Introduction
Video Poker is a virtual table game. Rather than playing at a table with other players, it is played online, or inside a land-based casino at a Video Poker machine. These resemble slot machines, with back-lit touch screens to facilitate interaction.
It is very different from standard poker variations, and instead more closely resembles the table-comparing games offered by most casinos.
How to Play Video Poker?
Video Poker is played with a virtual deck of 52 cards, in the standard Anglo-American pattern. The rankings are the same as the usual poker melds. There will be a table below with the Hand Rankings as needed.
Step 1
Players usually exchange real money, either by transferring it into their online account or putting cash into the kiosk or machine, for credits.
These credits represent a real cash value, similar to gambling chips.
Step 2
The exchange rate between currency and credits will be displayed. Players sit at their chosen machine, and make a wager of credits before the hand begins.
Different machines will have different maximum bets, but the minimum is usually a single credit.
Step 3
Once a Player has made their wager, five cards will be dealt. Players use these five cards to attempt to form the strongest possible five-card poker hand that they can.
Step 4 – Hold or Discard
Players are given the choice to “Hold” their cards. All cards that are held will be kept in the hand. Cards that the Player does not choose to hold will be discarded and exchanged with new cards from the deck.
If one wishes to keep their whole hand, simply hold each card. Some casinos may even offer a “Hold All” button.
Players may also discard their entire hand, if they wish. This can be done simply by holding none of their cards. Once Players have decided which cards to hold, they press the “Draw” button. All held cards remain, while the others are discarded and exchanged.
Step 5
The second hand is the Player’s final hand. The computer will automatically form the best possible five-card hand for the Player, and then reference the pay table.
Based on the hand the Player was able to form, they will be paid out a certain multiplier based on their initial wager.
Ending
Gameplay continues as above, with the Player wagering credits, until the Player runs out of credits, or until they decide to walk away with their winnings.
Physical
If playing at a machine, Players will be given the option to cash out at the end of each game, or there will be a button labeled “Cash Out” or something to that effect.
- The player’s credits will be tabulated and exchanged into real cash value.
- Players will be given a voucher that they can take to the cashier, where the voucher can be exchanged for cash.
Online
If playing online, the Player will usually be given the chance to leave the table. Their credits will automatically be converted into cash value, left in their play account.
These accounts are most often connected to the Player’s bank account; from which they can deposit or withdraw money as necessary.
Hand Rankings
The key distinction between the traditional poker hand rankings, and Video Poker, is the lowest meld in the game, the Pair.
In Video Poker, a Pair is only counted as a meld if it is composed of Jacks or better. This means a hand of two 8s is junk, but a pair of Queens is still a Pair.
The following is the hierarchy of hands in Video Poker, from highest ranking to lowest:
| Hand | Example |
|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 10♠️ J♠️ Q♠️ K♠️ A♠️ |
| Straight Flush | 6♣️ 7♣️ 8♣️ 9♣️ 10♣️ |
| Four of a Kind | 9♦️ 9♣️ 9♠️ 9♥️ |
| Full House | J♦️ J♣️ J♠️ Q♦️ Q♣️ |
| Flush | 2♠️ 5♠️ 8♠️ J♠️ K♠️ |
| Straight | 7♦️ 8♣️ 9♠️ 10♦️ J♣️ |
| Three of a Kind | 5♥️ 5♠️ 5♦️ 8♠️ 10♣️ |
| Two Pair | 3♣️ 3♠️ 6♦️ 6♣️ 9♠️ |
| Pair | J♥️ J♠️ 2♦️ 8♣️ 10♠️ |
Pay Tables Explained
The pay tables for Video Poker are based on the rankings above. As one would expect, Royal Flush pays out the highest, Straight Flush the second highest, and so on.
The exact values of the payout are not necessarily important. The exact house edge of a game is always decided by the casino, on a case-by-case basis.
Even blackjack, the most popular “fair” game to play can have vastly different rules in two different casinos. These different rules result in different payouts, and therefore a different house edge.
This section is not intended to simply demonstrate the payout table of a single Video Poker game. Instead, this section serves as a warning to players: Always check more than one machine.
When playing online, check other reputable sites for a Video Poker game with a better payout table. In essence, “shop around” to get the best potential return for your money.
Example Payouts
Consider the following two example payout tables:
| Meld | Payout Table 1 | Payout Table 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | 250 | 250 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 50 |
| 4-Kind | 25 | 25 |
| Full House | 9 | 8 |
| Flush | 6 | 5 |
| Straight | 4 | 4 |
| 3-Kind | 3 | 3 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 2 |
| Pair | 1 | 1 |
These two payout tables exemplify why it is so important to compare your options.
