| Updated: October 3, 2024Video poker is an interesting and surprisingly rewarding casino game that follows the basic rules of table draw poker but it is much simpler than the traditional game. Although it has been around for more than 30 years, there are still casino players who are unaware that video poker offers the best odds in the casino. In fact, some variations of the game promise a negative house edge if played with an optimal strategy.
Since in land-based casinos, video poker is played on machines that resemble slots, it is often misunderstood and ignored by gamblers as a game that relies on chance. In reality, it requires a good amount of knowledge and skill, the ability to spot the games with the highest return, and the financial discipline needed when taking part in any form of gambling. In this guide, novices will learn the basics of all this, as well as essential aspects of video poker, including the rankings of the poker hands and how they pay out.
The following guide to video poker online also lists the most popular variations of this game and explains the differences between single and multi-hand video poker. It also brings forward the importance of full-pay video poker and includes information about the different software development companies, which have created the most online variations.
Basic Rules of Video Poker
The standard game of video poker is based on 5-card draw poker, which is why it is sometimes called simply draw poker. It is played with a single standard deck of cards, which is “shuffled” before each deal – of course, since this is an automated computer game, there is no actual shuffling. Still, cards are dealt randomly and it is impossible for players to count them or for casinos to manipulate them. There are two deals in each game round and the goal is to form a winning poker hand.
Adjusting the Bet
Available Buttons Wild CardsAdjusting the Bet
The game starts once players place their bets and choose the Deal button. Of course, to make the most of their play, they need to adjust the size of the stake. Typically, they can bet 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 coins of different denominations ($0.05, $0.10, $0.20, $0.50, $1, $2, $5, etc.).
Available Buttons
Once the bet has been placed, players need to choose the Deal (Deal/Draw) button and they will be dealt 5 random cards. Here, they have the option to keep any number of cards with the Hold button or they can choose to discard them all. Clicking the Deal button once more removes the discarded cards and new ones are dealt in their place.
If a winning poker hand has formed, the player receives a payout according to the specific paytable of the game. Most video poker versions also give players the chance to double their winnings with the Double/Gamble button. Usually, players need to predict the color of a playing card or to guess whether it is high or low. If they succeed, the winnings from the current round will be doubled and if they fail to guess correctly, they will lose the gambled amount.
Wild Cards
Some variations of video poker include the so-called wild cards – cards that can substitute any other card from the deck. Originally, Jokers played this role but any card could be a wild substitute. One of the most popular video poker versions, Deuces Wild, features wild Twos, for example.
Video Poker Pay Table
There are various payouts in video poker and they depend on the ranking of the specific poker hand that has been formed. In fact, the payout depends not only on the strength of your combination of cards but also on the size of the bet. Usually, the highest-ranking hands in video poker pay a little bit more when betting the maximum number of coins. Here are the payouts for all 1-coin play:
- Royal Flush – 10, J, Q, K, A of the same suit; 250:1
- Straight Flush – 5 consecutive cards of the same suit; 50:1
- Four of a Kind – 4 cards of the same face value; 25:1
- Full House – 3 of one card and 2 of another; 9:1
- Flush – 5 cards of the same suit; 6:1
- Straight – 5 consecutive cards of any suit; 4:1
- Three of a Kind – 3 cards of the same face value; 3:1
- Two Pairs – 2 pairs; 2:1
- Jacks or Better – 2 cards of the same value, a pair of Jacks or higher; 1:1
When players bet 5 coins, however, the payout for Royal Flush jumps to 4,000:1 – typically, it should be 1,250:1 (5×250:1). This is why experienced players recommend always playing video poker with the maximum number of coins.
The Mechanics behind the Game
Video poker players sometimes mistakenly believe that a long losing streak must be followed by a streak of wins that will make up for the lost rounds. Others think that a slot or a video poker machine will be at some point “due” to hit a big win. But these are all misconceptions and forms of the so-called “gambler’s fallacy”. In reality, the game of video poker consists of random, independent events.
To be consistently successful when playing this game, casino patrons need to understand its mechanics. There are two basic concepts every video poker fan should know – randomness and house edge.
RNG RTP and House EdgeRNG
Just like all computerized casino games, video poker produces random results with every deal and game round. Randomness is achieved by the use of a random number generator (RNG), which is a piece of software built-in in every game. It uses a complicated pseudo-random number algorithm that generates sequences of numbers that cannot be predicted in any reasonable way.
