US Online Video Poker
Play Online Video Poker
How to Play Video Poker
If you are familiar with poker then video poker should be a breeze to learn. But if not, it is a very simple casino game to pick up and a great way to get used to the rules of poker in case you want to sit in on a real card game of poker. Video poker is very similar to slots in that it is you and a machine and the results are random. However, the difference between slots and video poker is that, although the dealt cards are random, you do need to understand how to play and use some strategy.
Video poker is an increasingly popular game in casinos but there are also numerous online games and video poker rooms available on the Internet. Some are available for fun and others are available as pay to play gambling with actual money paid out when you win. It is great entertainment for relatively inexpensive money and the perfect way to practice.
Types of Online Video Poker
There are two basic types of video poker. One type uses cards from a standard deck of fifty two cards. The other uses a standard deck plus jokers or wild cards. The object of the game is to get the best possible hand at poker by using your initial bet, holding the cards you want and dealing additional cards to make up your final hand. Just as with slots, video poker costs range from pennies to dollars so you can bet according to your budget. There are also minimum and maximum bets you can wager so if you are playing a dollar video poker game, you may be able to place up to four dollars bet at a time on each hand.
How Players Win at Video Poker
As with traditional poker hands there is a ranking system for hands. The better your hand is, the better the payout will be. The ranking of hands in order of nest to worst is as follows:
Royal flush – Ten, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of the same suit
Straight flush – Any sequential cards of the same suit
Four of a kind – Four of the same card, for example four Aces
Full house – Three of one card and two of another
Flush – Five cards of the same suit
Straight – Cards in sequential order regardless of the suit
Three of a kind – Three of the same card
Two pair –Two sets of pairs
One pair – Two of the same card using two different suits
The only difference between video poker and a real card game of poker is that video poker typically limits one pair payouts to jacks or better. Another advantage to video poker is that while most casino games greatly favor the house, video poker has a lower house odd percentage, giving you better odds of winning.