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There are three primary ways to play video poker online, depending primarily on in which state you live, but also based on the type of video poker games you are looking to play.
First Cards Drawn. After you’ve chosen the bet size, hit the Deal button to receive your first five. BetOnline Casino offers the best gameplay, bonuses and graphics in online casino gaming. Experience the thrill of Vegas gambling from home. BetOnline Casino offers the best gameplay, bonuses and graphics in online casino gaming. Experience the thrill of Vegas gambling from home.
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Whether you are an expert at traditional poker or just interested in learning the game, there are tons of options available online. Free video poker games give you the chance to play the game without depositing a cent, so you can enjoy a fun hobby without worrying about deposits and withdrawals. It also has the advantage of letting you play from home, rather than traveling to a casino that might be miles away from you.
- Play free video poker online – Available in all states
- Play video poker for cash prizes at online sweepstakes casino sites – Available in all states except Washington
- Play video poker for real money – Available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia
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Interested in playing free video poker online? Look no further – you can play right here on-site above. There is no download or sign-up necessary and it works on desktop along with mobile devices including iPhone, iPad and Android.
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Online Video Poker At Sweepstakes Casino Sites (Best Option For Most States)
Available in: All states except Washington state.
If you don’t happen to live in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, or West Virginia your best bet is a sweepstakes online casino where you can play online video poker for cash prizes.
How Sweepstakes Casinos Work
Online sweepstakes video poker is an alternative for those who aren’t in areas where real money poker is legal. These sites take old laws about sweepstakes and use them as a way to offer legal options for those who want to play poker recreationally.
Sweepstakes casinos use digital coins instead of real money as currency. Players accumulate digital coins by winning games and can later exchange them for cash prizes. Because sweepstakes casinos are not legally classified as gambling, they are popular among players who live in states that have not yet legalized real money online gambling. The sweepstakes format provides a similar, but legal alternative to the online casino experience.
In order to participate in a sweepstakes casino’s games, you must first buy their coins (or whatever they label as their sweepstakes currency). Your purchased coins typically come with a set number of free sweeps coins. You cannot directly deposit money into an account or withdraw money.
Your purchased coins are valid only for recreational gaming at the sweepstakes casino. Your free sweeps coins can be played on sweepstakes games, and your winnings can then be exchanged for real prizes.
Chumba Casino
Licensed by Malta Gaming Authority, Chumba Casino is arguably the most popular sweepstakes casino on the market. It has a large selection of slot games, blackjack, roulette, and video poker.
New players can take advantage of their no deposit bonus of 2,000,000 gold coins and two sweep coins. Additionally, the casino offers a first purchase deal of $30 gold coin package for only $10.
Chumba Casino is a great option as it offers both slots and table games. Its variety is what makes it a unique sweepstakes casino.
Playing Free Video Poker At Legal Online Casinos
When you want to play video poker for free at a legal online casino, you have a variety of options. There are tons of variations of poker, and you can find almost all of them in an online version so you can play from home. With the advent of free poker games, anyone who is over 21-years-old and in the United States can enjoy a game of poker whenever they feel like it.
Do Legal Online Casinos Offer Free Video Poker Games?
As more states legalize online casinos, having access to online video poker is becoming easier than ever. While most of these casinos offer real money games, there are also demo and practice modes where you can play without spending a single dime. Everyone can play free online slots, even those in states where online gambling is not yet legal.
The best option for choosing a reputable site for video poker is by looking at large brands you have heard of in the past. The websites that operate in partnership with physical casinos are an excellent place to start since they need to adhere to specific rules and regulations.
Do I Need An Account To Play Free Video Poker Games Online?
It depends on where you want to play. In some cases, you can play by just navigating to the site and clicking on a game. However, there are other instances where you must register to access the catalog of games at a poker site. If you prefer a quick and easy poker game, you’ll want to look for sites without registration.
