How To Play Video Poker

Playing The Game

To start playing video poker you deposit coins into the machine and place your bet. This must be done before you draw your cards, and can't be changed once the game starts.

Next, you push a button marked "Draw/Deal", the machine will then display your initial hand of five cards. Once seeing your cards you decide if you want to keep any of them in your hand. If you do you push the "Hold/Cancel" button under the card(s) you want to keep. If you change your mind and don't want to keep a previously held card push the "Hold/Cancel" button again and the hold will be canceled. It is important to make sure that there is conformation on the screen that you have held the cards that you want to hold (the word "hold" flashes under your held cards).

Press the Draw/Deal button a second time to get new cards for those not held. If you have a winning hand the machine pays off and is then ready for another game.

Winning hands

The following hands win, ordered top to bottom from the highest-ranking hands to the lowest.

Important to remember: When the cards will be displayed they usually wont be in their ranking order. Look at them carefully before deciding since the machine will not bring to your attention the fact that there is a hand or a potential for one.

Royal flush
A Royal Flush is a hand with an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of the same suit.

Straight flush
A Straight Flush is a hand of five cards in order and of the same suit; for example A, 2, 3, 4, 5 is a group of five ordered cards. (An ace can usually be counted as the lowest card in the order).

Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same value and aother odd card (for example Q, Q, Q, Q, 3).

Full House
Is a hand that has three cards of the same rank and two cards of another (for example k, k, k, 5, 5).

Flush
All five cards belong to the same suit (for example 5 of diamonds, 3 of diamonds, 8 of diamonds, King of diamonds and Ace of diamonds).

Straight
Five cards in order, but not of the same suit (for example Ace of hearts, 2 of Clubs, 3 of diamonds, 4 of Clubs and 5 of Spades).

Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank together with two odd cards (such as 6, 6, 6, K and 3).

Two Pair
Two cards of the same rank. You have two pair if the hand has two pair and an odd card (for example 8, 8, 5, 5, 3).

One Pair (Jacks or better)
Two cards of the same rank, in video poker only pairs of jacks, queens, kings or aces pay off.




Video Poker Payoffs

Overview

The payoff for a single coin bet changes depending on the game played. It is possible to play more than one coin the usual maximum is five coins although in some machines you can gamble up to 100.

On some machines, when the maximum amount of coins are played it increases the payoff (for example one machine pays on a royal flush: 250 coins for a single coin bet, 500 for a two coin bet, 750 for a three coin bet, 1,000 for a four coin bet and 4,000 for a five coin bet). When the payout percentages are higher when max coins are played, it's good strategy to gamble five coins to increase your winnings over time. The following lists show representative payoffs for a single coin bet for the different video poker games.



Jacks or Better Machines These are the basic video poker machines using one "deck" of cards and no wild cards. This game represents the odds most truthfully, and gives high payouts for good hands.
Typical Payoff Values for This Game:

Hand Payoff
Royal Flush 250 coins
Straight Flush 50 coins
4 of a Kind 25 coins
Full House 9 coins
Flush 6 coins
Straight 4 coins
3 of a Kind 3 coins
Two Pair 2 coins
Pair of Jacks or Higher 1 coin
None of the Above Loss







Progressive Machines

Many gamblers think that this type of video poker gambling is the only kind worth playing due to the large payoffs that can be achieved from these machines.

These machines payoff somewhat less on some of the common wins but can have a vast payoff for royal flush. Progressive machines are frequently linked together, and every time a royal flush is not made on one of the linked machines the jackpot grows. Usually, in order to be entitled to win the progressive payoff you have to bet max coins. Our online casino team recommends strongly that if you are playing a progressive machine you always bet five coins.


Typical Payoff Values for This Game:

Hand Payoff
Royal Flush 300 coins
Straight Flush 50 coins
4 of a Kind 25 coins
Full House 8 coins
Flush 5 coins
Straight 4 coins
3 of a Kind 3 coins
Two Pair 2 coins
Pair of Jacks or Higher 1 coin
None of the Above Loss







Double Bonus Poker Payouts

In this game Payoffs include the ones for jacks or better video poker (from a pair of jacks or better to a Royal Flush). And there are also additional bonus payoffs for three different four of a kind hands, four aces, four 2s, 3s and 4s and four 5s through kings.
Typical Payoff Values for This Game:

Hand Payoff
Royal Flush 800 coins
Straight Flush 50 coins
4 Aces 160 coins
4 (2, 3, 4's) 80 coins
4 (5 through K's) 50 coins
Full House 10 coins
Flush 7 coins
Straight 5 coins
3 of a Kind 3 coins
Two Pair 1 coin
Pair of Jacks or Higher 1 coin
None of the Above Loss



A joker is added to the deck in this version of video poker gambling. This joker is a called a wild card and can be used to help acquire any winning hand, it also allows for an additional win if the player manages to get five of a kind. To balance this, all pairs lose in this variation.


Typical Payoff Values for This Game:

Hand Payoff
Royal Flush 500 coins
5 of a Kind 100 coins
Straight Flush 50 coins
4 of a Kind 20 coins
Full House 8 coins
Flush 7 coins
Straight 5 coins
3 of a Kind 3 coins
Two Pair 1 coin
None of the Above Loss







Deuces Wild

In this style of video poker gambling twos are wild cards. Meaning that they can be used as any card. This improves the chances of winning, and allows a higher chance of getting five of a kind. To balance this advantage the minimum hand to win is three of a kind.

Typical Payoff Values for This Game:


Typical Payoff Values for This Game:

Hand Payoff Option 1 Payoff Option 2
Royal Flush 800 coins 800 coins
4 Deuces 200 coins 400 coins
Wild Royal 25 coins 20 coins
5 of a Kind 15 coins 10 coins
Straight Flush 9 coins 10 coins
4 of a Kind 5 coins 4 coins
Full House 3 coins 4 coins
Flush 2 coins 3 coins
Straight 2 coins 2 coins
3 of a Kind 1 coin 1 coin
None of the Above Loss Loss