Guide to Playing Online Casino Video Poker – All the Details You Need to Know

Video Poker is another online game that’s actually been around for a long time. It was one of the first electronic games available for playing in land-based casinos. It’s very similar to slots but requires a little more effort and brainpower. It’s still very popular in live venues but has translated very successfully to the world of online gambling. For those of you who already have a penchant for playing slots, Video Poker is going to be right up your alley. And it’ll be a little bit more of a challenge, which should never be seen as a bad thing. There are a number of different ways to play video poker online. And the best online video poker casinos will have a wide selection.

Playing video poker online is a relatively new phenomenon

Compared to a number of other online casino games, video poker is merely a babe. Some of the games you can now play online have been played for centuries. Video poker is still in short trousers, so to speak, as it wasn’t even a twinkle in the games developers eyes in the mid 1900’s. It wasn’t until the 70’s when computers became more available that video poker was discovered. Poker, on the other hand was invented centuries ago. But while this present day game has a similarity to the aged old game of poker, it’s groundbreaking nature makes it something different all together. The first commercial video poker machines were introduced in 1979 and were known by the name SIRCOMA’s Draw Poker. The game became very popular and more and more casinos throughout the 1980’s had one in their establishments. A number of players, during the 80’s and 90’s developed techniques that were used to beat the video poker machines and a few realised that if they found the right tables and played an exact strategy they could come out on top. The casinos were obviously having none of that and today you’ll find far fewer machines with favorable pay tables. Towards the end of the 90’s, it became possible to play online video poker. The transition to an online format was easy because the game was already being played on a computer screen in land based casinos. New versions of the game were quick to come online and these were quick to take advantage of the benefits online video poker gambling could offer. The classic games are Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, but a growing number of different titles are joining them in the lobby of the video poker online casino.

So what exactly is video poker and how is it played?

Regular poker pitches you against a number of other poker players at the table. Video poker, on the other hand, is you playing against the machine. Basically, it’s a casino game based on five-card draw poker and is played on a computerized console much the same as slots. It uses a standard 52 card deck and at the beginning of the game you’ll be given a hand of five cards. It’s then up to you to decide which to keep and which to discard. Those you discard can be swapped, leaving you with a final hand which then has to be matched to the payout table to see whether and how much you’ve won. One of the benefits of playing video poker online is that you can play several hands at the same time. Something that’s just not possible in a land-based casino. You can play each hand differently and as many as 50 hands at one time. These options make for a far more exciting game than traditional poker and the potential rewards and risks are also exponentially magnified.

What are the benefits of playing online video poker?

For many years, it was only possible to play video poker by visiting an actual casino and sitting down to play at the machine. This was obviously not an option for a huge number of people so when the internet came along it opened up a whole new market for this exciting casino game. More and more players are jumping at the chance to play video poker online. But what is it that is making it so popular?

• Convenience – While enjoying video poker at a land-based casino is a once in a lifetime experience for many people, it’s not something most can choose to do on a regular basis. Being able to enjoy online video poker gambling takes care of the problem because you simply pull up a chair and enjoy the game from the comfort of your own living room. You don’t have to worry about jetting off to some far distant country or drive long distances to get your video poker fix. And with the latest technology available you can enjoy playing the best online video poker anywhere, anytime you want to.
• The bets at an online casino are much lower – If you play video poker at a live casino you’ll be expected to make much larger bets than those you can make at a video poker online casino. Minimum bets at an online casino can be as low as 1 cent, or 1 penny. Which makes it a far more affordable option for the majority of players. There are much higher bets that can be made if you want and can afford to take a bigger risk. But those who are just looking for some fun at a very small cost will find online video poker games are perfect.

• The variety of games is enormous – The variety of video poker games you can play online is far wider than a land-based casino is able to offer. There are a lot of online casinos you can play video poker at that offer a wide range of variations of the game. We’ll look at some of those shortly. But for now a few examples include Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Tens or Better, Double Bonus Poker and Joker Poker.
• It’s educational – We can already hear you laughing but it’s actually true. We’re not saying it’s educational in the sense that you’ll be learning something ground-breaking or life-changing. And it’s not going to teach you how to speak another language. Playing online video poker gives you the opportunity to become a better video poker player because there are tricks and techniques you’ll learn over time. Online video poker gambling sites will educate you with a selection of guides, articles and strategies to help you play better. And you’re already off to a flying start because you found your way here.