Keep in mind that sites with registration may offer perks to those who become members, which can make signing up feel like less effort. When it comes to real money video poker sites, you must sign up to be a member just to play the practice games. If your privacy is important to you, you may have to use other websites for your video poker.
Is There Any Way To Win Real Money Playing Free Video Poker?
In most cases, the sites that have free video poker do not offer cash payments. Instead, you will typically be racking up virtual currency that cannot be turned into money. Free games are usually used by players who just want to have a good time or who want to practice outside of paid games to become better at a particular type of poker.
However, there are some exceptions in terms of free sites that offer real money. Most of them are going to be found in sweepstakes video poker sites, which we’ll look at in more depth below.
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Playing Las Vegas-Style Video Poker Online For Free
If you’re searching for legal online casinos in Pennsylvania and New Jersey that have Vegas-style video poker, you have plenty of options. Both of the states have a wide variety of casinos that offer video poker and many of the games are based on Vegas poker options. Three of our options for playing video poker online in these states are listed below for your convenience.
BetRivers Casino is partnered with the land-based Rivers Pittsburgh Casino and offers a selection of video poker options. Users can log in to play practice games or deposit money to play for cash if they are located in Pennsylvania. In addition to providing video poker, this casino also has hundreds of slot games, as well as table games like roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.
Hollywood Casino is another online legal casino in Pennsylvania that provides the option to play poker. This was the first online casino to launch in the state and it partnered with IGT to power the gaming options on the website and apps. This casino also offers dozens of slot games, roulette games, blackjack, baccarat, and more.
Those who are looking for New Jersey video poker will find it in various locations, including BetMGM. There are many variations of poker at this provider, including Regal Jacks or Better, Triple Play Draw Multi-Hand Poker, Bonus Poker, Texas Hold’em, and more. It also offers a variety of slot games and table games that you can peruse.
Playing Video Poker For Real Money Online
For those who want to spend money playing poker, there are several options available. However, this is only the case in states where you can legally gamble online. If you are not in one of those locations, real money gambling on video poker is not allowed. While more states are slowly allowing online real money poker, it’s a good idea to know what the rules are for your specific location.
States With Legal Online Video Poker
Before we delve into other specifics, knowing where online video poker is legal is essential. It might be surprising to learn that some states allow online poker but don’t allow online table games and slots, while others go in the opposite direction. Since it can be confusing to determine what states allow legal online video poker, we have provided a list of legal states below:
- Delaware
If you don’t see your state listed above, playing video poker for real money is not allowed in your state. There are two alternatives available to you if you want to enjoy video poker. The first is to choose a free online site that has poker available and the second is to use a sweepstakes gaming site like Chumba Casino.
How Many Different Video Poker Games Are Available?
Counting up all the different video poker games would leave you with a number that might be mind-boggling. Many types of poker have been introduced in an online version that you can play on your own without other players. In fact, if it’s available in a land-based casino, you can likely find it in a video poker option.
However, different websites and apps are going to have different games, so finding one that has your favorite type might take time if it’s a lesser-known variation. Those who are fans of games like Jacks or Better, on the other hand, will find this kind of poker on nearly any site that includes poker.
What Are The Smallest Stakes You Can Play Online?
This is another question that will depend on the provider you use for your video poker. However, what you should know is that video poker typically requires bets that are much smaller than traditional poker in a physical casino. While some of these poker games have high payouts, they don’t always require you to empty your wallet to try to win.
Because these games have lower stakes than a typical poker table, they make an excellent option for those who are just learning to play. They also feature the opportunity to get better for those with some level of experience without spending too much. Once someone is happy with the progress that they’ve made with video poker, they can try live games or traditional poker with more confidence in their performance.
Fundamentals Of Video Poker Strategy
Just like other forms of poker, video poker has many different strategies that players employ to ensure they win more from their hands. Different people enjoy different techniques, so there are many to choose from. Having a basic strategy you can use will help you do better at video poker, whether you are just beginning with the game or have been at it for many years.
