Video poker has been around for decades and, rather than be replaced by modern online casino games, it has become a mainstay of the internet era. The game differs slightly from the traditional table form of poker, but there are various elements that remain the same.
For people interested in playing video poker online, there are a few variants to choose from. It’s best to know what their different rules are before you get started.
The most popular video poker variants
Of all the different video poker variants out there to choose from, Deuces Wild Multi-Hand and Jacks or Better Multi-Hand are probably the two most common. When choosing which one of these to play, it’s important to get familiar with the rules. It’s also wise to study the probabilities of making different hands.
Jacks or Better is the best-known version of video poker, and this is the one you should go for if you just want some straightforward gameplay. All you have to do in this variant is form a winning hand. However, as the name suggests, you don’t win anything from pairs below jacks.
If you want a variant that mixes things up a bit and adds an extra element to the game, Deuces Wild would be the best option. In poker, twos are known as deuces, so as you may have guessed, the twos in this version of video poker act as wild cards. That means they can replace any other card and help you complete stronger hands more easily. Because it’s easier to win, the payment structure is slightly altered, so you usually need to make higher value hands to get the best returns.
What you need to know before playing video poker
Video poker isn’t like other casino games like slots, which run completely on luck. Instead, you need some prior knowledge of poker to be able to play. You have to know what the different hands are, all the way from a high pair to a royal flush. This way, you’ll be familiar with the range of likelihoods of achieving these hands.
With a comprehensive idea about the different hands in poker, you’ll be able to make the right decisions when it comes to discarding cards after the initial draw. The aim of the game is to give yourself the best chance of making a winning hand, and this can sometimes mean going for lower returns. There’s an extremely low chance of ever hitting a royal flush, for instance, so it’s often better to hold pairs and hope for three-of-a-kind or a full house.
With video poker still popular after all this time, it bodes well for its future. Virtual reality could be a hit in the coming years, and this could change the way games like this are played at online casinos. Due to a lot of modern players enjoying the retro vibes available in video poker, these games may still exist in their current format in VR worlds. However, the game changes with technology, the rules will most likely remain the same.