If you want to play poker but find tournaments too time consuming and cash games too depleting on your bankroll, what can you do?
One option is video poker, in which the rules of engagement are simple: make up the best possible poker hand from your cards and receive a prize accordingly, as outlined in the paytable.
Although less strategic and attention grabbing as traditional poker, video poker is still an excellent option for new players to card games that are still getting to grips with the rankings of poker hands, and if you don’t have the time to fire up a tournament or cash game then video poker is a more-than-satisfying alternative.
What is Video Poker?
Video poker is, as the name suggests, a video based game that takes inspiration from the rules of the five-card draw variant of the game.
You can enjoy video poker at an online casino or at slot machine style terminals in many casinos around the world – the rules are the same in both forms.
The object, as ever, is to make the best possible poker hand using your cards, although you’re not restricted to just the first five that you are dealt….
What is the Difference Between Poker and Video Poker?
When you load up a game of online poker, you are either playing against other players (tournament, cash games, sit & go etc) or against the computer in variants such as Casino Hold’em.
But in video poker, there is no ‘competitive’ element implied – your sole mission is to make the best poker hand possible. There’s no bluffs, no bad beats and no being trumped by a better hand….you will score a full payout based upon the cards you have and the paytable for that particular game.
While traditional poker is the more strategic of the two forms, that’s not to say that video poker doesn’t have a need for tactical thinking. Knowing when to hold low-value pairs over high single cards, and when to split up straights and flushes, is vital to maximising your chances of success.
What are the Rules of Video Poker?
As mentioned, you’ll receive a hand of five cards to work with initially.
Consider the quality of this hand and then decide which of the cards you wish to keep and which you want to discard – remember, the object is to land the best possible poker hand to secure the highest payouts.
You will see a ‘hold’ button appear on screen underneath each of your five cards. To keep them, simply click hold on as many or as few of them as you like. Those that aren’t held will be lost on the second deal.
If you choose to discard some or all of your cards, you will be dealt new ones as replacements – these cannot be changed, so this is your final hand. It’s also worth noting that there isn’t a second betting round here; the only stake you put into video poker is the one you wager before any cards are dealt at all.
How much you will win will depend on the hand you have made and the paytable for the particular video poker variant that you are playing.
What are the Payouts in Video Poker?
Each video poker game has its own unique paytable, so be sure to check out the information before you start playing.
So there is no set payout in video poker, although as you would expect the better the hand you have, the more you will win.
One of the most popular video poker variants is Jacks or Better, which pays out as follows:
- Pair of Jacks (or better) – 1:1
- Two Pair – 2:1
- Three of a Kind – 3:1
- Straight – 4:1
- Flush – 6:1
- Full House – 9:1
- Four of a Kind – 25:1
- Straight Flush – 50:1
- Royal Flush – 250:1
As you may have guessed, if your hand is weaker than a pair of jacks then you will lose your stake.
What are the Different Types of Video Poker?
There is no universal version of video poker played across each casino: there’s lots of different variants to choose from.
As touched upon, Jacks or Better is the most common form of video poker. Players tend to like it because it only takes a high-value pair to get your stake back as a 1:1 payout, however some of the other prizes are not as high as they might be.
Aces and Eights is similar in nature to Jacks or Better, however the difference here is that you will secure an enhanced payout for landing four aces, four eights or four sevens.
Deuces Wild is a fun take on video poker – all twos are wild, which means that they can substitute for all other cards to create winning hands where there otherwise might not be one.
In Bonus Poker, you will score an enhanced payout when you achieve certain hands – it could be four-of-a-kind or specifically four aces.