Video Poker Strategy Basics
While games like slots rely only on luck, poker is a casino staple where the players have a lot of impact on how the game ends. Since you have more choices in terms of what cards you keep, which you discard, and what hand you play at the end, you can learn to play a hand that is the most beneficial and likely to result in a big payoff. However, a lot of players continue to rely only on play streaks or hunches to decide how to play a game.
The strategies that can help you win are based on math, which is excellent for anyone who has excelled at this subject in the past. Some approaches focus on getting royal flushes as often as possible, which is the best hand you can have in most poker games. Others are going to have a focus on winning every hand, even if it’s by a small amount through a hand that has less optimal cards.
Video Poker Strategy Charts
Those who are interested in serious strategy in video poker may choose to use a video poker strategy chart to do so. These charts will show that cards you can have to get the most significant return on the match. Below the best return, it will show the next best and continue in this way until you should discard an entire hand rather than saving any of it.
For example, when playing Jacks or Better, the chart would show a royal flush on top, followed by a straight flush, four cards of a royal flush, a full house, and so on. If you’re looking to improve your ability to play poker, taking a look at strategy charts can put you on top of your game.
Video Poker: The Five Minute Guide
No matter what kind of poker you like, you’ll find it in an online video poker version. This kind of poker involves one player against a computer dealer, rather than having several players at a table who are competing against each other. While the most common poker variations are Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, you can also find a selection of different games to play.
Basic Rules Of Video Poker
Since there are dozens of video poker variations, going through the rules of each one would require a long article all of its own. However, since Jacks or Better is one of the most popular options, we’ll use that as an example to explain the rules of video poker.
The basic idea behind this kind of video poker is to acquire a five-card poker hand with a winning combination. The lowest winning combination is a pair of Jacks. Other combinations that can win a hand include the following:
- Two Pair – Two card pairs that have the same number or symbol
- Three of a Kind – Three cards with the same symbol or number
- Straight – Five cards that make up a sequential order of numbers
- Flush – Five cards that have the same suit
- Full House – A pair along with a three of a kind
- Four of a Kind – Four cards with the same symbol or number
- Straight Flush – Five cards of the same suit that are in sequential order
The Royal Flush is the best hand you can get and consists of cards of the same suit that go from 10 to Ace. The idea behind the game is to get the best hand possible to earn the most points. You are dealt cards and choose which to discard before being dealt more to make up your final hand.
Common Video Poker Variations
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We already mentioned that Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better are two variations of video poker, but there are dozens of others. Aces and Eights is another version where you get additional coins or money for having Aces or Eights in your hands. Double Bonus is a video poker game where you get massive bonuses for four of a kind hands. Some of the other games you will commonly see include:
- Bonus Deuces Wild
- Deuces and Joker
- Double Double Bonus
- Jokers Wild
- Tens or Better
The House Edge In Video Poker
One of the reasons that so many people enjoy video poker is because the house typically has an exceedingly small edge. While a slot machine might return only 70 to 90 percent of what you spend on it, video poker at an online casino is more likely to offer a return of 95 to 99 percent. This means that playing video poker is going to be better for your wallet than many other online casino games.
However, keep in mind that different casinos have different odds and may have a unique house edge. This is also an excellent reason to choose a reputable site or app that lets you know what you’re getting into when you sit down to play a game.
Free Video Poker Online Play FAQ
Yes. Some websites that offer free video poker will allow you to play without making an account. However, other websites and apps may require you to register before you take part in games. In most cases, if you do register, you will get some kind of reward for doing so. If you prefer to play without registration, make sure that’s an option at the site you are visiting first.
Yes. With sweepstakes video poker sites, you can often win real money or other premium prizes even though you are playing for free. At websites like Chumba Casino, you can earn coins that may be turned into real money for playing particular games, taking advantage of promotions, or making deposits to play additional games.
Yes. One of the best ways to get better at video poker is by playing free games. You can enjoy learning all the best strategies without worrying that you’re going to break the bank. Since these games are often the same as real money poker, you can take the knowledge you gain and use it to win cash once you’re happy with how you are playing.
