Video poker is a popular casino game. It is a poker game that is played on a slots-like machine making it fast and exciting. It requires skill, but is not played against other players making it appealing to all types of gamblers.
The Aim of the Game
The aim of the game of video poker is to achieve the best five-card poker hand possible. As you do not play against other players, you will be paid out according to the rank of the hand you achieve.
Beginning the Game
Before you begin a game of video poker you will need to choose your game. There are multiple variations of the game available and variations may come in multi-hand varieties as well. Make sure to understand the rule variations for the game you are playing as this will affect how you play the game. To start the game you will need to place your bet. Choose your bet and then click on deal. Your first five cards will be dealt. You will then have the opportunity to hold any or all of the cards in your hand and the remaining cards will be discarded with new cards dealt in their place. These five cards will make up your final hand. You will be paid out according to the paytable for the rank of the hand.
Hand Ranks
How the hands are ranked in the game will determine your payout.
These are the basic hand rankings, from highest to lowest, in a game of video poker:
-
Royal Flush
10 through Ace in the same suit Straight Flush
Any sequence of five cards in the same suit-
Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same value Full House
Three cards of one value and two cards of another value-
Flush
Any five cards in the same suit -
Straight
any five cards in sequence -
Three of a Kind
Three cards of one value -
Two Pair
Two cards of one value and two cards of another value -
Pair
Two cards of one value
Winning at Video Poker
Some variations of the game include wild cards and these may include additional payouts. Many variations will only pay out for a specific pair or higher, such as Jacks or Better. Understand the rules so you do not hold onto cards that will be no use.
If you win at video poker, you may be able to make use of the double up or double-or-nothing feature. This offers you true odds in that you will win or lose solely based on the cards dealt. There are two types of double up bets. In the first type, five one card will be dealt face-up and four cards face-down. You need to choose one card and your winnings will be doubled if you choose a card of a higher value than the up-card. If it is a lower, value, you lose your winnings. The other type of double up gamble is a red or black option where you need to guess the color of the down card. Not all online video poker games offer this gamble.
