Online Video Poker Playing Strategy in Worldwide Casinos Online
Video Poker is quite a new game; it has been around for somewhere 30 years and started to grow in popularity with the development of Internet and online casinos. It is one of the most popular casino games nowadays. The game involves not only luck but also skills, owing to the fact that Video Poker is a hybrid of basic five-card poker and a slot machine. This game offers a low house advantage, the possibility of big wins, and the anonymity of playing alone.
You perhaps know that the casino always has the advantage over the player, but we can say for sure that video poker is an exception to this rule. If you try to find the most liberal paytables, play the game properly, you can have a tiny advantage. Some paytables, which are slightly in the machine's favour, can return about 100%, taking into consideration some incentives such as bonuses, cash back, and comp points.
One of the reasons to this game popularity is the simplicity. You choose the game, bet from 1 to 5 coins, then the machine deal you five cards, you have to choose which card/cards to hold and which ones to discard, you will be dealt other cards to replace your discards and paid you out according to the value of your hand.
Nowadays gaming software companies, for example, Microgaming, Playtech, RTG, Net Entertainment and others, offer a great variety of video poker games. There are single hand games as well as multi hand ones. There are games with different bonus features such as Bonus Poker Deluxe or Double Bonus and progressive ones, for example, Jackpot Deuces and SuperJax.
Land-based video poker VS online games
Today you can also play video poker at a land-based casino. The real casinos like the online ones also offer a good number of video poker variations. But you can't certainly beat the convenience of moving to various games with a few clicks of the mouse. More than that, when gambling online you may play several games at once. However, nothing can compare with the stunning atmosphere of a land-based casino; the roar of a crowd, clinking and blinking of thousands of machines, excitement and thrill all around. All this is really striking! In addition to playing video poker you can earn casino comps to be used then for free meals, drinks and shows you can enjoy.
Online video poker games can't offer players the same social gaming experience but they offer convenience as you needn’t leave your home and play on your PC or on the go on your mobile or tablet. You can earn loyalty points to be then redeemed into casino credits instead of free drinks and meals.
It’s up to you, whether to play online or at a land-based casino. It depends on your location and interests. If you prefer convenience and the better chances of winning, then online casinos are the right place for you. If you are in it for the whole experience, then a real gambling establishment will be more to your liking. There isn’t right or wrong opinion, it is more about what will suit you best.
1. Video poker strategy often has better odds
The initial success of video poker in America in the 1980s, as we stated in our article about the history of video poker, was due to it offering much better odds than real poker, which made it a favourite amongst lower level gamblers. This is still true, and you can often win more, more often when playing video poker.
2. You can play free video poker slots from your own home
Gambling online is one of the nation's favourite activities, and that's because it has so many benefits compared to gambling in actual casinos. As you can do it from your own home, playing video poker online means you can do so whenever you want, without having to take the trip to your local casino. This also means you can fit playing poker around your busy work schedule or personal life, leaving you more time to spend with your family and friends, without compromising on your poker time. Additionally, many people would have to travel some distance to get to their nearest casino, making playing poker a planned trip, rather than a spur of the moment activity. Whereas with online video poker, you can play whenever and wherever you want!
3. It's easier than playing at old style video poker table
When you're playing at a poker table, especially if it is high stakes, the pressure can really get to you. You have all the other players and the dealer watching your every move, making it harder to make the right decision, meaning you lose more than you win. However, with video poker, which we have already explained you can play from your own home, it is much easier. As there is no one watching and putting pressure on you to make the right move, you'll find it easier to make the right decisions, and therefore could stand to win far more money than if you were playing in real life.
Where to play video poker online?
Today there are very few casinos without a good collection of video poker games. To help players to make the right choice, we have made a list of the top-rated casinos below offering video poker along with full reviews and bonus information so you can find the perfect video poker casino for your needs. Online casinos in our list ensure safety and security of personal and financial information as well as fair gaming. All of them use random number generator to guarantee unpredictable results of every spin. You can visit all these casinos and try as many video poker games as you can for free to choose the casino and game or games you like most. then you can open a real money account and try your luck!
Best Video Poker Casinos
Online Video Poker in a nutshell
Video poker is a casino game where the player tries to achieve peculiar hands rather than to beat opponents. There isn’t any chance to bluff.
How to play video poker
The basic steps are as follows:
Insert money into the video poker machine.
Push the button “Deal” or “Draw”
When you see your hand, choose a card or cards you want to retain and push the Hold button under each of the chosen cards.
Repush the Deal/Draw button.
Play as many hands as you want.
When you are ready to quit the game, push the button “Credit” or “Cash Out”.
Rank of Poker Hands
All payouts are based on five-card poker hands ranking as follows:
1. ROYAL FLUSH
Ace-King-Queen-Jack and 10 of the same suit (hearts, spades, clubs, or diamonds).
2. Straight flush
Five cards of the same suit in consecutive order; i.e., 2-3-4-5-6 of diamonds.
3. Four of a kind
Four similar cards; i.e., Ace of hearts, Ace of clubs, Ace of spades, Ace of diamonds.
4. Full house
Three cards of the same rank and two cards of another rank; for example, Ace of clubs, Ace of diamonds, Ace of spades, 8 of clubs, 8 of spades.
5. flush
Five cards of a similar suit; i.e., an Ace, 10, 9, 6, 4 of hearts.
6. Straight
Five consecutive cards of different suits; i.e., 5 of hearts, 6 of diamonds, 7 of spades, 8 of clubs, and 9 of diamonds.>
7. Three of a kind
Three cards of a similar rank; i.e., Ace of hearts, Ace of clubs, Ace of spades.
Two pairs
Two cards of the same rank, and two cards of a different rank; i.e., king of spades and king of diamonds, queen of hearts and queen of clubs.
Pair of jacks or better
Any pair that has at least two Jacks (also two Queens, Kings, or Aces).