Contrary to widespread belief, online Video Poker bears only superficial resemblances to tradition poker games such as Five-Card Draw Poker. So before jumping into the rules and strategies of Video Poker, clear your mind of any (or most) pre-conceived Poker assumptions.
Online Video Poker Rules
The objective in Video Poker is to make a winning hand according to that particular game's paytable. Since you compete against this paytable, and not against other players, there is no bluffing. The game begins once you've inserted virtual coins into the machine. You're then dealt five starting cards from a single 52-card deck (some bonus Video Poker games may include a joker or other additional cards). Here is the list of Video Poker hand rankings (from highest to lowest):
- Five of a Kind (only possible in games with wild cards
- Royal Straight Flush (straight flush from Ten - Ace)
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pairs
- One Pair (Usually Jacks or Better, sometimes Tens or Better)
Upon viewing your first five cards, you have the option of keeping new ones, as well as holding onto any that you may like. Contrary to real life poker, four Queens are not more valuable than four Sevens, A King-high straight is not more valuable than a five-high straight, and a pair of Aces is not more valuable than a pair of Jacks - you get the idea. The purpose of pointing this out is to show that there is no value in holding onto a strong kicker such as an Ace when choosing which cards to drop.
Once you've decided on which cards you'd like to hold onto, you click the "deal" button to receive your new cards. The paytable to the left is a commonly used Jacks or Better paytable that shows you the minimum thresholds required for payouts. Note that there is a majorly disproportional payout for Royal Straight Flush hands when playing five coins (5 x 250 coins is only 1250 coins, as opposed to the 400 paid out when playing five coins). If and when you're able to, it always pays to Play the Max Coins allowed at a Video Poker machine. If you cannot afford to play the max coins, you'd be better off to find a Video Poker machine with lower minimums so that you can play the max coins allowed. Additional noteworthy pieces from this table are the single-coin payouts for a Flush (six coins) as well as for a Full House (nine coins). This pay scale indicates that this is a Full Pay Online Video Poker Machine. You should always look to play at these types of machines.
Why Play Online Video Poker?
If you're looking for a game that can pay out big money in the short run, then you'll find Video Poker to be very interesting. This is one of those casino games that offers you the chance to come out with profits of as much as 4000-5000 times your bet. On the other hand, if you're interested in playing long-term, Video Poker can also be a wise choice. You'll have to be smart though and choose games with high expected returns. Always take a look at a Video Poker game's paytable before playing. What you want to find is a Video Poker game with an expected return above 100% over the long haul. When played correctly, these games will deliver profits, with or without lady luck on your side. Again, just be certain to select a game with a favorable paytable. Two extremely popular Video Poker games, with typically excellent paytables are Jacks or Better Video Poker and Deuces Wild Video Poker.
Additional Video Poker Resources:
Video Poker Royal Flush Probabilities
Best Online Video Poker Games
Free Online Video Poker Games