Video poker is an interesting and rewarding game that has been with us since the 1980s. Although it offers higher expected returns than slots and most other types of casino games, it is not as popular as slot machines or roulette. However, experienced casino patrons know that video poker is probably their best bet on both the casino floor and in online casinos.
It is surprising how many people prefer chance-based games where the odds are stacked against them and the probability of making a profit is quite low. By contrast, video poker still involves plenty of luck, but it also requires a great deal of skill, and it is precisely this need for knowledge and skill that intimidates beginners. But is video poker really so difficult to play?
The answer is a resounding no, especially when we play video poker online, where the rules and paytables are readily available, where we can practice before risking any real money, and where we can choose from dozens of video poker variations. The following article looks at online video poker: how it is played, the options available, and essential tips for beginners.
Online Video Poker Software and Features
Video poker originated as a computer game played on a video screen, so the online version does not differ much from the video poker machines found in land-based casinos. Online players, however, usually enjoy a wider selection of variations; in fact, Internet casinos offer hundreds of titles.
They can also launch every game in practice mode without risking real money. In contrast, brick-and-mortar establishments would never allow access to their games without a cash wager. Convenience is another advantage, as online video poker can be played in various currencies from a personal computer or mobile device, removing the need to visit a physical casino.
Regarding online video poker rules and software features, they are very similar to those we see on physical machines. Overall, the game is played the same way no matter where you are, but often, the online version is more interactive and feature-rich than games in land-based casinos.
Number of Coins and Coin Sizes
Deal/Draw and Other Buttons
Paytable
Gamble Feature
Number of Coins and Coin Sizes
Video poker is typically played with 1 to 5 coins in assorted denominations. The number of coins matters because it changes the payout for each winning hand. Most notably, betting the maximum increases the potential reward for the top-paying hand, the Royal Flush. Coin sizes usually range from $0.10 to $5.00 or even higher.
Deal/Draw and Other Buttons
The gaming controls are simple, with several main buttons that appear in every variation of video poker. They are usually located at the bottom of the screen alongside boxes showing your Balance, Total Bet, and Win. You will typically find Bet One and Bet Max buttons for wagering 1 and 5 coins, respectively. After selecting your stake, press the Deal (or Draw) button.
Above these buttons, five cards appear, and you may hold or discard any of them. Clicking a card holds it for the second draw, and you can keep as many cards as you want, including all or none. When you are ready, click the Deal/Draw button again and the computer will deal new cards; all discarded cards are replaced.
Paytable
Traditionally, the base game screen also includes the paytable, one of the most important elements to review when playing video poker. It is usually displayed above the five cards and lists all winning hands in descending order, beginning with the Royal Flush, the top-paying hand. Next to each hand, you can see its payout for betting 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 coins. Some games show the paytable on a separate screen, but it contains the same information.
Players should examine the payouts for every hand. The first thing to notice is the payout for a Royal Flush, which, as noted, increases when five coins are wagered. Typically, a 1-coin Royal Flush pays 250 coins (250 times the coin size); a 2-coin play pays 500 coins; a 3-coin play pays 750 coins; and a 4-coin bet pays 1,000 coins. Using the same formula, a 5-coin bet should pay 1,250 coins, yet the standard payout for a 5-coin Royal Flush is 4,000 coins.
Video poker fans should also remember that paytables can differ significantly across online casinos and game variations. All winning hands match the standard poker hands found in table poker, with the exception of Jacks or Better. This hand consists of two Jacks, two Queens, two Kings, or two Aces, hence the name Jacks or Better.
| Poker Hands | 1 coin | 2 coins | 3 coins | 4 coins | 5 coins |
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1 | 4 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full House | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Gamble Feature
Many versions of video poker include a Gamble feature that appears after each winning round. It may also be labeled Double or Double Down. Regardless of its name, the Gamble button serves the same purpose: it lets players risk their winnings from the current round.
The feature usually opens a second screen that shows one face-up card (the computer’s card) and four face-down cards. Players select one of the four, and if it is higher than the computer’s card, they win the Gamble feature and their round winnings are doubled. If the chosen card is lower, they lose all their winnings. In some versions, players may instead guess the color of a face-down card; again, they either double or lose their winnings.
This feature can appear multiple times after a win, and each time players may gamble the amount they have just won. They can stop at any point and return to the main game by clicking the Collect button.
