Video Poker Online

Updated: 19.01.2024

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Have you ever wanted to enjoy a casino game where your odds of winning are tied to chance and skills? Then you should try out video poker. Online video poker is a satisfying alternative to poker in that you play against the machine at your own pace and directly from the comfort of anywhere you are.

The results are also more dependent on your mastery and understanding of the game than bland luck. In this article, we’ll cover all you need to know about playing video poker online. We’ll also delve into essential features, strategies, and steps that’ll help you maximise your chances of winning.

Best Casinos To Play Video Poker For Real Money

Today, there are a lot of alternatives to playing video poker for real money online. The best casinos to play video poker to earn real money include:

1

Spinfever Casino

Rating: 9.9/10

● Over 125 providers
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2

Jackpot City Casino

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● up to NZ$1,600 for new players
● Operating since 1998
● eCOGRA-tested Games Global games
● Mobile-optimized for iOS and Android
● 10 daily jackpot Free Spins

3

Ice Casino

Rating: 9.4/10

● Good list of attractive bonuses
● Good range of payment solutions
● Advantageous VIP program

4

CasinoMega

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● Quick cashouts
● VIP account manager
● VIP events streamed on Twitch
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5

Highroller Casino

Rating: 9.3/10

● Instant deposits and withdrawals
● Responsive 24/7 support
● Fully licensed
● Accepts crypto

6

Winz.io

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● 7,500+ games
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● Up to $10,000
● No-wagering bonuses

7

1xSlots Casino

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● Over 8,600 stunning games
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8

Nitro Casino

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● Over 2,500 games
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● Daily, Weekly and Monthly rewards

9

Leon Casino

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● Welcome bonus in 4 deposits
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Playfina Casino

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11

Spin Casino

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● Mobile app

12

Novibet Casino

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● Over 8,000 games
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● Mobile accessibility
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13

Ruby Fortune Casino

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● An extensive selection of games
● Supports instant play on mobile devices
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● Welcome bonus in 3 deposits

14

BC Game Casino

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15

Vulkan Vegas

Rating: 8.1/10

● Great bonus of NZD$1,000 + 125 FS
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Online Video Poker Main Rules Explained

Every casino game comes with its own attendant rules that determine how to be played; free online video poker is no different. The main concept behind playing video poker games free is to acquire a set of cards that translates into a certain amount payout. Most versions use the standard 52-deck system, and the cards are randomly assigned using a number generator.

After placing a bet, the player is randomly dealt a set of five cards, which can all be held or exchanged for another. After the player has decided to either go with the cards dealt or exchange any of them, the computer compares the final set of cards to determine if the player has a winning hand. If this is the case, the player gets a payout corresponding to that exact combination on the paytable.

Note that paytables may differ across casinos. However, the most common is the 9-6 machine, which offers a 9-for-1 payoff on a full house and a 6-for-1 payoff on a flush. Additionally, other paytables, such as the 8-5 machine and a 7-5 machine, offer different payouts and determine just how much your winnings would be worth.

To go with, here is a summary of how to play online video poker.

Decide your bankroll for playing video poker.
Understand the paytable and place your bet.
Click on ‘bet and deal.’
“Hold” your assigned cards or exchange them.
Click on ‘deal/draw”.
Claim your winnings.

Video Poker Hands & Payout

Free video poker uses a unique system called the ‘poker hands.’ These consist of winning hands and determine how much payout a player gets. Available hands in video poker games include:

Four of a kind: Four cards having the same rank
Full House: You have three cards of the same rank and two cards of another rank.
Flush: You have five different cards of the same suit
Straight Flush: 5 cards of the same suit arranged in consecutive order
Royal Flush: An Ace-king-queen-jack-10 combination of the same suits

Other poker hands used include Straight, Three-of-a-kind, two pairs, and betters.

Video Poker Payouts

The winning poker hands determine video poker payout. We’ve created a detailed table that shows the payouts corresponding to each combination of poker hands below: A royal flush offers the highest payout ratio regardless of the kind of paytable used.

