Video Poker

Video Poker Game info

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The basic aim of video poker is to attempt to strengthen the hand you are initially dealt by holding certain cards in the hope of being dealt the ones you need to make a great hand. Sometimes you are dealt an already winning hand that can be improved upon greatly with just a single different card. This is the allure of video poker as you are always chasing the better hand for a chance at the big prize money.

The game generally follows these lines:

Make your bets by clicking the amount you wish to bet. For multi-hand games the bet is divided between the hands.

Click the button marked “Deal” or “Draw” to spin the wheels.

When the wheels stop you will have five cards. Decide which ones you wish to keep by clicking the “hold” button corresponding to the individual reel.

Click the “Deal” or “Draw” button again to spin the free reels.

When they stop, the five cards you have either lose, or win the amount specified on the pay table.

At this point, if you win it is usual for most video poker games to ask you if you wish to double your winnings. You can either take your winnings by clicking “collect” or gamble them in what is called a double playoff round. This is usually done by displaying a card and you deciding whether the next card to be drawn is higher or lower than that displayed. If you guess wrongly, you lose, but if you guess correctly, you win double your winnings. If the same card comes up, it’s a push (no one wins or loses) and you simply take your original winnings.

When you’ve finished playing, you simply click to cash out.

Video poker hands correspond to those played in any land based or online poker game and have a hierarchy that is useful to know, even if you do not play poker.

The Royal Flush is the highest hand you can have in poker and in video poker this will trigger the jackpot. It consists of 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of the same suit.

A Wild Royal Flush can be created in some variations of video poker where a wildcard is used such as a joker or a two. This is essentially the same hand as a Royal Flush but with a wild card making up the one of the cards.

A Straight Flush is any five consecutive numbered cards of the same suit.

A Flush is any five cards of the same suit

A Straight is five consecutive numbered cards not of the same suit

Five of a Kind is four cards of the same number value plus a wild card in variations of the game that allow wild cards.

Four of a Kind is four cards of the same number value plus one other card

Three of a Kind is three cards of the same number value plus two other cards

Two Pair is two sets of pairs with the same number value

A Pair of Kings or better is one pair of kings and three other cards. This is the minimum hand that qualifies for a payout in most video poker games.

A Pair of Jacks or Better is one pair of Jacks and three other cards. In the game “Jacks or Better” this is the minimum qualifying hand for a payout.

In some specialised games slightly different hands are possible such as those built using wild cards and the payouts differ from game to game but will be clearly displayed on the game’s pay table.

Some online casinos tie the Royal Flush in with progressive jackpots and these are worth seeking out as wining the top hand could put you in line for a payout in the millions of dollars.