No. Most of the free video poker games online do not require a flash player, although there are some exceptions. If you aren’t interested in a flash player, you will have no issues finding games that don’t require it. However, having one available may make your options more robust if you want to play a specific game or use a particular website.
Video poker is a casino game based on five-card drawpoker. It is played on a computerized console similar in size to a slot machine.
History[edit]
Video poker first became commercially viable when it became economical to combine a television-like monitor with a solid statecentral processing unit. The earliest models appeared at the same time as the first personal computers were produced, in the mid-1970s, although they were primitive by today's standards.
Video poker became more firmly established when SIRCOMA, which stood for Si Redd's Coin Machines (and which evolved over time to become International Game Technology), introduced Draw Poker in 1979. Throughout the 1980s video poker became increasingly popular in casinos, as people found the devices less intimidating than playing table games. Today video poker enjoys a prominent place on the gaming floors of many casinos. The game is especially popular with Las Vegas locals, who tend to patronize locals casinos off the Las Vegas Strip. These local casinos often offer lower denomination machines or better odds.
A few people that are skilled in calculating odds have made money playing video poker.[1]
The game[edit]
After inserting money (or a bar-coded paper ticket with credit) into the machine, play begins by placing a bet of one or more credits and pressing the 'deal' button. The player is then given 5 cards (like five-card draw) and has the opportunity to discard one or more of them in exchange for new ones drawn from the same virtual deck. After the draw, the machine pays out if the hand or hands played match one of the winning combinations, which are posted in the pay table. Unlike the table version, the player may discard all 5 of their original cards if they so choose.[2]
Pay tables allocate the payouts for hands and are based on how rare they are, the game variation, and the decision of the game operator. A typical pay table starts with a minimum hand of a pair of jacks, which pays even money. All the other hand combinations in video poker are the same as in table poker, including such hands as two pair, three of a kind, straight (a sequence of 5 cards of consecutive value), flush (any 5 cards of the same suit), full house (a pair and a three of a kind), four of a kind (four cards of the same value), straight flush (5 consecutive cards of the same suit) and royal flush (a Ten, a Jack, a Queen, a King and an Ace of the same suit).[3]
Some machines offer progressive jackpots or other unique bonuses, spurring players to both play more coins and to play more frequently.
Regulation[edit]
Video poker machines in casinos in the United States are regulated by state or Indian gaming agencies. These agencies typically require that the machines deal random card sequences using a virtual deck of cards. This is based on a Nevada Gaming Commission regulation later adopted by other states with a gaming authority. Video poker machines are tested to ensure compliance with this requirement before they are offered to the public.
Variations[edit]
There are many variations of video poker. They include Deuces Wild, where a two serves as a wild card; Joker's Wild, where a joker serves as a wild card; Anything's Wild, where the player selects any card (by rank) to act as the wild card before the hand is dealt; pay schedule modification, where four aces with a four or smaller kicker pays an enhanced amount (these games usually have some adjective in the title such as 'bonus', 'double', or 'triple'); and multi-play poker, where the player starts with a base hand, and each additional played hand draws from a different set of cards with the base hand. (Multi-play games are offered in 'Triple Play', 'Five Play', 'Ten Play', 'Fifty Play' and 'One Hundred Play' versions.)
In games which do not have a wild card, a player on average will receive the rare four-of-a-kind hand approximately once every 500 hands, while a player may play tens of thousands of hands before a royal flush, which usually has the highest payout.
Video poker games online are now available in the US in 3 different states: New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada. Players in all three states are able to enjoy fully regulated online video poker games provided that they are physically present in the respective state, of legal age to gamble, and can validate their identity.
