Online Video Poker

Video poker is an immensely popular online casino game that is fairly easy to play and is perfect for poker novices and experts alike. Video poker is a blend of poker and slots whereby, instead of matching reel symbols, players match up hand values. However, rather than just being down to pure chance, there is an element of skill involved in video poker. There are a number of variations of video poker, such as: “Jacks or Better” and “Deuces Wild”. These are simply differentiated by their payout tables and designated wild cards.

Guide to playing Video Poker online

Players place a stake and are dealt five cards, after which they have one opportunity to discard any number of unwanted cards and are dealt an equivalent number of replacement cards. Unlike normal variants of poker, in video poker the player does not play against other players: the sole aim is to get the best possible hand which at least meets the minimum hand required for a payout (often at least a pair of Jacks).

Winning Poker Hands
In case you are unfamiliar with the basics of Poker, listed below are the rankings of winning poker hands:

Video Poker Variants
Variants of Video Poker differ by:
• Number of coins: the maximum amount of coins which can be played per hand.
• Payout tables: a key variant to video poker games are the payout tables as these determine the minimum hand required for a win. For example, in “Jacks or Better” the minimum hand requirement is a pair of Jacks.
• Wild cards: some video poker games have certain cards which are designated as “wild cards”. Such wild cards automatically complete the highest possible hand available from your current hand. An example of this is in Deuces Wild where 2’s are designated as wild cards.
• Multi Hands: a relatively new variant to video poker is the use of multiple hands. After you hold/discard cards from your initial hand these are then duplicated into a number of different hands which then receive their own unique draw from separate decks. Instead of simply multiplying your payout by the number of coins you played, in multi hand variants payout are also determined by the number of hands played and the number of winning hands.