Video Poker is a cross between a slot machine and table games. In essence, it offers the best of both worlds. One of the reasons that video poker is so popular is because there is very little chance involved in the game. Whether you win or lose is largely dependent on your skill level.
As such, it feels less like gambling. The ease of video poker has now evolved and you can play this game of skill from your own computer. If you are interested in giving it a try, here are some things that you should know:
Understanding Video Poker
Video Poker has actually been around for a couple of decades now. It simply took a while for people to get accustomed to the idea. There are also many different versions of the game. People can now play their favorite versions with money.
The game begins when the minimum sum of money is bet before any cards are dealt. Once this is done, the machine will provide you with five cards from a virtual deck. At this point, you get to choose which cards you want to keep and which ones you would like to replace. The cards that you have refused will be replaced once more by the virtual deck. This group of cards, known as a hand, is final.
The payouts with video poker are determined by how rare or unique your hand is. The hands are the same as in a real poker game. Here are some of the winning hands that you can play:
- A Full House: this involves a pair and three of a kind (for instance – 2, 2, 8, 8, 2)
- A Flush: where all of the hands are of the same suit
- A Straight: this is a hand that has consecutively ranked cards (an Ace can also count as 1)
- An Outside Straight: this is when the hand can be made straight by placing another card on either end
- An Inside Straight: a hand that can become straight were it not for the missing card in the middle
- A Straight Flush: a hand that has consecutively ranked cards of the same suit
- A Royal Flush: this is a straight flush composed of the highest cards
There are multi play options available with video poker. Some of these games will allow you to play up to ten hands at once.
Playing Online Video Poker
Just as with regular video poker, there are many variations to online poker as well. This includes Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better, Tens or Better, Bonus Poker, Double Bonus, and Double Double Bonus.
There is actually little difference between the traditional video poker games and the online version. The first thing that you will need to do is to determine the wager that you will place. Depending on the online casino, this can range from $0.1 to $5. Once this is done, you can click on the Deal button. You can choose the cards that you wish to keep by clicking on them.
There are some casinos that offer you the option of playing for free before placing any wagers. With the free games, you will not be eligible to win any money. However, you will have the opportunity to learn how the game is played.
Video Poker Strategies
The best way to win at online video poker is to be intimate with the real game. It is a good idea to figure out how the real game is played and to understand all of the winning hands. This, in turn, will provide you with all of the techniques that you will need to win with video poker.
There is a warning regarding the strategies that you use with video poker, however. One strategy cannot be used for all of the different variations. You are going to need to figure out a strategy to match the particular type of game that you are playing.
Although it is not a strategy, you should keep an eye on the payouts that are offered by each online casino. These can vary, and by comparing them, you will be able to choose the one that will afford you the best deal.
With video poker, you have to rely more on skill than on chance or luck. As such, you will have a better opportunity to win at this game. Just remember all of the information provided here when you do so.