Full pay games[edit]
When modern video poker games first appeared, the highest-paying common variant of a particular game was called 'full-pay'. Game variants that returned a lower payback percentage were termed 'Short-Pay'. Though the term full-pay is still in use, today, there are many game variants that return more. Payback percentage expresses the long-term expected value of the player's wager as a percentage if the game is played perfectly. A payback percentage of 99 percent, for example, indicates that for each $100 wagered, in the long run, the player would expect to lose $1 if they played every hand in the optimal way. Full-pay Jacks or Better, for example, offers a payback percentage of 99.54%. Some payback percentages on full-pay games are often close to or even in excess of 100 percent.
Casinos do not usually advertise payback percentages, leaving it up to the player to identify which video poker machines offer the best schedules.
The payoff schedules for most video poker machines are configured with a pay schedule that pays proportionally more for certain hands (such as a royal flush) when the maximum number of credits (typically 5 coins) is bet. Therefore, players who do not play with the maximum number of credits at a time are playing with a smaller theoretical return.
Jacks or Better[edit]
'Jacks or Better,' sometimes simply called 'Draw Poker,' is the most common variation of video poker. Payoffs begin at a pair of jacks. Full pay Jacks or Better is also known as 9/6 Jacks or Better since the payoff for a full house is 9 times the bet, and the payoff for a flush is 6 times the bet.[4] Sometimes, 10/6 and 9/7 versions of Jacks or Better can be found as promotions.[5]
Hand | Prize | Combinations | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|---|
Royal Flush | 800 | 41,126,022 | 0.000025 | 1.9807% |
Straight Flush | 50 | 181,573,608 | 0.000109 | 0.5465% |
Four of a kind | 25 | 3,924,430,647 | 0.002363 | 5.9064% |
Full House | 9 | 19,122,956,883 | 0.011512 | 10.3610% |
Flush | 6 | 18,296,232,180 | 0.011015 | 6.6087% |
Straight | 4 | 18,653,130,482 | 0.011229 | 4.4918% |
Three of a kind | 3 | 123,666,922,527 | 0.074449 | 22.3346% |
Two Pair | 2 | 214,745,513,679 | 0.129279 | 25.8558% |
Jacks or Better | 1 | 356,447,740,914 | 0.214585 | 21.4585% |
All Other | 0 | 906,022,916,158 | 0.545435 | 0.0000% |
Totals | - | 1,661,102,543,100 | 1.000000 | 99.5439% |
Bally's All American[edit]
Bally Technologies All American video poker is based on Jacks or Better with an increased payout for flushes, straights and straight flushes, but reduced payout for full houses and two pairs (8-8-8-3-1 versus 9-6-4-3-2). The full pay version (quads return 50 bets), once common but now rare, is one of the highest return versions of video poker offered, but the play strategy is very complex and mastered by few. IGT's version of the game is called USA Poker.
Tens or Better[edit]
'Tens or Better' is a variation of 6/5 Jacks or Better. The minimum paying hand is a pair of tens, rather than a pair of Jacks. Strategy is similar between the two games, in spite of the very different full house and flush payouts.
Joker's Wild[edit]
'Joker's Wild', as the name implies, adds a joker to the mix. The joker is fully wild and substitutes to make stronger hands. The inclusion of the wild joker also adds another winning hand in 5-of-a-kind. The game's name inspired a game show of the same name. The full pay version of Joker Two Pair or better (6-7-8), once common but now rare, is one of the highest return versions of video poker offered, but the play strategy is very complex and mastered by few.
Deuces Wild[edit]
'Deuces Wild' is a variation of video poker in which all twos are wild. (Wild cards substitute for any other card in the deck in order to make a better poker hand). In Deuces Wild, the payout for a four of a kind makes up approximately ⅓ of the payback percentage of the game, and a four of a kind occurs on average approximately every fifteen hands. Deuces Wild can be found with pay schedules that offer a theoretical return as high as 100.8 percent, when played with perfect strategy. This full-pay version is found only in Nevada. It is also available with other pay schedules that have lesser theoretical returns:
Hand | 1 credit | 2 credits | 3 credits | 4 credits | 5 credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Natural Royal Flush | 300 | 600 | 900 | 1200 | 4000 |
Four Deuces | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1000 |
Wild Royal Flush | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
Five of a Kind | 15 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 75 |
Straight Flush | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
Four of a Kind | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
Full House | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
Flush | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
Straight | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
Three of a Kind | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Theoretical Return | 99.7% | 99.7% | 99.7% | 99.7% | 100.8% |
Variations are available that pay different amounts for the quad 'deuces', such as Double Deuces (2000), Loose Deuces (2500), Triple Deuces (3000), and Royal Deuces (4000). Full pay Loose Deuces (25-17-10), once common but now rare, is one of the highest return versions of video poker offered.
