Video poker is not considered a classic card game in the traditional sense like poker variants such as Texas Hold’em or Blackjack. Instead, it’s a digital adaptation of five-card draw poker that became popular with the rise of electronic gaming in the 1970s. It’s often seen as a hybrid between pokie machines and poker. While it incorporates poker hand rankings and strategy, it’s more aligned with gaming machines and lacks the face-to-face dealer interaction typical of classic card games.
Video poker is a digital hybrid of five-card draw poker with poker machines.
How do you play Video Poker?
You place your bet, and then the machine deals you five cards.
Next, you decide which cards to keep (“hold”) and which to discard based on the likelihood of creating a winning hand.
After discarding, the machine replaces the discarded cards with new ones from the deck. Your final hand is evaluated against the paytable, with payouts awarded for matching winning combinations.
Depending on the game, these combinations can range from a pair of Jacks or better to a Royal Flush.
Each game has minimum and maximum betting limits, so check those before playing.
Some games offer a double-up or gamble feature, where you can try to double your winnings through a separate guessing game.
Additionally, certain variations feature a progressive jackpot that grows with each game until someone wins it.
Imagine you’re playing video poker and you’re dealt a pair of Queens. You decide to hold onto them and discard the other three cards. The machine then gives you three new cards, and you end up with three Queens, which is a winning hand!
| Hand | Description |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | An Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 all from the same suit |
| Straight Flush | A straight, all from the same suit |
| Four of a Kind | The same card from all four suits |
| Full House | Any three cards of the same number or face value AND any two cards of the same number or face value |
| Flush | Five cards of the same suit but not necessarily in sequential order |
| Straight | A hand of five cards in sequential order but not of the same suit |
| Three-of-a-Kind | Three cards of the same number or face value |
| Two of a Kind | Two cards of the same face value or number |
Table of Contents
Poker is one of the most overlooked games in all of gambling, and that is a shame because video poker has more than a few redeeming attributes that make it a game you should try out.
It is pretty simple. You’re playing poker on a machine and usually dealt a five-card hand. You can stay or draw more cards.
For most of these games, you only get a payout if you hit jacks or better in a pair (you won’t win if you have a pair of twos or a high card hand).
Video poker is not that experimental in these areas. Several video poker machines are of the time when it was introduced in the 1970s and 80s.
But often, punters never realise what video poker can attribute that pokies can’t match.
Here are the top 5 reasons you should play video poker more often than pokies and why should you play it more often than pokies.
1 – High RTP of Video Poker
Video poker may not match the allure of pokies in terms of 3D graphics and massive jackpots, but it stands out with a higher return to player (RTP), sometimes exceeding 99%.
By employing the best video poker strategy, players can discover machines offering close to 100% RTP.
To maximize your gains, identify games with higher payouts and seek out the “full-pay” versions, which feature the top paytable for a specific variation.
Be selective in choosing both land-based and online casinos, opting for those with video poker variants that offer favourable payouts.
Playing video poker strategically can lead to better returns than other casino games.
The next step is determining which land-based and online casinos offer profitable video poker variants.
It is better to look up your favourite software providers and check what video poker RTP they offer.
Here are the best-paying variations that are found:
- Microgaming All Aces (Double Bonus) = 99.92% payback
- RTG 8/5 Aces & Eights = 99.78%
- Bovada Double Jackpot = 99.63%
- RTG 7/5 Aces & Eights = 99.63%
- 9/6 Jacks or Better (offered by several providers) = 99.54%
2 – Video Poker Offers the Most Stimulating Strategy
Involving strategy to win in any game can impact your overall gameplay and wins. Video poker offers some of the most stimulating strategies.
On each hand, your strategy can influence your long-term odds of winning. Keep hands together that give you the best odds to win long-term profits.
For all video poker variants, you need to define a different strategy.
Video poker is different from games like blackjack, craps, or pokies because it’s all about strategy.
Every decision in video poker matters and affects how well you do against the casino. The better your choices, the more likely you will succeed over time.
To make the most of this strategy, learn the right approach for your video poker games.
Games like 8/5 Bonus Poker and 9/6 Jacks or Better have different ways of paying out for certain hands, so understanding these details is crucial for winning more.
The good news is that you can quickly learn the right strategy. Graphics in some games and training programs, free or paid online, help you understand the differences between video poker versions.
Mastering these strategies makes playing video poker even more exciting, especially if you enjoy a bit of a challenge in casino gaming.
