Video poker rules are simple and straight forward. The rules are based on five card draw, any knowledge of poker hands will work to your advantage. Another trick is to learn the game of Jacks or Better first before you start playing video poker.
Double Double Bonus Poker, Double Bonus Poker and Bonus poker are other popular variations of video poker that you need to take into consideration. Although each game has its own rules, there are similarities. In this guide, we dig deep into the rules of play.
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Video Poker Game Rules
As we have already mentioned, there are a number of similarities in the rules of the different video poker variations. The standard poker rankings apply when playing this casino game and it is played using a deck of 52 cards. Let’s take a look at some of the basic video poker rules;
1. You have to insert the required amount of coins to start making a wager.
2. The video poker machine will display your starting five cards when you press the dial.
3. You have to click on the cards you want to choose. Moreover, you have the option to hold, keep or abandon some or all of your cards.
4. From the remaining deck, the cards you have discarded will be traded in a random draw when you click on the draw button.
5. If your hand matches any poker hand that is qualifying, you win. The payout will largely depend on the paytable of the video poker game.
Video Poker Strategy
Due to the house edge, video poker is quite popular amongst players in the UK. It is very important that you use a sound strategy if you want to maximize your chances of winning. There is a different strategy for each video poker version. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the type of game you are playing. Depending on the game you choose, the house edge of video poker can range from 0.5% to 0.8%. Each variation has a video poker strategy chart. This chart will clearly outline the basic strategy of the game and it is important that you learn this chart.
Types of Video Poker Hand Rankings
Knowing the different video poker hand rankings is as important as understanding the rules of the game. If you do not know any of the hand rankings as yet, we are here to help you. Here is a list of the important rankings used;
- Two of a kind is one that has two pairs.
- Three of a kind is a hand that has three cards that have equal value and any two cards.
- A straight hand has cards from different suits that have five consecutive numbers.
- A hand that has any five cards from the same suit is known as a flush.
- Flush is a hand that has any five cards from the same suit.
- A hand with a pair of three identical value cards is a full house.
- Four cards that are from different suits and have equal value is a Four of a kind.
- A straight flush is the second-best hand in poker. It consists of five cards that are and are of the same suit.
- The best hand in video poker is a royal flush. This hand has a Ten, and Ace, Jack, Queen and King. All of the cards come from the same suit namely spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds.
Video Poker Rules: Pay Tables
Before you can understand video poker pay tables, it is important that you know the different hand rankings. In essence, a pay table is a chart that has all the winning hands as well as their respective payouts. How it works is that hands that are rare and good and will have a higher payout. Moreover, the variation and value of the bets also have an influence on how much the payout will be. Another important factor to keep in mind is that depending on the gaming operator and the software developer the pay table will differ.
If you bet a minimum amount, the payout corresponding to your winning hand will be lower. Alternatively, you will get the highest payout when you place a maximum bet in video poker. In most cases, the pay table will start with Jacks or Better which generally pays evenly. The pay table will also give you an indication of the two hands and game you are playing. The Full House and Flush are other hands that you need to take into consideration when you look at the pay table.
How to Play Video Poker
Similar to the rules, playing video poker is easy. If you are already familiar with other variations of the game such as Jacks or Better, you will not struggle at all to play video poker. There aren’t any other players in video poker, it’s only just you and the machine. So, you do not have to worry about other players’ hands. Here’s how you would play video poker machine at a casino;
1. Firstly, you need to choose a casino of your choice and decide on the variation you want to play.
2. Choose a video poker machine and insert your coins.
3. To start playing, you will have to click on the “Deal” button and your cards will be drawn.
4. The machine will assess the winning hand and payout accordingly.