Video Poker is not a casino table game, but you will find it in most casinos as an electronic game. The game is very popular since it has a high RTP of 99.5% on some video poker games.
You can practice most video poker variations online for free! This gives you a chance to practice your betting strategy with zero risk to your funds. It may also help you understand whilst hitting a straight flush might sound quite easy you’ll really see how often that x4000 payout comes up… or more noticeably how often it DOESN’T come up!
Most video poker games follow the same ranking hands of 5 card draw poker.
Royal flush: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10 suited.
Straight flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit; for example, 4,5,6,7, 8 all clubs.
Four of a kind: Four cards of the same rank; for example, Jack of hearts, Jack of clubs, Jack of diamonds, Jack of spades.
Full house: Three cards of one rank, two cards of another rank; for example, 7 of diamonds, 7 of clubs, 7 of spades, Queen of hearts, Queen of spades.
Flush: Five cards of the same suit but not in consecutive order; for example, ace, 10, 6, 5, 3, all clubs.
Straight: Five consecutive cards of mixed suits; for example, 3 of clubs, 4 of spades, 5 of clubs, 6 of spades, 7 of hearts.
Three of a kind: Three cards of the same rank; for example, 8 of clubs, 8 of spades, 8 of diamonds.
Two pairs: Two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank; for example, Ace of spades, Ace of clubs, 3 of hearts, 3 of diamonds.
Pair of jacks or better: Two Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces.
How to play video poker:
First you must place your bet. If you want any chance of winning the top prize you must play max bet.
Next you will be dealt 5 cards. You must choose which cards you will hold. This means selecting which cards you want to keep. The remaining cards will be redrawn and hopefully make a better winning combination.
Of course, there is a lot of luck involved. Perhaps you are 1 card away from a flush. But if you swap that card, what are the chances you will hit the one you need? If you don’t have any other winning combination it’s worth a shot, but what if swapping it means sacrificing a lower value but winning hand? This is where your skill as a player comes in.
The reason the RTP is so high on video poker is you can influence the outcome of the game by playing to best strategy. Please note the strategy for video poker changes depending on which game you are playing since the odds of hitting each combination and the payout may change.
Practice for free:
It is a really good idea to practice in free play or demo mode. This can help you understand how to play the game, and also try different variations of video poker to find the version you prefer. You can practice your strategy to understand how your decisions can affect the outcome of the game.
The paytable at the top of every video poker game will display your potential winnings depending on your bet size.