Is it possible to use strategies when playing video poker at an online casino?

There’s absolutely nothing you can do about the cards you’re dealt but there are strategies you can adopt when it comes to deciding which cards to hold and which to swap. But before this you need to know the various winning card combinations for the particular video poker game you’re playing. Let’s give you a list of how cards rank, starting with the lowest.

• High Card
• One Pair
• Two Pairs – two pairs of cards, each with the same value but different from the other pair
• Three of a Kind – three cards of the same value
• Straight – five cards that are in a sequence
• Flush – five cards of the same suit
• Full House – three cards of the same type along with a pair of cards of the same type
• Four of a Kind – four cards with the same value
• Straight Flush – five cards in a sequence all of the same suit
• Royal Flush – a hand consisting of an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and a 10

Now for some quick video poker tips to help you along the way.

• Get some practice in before playing with real money – If you think you can leave everything to chance and just wing it you’re going to be very disappointed and a whole lot poorer. Practice makes perfect in the world of online casino video poker. So get in as much as you possibly can before playing for real. There are a number of top online video poker casinos were you can try your hand at demo games and hone your skills before moving up to the real money games.
• Start with minimum bets – When you’re just starting out place only the minimum allowed as this will mean you can last longer as you play, which will increase your chances of winning. And benefit from more chances to land a big win. As your experience and your bankroll grows you’ll be able to increase the amount you’re placing on a single bet.
• When you’re ready, move up to the maximum bets allowed – We’re not being contradictory as we’ve said “when you’re ready”. When you’ve got enough experience and your bankroll is big enough to handle the losses you can place a number of larger bets. The more experience you have the better a position you’ll be in because you won’t need as many betting opportunities to secure a win. Therefore, you’ll be able to afford to place bigger bets. These tips may seem pretty obvious but you’ll be surprised how many players don’t follow them. You’ll actually be surprised what a difference it makes to your gameplay and increase the chances of winning. We’ll finish up by introducing some of the most popular online video poker casino games you’ll find.

Online video poker gambling games

• Jacks or Better – Almost every kind of casino game will be played in a number of different variants. But there will always be one that somehow manages to embody the true nature of the game and become the title/name/face that every player recognises. For video poker the variant is Jacks or Better. The gameplay is easy, the financial rewards are great and the game itself is actually very thrilling to play. It’s also the basis for all other video poker games including Deuces Wild and Joker Poker. In this particular game you win every time you get a pair of Jacks or better. High cards and one pair are not winning combinations in this particular game.
• Deuces Wild – Deuces Wild is just like playing real poker. You place your bet first and then you get five cards. From then on you work you way towards the best winning combination by choosing to either hold or change the cards you’ve been given. The winning combinations in this game are a little different. Royal Flush without Deuces is the biggest winner. Then it moves downwards as follows: 4 deuces, Wild Royal Flush (uses one or more deuces and the cards that typically form a flush), Five of a Kind and through to Three of a Kind. The best combination you can expect in your hand is 4 deuces.
• Joker Poker – This game is a little more complex and really requires a whole page dedicated to playing the game. So for now we’ll just give you an outline. The game is quite similar to regular video poker but you get the chance to change any card in your hand for a Joker. Therefore, the deck used in this particular version has a Joker. As with any other game you choose which cards to keep and which cards to swap for fresh ones.
• Multihand Video Poker – This online casino video poker game is played with more than one hand. It’s played much the same as regular video poker but rather than one hand you have several. Each hand is independent of all the others and you are able to choose the cards to keep and those to discard for each individual hand under your control. There’s not much difference with regards winning chances if you swap to multihand poker. It’s more a question of quality of playing experience in which this version stands head and shoulders above the rest. How exciting must it be to play with 50 hands of poker at the same time, rather than just one.

So there you have it. All you need to know to start enjoying the casino game of video poker online. Check back because we’ll have plenty more tips and tricks to help your playing experience. And don’t forget to read some of the other pages where we’ll be introducing some of the other great online casino games. And reviewing some of the top rated online casino sites, software and games.