Online Video Poker



Although it is a relatively new comer to the gambling scene, video poker and now online video poker are becoming very popular casino games. Online video poker has grown in popularity with the development of the Internet and online casinos. Online video poker may be one of the best casino game you can play for real money, particularly if you’re a serious gambler and want the best odds. Video poker / online video poker is a hybrid of basic five-card poker and a slot machine, so you need not only luck, but also strategy skills to play. Even the simplest strategy based on the rules of the game, can significantly increase a player's odds of winning. There is a large variety of video poker games in numerous permutations, all with slightly different rules and payouts, just waiting for you.

User Interface & Buttons
Video Poker Terms
Video Poker Game Variations
Featured Online Video Poker Casinos

If you are new to casino games, you may be initially confused between Video Poker and regular online poker. The way these two games are played is quite different. Although in both games the player wants to have the best hand, in video poker you play by yourself, whereas with online poker, you are at a table competing against other players. Therefor, strategy, the odds, and the objective for each game differs. For players who like a game of skill, the possibility of large wins, a low house edge, along with the anonymity of playing by alone, there is nothing else that can compare to online video poker. The rules of online video poker are simple. At the start of the game you receive five cards. You can choose to hold or to discard them. The game replaces the discarded cards with randomly chosen cards from the remaining deck. Once your final hand is assembled, you are paid  off according to the value of your final hand and the posted pay table. By wagering a minimum amount of coins, you will earn the lowest payout corresponding to your winning hand. By wagering 5 coins, which is typically the maximum bet in video poker, you will receive the highest payout IF you get a winning hand after the draw.

Basic Winning Combinations

Most Video Poker machines provide a guide that ranks conventional poker hands and its related odds and payout percentage, here is a quick summary to keep in mind that represents the basic winning combinations starting from the best possible payout (royal flush) from the top:

  • - Royal Flush Ace King Queen Jack Ten
  • - Straight Flush Ace King Queen Jack Ten - all in the same suit
  • - Full House 2 of a knd with 3 of a kind
  • - Flush all five cards are of the same suitbut don't have to be in numerical order.
  • - Straight all five cards are in numerical order, but can be of different suits
  • - Two Pairs or Two of a Kind -two cards of one kind and another two cards of one kind 
  • - Single Pair - all high pairs (Jack-Jack, Queen-Queen, King-King, Ace-Ace).
  • - Highest Single Card

Unlike online poker where you play against other poker players, online video poker is played against “the machine”. Online video poker is a single-player game where your goal is to make as high a hand as possible with the payouts reflecting how well you played your cards. Although some folks play online video poker just like slots, without consideration for any rules or odds, the reality is that video poker is based on poker and basically follows the same rules and principles and strategies. It pays to study strategy for the game. There are numerous sites on the web that offer online video poker analyzers with strategies that are usually strictly based on a particular pay table and variation of a video poker game. You may find them helpful. Besides using a strategy guide/ strategy chart, there are two other helpful ways to improve your skills at video poker. You can take advantage of being able to play free games, or use a video poker trainer.

Most online casino sites offer a good collection of the most popular online video poker games. Note that most our featured online casino sites offering video poker games accept US players.

Our Featured Online Video Poker Casinos:

  

Las Vegas USA Casino
Online Video Poker games that they offer:  All American Poker, Bonus Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker,7 Studpoker, Aces and Eights, Deuces Wild, Double Bonus Poker, Double Double Bonus Poker, Double Double Jackpot Poker, Double Jackpot Poker, European Slotpoker, Jacks or Better, Joker Poker, Loose Deuces, Mistery Bonus Poker, Pick em Poker, and Seven Wild. 
Las Vegas USA Casino accepts all US casino players

 

Sun Palace Casino
Online Video Poker games that they offer: Jacks or Better, Joker Poker, Loose Deuces,  Aces and Eights, All American, Bonus Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker, Bonus Poker Deluxe, Double Bonus Poker, Double Double Bonus Poker, Double Double Jackpot Poker, Double Jackpot Poker, European Slot Poker,  Mistery Bonus Poker, Pick em Poker, Seven Wild. 
Sun Sun Palace Casino accepts all USA casino players.

As of 2019 we regret to inform you that Slotocash Casino and Miami Club Casino no longer accept Australian Players.

