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How to play Video Poker – a Guide for Beginners and Pros

Video poker is an interesting casino game that has different gameplay mechanics compared to the classic poker that many experienced casino players know and love. Video poker machines don't have poker tables, but they can still give prizes to players with the best hands in the card games.

While it may look like a slot machine at first, video poker actually has more features and strategies involved in its gameplay. Exclusive slots in online casinos are very simple to play, while video poker requires you to think about the cards in your hand and know which ones to discard. However, both slot games and video poker machines offer a big win prize or jackpot.

There are numerous strategies that can be applied to video poker, and some of them are exclusive for specific types of the games. If you want to know more about these strategies, we are here to provide you with a guide on video poker tips and tricks for beginners and pros.

How is Video Poker Different from Online Slots?

There are many differences between video poker and slots despite their similarities at first glance. Below is a list of the features of video poker that are not found in online slot machines.

The Rules of Video Poker

In online video poker, the objective is to get a winning combination using five playing cards. You will first be dealt a hand of five cards, and then you can choose which of those cards you are going to discard. You have the choice of discarding all five of your initial cards.

Once the cards are discarded, you can then draw a random card and see if those new cards gave you a better chance of getting a winning combination.

The winning combinations for this gambling game are the same as the ones you will find in classic poker tables, and these include two-pair, three-of-a-kind, straight, flush, full house, straight flush, and royal flush. You will need skills to know which cards to discard in order to get these winning combinations more frequently.

You can access the best poker games, including video poker, in online casinos. These online casinos allow you to play legitimate casino games using your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Video Poker Variants

There are various variants of video poker that you can play in land-based and online casinos. Each of these variants offers unique gameplay mechanics that make the games more fun and exciting for both beginners and experienced players. Here is a list of the best video poker variants and their features.

Jacks or Better

In this variant, you would want to avoid having a hand that has a pair of jacks, as this is considered to be the lowest winning hand of the game. So, the game is called "Jacks or Better" simply because the jacks are considered one of the lowest cards despite them being relatively high in the rankings of the best poker games in online casinos.

Deuces Wild

In Deuces Wild, cards with the value of "2" are considered wild cards, which is the type of card that can serve as a substitute for other cards in the game. So, if there are "2" cards in your hand, you will have a better chance of having the best hands for the round.

Joker's Wild

Joker's Wild is a variant of online video poker wherein the joker cards are the wild cards instead of the "2" cards. However, there are instances where there are only a few Joker cards in the game's deck, so getting a wild card is more difficult in Joker's Wild compared to Deuces Wild.

Bonus Poker

This specific variant of video poker features the same gameplay mechanics of Jacks or Better, but there is a feature wherein you can get a higher payout percentage if you produce a four-of-a-kind in your hand.

Double Bonus Poker

Double Bonus Poker is another variation of Jacks or Better, but the difference is that it gives a higher payout for having four aces in the player's hand.

Double Double Bonus Poker

In Double Double Bonus Poker, you can get bonuses for different four-of-a-kinds and the fifth card that isaccompanying it. A four-of-a-kind with four aces and with a 2, 3, or 4 card would have a higher payout compared to the four-of-a-kind with a higher card than 2, 3, or 4. There are also bonus payouts with four-of-a-kind combinations that arecomposed of 2, 3, or 4 cards and are accompanied by an ace.

Strategies for Every Variant of Video Poker

In order for you to win more in video poker, which is considered one of the best poker games, you would need to apply certain strategies to its different variants. Here are the tips and tricks we can provide for every variant of video poker in land-based and online casinos.

Jacks or Better 

The important thing to keep in mind in Jacks or Better is that jacks hold little to no value, so it is always best to discard them and draw a new card. However, there are instances where jacks may be the card that can win you a prize, like having a pair of jacks or a four-of-a-kind of them. So, hold these jacks in the online video poker game so that you canstill have a winning combination.

Deuces Wild

For Deuces Wild, you would always need to keep the "2" cards in your hand, as these will be the key for you to get winning combinations in the game. If you have two wild cards, keep them since they can already represent a three-of-a-kind for one other card in your hand.

Joker's Wild

Because joker cards are rare in Joker's Wild; you would need to have knowledge and skills in what you can discard or keep in your hand. If you have a pair of low cards and a single high card, it would be better to keep the pair of low cards instead since they will give you a higher chance of winning instead of keeping the single high card and hoping that you can pair it with other cards after you discard and draw.

Bonus Poker Strategy

Having a four-of-a-kind for any card in the game can be difficult, but if you can keep a pair in your hand, there will be a bigger probability for you to get two more of the same cards once you discard and draw.

Double Bonus Poker Strategy

The same strategy for Bonus Poker and Joker's Wild can be applied to Double Bonus Poker, as you will need to keep pairs of cards more than a single high card to get a chance of having a four-of-a-kind in your hand.

Double Double Bonus Poker Strategy

You can apply the same strategy for Bonus Poker and Double Bonus Poker in this variant, although you may need to pay close attention to the payoffs for each four-of-a-kind in the game so that you can see which pairs or trios of the same cards you should keep in your hand. Memorize the bonuses you can get for each four-of-a-kind so that you will have an idea of what to keep and what to discard.

FAQ

After talking about the intricacies and strategies for video poker, there are still a few things that haven't been discussed yet that may be important for some people. Check out this list of frequently asked questions about video poker and our answers to them.

What's The Difference Between Playing Video Poker Online and Live?

There's not much difference when it comes to playing video poker online and live, as they often have the same gameplay mechanics and features. However, online video poker in online casinos or social casinos is much more convenient and accessible to play since you can access it using your smartphone, computer, or tablet. You can also play free video poker games on these platforms.

Is Video Poker Random?

Video poker randomly sorts the cards that they give you as an opening hand. As long as you are playing in a trusted online or land-based casino, there won't be any cheating or manipulation involved in the video poker games.

What is The Best Video Poker Payout?

The size of the payout for video poker can change from time to time, although Bonus Poker and its other sub-variants (Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus) are considered to be the games that reward massive prizes for players.

Are There Multi-Hand Video Poker Machines?

There are multi-hand video poker machines available in some land-based and online casinos. In this interesting game, you can select the number of hands you want to play and the bet you can wager per hand.

Are There Progressive Jackpot Video Poker Machines?

There are also a few casinos that offer progressive jackpot video poker machines, wherein the prizes would continue to increase if nobody is winning the games yet. Play these games if you want to win the biggest rewards in video poker.

Conclusion

And these are all the pieces of information that we can offer about video poker, particularly its features and the gaming strategies on how to win more. Be sure to play the best video poker games through trusted online casinos, which you will be able to see through casino review websites, blog sites, and message boards. 

No download is needed when you play video poker on computers or laptops, so you can just access card games through your preferred web browser and on the online casino's website. Check out exclusive video poker games and gain rewards and bonuses that you can utilize to have a better chance of getting a big win in terms of payout or jackpot.

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