How to Play Video Poker – The Ultimate Guide 2022
Video poker machines became a thing back in the 1970s. Little surprisingly, this coincided with the breakthrough of personal computers. Video poker games took away the stress of sitting at a poker table and putting on a suitable poker face. Similar to slot machines that dated back even to the beginning of the 20th century, they arose the question of how to play video poker when first experienced by their players. This goes just as much for a localized video poker machine as it goes for video poker online slots.
For the sake of online video poker, we will now elaborate on the top-rated casino game. Little may you know that a video poker game offers quite a low house edge, unlike slot machines or other games like keno or the lottery. Nevertheless, there are apparent differences whenever you play online video poker variations like Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild, etc. Keep on reading our article and find out about these differences, as well as about the optimal strategy you can use to beat the gambling game. But first things first: let’s introduce you to video poker itself.
How to Play Video Poker and Win
Although video poker is an exciting game, its rules are relatively easy to understand. Online poker is generally based on a simple draw of five cards, ergo five-card draw poker. The game consists of a standardized 52-card deck. Video poker players start from this typical arrangement by wagering the initial money bet. For this purpose, bets range from a small bet of 1 coin up to a five-coin bet. Whether you head for maximum coins or not – each coin allows for a specific chip size and forms the overall bet.
Depending on the amount of money you wager, you can follow up in the pay chart how much money you can win whenever you hit a poker hand. A Straight Flush at a max bet level of five coins is usually the most rewarding hand. After you have set your wager, you click the “Deal”-button, and after that, the machine will present you with five cards. Out of these five cards, you can discard and hold as many as you want. You can, for instance, discard every single one or hold 3 cards and discard two others. Video poker games are not limiting you. Hands are paid out according to the pay table, and that’s it.
Best Video Poker Games: Variations
When it comes to determining the big difference between better machines and inferior ones, one cannot leave out the grave distinction between full-pay machines and low-pay games. Ever since the establishment of video poker machines, this aspect separated the highest-paying games from the lesser payback percentage ones. The best games have a very low house edge and thereby maximize the payback towards players. Payouts of up to 100% (and more) are possible when you choose the correct video poker game and play it optimally.
Online casinos are not eager to boast about the (theoretical) return, and that is why it remains up to video poker players to discover the better video poker machines. It depends on the pay tables and the main video poker variant in what you can do to get the most out of the casino game.
Jacks or Better
Jacks or Better is THE most popular type of video poker and is also often called Draw Poker. It would help if you got at least a pair of jacks to win money. The payback percentage of (full pay) Jacks or Better is an excellent 99,54%. Whereas this is true for the 9/6 Jacks or Better version, other variations are less attractive. From 9/5 Jacks or Better down to 6/5 Jacks or Better, the RTP can reduce to 95% (low pay).
Tens or Better Video Poker
The essence of Tens of Better does not differ much from Jacks or Better. The main point here is that the pay chart also returns cash for a pair of tens. The payback is located around the value of 99,1%. Find it at Wheelz.
Deuces Wild
Deuces Wild has the twist that 2s (deuces) are wild cards and can replace any other card within the hand. In theory, the payback of Deuces Wild is 100,76% which is pretty much the highest you can get. Let Mr. Bet Casino be your lucky charm with Deuces Wild.
Bonus Poker
With Bonus Poker, players get extra money for a winning hand containing 4 of a kind. Due to the bonus payments, the remaining values diminish, so the RTP is lower (99,2%). Play it at Spin Samurai.
Double Bonus Poker
Double Bonus Poker offers a payback of 100,17% if you play video poker online with a perfect strategy. The variation pays even better for 4 of a kind. The downside is that 2 pairs are reduced concerning their value: from 2 to 1 you go over to even money. Give it a shot at BetItAll casino.
Progressive Jackpot Video Poker
This kind of video poker equals slot machines with progressive jackpots. A progressive jackpot will increase by a particular increment for every wager placed in the game. The progressive jackpot is won whenever a player hits a particular winning combination at maximum bet. The expected return of progressive jackpot video poker games is only positive if the progressive jackpots are high-valued. Otherwise, this is a low pay video poker game.
Video Poker Strategy Chart: Basic Strategy
As you have probably already guessed, it is not just a matter of luck if you want to win at video poker. The payback percentages are unique to each game and solely apply if you play the best strategy at the current setup of one game. Similar to blackjack, there are tweaks and actions which you can take at specific moments during gameplay to optimize the payout. While it may seem alluring to start playing video poker and take one wild guess after the other, this will not do.
The more experienced you become with a basic video poker strategy, the lesser effect the casino can cast on your bankroll with its house edge. Since you play video poker under straightforward rule circumstances, the question will always be if you want to hold or discard cards from your hand and how many in each scenario.
Jacks or Better Strategy
First of all, it is essential to note that you will want to play a 9/6 Jacks or Better game. Any other pay table is not desirable. 9/6 means that you get nine coins for a full house while the flush pays six coins. Acquaint yourself with the Jacks or Better paytable before you start playing video poker. A Jacks or Better video poker strategy is all about knowing which cards of a hand are ranking highest and should therefore be held. The ranking is sequential and goes from top to bottom:
- Straight Flush, Royal Flush, or 4 of a kind
- Four cards until completion of a Royal Flush
- Full House, 3 of a kind, Straight, or Flush
- Four cards until completion of a Straight Flush
- Two pair
- High pair (a pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces)
- 3 cards until a Royal Flush
- 4 cards to a Flush
- Low pair (pair of tens and below)
- 4 cards towards an open-ended/outsight straight
- 2 suited high cards (literally Jacks or Better)
- 3 cards until completion of a Straight Flush
- 2 non-suited high cards
- Suited hand combinations of 10/J, 10/Q, or 10/K
- One J, Q, K, or A high card
- If none of those mentioned above is available within your hand, you are best off discarding every single card.