Miami Club Casino Offers a variety of online video poker - more than 24 different games including: 2-4 Hand Aces and Faces, 2-4 Hand All American Poker, 2-4 Hand Bonus Poker, 2-4 Hand Bonus Poker, 2-4 Hand Deuces Wild, 2-4 Hand Deuces and Joker, 2-4 Hand Double Joker, 2-4 Hand Jacks or Better, 2-4 Hand Joker Poker, 2-4 Hand Tens or Bettere, Aces and Faces, All American Poker, Bonus Poker, Bump It Up Jacks or Better, Bump It Up Joker Poker, Deuces Wild, Deuces and Joker, Double Joker, Jacks or Better.
Online poker games include: Progressive Caribbean Stud, Red Dog, Tri-Card Poker.
Miami Club Casino accepts all USA casino players

Sloto' Cash Casino
1, 3, 10, 52 hands Online Video Poker games that they offer: Bonus Deuces WildBonus Deuces Wild, Bonus PokerBonus Poker, Bonus Poker DeluxeBonus Poker Deluxe, Deuces WildDeuces Wild, Aces and EightsAces and Eights, All American PokerAll American Poker, Double Bonus PokerDouble Bonus Poker, Double Double Bonus PokerDouble Double Bonus Poker, Double Jackpot PokerDouble Jackpot Poker, Double Double Jackpot PokerDouble Double Jackpot Poker, European Slot PokerEuropean Slot Poker, Jacks or BetterJacks or Better, Joker PokerJoker Poker, Loose DeucesLoose Deuces, Mystery Bonus PokerMystery Bonus Poker, 7 Stud Poker7 Stud Poker, Pick Em PokerPick Em Poker, Sevens WildSevens Wild
Sloto'Cash Casino accepts all USA casino players.

Uptown Aces Generic 120x240

Uptown Aces
1,3,10, 52 hands Online Video Poker games that they offer: Bonus Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker, Aces and Eights, All American Poker, Bonus Poker Deluxe, Deuces Wild, Double Bonus Poker, Double Double Bonus Poker, Double Jackpot Poker, European Slot Poker, Jacks or Better, Joker Poker, Loose Deuces, Sevens Wild, 7 Stud Poker, Mystery Bonus Poker, Pick Em Poker.
Uptown Aces Casino accepts all USA casino players.

Red Stag Casino offers a number of online video games -more than 24 different games including: 2-4 Hand All American Poker, 2-4 Hand Aces and Faces, , 2-4 Hand Bonus Poker, 2-4 Hand Bonus Poker, 2-4 Hand Deuces Wild, 2-4 Hand Deuces and Joker, 2-4 Hand Double Joker, 2-4 Hand Jacks or Better, 2-4 Hand Joker Poker, 2-4 Hand Tens or Bettere, Aces and Faces, All American Poker, Bonus Poker, Bump It Up Jacks or Better, Double Joker, Jacks or Better, Joker Poker, Mega-Hand Deuces, Bump It Up Joker Poker, Deuces Wild, Deuces and Joker,Mega-Hand Jacks or Better, Tens or Better.
Red Stag Casino accepts all USA casino players

More Featured Online Video Poker Casinos

Slots Capital Casino Online Video Poker games that they offer: Aces & Faces, Deuces Wild, Deuces and Joker, Double Joker, Jacks or Better, Joker Poker, Tens or Better.
Slots Capital Casino accepts all USA casino players.



 

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About Online Video Poker

With online gaming action easily available on the Internet it is not difficult to find sites that offer a huge selection of fun and challenging online Video Poker games.  Many online casinos provide both free download and no-download games. It's a great way to get to learn how to play the game as well as practice your skills.  And quite frankly, online casinos are the perfect practice tools for video poker players. Online video poker is preferred by many players who want to have a certain level of control over the game and its outcome. Most online video poker games pay back between 97% and 99.5% on average. This percentage refers to the long-term return of each game.

Some Video Poker Terms

There are numerous terms used when playing video poker. Some terms relate only to video poker games played at land based casinos. Other terms apply to both land based and online video poker.

Action
The amount of action refers to the amount you wager on a particular machine during a session. It icludes all bet regardless of the outcome.

Bonus Poker
Certain four of a kind hands are paid out at higher rates in the Bonus Poker video poker variant. The trade-off, however as compensation for these bonus payouts, players do not get paid out as much on lower hands .

Draw / Drawing Hand
After selecting any or all of the initial cards they are dealt, a player may draw for different cards only once. After hitting the draw button to get new cards the final hand is established.The final hand is compared to the pay table to determine if a win should be awarded.