Sigma Flush Attack[edit]
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Sigma Flush Attack is a combination of video poker and a banking slot, in this case what is being banked is flushes.[6] After 3,4, or 5 flushes (varies by machine), the machine switches into 'flush attack mode' in which the next flush pays 100 or 125 credits instead of the more usual 30 credits of 9-6 Jacks or Better. Some of these machines are linked, which means players can simply wait for someone else to put the bank in flush attack mode, or alternately with non-linked machines a player can play after observing a previous player hit flushes but not enough to trigger the flush attack, a practice called 'vulturing'. The higher payoff of the flush attack represents one of the higher overlays of video poker. These machines, once common, are now relatively rare.
Bonus Poker[edit]
'Bonus Poker' is a video poker game based on Jacks or Better, but Bonus Poker offers a higher payout percentage for four of a kind. The full-pay version of this game returns 99.2%. (3)The game has multiple versions featuring different bonus payouts based on the ranking of the four of a kind.
Double Bonus[edit]
'Double Bonus' video poker is a variation of Jacks or Better with a bonus payout for four aces. This variation offers up to a theoretical return of 100.2 percent, when played with perfect strategy — however, this % is only on a '10/7' version video poker game (10/7 being the payouts for a full house and a flush). There are many other video poker varieties of 10/6, 9/6, etc. that have slightly lower than the most generous 10/7 version payout. Although the full-pay version has a theoretically-positive return, few play well enough to capitalize on it. Double Bonus is a complex game.(4)
It is also available with other pay schedules that have lesser theoretical returns:
Hand | 1 credit | 2 credits | 3 credits | 4 credits | 5 credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
Four Aces | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
Four 2, 3, or 4 | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
Four 5-K | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
Full House | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
Flush | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 |
Straight | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
Three of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
Two Pair | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Theoretical Return | 99.1% | 99.1% | 99.1% | 99.1% | 100.2% |
Double Double Bonus[edit]
'Double Double Bonus' video poker is a variation of Jacks or Better which offers bonus payoffs for different four of a kinds, as seen in the payout table below. Full pay Double Double Bonus can be found with pay schedules that offer up to a theoretical return of 100.1 percent, when played with perfect strategy. It is also available with other pay schedules that have lesser theoretical returns:
Hand | 1 credit | 2 credits | 3 credits | 4 credits | 5 credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
Four Aces w/2, 3, or 4 | 400 | 800 | 1200 | 1600 | 2000 |
Four 2, 3, or 4 w/A-4 | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
Four Aces | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
Four 2, 3, or 4 | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
Four 5-K | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
Full House | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
Three of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
Two Pair | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Theoretical Return | 98.9% | 98.9% | 98.9% | 98.9% | 100.1% |
Low pay video poker games[edit]
Often casinos choose to use pay tables which reduce the maximum payout percentage as compared to other commonly available game variants. This increases the house edge, but generally reduces net revenue for the casino as players experience less 'play time' on the machine, busting out of their buy-in at an earlier point. Casinos that reduce paytables generally have to increase promotions to compensate and attract customers.
9/5 Jacks or Better[edit]
9/5 Jacks or Better is a low pay version of the game. The payout for making a Flush is cut from 6x your bet to 5x your bet, but all other payouts remain the same. This reduces the maximum payout percentage to 98.45% for players betting five coins per hand to receive the Royal Flush bonus.
