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Video poker takes the convenience of slots and the card building of poker to create a unique automated casino experience. On this page, I will introduce you to online video poker and help you become a confident player. I have also found the best video poker casino sites for US players, allowing you to find exciting games within minutes.
Online video poker has a history that goes back decades, even before online casinos. Back in the 1970s, land-based casinos were searching for ways to integrate technology to expand their game offerings. Video poker was born from the resulting research and development. It brought a new way to play poker on a virtual display, borrowing elements of slot games.
So, a video poker game looks like a classic video slot machine but has the gameplay of virtual poker. When online casinos rose to prominence in the late 1990s – early 2000s, video poker was ready-made for new sites. Unlike the pure luck of slots, you need to have knowledge and betting skills when you play video poker.
Like all forms of poker, the way to win in online casino video poker is to build a hand ranking that is better than your opponent. Before you start playing, it is essential to know the rankings to help you make informed betting decisions. Importantly, some classic winning rankings are not eligible for video poker games. The good news is most games have winning rankings listed on the main page.
Just like all casino games, video poker has a lot of slang words and jargon to know about. Understanding these terms is essential for becoming a confident online video poker professional. Below, I’ll give you the terminology to cut through that jargon the next time you play video poker online:
Video poker is an easy game to learn, but there are things you need to know before you start playing. The following steps will guide you through a game of online video poker, from choosing the game to completing a round.
The first skill any video poker player should learn is a complete understanding of poker hand rankings. Once you know the various ways you can potentially win, you can expand your gameplay to cover strategies. Below are some free video poker tips and strategies worth knowing about.
Because most video poker casino sites have lots of games to choose from, you can select from a range of popular variants. Each adds a unique twist to the classic casino game. Below are the most common variants:
Deuces Wild is the most popular version of video poker. Deuces are all 2 value cards, and as the name suggests, all 2 cards are wild. When you have a 2 in your hand, you can use it to become any other card to help form a winning hand.
Double Bonus is similar to Jacks or Better, but it adds a new feature. Specifically, there is an additional bonus payout rate for four-of-a-kind hands. This is to offset the fact the lowest winning hand possible is a pair of Jacks.
In Triple Play, you play on multiple hands at the same time. Created by software provider IGT, the game gives you three hands to play simultaneously, giving you more chance of winning. However, you will also need to bet three times more.
In poker, the Joker is usually a void card that is not a part of the game. In Joker Wild, the Joker card is put back into the deck and becomes wild. That means there are 53 cards in a game, and you can use the Joker to act as any other value card to help build a winning ranking.
Another game that supports multiple hands, multi-play is the ultimate option if you want video poker flexibility. You can play between 3 and 100 simultaneous hands, with the number changing depending on the game. In the game, you play a single hand, and the cards you hold from that hand are held across all hands you have in play.
You will see many different video poker games when you browse US online casinos. These games will come with a wide range of RTP (Return to Player) percentages, highlighting the average amount the game pays back to players over time. While there is no way to correctly predict the outcome of a video poker game, and the RTP is just an average, playing high RTP video poker games can potentially boost your chances of enjoying a profitable gaming session.
To help you better understand which games are best, here are the video poker titles with the highest RTPs:
Video poker is available for free in a demo mode on most US casino sites. This is important because a video poker free demo comes with plenty of benefits. For one, you can practice a game and play risk-free without spending a single cent. Of course, you will not be able to win real money. Still, there is no right way to play video poker, and we recommend trying free games before moving to real money video poker later.
Check out the table below to better understand the differences between real money video poker and free video poker.
Real money video poker | Free video poker |
---|---|
Potential to win real money | Play without any risk |
Claim casino bonuses | Practice betting strategy for free |
Play live video poker | Learn new game variants |
Bigger game selection | Remove all pressure and play for fun |
Video poker is a fun casino game, but whether it is right for you depends on various factors. To help you decide and choose the best video poker game, I’ve outlined the main pros and cons below.
When you choose one of my recommended video poker online casinos, not only are you guaranteed thrilling online video poker game play, but these sites excel in many other areas. You can expect jam-packed game lobbies, generous bonuses, popular and secure payment methods, and, of course, dedicated video poker apps for those who prefer to play on the go.
My fellow industry experts and I use a multi-step review process when rating and ranking online video poker casinos, ensuring that all aspects of a site are tested and rated. Below are the factors we consider for each review:
Emma Trotter is a Senior Editor at Casinos.com. Emma has worked as a staff writer and editor for nearly two decades, extensively covering celebrity news and the Las Vegas entertainment, casino and tourism scenes. She spent several years in in-house roles at Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Las Vegas before stepping into iGaming affiliate site content.
Read Full BioWe currently have a list of high-ranking video poker casinos for US players. Each of the sites we choose has been through our strict review process and meets our demands in terms of overall quality. If a new casino also meets those expectations, we will add it to our list of recommendations.
Yes you can play video poker for real money. The software providers that create popular video poker games create them as real money casino games. This means you can risk your own casino funds to play the games and attempt to win and make a profit.
Yes, if you are in one of the states that allow online gambling. Currently that is Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. Real money video poker isn’t supported in other states but you should be able to try demo games for free.
Many online casinos welcome players to access game demos and play for free. This makes it easy and risk-free to practice games without losing money. However, when playing for free, you cannot claim casino bonuses and cannot win real money payouts.
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