Example:
The available combinations are 9. Low pair (two 9s) and 13. 2 non-suited high cards (Jack and King). Since the low pair is ranking higher, you should discard J, K, and the 3 of clubs. 3 to a flush (of clubs) is insufficient, as our table shows. Try your skilled luck at Vulkan Vegas.
How to Beat Video Poker Machines
We just gave you a video poker strategy for playing Jacks or Better since it is the most common game in online casinos. The RTP is also neat with its optimal play payback of 99,54%. This is merely more than the beginning of developing the right attitude towards any video poker game. There are a few ground rules that you should always have in mind.
Video Poker Tips for Everyone
- Stay true to your skills: While it may seem natural to try a whole multitude of video poker machines, we suggest you stick to one variation. After all, you assert yourself with a bundle of strategic skills for one particular version.
- Check the paytable first-hand: It is utterly relevant that you study the pay tables of video poker machines before you start to play. Eventually, you can turn the advantage to your benefit if you manage to find a good-paying video poker game and maintain basic strategic decisions.
- Play maximum coins: It is imperative to play responsibly during real money play but with this said, we also have to add that the gambling game works best with a five coins bet. The payouts on a minimum deposit of one coin are crassly lower if you look at the table as mentioned earlier. Meanwhile, a Royal Flush with five coins offers sixteen times as much as the lower denoted Straight Flush does.
- Don’t dismiss better video poker games: By “better,” we mean that you should not choose low pay machines. Casinos are not necessarily interested in promoting high-RTP machines. Still, likewise, they are aware that low-pay versions such as 8/6 Jacks or Better have no long-term potential for keeping players.
- Lean back and think: The good thing about video poker machines is that you don’t have to hurry. You can choose to hold or discard cards at your own pace. It can be weird if you take 10 minutes at a real poker table to make a qualified decision, but when you play video poker online, you have all the time in the world. Use it!
- Take your shot at poker-related bonuses: It is, unfortunately, true that video poker machines offer little reason to be happy concerning casino bonuses. Quite universally, welcome bonuses and promotions apply to casino games like online slots where the RTP favours players. Nonetheless, there can be comps similar to those in land-based casinos where you can benefit from bonus money. A good example herefore is:
This offer only applies to residents outside of the Ontario region*
Casino
- Join the player’s clubs/VIP program: Poker VIP clubs in online casinos can be worthwhile since you will earn rewards for every poker hand. Betsson, for example, is a casino where you can collect loyalty points, which will again determine how much cashback you are eligible for ultimately. Give it a try here:
This offer only applies to residents outside of the Ontario region*
100% up to $200 + 100 Free Spins
Casino
Betsson
- Be realistic on how to win at video poker: Many times, the humble way is the golden path to fortunes. Although you might be up for video poker tips telling you how to cheat video poker machines, we have to disappoint you. Video poker games are guided by their Random Number Generator (RNG). This guidance results in every single draw being completely independent of its predecessor. There is no pattern here, nor is there any viable means of manipulating the system.
- Play video poker for free: Another essential piece of advice is that you should always try your luck with the demo versions of given poker games. Here at GuruCasinoBonus, we proudly offer free-to-play video poker for all our users.
Best Casinos for Playing Video Poker
Here is a fine selection of casinos where you can enjoy yourself among video poker games and use the helpful tools we have given you in advance:
- Casino Masters
- 1Bet
- Royal Tiger Bet
- Nine Casino
- CasinoJefe
- Oshi Casino
- Da Vinci’s Casino
- Moi Casino
- Wolfy Casino
- Highway Casino
The Bottom Line: Video Poker is Fun and Strategically Masterable
We hope that we have provided you with a clear overview of what it means to play video poker and thereby make the time spent valuable. A basic strategy does not require too much investment to get the hang of it. Using these strategies, you can reduce the naturally low house edge further. The rules are frankly simple, and if you follow our guide, you will make sure to optimize your gameplay without further ado.
Overall, playing video poker is a fun activity and equally rewarding if you are ready to make an effort. As an excellent alternative for online slots, it accounts for thrills in all its simplicity.
How to Play Video Poker FAQ
Can I play video poker for free?
Of course. You can go ahead and play video poker right here on-site at GuruCasinoBonus. We offer many variations from Deuces Wild to Bonus Poker and more.
How to cheat video poker machines?
No. Video Poker machines run over a Random Number Generator routine, preventing any external influences. May it be cheats or any other form of manipulation.
Is there a strategy to video poker?
There is indeed. A proper video poker strategy elaborates on the best-ranked combinations that you can have within your hand of five cards. According to this ranking, you will either hold or discard specific cards. This way, you can decrease the house edge.
What video poker game has the best odds?
Statistically, Full Pay Deuces Wild with an RTP of 100,76% offers the best odds.
How often does a video poker machine hit a Royal Flush?
A Royal Flush appears in about one of every 40,000 hands when playing Jacks or Better with optimal strategy.
Can a living be made of playing video poker?
Not really. And even if, then way below the general minimum wage of $15 in Canada. Given you mastered a perfect video poker strategy, you can earn $10 per hour. Not overly bad, but also far away from making a living.
How do you win at Jacks or Better?
Jacks or Better video poker is arguably the most straightforward type among video poker games. Just scroll up and check out the strategy chart we have established to learn how to play video poker.
