Video Poker Guide: How to Play, Strategies, and Free Games

Video poker has a lot going for it, not least because it has a relatively low house edge and generous payouts similar to the top online slots. Add to this the fact that you can increase your chances of success with some well-timed moves, and there are plenty of reasons to play video poker online.

In fact, it’s this ability to implement video poker strategies that separates it from other casino games, including slots. So, if you’re a poker player who wants to put your skills to use in the casino arena, here’s how to play video poker online.

What is Video Poker?

Video poker is a single-player game based on the rules of traditional poker variants such as Texas Hold’em and Five-Card Draw.

The goal is to make a five-card poker hand that meets the minimum payout requirements. At PlayWSOP.com, the minimum winning hand is two-pair. However, other variants (which we’ll discuss later) have different minimum payout requirements.

The most important point here is that the value of your payout depends on the strength of your hand. Hit the minimum hand, and you might win 1x your bet. Make a royal flush, and you’ll bank a jackpot worth much more.

How is it Different from Regular Poker?

The main way video poker differs from regular poker is the lack of competition between players. In traditional poker, you’re aiming to win pots by outplaying other people. In video poker, you’re playing against the house.

This lack of real competition makes video poker a more methodical, mathematical game, with no way to influence the outcome using tactics such as bluffing. Luck does influence the outcome more than skill.

However, there are mathematically correct and incorrect moves. Players who make more mathematically correct moves stand to win more in the long run, which is why you can’t discount the skill element in video poker.

Finally, online video poker is more accessible than other forms of poker. With games like Texas Hold’em, you need to wait for a seat to become available at a table. There’s no waiting in video poker. Once you find a game, just place a bet, and you’ll receive five cards.

Basic Rules of Video Poker

You’ll already have a basic understanding of video poker if you’ve played Five-Card Draw or Texas Hold’em. If you’re a complete newbie, our free online video poker rules guide will get you playing in three simple steps:

Step 1: Place Your Bet

To start, you’ll need to place a qualifying bet. Every video poker game you play will have a minimum and maximum bet. It’s up to you how much you stake; it just has to be within the game’s limits.

Additionally, you can wager multiple coins per hand. For example, if you set your bet to $5 and play five coins, the total cost per game will be $25 ($5 x 5).

Step 2: Tap to Deal

Once you’ve set your stake, tap the bet button to receive five cards. This is your starting hand. You have the choice at this point to hold or draw (exchange) as many cards as you like. For clarity, it doesn’t cost anything to draw new cards in video poker.

Step 3: The Draw

After selecting the cards you want to hold, tap the draw button. This exchanges any cards you didn’t hold. The five cards you have at this point are your final hand. If it qualifies for a payout, the money is credited to your account instantly, and a new game starts. If not, you can simply start a new game.

Video Poker Variants

There are many variations of video poker, including Jacks or Better (the original game), Deuces Wild, and Joker Poker. They all follow the basic principle of trying to make a winning five-card poker hand, but the minimum requirement varies.

Additionally, some variants have wild cards. Wild cards can substitute for any other card in the deck to complete a hand. For example, if you’re playing Deuces Wild, deuces (aka cards worth 2) are wild.

Let’s say you’re dealt these cards: A-K-Q-J-2. Under normal circumstances, you’d be one card short of a straight (you’d need a 10). However, because deuces are wild, the 2 can be used as a 10 to complete the straight.

Now that’s clear, here are the most popular video poker variants and their minimum hand requirements:

Video Poker Hands and Hand Rankings

Before you can play video poker effectively, you must understand video poker hand rankings – or at least have a reference to hand, showing you the different hands. Take a look below to learn about the video poker hands you might see while playing:

Pro Tip: Video poker games with wild cards offer bigger payouts for a ‘natural’ Royal Flush (without wild cards) than one made with wild cards.

Finally, a note on video poker odds. As you’ve probably guessed, the better the hand, the lower the odds are that you’ll hit it. The probability of making hands varies depending on the video poker variant you’re playing.

However, we can use the most popular variant, Jacks or Better, to give you an overview of how likely you are to make each ranked hand in video poker:

Video Poker Payouts

Video poker payouts depend on three things:

1. The amount you wager

In video poker, you wager credits or coins. You start by setting the credit/coin value. For example, $5.

From there, you’ve got the option to wager up to five coins. The total value of your wager depends on the base value and the number of coins you select. For example, if the base value is $2 and you wager five coins, the total cost per game is $10.