Full Pay Machine / Full Pay Version
Full Pay describes the best version of a video poker machine with the highest payback percentage. Many online video poker games offer a six or eight various pay tables, each with a different payout structure and house edge. The best version is considered full pay. Each video poker game has its own full-pay version. Consequently, before starting a new version of a video poker games, it pays to not only read the pay tables, but also find a reliable source which posts the house edge for that game. For instance in Jacks or Better, the full pay version offers a 9:1 payout on the full house and a 6:1 payout on the flush. In Deuces Wild, a full pay machine can actually pay back over 100% when optimal strategy is used.

Kickers
Kickers or side cards are the set of cards in a standard five-card poker that aren’t included in the winning hand combination. For instance: a full house or flush has no kicker. Three of kind, four of a kind, two pair all have kickers. Another example: a player is dealt a pair of 10's, a 7, a 3, and a queen. The 7,3, and queen are considered kickers. Kickers do not take part in determining the rank of the hand, but may be used to break ties between hands of the same rank. In some variations of video poker, the kicker is extremely important as it can increase the payout on certain hands, such as four of a kind hands in double bonus poker. In other video poker games, the kicker will have no value.

Odds
As in most casino games, odds provide the player with a percentage chance of what outcomes will occur. The odds can instruct a player on what action to take based on the expected outcome.

Optimal Strategy
When players make the best possible decisions on which cards to hold and discard based on the odds and best payback percentage, this is known as optimal strategy.

Pat Hand
A pat hand is when a player is dealt a five card made hand that can’t be improved by drawing more cards. This occurs when an initial dealt hand is a  flush, straight, straight flush, or royal flush. Depending on the variant game, it can also occur when a player hits a four of a kind. You do not draw any additional cards with a pat hand.

Payback Percentage
The average percent of each bet that the machine will return. If the payback percentage is over 100%, the game is profitable for the player.

Pay Table
The pay table of a video poker game contains all winning combinations ranked together with their corresponding payouts. Players can immediately see how much they can win for a Full House or a Royal Flush. Each payout is based not just on the ranking of the hand but also on the number of coins wagered. Typically, video poker players can bet from 1 to 5 coins each round and the size of their bet determines the amount of money they are able to win for each hand. It is better to check the pay table of a video poker game before playing.

RTP The return to player (RTP) rate of a casino game refers to the percentage of a player's wagers that they will win back over an extended period of time. This varies from one game to another as the video poker rules alter the statistics. The RTP of a particular video poker variant game is worth investigating as some RTPs can be as low as 92%, while others are over 99%

Wild Cards
In many forms of video poker such as deuces wild and jokers wild, there are wild cards that can be substituted for any card in the deck to allow players to make the best possible winning hand. In Deuces Wild, all the twos are wild, thus players have four possible wild cards in the deck. In Jokers Wild, the joker acts as a wild card.

Winning Hand
A hand that is awarded a payout based on the pay table.

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The User Interface & Buttons Explained for a Standard Video Poker Game Layout

Although there are  slightly different rules of play for each variant of video poker, each game board will likely include some similar sections and buttons. The paytable will be clearly displayed in a table of payout amounts. There will also be a group of buttons that can be utilzed across the bottom of the screen for both play actions and betting alterations.
Everything is clearly labelled, so even if the buttons are placed in a different area of the screen in a particular variant, a player is able to find them. There may be special buttons and extra player positions for some online video poker variants, so try to play a free demo of the game to learn the video poker rules of play before wagering cash money.

Pay Table:
Helpful information that dictates how much a player can expect to win, based on their wager and selected row.
Deal:
The game begins by clicking this button with the “dealing” of  five cards into the player position.
Hold:
Once a player is dealt their initial five cards they’ll have the option of holding certain cards and discarding others to draw for new ones. The hold button allows a player to choose the particular cards they wish to hold.
Draw:
This is the second button to use while playing, replacing  the discarded extra cards with new cards.
Collect:
When a player holds a winning hand after the new cards are drawn, click the button to collect the win.
Double:
If your hand is winning, this button will start the ‘doubling’ mini game. You will compare cards with the dealer – highest card wins.
Player Position:
The plus and minus buttons adjust the amount of money in a wager.
Change Wager:
The  main playing position of the table where the cards are dealt.
Wager Amount (Bet):
The cost of the wager a player makes. Use the Change Wager’s plus & minus buttons to adjust this to fit your budget.
Max Bet / Min Bet:
Max Bet is the highest amount you can bet on a video poker machine on one hand. A max bet in video poker will be five coins at the rate of the machines particular denomination.
Min Bet is the absolute minimum that a game will allow you to wager on a single hand. It’s never a good idea to min bet. You want to always bet the maximum coins for the best payout. If a single bet too large for you, then drop down to a lower denomination machine.

