pair in your initial hand, discard the rest and draw three from the deck.
• If you have Two Pairs in your initial hand, draw one card only.
• If you have a Three-Of-A-Kind in your initial hand, draw two cards in your next deal.
• If you are satisfied with your hand or have a strong hand (Refer to Poker Rules), ‘ Stand Pat.’

Jacks or Better Video Poker Strategy

It is a strategy in which you try to hit the best hand you are likely to get. In it, you ascertain every possible way to play your cards and then choose the highest option from the list.

• Four-of-a-Kind, Straight flush, Royal flush
• 4 to a Royal flush (It means you already have 4-cards needed to make that particular hand.)
• Three-of-a-Kind, Straight, Flush, Full house
• 4 to a Straight flush
• Two pair
• High pair (Pairs of Kings/Queens/Aces/Jacks)
• 3 to a Royal flush (It means you already have 3-cards needed to make that particular hand.)
• 4 to a Flush
• Low Pair
• 4 to an outside straight
• 2 Suited High-cards
• 3 to a Straight flush
• 2 Unsuited high-cards (if you have more than 2, then pick the lowest 2)
• Suited 10/J, 10/Q, or 10/K
• One High card
• Discard everything

It looks more complicated, but if you take a few minutes to understand it, you can minimise the house edge and expect a return of 99.46%.

Here Are a Few More Tips To Win at Online Video Poker

• Start knowing the ins and outs of the game by playing online video poker for free.

• When playing real money video poker, join trusted casinos and select the game variant that maximises your potential to win. 

• Pick a game that offers attractive payouts and go with simple winning strategies like a five-card draw to begin.

• Ace is customarily the highest-ranking card in a poker game. But in online video poker, it is the Jack. If you have a Jack, it makes it much easier to build a Straight or Royal Flush as you can combine it like Queen, King and Jack.

• Avoid rushing to bet in online video poker. Remember, there’s no real dealer present. So, you don’t have any pressure to hurry like live online poker.

• Set both lower and upper limits for yourself while playing real money online video poker to plan your wager.

• Different online video poker machines have different money settings for minimum and maximum bets. As a beginner, always stick to lower-value machines while still learning.

 

Conclusion

For years, video poker has drawn players to casinos, both online and offline gambling platforms. But now, with different online video poker variations, you have increased chances of winning. Focus on finding the best casinos and video poker variants using the reviews, and enjoy playing the game wherever you are.