Let start with a classic pay table for Jacks or Better:

Online video poker payouts
Hands	1 Coin	2 Coins	3 Coins	4 Coins	5 Coins
Royal flush	250	500	750	1000	4000
Straight flush	50	100	150	200	250
4 of a kind	25	50	75	100	125
Full house	9	18	27	36	46
Flush	6	12	18	24	30
Straight	4	8	12	16	20
3 of a kind	3	6	9	12	15
2 pairs	2	4	6	8	10
Jacks or better	1	2	3	4	5

“
Always Play max Coins.
”

Understanding Video Poker Main Features

Video poker is normally played in land casinos using a machine that has a screen to display the cards being dealt. There is also a bill validator (to recognise cash slotted in), a paytable usually displayed on the screen, and buttons that control the gambling process. While you don’t necessarily have to sit in front of a giant betting machine in online video poker, the basic features of video poker stay the same (apart from the need for a cash validator).

Buttons

Buttons are a very important feature to play video poker online and are often used to make decisions when playing. There are four major buttons in video poker, they include:

Bet one: Bet one allows you to place a bet of one credit. Credits are equivalent to the amount you are using to place your bet.
Deal/Draw: This button officially starts the game. Also, when this button is used, all cards not held will be automatically discarded.
Hold: This button allows you to retain the card choices you assigned to you by the machine.
Max Bet: This button will allow you to place bets with multiple credits simultaneously. This is usually five credits.

Displays

The mobile video poker screen not only shows you the cards you’re dealt but also provides an insight into other game details. Some of the things you’d find on a video poker display include:

Coin: This is the bankroll you have available to play poker.
Credits: This refers to the amount currently used in the game. Winnings are also compiled as credits.
Bet: Your wager on video poker; the game cannot begin until you’ve taken your bet.
Paytable: This chart decides whether you have a winning hand and how much payout accrues to you.
Win: You win when you draw a winning poker hand. If the screen displays “Winner!”, then you’ve mostly won yourself a jackpot.

Best Bonuses For Video Poker Players

Video poker bonuses can generally be divided into two categories;

Non-cashable video poker bonuses: Also referred to as a ‘sticky’ bonus, you can only place bets and keep your winnings while using this bonus. The bonus itself can not be withdrawn.

Cashable bonuses: These kinds of bonuses can be withdrawn as long as you meet all wagering requirements. Examples of the most common types of video poker bonuses include:

1st deposit bonus: Almost every casino offers this bonus to first-time players. 1st deposit bonuses often offer a 100% or more return on your first video poker deposit
Weekly bonuses: Weekly video poker bonuses are earned due to you participating in online video poker matches every week. They are usually open to all players.

All About Odds, RTP & House Edge

The casino house always holds an advantage over players, regardless of which game is played. This house advantage is commonly referred to as the house edge. The higher the house edge for a game, the lesser your odds of winning. Thankfully video poker is one of the casino games where the house edge is significantly lower.

There are two significant factors to consider to determine the house edge for any variations of video poker online casino you would like to play. The first is the paytable, and the other is the return to player rate (RTP).

A return to player rate of 99% does not necessarily mean you’ll win almost every time you play.

However, it expresses the statistical probability that you’ll hit this winning rate. Over the long term, RTP across different casino variations can range from 98% to well over 100% (100.78% for Deuce Wild) when combined with the right online video poker betting strategies.

Online video poker odds
Online Video Poker: Odds
Hand	Odds
Royal Flush	649,740:1
Straight Flush	72,193:1
Four of a Kind	4,165:1
Full House	694:1
Flush	509:1
Straight	255:1
Three of a kind	4:1
Two Pairs	21:1
Pair J,Q,K or A	7.69:1
Any Pair	2.37:1

Interesting Betting Strategies

Video poker is more of a game of skill rather than just blind luck. Therefore, proven strategies can help improve your chances of winning.

While these strategies are helpful, there is no fail-proof method to help you win every time, a few losses here and there are inevitable. However, the goal is to have a long-term winning advantage.