The second payout table offers slightly less money on wins than the first. These games may seem practically identical, but the reality is quite different. The Payout table to the right has a 2% higher house edge.
This means, on statistical average, you will lose 2% more money playing the 2nd payout table.
Machine Selection
Land-based casinos will often offer machines with different payout tables. They want a balance of Players to win and lose. If too many Players lose, then they will become wary of the unfair games and might even avoid that venue altogether. If too many Players win, the casino will become cash insolvent and will have to shut down operations.
By providing machines with both types of edge, the casino can strike a mathematically healthy balance between good public image and profitability.
You, as the Player, do not need to concern yourself with the casino’s profitability. You are there to make as much money as you can before you leave. Therefore, always look for the kiosk with better payouts. Think of it like finding the best deal at the grocery store. Why pay more than you need to?
Often, online casinos will only offer Video Poker on a single-pay table. However, a different website is simply a click away. Always look at multiple places to find the game with the best odds for you, the Player.
Video Poker Rules
- If playing on a Video Poker machine, Players simply insert cash to obtain their credits. Websites usually require login credentials, associated with a particular bank account. Players then use that bank account to fund their account, which is used for purchasing credits.
- Players attempt to form the best five-card hand that they possibly can. The computer will automatically tabulate the best hand available to the Player and pay out accordingly.
- Players can hold 0-5 of the cards from their first deal. Cards that they choose not to hold will be discarded and exchanged with new cards from the deck.
- Players compare their hand against the pay table, rather than another opposing hand. Players are paid out automatically after the 2nd deal.
Example Scenario
Suppose that you are dealt five cards after wagering 3 credits. Each credit has a cash value of $5, for a total $15 wager.
The cards are as follows:
8♠ 5♥ Q♣ 7♠ K♦
There are multiple Hold combinations that would be reasonable to take here.
- A Player could hold the 8♠ 7♠ in the hopes of achieving a Straight Flush. However, holding 8s is risky because of the Jacks or Better rule.
- A Player could hold the K♦ Q♣ in the hopes of a Straight. Holding Face Cards is usually advisable, as it is quite likely to receive a pair, and a pair of face cards will not lose the game.
- Or the Player could hold no cards, and possibly reshuffle their entire hand. This is a highly risky option, and should only be considered in a hand of completely unsuited junk. As such, it is the wrong choice here.
Suppose the next 5 cards in the deck are the following:
K♣ 8♦ A♥ Q♠ 10♥
- A Player that held their 8♠ 7♠ would receive K♣ 8♦ A♥ and receive a Pair 8s, which would not qualify for Jacks or Better, and would lose the bet.
- A Player that held their K♦ Q♣ would receive K♣ 8♦ A♥, which will result in a pair of Kings and win 1x the wager.
- A Player that shuffled their entire hand would receive all five of the above cards and lose their wager as it is a junk hand.
As demonstrated by the example, Players who do not have a preformed meld in their starting hand should hold onto their face cards.
It goes without saying that if you do have a qualifying pair, or better, those should be held into the 2nd Deal.
Chasing the high-ranking meld is sometimes necessary but also extremely risky. If you already have a meld that can win a payout of any kind, just hold onto it. Consider it free games while you continue to attempt to achieve the jackpot.
Video Vs. Regular Poker
Video Poker and regular poker are two very different games. Video Poker is, in essence, a game of statistics and eventuality. This puts it more in line with a table game, such as baccarat or blackjack.
Although there is some level of strategy in blackjack, ultimately there is a decidedly optimal play in every hand. Players cannot make their hand any better than it is mathematically, and Players who deviate from this perfect choice only make their odds worse and never better.
Traditional poker on the other hand is a game of psychology and long-term skill. It allows a Player dealt a hand of complete junk to bluff their way through the game and still somehow win the pot. It is much more than a pure game of luck, like most casino table games. Instead, poker is a game of wit and skill.
Video Poker does not allow the mental aspect to shine. The only true similarity it holds to poker is its mechanical resemblance to Five-Card Draw and the use of its hand rankings.
The lack of betting phases, and the fact that Video Poker is not in actuality a comparing game, means these games are not even truly in the same genre of card games.
Variations
- Jacks or Better
- Bonus Poker
- Deuces Wild
- Joker Poker
- Aces and Faces
- Tens or Better
- Ultimate X Poker