8/6 Jacks or Better[edit]
8/6 Jacks or Better is another often used pay table for Jacks or Better games. The payout for making a Full House is cut from 9x your bet to 8x your bet, while all other payouts remain the same as in a full pay game. This reduces the maximum payout percentage to 98.39% for players betting five coins per hand to receive the Royal Flush bonus.
8/5 Jacks or Better[edit]
8/5 Jacks or Better cuts the Full House payout from 9x your bet to 8x your bet, and also cuts the Flush payout from 6x your bet to 5x your bet. All other payouts remain the same as in a full pay game. This reduces the maximum payout percentage to 97.30% for players betting five coins per hand to receive the Royal Flush bonus. A common promotion used by casinos to encourage play on this tight paytable was to add a 2% progressive meter to the royal flush.
7/5 Jacks or Better[edit]
7/5 Jacks or Better cuts the Full House payout from 9x your bet to 7x your bet, and also cuts the Flush payout from 6x your bet to 5x your bet. All other payouts remain the same as in a full pay game. This reduces the maximum payout percentage to 96.15% for players betting five coins per hand to receive the Royal Flush bonus.
6/5 Jacks or Better[edit]
6/5 Jacks or Better cuts the Full House payout from 9x your bet to 6x your bet, and also cuts the Flush payout from 6x your bet to 5x your bet. All other payouts remain the same as in a full pay game. This reduces the maximum payout percentage to 95.00% for players betting five coins per hand to receive the Royal Flush bonus.
Progressive jackpot games[edit]
Other kinds of video poker only have positive theoretical returns when the progressive jackpot is high enough. Many establishments advertise with a billboard when the progressive jackpot is high enough. Otherwise sub-optimal games like 8/5 jacks or better can become positive expectation when the jackpot is large enough.
Terminology[edit]
As with regular poker, there are many different terms and phrases that are associated with playing video poker. Not knowing these terms may cause a disadvantage to anyone playing the game. The most important video poker terms [7] have been added to the table below.
Video Poker Term | Explanation |
---|---|
Full Pay | The highest paying variant of a video poker game. Typically with high return-to-player game percentages. |
Low Pay | Refers to video poker games which increase the house edge and reduce the return-to-player percentage. |
Natural Royal Flush | A unique case when the highest possible hand, a Royal Flush, is dealt to the player. |
Power Poker | Theoretically the most profitable poker strategy. |
Multi-Play | A feature that allows participants to play with more than one hand. |
Hold | When a player chooses to keep the cards in their hand. |
Auto Hold | A feature available in certain video poker games. If turned on, the game automatically chooses which cards to hold. |
Not So Ugly Ducks (NSUD) | A game most well-known for paying 16 for a 5 of a kind and 10 for a straight flush. |
Game Denomination | Refers to the value of the cards or the coin size in a video poker game. |
Flush | A five-card hand that contains cards of the same suit. |
Discard | The cards you decide to throw away after the initial deal. |
Draw | The second deal of the cards, after you have decided which cards to hold and which to discard. |
Hand | The five cards (or less) dealt on the screen are known as a hand. |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Montero, David; Winton, Richard; Vives, Ruben (2017-10-09). 'In the solitary world of video poker, Stephen Paddock knew how to win. Until he didn't'. Los Angeles Times. ISSN0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
- ^'Video Poker Rules & Gameplay'.
- ^'Learn Video Poker Rules and Video Poker Hand Values'. OnlineCasinosDoc.com. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
- ^'Video Poker Analyzer - Wizard of Odds'. wizardofodds.com.
- ^Video Poker Optimum Play, Dan Paymar, Table 9: Attractiveness Quotient of Selected Games, page 175, ISBN1-886070-11-3
- ^Robbing the One-Armed Bandits, Charles Lund, 1999, ISBN091057510X, page 37ff
- ^'Video Poker Online Guide'. online-gambling.com. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Video poker. |
- Video Poker Guides at Curlie