Playing Multi-Hand Video Poker
Multi-hand video poker is popular among players who want to complete more rounds per hour. In these games, they can bet on up to 100 hands at once, allowing for a faster pace. However, multi-hand video poker is not recommended for beginners because it requires significantly larger bets.
How Multi-Hand Video Works
Adjusting the Bet Size
Risks of Multi-Hand Video Poker
How Multi-Hand Video Works
Multi-hand video poker may look complicated and even intimidating, but it operates in a straightforward way. It follows the same rules as the regular version and offers the same payouts and average return. However, it allows 3, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, or even 100 hands to be played simultaneously. The game begins with a 5-card hand dealt from a standard 52-card deck. Players choose which cards to hold and which to discard.
After clicking the Deal/Draw button, new cards are dealt to every hand you have bet on. Suppose we play 10 hands: in addition to the 5 initial cards, there are 9 more hands, each using its own 52-card deck. The cards you decide to keep will appear in the same positions in all 9 additional hands. Once the second set of cards is dealt, each hand produces its own combination, and you receive a payout for every winning hand.
It is important to note that the cards in every hand are dealt from an independent deck, so the odds and probabilities for each hand remain identical. The number of hands selected does not affect the house edge or the expected return. Nevertheless, players should pay close attention to several factors if they do not want to lose their entire bankroll in just a few rounds.
Adjusting the Bet Size
The most important factor to consider when starting a multi-hand video poker game is the size of your bets. The stake you choose at the beginning is applied to every hand you play, so the Total Bet box shows the number of coins, the coin denomination, and the total multiplied by the number of active hands.
Using the previous example, if you play 10 hands and wager the maximum of 5 coins at a denomination of $0.10, you bet $0.50 per hand, making the total bet $5.00 per round. Playing 50 hands at the same settings would cost $25, and 100 hands would require a $50 stake per round.
Selecting a higher coin size can increase the total bet dramatically. For instance, playing 100 hands with 5 coins of $1 each would mean wagering $500 on every round. As you can see, certain multi-hand versions can be expensive, so always adjust the stake carefully before you start.
Risks of Multi-Hand Video Poker
Losing large sums of money is a serious risk when playing multi-hand video poker online. For this reason, these games should be approached cautiously, as players must understand the rules and adjust their bets to fit both their bankroll and their risk tolerance. There is also another risk beyond finances, and it relates to the theoretical return to player.
Some casino patrons with little video poker experience may be attracted to the low house edge these games can offer. The most common version, Jacks or Better, carries a house edge of only 0.46%. By comparison, most casino games have an edge above 2%, with blackjack being the only notable exception at roughly 0.5% or lower.
Playing multiple hands at once does not change the odds of the game or the house edge. What multi-hand play does is help you reach the expected return more quickly. If the house edge is 0.46%, you would theoretically lose $0.46 on every $100 wagered, but this figure represents an average over thousands or even millions of hands.
In an actual session you might win $30, for example, and the more hands you play, the closer you come to the theoretical expectation. Although the house edge is low, it still indicates that you will lose in the long run, so rushing toward the return percentage may not be beneficial after all.
What to Look for in a Video Poker Game
Compared with slots and other chance-based casino games, video poker is a profitable and exciting alternative. The skill element makes it more engaging because every decision directly affects the outcome of each round. However, not all video poker variations are alike, and beginners should consider several factors when looking for a good online game.
First, make sure you play at a licensed, reliable casino that offers prompt payments and 24/7 customer support. Next, ensure you have selected the video poker variation that best suits your goals and experience level.
Full-Pay Games
Understanding Expected Return
Demo Mode
Mobile Compatibility
Full-Pay Games
One major advantage of playing video poker online is that you can easily check return percentages and paytables and compare them with other games. By reviewing the payouts, players quickly notice differences among the many video poker variants. The paytable we displayed above appears in standard versions of Jacks or Better, but many versions offer lower payouts for Full House and Flush hands.
The regular paytable pays 9 and 6 times the stake for these hands, respectively. Such games are called full-pay versions or 9/6 Jacks or Better. Some online casinos, however, offer Jacks or Better that pays 8 to 1 and 5 to 1 for Full House and Flush. Known as 8/5 Jacks or Better, this version carries a higher house edge. If this is the only change, the house edge rises to 2.70% and the return to player drops to 97.30%, compared with an RTP of 99.54% for full-pay Jacks or Better.
