Video Poker Games

Video poker is a clever invention that combines slots and poker, the two most-played games at online and land-based casinos. The first game of its kind was introduced to the market in 1975. With the top two contenders for ‘best game in the industry’ combined into one, playing online video poker games comes with a lot of thrill and excitement.

Imaginative as they are, software providers have managed to come up with different iterations of video poker games to attract even more players to online casinos. In this piece, we look at some of the most popular video poker games you will encounter.

Keep reading to learn about the most profitable payouts for each game, rule differences, and other important aspects that differentiate one version of the game from another. Below is a table of all the games we feature in this piece.

Jacks or Better	Oasis Poker Classic
Deuces Wild	Texas Hold'em Poker
Video Poker Multihand	Progressive Video Poker
Tens or Better	Joker Poker

We dissect each of these variants to give you an in-depth look so that you know what free video poker games you should play, and which ones to play for real money. As you read on, you will learn all there is to know about the games to help you select a variation that suits your style. Each section includes rule changes as well as any game-changing features.

Jacks or Better

Jacks or Better is one of the most famous video poker variants available at legal US online casinos. The game is generous and has some unique features which we will review in the next lines.

Decks	One 52-card deck
Payout on Royal Flush	800
Players	1-7
Special Features and Rules	Players need a hand with a pair of jacks or better to win
RTP	99.54%
Available at Legal US Casinos	Yes

Signature Winning Hand

Jacks or Better is one of the quintessential video poker games. The game is played with a five-card draw that must be molded into a winning hand. A winning hand requires at least a pair of jacks. Players who know how to play the game know that the game is about deciding what cards to keep and which ones to discard through the rounds.

Low Pairs and High Pairs

Many professional players advise on keeping the low pairs when playing online video poker games unless you have three cards that can lead to a Royal Flush. It would be best to break the low pair when you have four cards leading to a Flush. This might be the game for you if you’re searching for a video poker game with the best odds.

Deuces Wild

Deuces Wild is another popular choice for an online video poker game that’s also relatively easy to win.

Decks	One 52-card deck
Payout on Royal Flush	800
Players	1-7
Special Features	The four deuce cards (2) are wild
RTP	99.54%
Available at Legal US Casinos	Yes

All Deuces (2s) are Wild

Deuces Wild has an extra feature that all four deuces (2) are wild. This means that they can replace any cards on your hand to form a hand with the highest value. It is easier to win a round of Deuces Wild because substituting deuces for other cards brings you one step closer to a winning hand.

Winning Strategy for Deuces Wild

When you’re dealt a hand with four deuces, it is recommended to keep all five cards since there’s no way to improve the draw. Also, a hand with three deuces is unlikely. Even so, strategy dictates that you hold all five cards, and go the Royal Flush route. On the other hand, if you’re dealt a hand with two deuces, it’s advised to keep the two deuces or any cards leading to a Royal Flush.

Players with a hand containing a single deuce should keep four or three cards leading to a Royal Flush or any Straight Flush. Also, keep three of a kind when you have a single deuce. Players that have no deuce in their hand should keep the highest paying hand. However, you should never hold four cards leading to a Royal Flush when you have already drawn a lower paying hand.

Of course, you don’t have to consider all this too much when playing a free video poker game.

Video Poker Multihand

Although it doesn’t offer a wonderful RTP, Video Poker Multihand is still an enjoyable game. Here are some of its features and strategies to win big.

Decks	One to 100 52-card decks
Payout on Royal Flush	800
Players	1-7
Special Features	Play 5, 25, 50 or 100 hands simultaneously
RTP	97.30%
Available at Legal US Casinos	Yes

Play Multiple Hands at the Same Time

Multi-hand video poker is among the video poker games that online software providers introduced to make the original game more exciting. Players choose to play 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100 hands at the same time. This is helpful for the player who is looking to make huge winnings when playing.

The game follows the same hand rankings as any other video poker game. Unlike single-hand video poker, players get duplicates of the first 5-card draw depending on the number of hands they choose to play. The decisions players make on their starting hand are reflected on all duplicate hands. If, for instance, you decide to hold certain cards on your starting hand, the same cards are held on all identical hands.

Also, separate bets must be made for each duplicate hand you play. Each hand is played on a separate 52-card deck. Another important note is that replacement cards for each hand are dealt independently and at random.

Tens or Better

Tens or Better is an entertaining game that is available at the majority of legal video poker sites in the US.

Decks	One 52-card deck
Payout on Royal Flush	800
Players	1-7
Special Features	Players win with a pair of tens or better
RTP	99.54%
Available at Legal US Casinos	Yes

Pair of Tens or Better for a Payout

Tens or Better is one of the online video poker games whose rules and style resemble Jacks or Better. It is easier to win at this game over other variants due to lower payouts for winning hands. To get a payout for your wager, you need to get at least a pair of tens. This doesn’t apply if you’re playing a free video poker game.

How to Win at Tens or Better

Winning is easiest when you’re aware of which hands you should take the risk for and which hands you should keep as they are. The tips you need for holding cards at Tens or Better are straightforward.

It’s advised never to break up a winning hand unless you have four out of the five cards you need to make a Royal Flush. Pairs below ten are only worth keeping when they form part of a Full House. Additionally, it’s advised to keep a pair of tens when you do not have anything better to play.