Wagering more coins increases your payout potential. Put simply, the more coins you wager, the more each winning hand is worth.

2. The Hand You Make

Each qualifying video poker hand has a set payout. The payout is a prize multiplier based on the probability of hitting the hand. The harder a hand is to make, the bigger the prize multiplier will be.

3. The Video Poker Variant You’re Playing

As we’ve said, each video poker variant has its own minimum hand requirements. In line with this, payouts can vary depending on the video poker game you’re playing.

The nice thing about playing video poker online is that the prize multipliers are shown clearly in a sidebar.

Video Poker Payouts Table

Most video poker variants have the same payout tables, but there are some differences. The three tables below show the main payout tables used for online video poker games:

Jacks or Better Poker Payouts

All American Poker Payouts

Deuces Wild Video Poker Payouts

Playing Video Poker Online

Playing video poker online is very similar to playing video poker in a land-based casino. The rules are the same, there are different variants to choose from, and the games are fair, but everything is more accessible because you can play on a computer or mobile device.

How do we know the games are fair? Because of something known as a random number generator (RNG). An RNG determines the outcome of each hand. We won’t go into the complexities of seed values and randomization, but we will give you the basics.

RNGs are complex algorithms that select values at random based on a predefined set of rules. These random values are converted to the cards you see on the screen. This process mimics a deck of cards being shuffled, which, in turn, ensures hands are dealt fairly.

We know the RNGs produce fair results at PlayWSOP.com and other video poker casino sites because they’re tested by independent third parties such as GLI and iTech Labs. These companies use Monte Carlo simulations to analyze an RNG’s results and determine that it’s working correctly.

Online Video Poker Bonuses

Other than fair results and the convenience of playing whenever you want, the major advantage of playing video poker online is added value in the form of bonuses.

All video poker casino sites give bonuses to players who make real-money wagers. You can even get free coins when you play video poker at social gaming sites.

Video Poker Strategies

There’s an element of luck in video poker, but there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of winning.

We’re not saying these video poker tips will make you an overnight success, but they will maximize your long-term expected value:

Basic Strategies for Video Poker

If you’re a complete newbie, start with these basic video poker strategy tips:

• Understand the pay table: It’s vital that you look at the pay table before you start playing. You need to know exactly how much each winning hand will pay, so you can make educated decisions on which cards to keep and which to swap.
• Choose the right game: Choose video poker games with the highest RTP values. This will ensure you have the best theoretical chance of winning.

Advanced Strategies for Video Poker

Once you’ve mastered the basics, add these video poker tips to your arsenal:

• Count your outs: Look at your five starting cards and think about how likely you are to draw one of those hands based on the odds table we’ve given you in this guide. Experienced Texas Hold’em players call this counting their outs. It basically means you count up all the cards you need to make each hand. The more cards you can draw, the more likely you are to make that hand.
• Use strategy charts: Download a free video poker strategy chart so you know the optimal moves in each situation. The optimal strategy for video poker varies depending on the game you’re playing, so charts are the best way to master the right moves.

Insider Tips

We’ve been playing video poker for years and like to think we know a thing or two about the game. Here are some of our top video poker tips to boost your experience while playing video poker online:

1. Bankroll Management

You absolutely must use bankroll management when gambling online, regardless of what you’re playing. This essentially means being careful with your money and not spending everything in one session.

Instead, you should set aside a small portion of your bankroll – many top gamblers say around 5% – and use this for your gambling session. If you lose this 5%, you should have the discipline to stop and take a break.

2. Don’t Get Greedy

As with many aspects of life, it’s very easy to make mistakes while playing video poker online. And perhaps the biggest of these is getting too greedy. It’s only human to chase after the big paydays, but this shouldn’t be done by ignoring the smaller winning opportunities.

So, if you have a made hand, never swap parts of it for new cards, unless you’re one card away from hitting a Royal Flush (and even then, you should think long and hard about it). Take the easy wins and treat the bigger wins as a bonus.

3. Don’t Deviate From Optimal Moves

It might not sound too exciting, but discipline pays dividends in video poker. Stick to your strategy and don’t change, regardless of whether you’re winning or losing. If a move is optimal, it will always be optimal, so stick with it.

Final Thoughts

Video poker is one of the most undervalued games in an online casino. It offers loads of fun and some huge potential prizes, plus the RTP can be incredibly generous.

Hopefully, we’ve whetted your appetite with our video poker tips and advice. If we have, check out the video poker games at PlayWSOP.com. Just remember to play responsibly and have fun.