Understanding Expected Return
The next factor to evaluate is the expected return. Also called expected value, payback percentage, or return to player (RTP), it is the most important metric in any form of gambling. RTP shows the percentage of stakes a game returns to players over the long term. Because it is a theoretical average, it should not be applied to a single session; it holds true only across millions of rounds.
Still, it serves as a useful guide to how a game will perform over time and whether it is worth playing. Players should recognize that they are expected to lose in the long run, as the house always wins. Consequently, all games have an RTP below 100%. With optimal strategy, standard Jacks or Better has an average return of 99.54%, and most of the time the game will deliver results close to this figure.
That said, any individual round or session can deviate dramatically from the theoretical average. As a rule, the higher the RTP, the better.
Demo Mode
New players should consider trying their chosen variation in demo mode. Almost all online casinos offer a demo or fun-play option in which you wager virtual credits instead of real money. Everything else is identical to the real-money version, making demo play an excellent choice for beginners. You can practice as much as you like, explore different variants, refine your skills, and test strategies without risk.
Mobile Compatibility
Today, mobile compatibility is essential for online gambling. Most web casinos offer mobile versions of at least some games, and before you sign up and deposit funds, check the operator’s mobile offering. Many casinos prioritize slots, so only some provide a solid selection of mobile-friendly video poker titles.
You should also verify whether the games run directly in your device’s browser or require a native app. Some casinos supply apps only for iPhone or Android. Fortunately, these applications are usually free and take up little storage space.
Tips for Beginners
As mentioned earlier, online video poker is very similar to its land-based counterpart. While the core game is the same, online play offers several advantages. Players can research and select the best casino and variation, consult readily available strategy charts for every decision, and apply a money-management plan, options that are nearly impossible to implement in a brick-and-mortar casino.
Use Optimal Strategy
Track Your Bankroll
Video Poker Dos and Don’ts
Use Optimal Strategy
Experienced gamblers know there are no guaranteed wins, but using optimal strategy in video poker improves your chances of achieving the theoretical RTP. In this context, “strategy” is simply a set of rules that tells you what to do in every situation (which cards to keep and which to discard) based on the variation you are playing.
In general, follow a few key principles – never break combinations such as a Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, or Two Pair. With Three of a Kind, keep the trio and discard the other two cards for a chance to improve the hand. Remember, not every winning hand should be held; know the exceptions. For instance, it is usually better to break a Straight or a Flush if you hold four cards to a Royal Flush.
Track Your Bankroll
Money management is crucial whether you play video poker, slots, or blackjack. New players should learn to track their bankroll and use tactics that make it last longer. Start by establishing a basic betting unit (dividing the bankroll into 100 units is common), though beginners may prefer 1,000 units for added protection. For example, with a $1,000 bankroll, you should wager no more than $1.00 per round.
This approach helps you endure losing streaks and continue playing without jeopardizing the entire bankroll. The goal is to manage your funds so that no single loss is devastating. A widely accepted rule applies to all gambling – never wager more than you can afford to lose. Of course, most people play to make a profit.
To improve your chances, choose those variations with the highest RTP and employ perfect strategy. It is also important to maintain a large bankroll relative to your base unit and to stick to lower denominations while betting the maximum number of coins each round. Novices should avoid progressive and multi-hand versions, opting instead for slower-paced games with lower variance.
Video Poker Dos and Don’ts
Video poker may seem complicated at first, yet it is a fantastic game that almost anyone can learn. Even if you struggle with strategy, you can avoid costly mistakes by following a few simple dos and don’ts. Below are some universal principles to apply to any online video poker variation:
- Do: Choose the best games, especially full-pay versions with the highest RTP.
- Don’t: Play low-value variations: multi-hand games, progressive video poker, or titles with unfamiliar paytables.
- Do: Bet the maximum number of coins.
- Don’t: Increase the coin denomination unless you can afford it.
- Do: Learn the optimal strategy for the variation you play.
- Don’t: Play without knowing the basic principles of proper strategy.
- Do: Create a bankroll management plan before you start.
- Don’t: Play long sessions or use a credit card for gambling, as this can lead to huge losses.
- Do: Be prepared for significant losses because gambling always carries risk.
- Don’t: Assume that a few Royal Flushes will compensate for large losses.