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Video Poker Game Variations


Although there are multiple video poker games to choose from, some varieties are more popular than others. The rules and gameplay are essentially the same among all video poker games, with the main differences occuring in the hierarchy of hands, the number of cards, and the probability odds. Some of the most popular video poker games are:

 

Aces & Eights
In this version, hands containing four-of-a-kind eights or aces, and to a lesser extent sevens, result in higher payouts compared to other video poker games.

Jacks or Better
Jacks or better video poker is the basic game and still has some of the best odds. Many players simply call this game “draw poker”. The full pay version of this online video poker game is called “9/6 Jacks or Better” because you’re paid 9x the bet on a full house and 6x the bet on a flush. Its name derives from the fact the basic winning hand is a pair of jacks. If you receive a pair of jacks (or better) on this gaming machine, you win money. Otherwise, you lose the bet. The game has an RTP of 99.5%.

Joker Poker
The game is played with a 52-card deck plus the joker which is available from all of the well known casino softwares (RTG, Microgaming, Playtech, Cryptologic, Boss Media, Chartwell, Odds On, etc). Consequently, there are many Joker Poker paytables. The most common one is the 98.60%. To reflect the improved odds to players, the minimum qualifying hand is a pair of kings. Joker Poker has 2 main veriantions: Kings or Better and Two Pairs or Better. The Kings or Better variant pays out for 2 extra hands, a Pair of Kings and a Pair of Aces. Beacuse Kings or Better has better odds this is the version that should be played wherever you have a choice. Full pay Jokers Wild returns 100.6% but most widely available variations return less. The RTP ranges from 95.46% to 100.65% depending on the variant.

Jokers Wild
Also called Joker Poker. Players can use the one joker card added to the 52 card deck (53 cards in all) as a wild card to complete their hand. At least a pair of kings is needed to win any payouts though, to compensate for the improved odds. Full pay Jokers Wild has an RTP of 100.65%, but most widely available variations return less.

Deuces & Joker by Pragmatic Play is a highly volatile variation with the potential for massive payouts, although it doesn't give as many small wins. Played with a standard 52 card deck, Deuces and Jokers are wilds. Any hand that is less than Three of a Kind is a loss and 3 of a kind pays even money. The ultimate hand in Deuces & Joker is not a Natural Royal Flush but Four Deuces and a Joker which only pays an amazing 10,000 coins when max coins are bet! It is always better to bet max coins of a smaller denomination ($0.05 to $5) than one coin of a higher value. Check the game's the pay table.

Deuces Wild
Deuces Wild is similar to other Video Poker games such as Double Bonus or Jacks or Better that are played with a standard 52-card deck. The advantage the player gets is by having four wild cards in the deck. The pay table of Deuces Wild Video Poker is a bit less generous in comparison to other kinds of video poker. Single or two pairs do not even pay off; the payout starts at three of a kind at even money. Four deuces are usually the next strongest hand, only beaten by a natural royal flush. The best payouts are when betting the maximum of five coin. The game has an RTP of 100.76%

No So Ugly Ducks Deuces Wild
This variant of the Deuces Wild game is played with a 52-card deck, and the four deuces (#2 card) are wild cards, replacing any card to complete a winning hand. Play the max coins to benefit from the bonus payout on the royal flush and the corresponding 99.73% return for perfect play. If you play less than the max coins, the return significantly drops. Therefore always play the maximum of five coins when you play No So Ugly Ducks Deuces Wild to benefit from the 4000-coin bonus payout for a natural royal flush. The four deuces pays a mini-jackpot of 1000 coins which occurs once approximately every 5,000 hands. If a player gets a royal flush containing one or more deuces (known as a “wild royal”), they win 125 coins. The minimum paying hand is three-of-a-kind. The game has an RTP of 99.73%.