3 – Big Payouts
Prizes are the major aspect for which video pokers are known. The payout size depends on how much you wager on each hand.
You should wager five coins every time to get the maximum value from your bets.
Some games even have progressive jackpots, just like poker machines.
Although the largest video poker jackpots never grow as large as the progressive pokies, they still pay out prizes worth thousands of dollars.
For Example
- Consider a Jacks or Better hand, which may yield 250 coins with a 5-coin bet.
- Explore bonus variants offering additional payouts, including enticing rewards of 1,000 coins or more.
- To optimize your earnings, concentrate on these advantageous options.
4 – Lowest House Edge
Understanding the house edge is crucial when playing online casino games, as it directly influences your chances of winning.
Video poker stands out with the lowest house edge, offering some of the best odds for players.
Below is a comparative table showcasing the house edge of video poker in contrast to other popular online casino games:
| Casino Game | House Edge |
|---|---|
| Video Poker | 0.5% – 5% |
| Bingo | 2.5% – 11% |
| Baccarat | 1.06% – 1.24% |
| Blackjack | 0.43% – 2% |
| Roulette (Single Zero) | 2.7% |
| Roulette (Double Zero) | 5.3% |
| Craps | 1.36% – 1.41% |
| Ultimate Texas Hold’em | 2.20% |
| Pai Gow Poker | 2.84% |
| Video Keno | 8% – 15% |
| Pokies | 5% – 15% |
This makes video poker appealing for those seeking a strategic gaming experience.
As evidenced by the table, video poker boasts a remarkably low house edge, ranging from 0.5% to 5%, providing players with favorable odds.
5 – Video Poker Gives Solitude
Some player loves the solitude offered by machine-based gambling. You can find many video poker machines in the quiet corners of casinos.
You can enjoy solitude with your buddy, visit the casino together, and play games away from the action.
Not everyone who enters a casino is a serious player, and that’s completely okay.
But if you’re the kind of person who walks into a casino with the mission of walking out with extra money in your pocket, or if you’re serious about turning gambling into a career, then video poker is the game for you.
It has quite a simple reason! If you get down the strategy for every pay schedule and understand what you’re doing, it becomes intuitive that you will make a profit over time.
It’s the one game in the casino where you can do well and turn your gambling into a career.
But to go for it in terms of making gambling your full-time career, you probably need to think about playing poker against other people.
This game is just like Five-Card Draw Poker at its core. You can go as in-depth with video poker strategy as you want. Even if you don’t opt to master video poker, you’ll find it very easy to play this game.
Our Verdict
Video poker provides enough reasons to choose this game, including stimulating strategy, high RTP, variety, tournaments, and much more.
You do have to learn proper strategies to make the most out of video poker games. But you may enjoy the journey towards mastering certain video poker variants.
On the contrary, you can always play this game just for fun. Video poker offers some of the easiest gameplay in the casino.
Other benefits of video poker machines include large prizes, more control, and good comp value. These and other benefits sound enticing, so you should spend more time on them.
The sheer variety of video poker games is enough to play this game.
There are many classic games like Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, along with unique variants like Peek and Play and Hot Roller Poker Multiplier.
So, it is better to polish your gambling and gameplay skills by playing video poker more often!
FAQs
Can I play video poker for free?
Many casinos offer free video poker versions for practice. This is a great way to understand the game before playing with real money.
What makes video poker a better choice than pokies?
Video poker offers a higher return to player (RTP), providing better odds of winning. With the right strategy, some machines offer close to 100% RTP, unlike many pokies.
How do I find high-paying video poker variations?
Look for “full-pay” versions of video poker with the best paytables. Some variations with high RTP include Microgaming All Aces, RTG 8/5 Aces & Eights, and Bovada Double Jackpot.
Is strategy important in video poker?
Yes, strategy plays a crucial role in video poker. Learning and implementing the right strategy for each variation can significantly improve your long-term odds of winning.
What are the advantages of playing video poker?
Video poker offers payouts, stimulating strategy, skill-testing tournaments, and the solitude of machine-based gambling. It provides a unique combination of strategy and simplicity.
Are there video poker tournaments?
Yes, video poker tournaments test your skills against opponents. Skilled players can benefit from long-term profits as there is no house edge. Tournaments often feature prizes for top finishers.
Are there video poker machines at SkyCity Auckland?
No, there aren’t any video poker terminals at SkyCity.
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