Whether played online or off, Poker is one of the best known and most popular cards games in the world today. Its history remains steeped in mystery as it is impossible to trace back exactly when and where the game originated, but some say the predecessors of the game reach way back to the 16th century.
What is known is that around that time, there were many card games being developed in Germany and France, and some of these early games were very similar to the game of poker we know and love today.
As we mentioned above, poker’s rise in popularity, especially of online poker, has rocketed over the last few years. This guide has been compiled for you and contains all you need to know about video poker games. Informative and entertaining, we hope you find something new to take on board and perhaps put into practice.
Table of Contents
The Convenience of Online Poker
Poker made a move online early on, but a fascinating fact is that there were already poker machines, even before the classic 3-reel slots games. These poker machines served as the basis for the invention of the ‘Liberty Bell’ which was the first mechanical slot.
Online poker has inspired millions of people as it is so convenient. Being able to play at any time and from any location (as long as you have a decent internet connection) means that there is no need to wait until enough people are seated at a table before playing.
We all lead busy lives and the convenience of online poker is obvious. Online poker is a great way of trying out those strategies you have read about without other players distracting you. If you are new to the game of poker you probably have not honed your ‘poker face’ to perfection giving away the type of hand you have to your opponents, in this situation, video poker is also the game for you.
Variations of Video Poker
There have been many different variations of poker developed through the ages, with some proving more popular than others. The same rule applies to video poker with many variations on offer from many online casino sites.
If you have already found your online casino, you can customise your games choice in the lobby, simply enter your preferred category (in this case poker) and all the games on offer will instantly be displayed, all you need to do is then choose your favourite. Amongst all the games there is certainly going to be
- Jokers Wild – Played with a deck of 53 cards with a Joker added. The joker can replace any other card and always completes your card combination so getting the joker dealt to you really does increase your chance of a win.
- Deuces Wild – This version of poker also has a joker. Played with a 52-card deck the ‘2’ serves as the wild card and replaces any other card needed. This means you can complete any card combination in your hand using the ‘2’ as a joker.
- Jacks or Better – One of the most popular video poker variations, players are required to form a hand that is better than a pair of jacks. This requirement means that you will need to make sure you know your poker hands.
All poker games are based on common poker hand rankings and these rankings show which is the winning hand. In some variations, the common hand ranking is used in different ways. For instance, the lowest value hand is the most sought after in a game of low-ball poker.
Playing Free Video Poker
Before you decide to risk some of your bankroll playing on your chosen video poker game, you might like to check out whether video poker is available in a demo version. These versions allow you unrestricted betting without using your own money, allowing you to get a ‘feel’ of the games before opting into playing with your own money as you become more confident.
Video Poker Progressive Jackpot Games
The majority of video poker games have a fixed paytable which means that the pays for each winning hand never changes, but with progressive video poker games the rules are different.
As each player plays the game a small percentage is added to the jackpot. Usually you will find that the jackpot is paid out for hitting a royal flush, but some progressive games have running jackpots for straight flushes or even a certain four of a kind – in the progressive poker video games the jackpots can vary.
As the progressive jackpot climbs, the house edge decreases. It can eventually become favourable for the player. The higher the jackpot amount, the better the game, so try to find a game where the jackpot is already worth winning.
Video Poker and Strategies
Once you are familiar with the poker hands, you will want to begin a game. When enjoying video poker the stress levels are much lower than at a land-based casino, and once more, you can start playing with little experience.
Video poker games also offer the chance for players to use some strategies they might be interested in to improve their win results. Of course, there is never any guarantee that using any strategy will get a winning result, but poker is one of those games that simply cry out for players to try a strategy or two, possibly using a strategy card or chart which has the best plates listed in order (Many of these can be found online)
Video Poker Summary
Video poker is a highly enjoyable game to try your hand at, offering an easy way to play with a lower house edge. Fun to try out different strategies, both new and experienced poker players can play with confidence as there are no opponents to read your body language and play on your weaknesses, and of course you can always opt-in to one of the online casinos’ bonuses to increase your own bankroll (remember to read all terms and conditions attached to any bonus or promotional offer before opting in.)