As a result, each card that is dealt throughout the game round in video poker is random and does not depend on any previous or next cards. This means that losing or winning streaks simply appear as “streaks” but in reality, they happen by chance and players cannot rely on them to create some strategy or betting system. Moreover, a Royal Flush may not appear in a million rounds but at the same time, it may appear three times in a row, even though such a favorable scenario is highly unlikely.
RTP and House Edge
All casino games, including video poker, offer a long-term advantage to the casino and this is known as house edge. It is secured by a small difference between the payout and the “true odds” of the different outcomes in the game. The odds represent the likelihood of a winning hand appearing in each round – for instance, the odds of having Royal Flush in the initial draw are very low, at 649,740 to 1.
The typical Jacks or Better game has a house edge of 0.46%, which suggests that players can expect to lose $0.46 out of their $100 total bet. This is a simply theoretical concept, however, that is true for an unlimited number of rounds – in reality, players can end up with a profit or at a larger loss. The house edge and the Return to Player can be seen as the two sides of a coin a Jacks or Better game with a house edge of 0.46% will have RTP of 99.54%.
How to Choose a Video Poker Game?
Video poker may be a skill-based casino game but still, the outcome is heavily dependent on pure chance. This is why players should carefully choose the variation of video poker and the specific game that would suit their skill level, bankroll, and personal preference.
Full-Pay Video Poker Single vs Multi-Hand Video Poker Progressive Video PokerFull-Pay Video Poker
The first thing casino players should do is search for a full-pay video poker variation. The term refers to the amount of money offered by any specific version and more precisely, for two poker hands – Full House and Flush. A full-pay Jacks or Better, for instance, is a 9/6 game, offering 9 and 6 times the bet size for getting Full House and Flush, respectively. Games with lower payouts such as 8/6 or 6/5 should be avoided.
Single vs Multi-Hand Video Poker
Another thing to consider is playing with multiple hands simultaneously – this is a preferred option for experienced players who have a higher tolerance for risk. In multi-hand video poker, you receive one hand at the beginning and after you choose which cards to hold, they are replicated in all 5, 10, 25, 50, or even 100 hands. Each hand is independent and dealt from its deck of cards. More importantly, the original bet is multiplied by the number of hands you play with.
Progressive Video Poker
Some video poker releases feature a progressive jackpot – a jackpot that increases with every bet placed in the game. Usually, the jackpot is paid when players get a Royal Flush or some other specific hand. It should be noted, however, that the progressive jackpot will most likely be unlocked only when betting the maximum amount of coins.
- Tens or Better Variations
- Deuces Wild Variations
- Jacks or Better Variations
- Video Poker Variations
- Hand Rankings in Video Poker
- Video Poker Rules
Popular Video Poker Games
Major Providers of Video Poker Software
Due to its relative simplicity and very low house edge, video poker has a loyal following, especially among online casino players. Software development companies are, of course, trying to meet the demand for challenging and interesting video poker variations. And many of them have released a good range of single and multi-hand video poker titles over the years.
Microgaming NetEnt Playtech BetsoftMicrogaming
Founded more than two decades ago, the software provider from the Isle of Man Microgaming launched the first online casino in 1994. The studio is famous for its slots with huge progressive jackpots but it also has a large collection of video poker games in its portfolio. Many of them are available in multi-hand mode and those can be found within the Power Poker series.
NetEnt
NetEnt is a Swedish developer of online casino software and since 1996, it has released a diverse range of award-winning slots, table games, and video poker variations. Along with Microgaming, it is known to offer games with exceptionally high RTP rates. The company also has a fantastic Live Casino platform that powers some of the leading gambling websites today.
Playtech
Playtech is one of the largest developers of online gambling software and its gaming portfolio is incredibly diverse. In terms of video poker offerings, it has all the basic variations of the game and has added several unique titles such as the 10-hand Jacks or Better Progressive, the single-hand Mega Jacks Progressive, and 2 Ways Royal, which offers RTP of 99.80% with perfect strategy.
Betsoft
Betsoft was established in 2006 and since then, it has developed a great number of online casino games, including unique 3D slots, realistic card and table games, as well as beautifully designed video poker variations. In addition to the standard video poker games, Betsoft also has several one-of-a-kind pyramid pokers, which are quite different from anything else created so far.