Loose Deuces
Loose Deuces is a variation of the Deuces Wild video poker game. The four Deuces (#2 card) in the deck are designated as wild cards. The minimum hand threshold required to earn a payout in Loose Deuces online has been raised to three of a kind. Loose Deuces gives an extreme bump in payouts for any hand with four deuces and also bumps up the payout for other attainable hands. Several pay tables have been devised for Loose Deuces video poker, so depending on the particular variation, the game can be drastically changed. A preferable pay table from the player’s perspective is known as the 15 / 10, due to the respective payouts for making five of a kind or a straight flush. Also known as “full pay,” the 15 / 10 pay table offers the highest expected return, and thus the lowest house edge. Players are rewarded with a much higher payout for natural royal flushes with maximum bets (five coins). Loose Deuces online doesn’t have the same drastic drop-off with its other online video poker variations. Both the 15 / 8 and 12 / 10 pay tables remain positive expectation games, and even the three other options maintain a house edge of less than 1 percent. The game has an RTP of Loose Deuces (11x) 99.78%.

Progressive Video Poker
Progressive video poker jackpots is one of the most fundamental video poker variations. It was adopted from slot machines. A progressive jackpot is simply a jackpot that is not fixed but rather increases as more people play. The jackpot gets progressively larger and larger as a percentage of each bet is added to the total prize. With online video poker games this jackpot is usually won by lining up a certain winning hand such as a royal flush (the chances of hitting this rare hand are estimated to be 1 in every 45,000 hands), although there are other variations where jackpots are won with four of a kinds and a special kickers or royal flushes of a specific suit. Payouts for Full House and Flush are lower with progressive video poker variants. If you enjoy playing progressive slots, then you should give progressive video poker a try. The difference between the two progressive jackpot casino games is video poker players actually have the chance to affect the outcome of the game thanks to using optimal strategies. The more the amount of the progressive jackpot increases, the lower the house edge becomes which also gives players a greater advantage.

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Many of the smartest video poker players are developing or have developed software to help teach other players how to play better video poker. Remember, this is one of those games where skill can make a difference. There are all sorts of video poker tools available. Some tools are created to supply you with perfect strategy charts, some analyze your play and point out your mistakes, and others are training programs that teach you how to play. As players become more experienced, the smart ones will probably utilize all these tools to improve their play and make more money.

Playing online video poker at home permits you to have your video poker tools available to help you with your playing strategies. Video Poker strategy charts are quite popular with many directed at the more experienced and sophisticated player. Their aim is to get the player to within 0.1% of the maximum payout percentage for the respective game. By practicing your favorite online video poker game for free at home, you can learn to play perfectly. Forget the numerous video poker myths.  You’ll have a much better chance of winning if you come to play armed with a good strategy and you pay attention to the Pay Table.

As a novice, when you play online video poker, it is wise when starting out, to try a variety of online video poker games before settling on the game you want to play. There are many different online video poker games. Some of those online video poker variations might have bonuses and even higher payout percentages than others. Make sure you're at the most profitable game available before you start playing seriously. You win the value of the hand when you make up one of the standard poker hands. Therefore it is important to know the hand values, as well as the game's Pay Table. Be sure to check the pay table for the specific online video poker game  you choose to play so you can see what the payouts are for different hands and bets.

If you are new to online video poker the rules are quite simple: you want to make the best possible hand. Each hand in online video poker has a certain value placed on each card combination. Based on the five cards that you are first dealt, you can choose how many cards you'd like to replace.  You can replace up to all five cards or none at all. Your final hand will determine how much, if any, it is worth. In many video poker games the range of value on the poker hands is huge winning you anything from $5 to a jackpot of $100,000.  The game permutations to online video poker are numerous. For a beginner, straight poker dealing simply 5 cards, with nothing wild, is probably the best way to start out. Many sites offer action strategy tables for all the popular online video poker games. If you follow these actions strategies precisely you should see a marked increase in the number of times you win over the times you lose in any given online video poker session. Most folks print out their strategy charts so you have them when you play at home.

Online video poker can be fun and relaxing in the comfort of your own home. If you enjoy skill-based gaming, then you’ll appreciate the journey it takes to becoming an nline video poker a successful player. Discipline is THE key to a common sense approach to gambling. Have fun, but don’t play over your head.

Some thoughts to leave you with:

  • - Never play a video poker variant until you’ve check how much it pays back.
  • - If you want to achieve top payback in any video poker game, you need to bet the 5-coin maximum on each hand.
  • - Video poker strategy will help you achieve the top payback
  • - Every video poker game features slightly different strategy from the next due to paytable differences. 
  • - Given the top-heavy payouts in video poker, this game has a lot of variance. Having a large bankroll to survive the downswings until you hit big payouts is helpful.
  • - Gambling can be highly addictive and as such, should always be approached responsibly and with due measure. If you or someone you know struggles with gambling addiction, contact a free gambling helplines such as www.begambleaware.com.

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