Moving forward, four of a kind are to be held, especially when the cards have high values. Also, you should keep two pairs and two high cards with matching suits. All three cards leading to a straight flush should be kept, as should all tens or better.

Oasis Poker Classic

Oasis Poker Classic is a variation of video poker which is played with 52 cards. On top of that, Oasis Poker Classic has a relatively high RTP and key features that can make your time more fun.

Decks	One 52-card deck
Payout on Royal Flush	800
Players	1-7
Special Features	Players can switch cards before the decision to raise or fold
RTP	98.92%
Available at Legal US Casinos	Yes

Switch Cards before the Raise or Fold Decision

Oasis Poker borrows much of its gameplay from Caribbean Stud Poker. The rules remain the same between the two games, except that the player can switch cards before the decision to fold.

The main wager is referred to as the Ante, and the player has the option to place a side bet. Also, players have the option to switch a single card and pay a non-refundable fee equal to the ante wager when they do this.

Choose When to Switch

Winning at Oasis Classic Poker is all about knowing when to switch cards. Players should be careful about the switch decision as it comes at a price.

We recommend switching a single card when you have four cards leading to a straight flush or a royal flush, even if it means breaking a pair. You should also switch one card when you have four to a flush with no pairs. Switching is also the best option when you have four cards leading to an outside straight with no pair.

Texas Hold’em Poker

Texas Hold’em is the most famous poker variant in the world. Although it has the lowest RTP of all video poker variations, it is still a preferred option by many players.

Decks	One 52-card deck
Payout on Royal Flush	100
Players	1-7
Special Features	Played with private and community cards
RTP	97.01%
Available at Legal US Casinos	Yes

Private and Up Cards

Texas Hold‘Em is played like any other poker game, except you have private and up cards. Players get two private cards as well as a maximum of five community cards. The player with the highest poker hand will win.

Technically, since you are playing against the dealer without affecting the bets from other players, the bluff is not applicable in this game version.

Progressive Video Poker

With its progressive jackpot on a royal flush, Progressive Video Poker is a fan favorite. Progressive video poker also offers a reasonably high RTP and is available in most US legal casinos.

Decks	One 52-card deck
Payout on Royal Flush	800
Players	1-7
Special Features	Progressive jackpot on Royal Flush
RTP	99.33%
Available at Legal US Casinos	Yes

A Progressive Jackpot for the Royal Flush

All video poker games found online have the royal flush as the hand with the highest payout. This is the single difference between progressive video poker and any other version of the game. Rather than have a fixed payout for the royal flush, progressive poker has an increasing prize for the royal flush.

As such, any video poker game could have a progressive jackpot attached to it. For instance, casinos offer games such as progressive Jacks or Better. Usually, the progressive jackpot helps make this the best video poker game to play for those looking to win big.

Joker Poker

Joker Poker boasts itself with a very high RTP and is played with a 53 card deck. There are interesting aspects to this game, and we will go through them in the following section.

Decks	One 53-card deck
Payout on Royal Flush	800
Players	1-7
Special Features	Joker card represents the wild
RTP	100.76%
Available at Legal US Casinos	Yes

Joker Card is Wild

Joker Poker is also referred to as Joker Wild. The game plays out similarly to Jacks or Better. The only difference between the two is the joker card's inclusion, which serves as the wild. This version of video poker can be found at various casinos as part of the free video poker games.

Best Video Poker Game to Play

There are hundreds of video poker games available to play online. All the different video poker games have small differences that can make one game stand out more to certain players. While there are many games to choose from, most of them base the gameplay on Jacks or Better or Deuces Wild.

Jacks or Better is arguably the best video poker game to play and should be the first game you try out if you just discovered video poker. The reason for this is because Jacks or Better has the most appealing payouts. What’s more, it’s considered the original video poker game. This means that Jacks or Better is a great video poker foundation to learn.

Deuces Wild is one of the preferable games for punters looking to make some winnings. Deuces are wild cards in such a game and can be used to replace any other cards in a 5-card hand to form a winning hand. This makes the game one of the most straightforward video poker versions to win, thanks to the numerous winning combinations and the likelihood of landing one.

Players should also consider playing Joker Poker for the simple fact that the joker card gives you more possibilities of winning. Also, Joker Poker has the same foundation as Jacks or Better, and this means that the same strategy can be used to win the game.

Video Poker Games FAQs

What is a multi-hand game?

Multi-hand is one of the best poker video games. It lets players take on more than a single hand during a game. You can play with more than one hand on multi-hand games, but this comes at a price.

What is the difference between video slots and video poker?

While video slot machines may have some similarities to video poker, the two are quite different. Players win by spinning the reels and getting matching symbols on pay lines when playing virtual slots. Video poker requires players to come with a winning poker hand from reels that use cards instead of symbols.

What should you keep between a low pair and a high card?

Professional players prefer to keep the low pair when faced with such options. This is because the high card does not always guarantee a winning hand that beats the dealer.

Can you play video poker online for real money?

Yes. Players can compete for real money when playing at legitimate online casinos. US customers are required to play at casinos registered in their home state as it is the only sure-fire way to find trustworthy operators. You can also play free video poker games that don’t need you to wager your bankroll.