Strategy 1: Always Hold

This strategy aims to retain the cards that present the most probable combination for winning. The card combination you should always hold include:

Hold Royal Flush, straight flush, and a 4 of a kind in that order. However, if you do not have those; check for the following;
Three of a kind, full house, a flush, and a straight. With three a kind combination, your best play is to discard the two remaining cards in the hopes of achieving a four-of-a-kind or a full-house combination.
If you end up with a two-pair, all you have to do is discard the fifth card for a chance to get a full house combination.

Strategy 2: Break/Discard

This strategy is all about exchanging cards that offer slight winning chances for a chance to get a stronger combination.

Note, however, that replacing a card does not automatically ensure you’ll get a better-suited card for your combination. The computer deals out the cards randomly and predictably.

Here’s how to use the break strategy:

When you have four cards to a royal flush, break up an existing straight or flush combination for a chance to get the grand prize.
Repeat this same rule to break up a pair of Jacks.
If you are lucky enough to get dealt a royal flush, never attempt to break it up. You’ve already won yourself a Jackpot.
Determine the highest combinations you can get with the cards provided and discard any cards that do not match this combination.

Most Popular Types Of Online Video Poker

Video poker is one of the most popular games that punters love to play at online casinos. There are many types of video poker that you can enjoy while winning real money.

Jacks Or Better

This is probably the most popular variation of video poker available. It uses a deck of 52 cards and offers a return to player rate of 96.54%. Jacks or Better is more suited for a 9-6 machine, which offers more payouts and a reduced house edge. However, other paytable variations can also be used. The name comes from the lowest winning hand you can get while playing this version of video poker. It also uses a deck of 52 cards.
Deuces Wild

Deuces Wild uses the same 5-cards, 52-deck system as Jacks or Better. However, this variant introduces the use of Wildcards. All twos serve as wildcards and can substitute for any card. It is much easier to win playing the Deuces Wild, but the payouts may be smaller compared to Jack or Better.
Bonus Poker

The main difference between the traditional jack or bettor and Bonus Poker is that the latter offers a higher payout for a four-of-a-kind hand. Bonus poker offers the most rewarding payouts on an 8-5 paytable.
Double Bonus Poker

Double bonus poker is a variation of Bonus Poker. It also offers a higher payout for four-of-a-kind card combinations; however, the payout of the 2 pair hand is reduced to an even ratio.

5

How To Start Playing Video Poker For Real Money?

Choose a casino from our list

To start playing video poker, choose any of the top online casino video poker options we’ve listed above for the best experience.
Choose a good welcome bonus

Compare the welcome bonus across the casinos we’ve listed and settle for the one you consider as the best offer.
Make a deposit

Your deposit allows you to claim your welcome bonus and start playing video poker for money.
Choose a game and wait until you get your cards

Choose video poker, place your bets, and be ready to get your 5-card combination.
Withdraw your winnings

Cash out your credits after each win or use a part of it to place new bets.

A Few Tips For Video Poker Players

Bet Maximum Coins

Maximum coins offer you the chance for the biggest payouts. Always go for the ‘Bet Max” button to bet up to five credits per game.
Mind The Pay Tables

The paytables determine your earnings; avoid settling for less-paying tables if you can get better alternatives.
Start With Low-Variance Games

To hone your skills and develop a better understanding of how video poker works, start with low variance games before playing the more complicated ones.
Don’t Guess, Learn Basic Strategy

Video poker is a game of skill. Base your decisions on the underlying strategies of the game rather than just guessing your way through.
Don’t Guess, Learn Basic Strategy

Bonus offers and promotions can help you maximise your chances and playing time. Always make good use of the best promotions.
Manage Your Bankroll

Don’t overextend yourself while playing video poker; have a budget and stick to it.

Author: William Grieve

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William is a marketing manager from Whangarei, New Zealand. If he is not playing competitive games on his PC, then you will find him dribbling the ball on the local basketball court with his team of childhood friends. William’s hobbies also include “a bit of tai chi on the weekend” and scrolling through social media platforms to better understand the market he caters to.