How to Play Video Poker

Playing video poker is rather unique because it's not just regular poker, but instead numerous game variants of poker itself. You can find a host of different games offered on video poker machines such as Joker's Wild, Aces & Faces, and Double Bonus Poker among many others.

To begin playing video poker, find a machine on the casino floor or online casino and select the game off the menu of options that you like the most. Next, I recommend reviewing the rules of how to play video poker and different payout tables for whatever game you are about to start playing.

After reading the video poker game rules and selecting a payout table, you begin by placing a bet and drawing cards for the select game. Then, after carefully evaluating your hand, choose the action on the screen that's the most optimal play to give you the best chance of a winning hand. You may continue to play video poker hands until you run out of money or win enough money that you are satisfied with your casino experience.

Video poker strategy may vary depending on the game variant you select. However, the primary goal of video poker is to understand the different pay tables offered by each game to maximize your chances of winning. Usually, you'd want to maximize your betting units as much as possible and aim for getting the highest possible (suited) hands and cards, as these will reward you with the highest payouts possible.

Video poker offers one of the highest return to player percentages (RTP) in the casino, so that's why we recommend max betting and going for the highest pay table possible. You can expect your return to player percentage to be around 95% or more, meaning for every dollar wagered, you can expect to get back 95 cents. This allows for hours of play at any video poker machine with decent odds of getting a jackpot if you play long enough!

To start playing video poker at your favorite online casinos, you need to sign up for an account. If you live in a legal iGaming state, download your favorite casino app like bet365, DraftKings, or Caesars Palace Online Casino, then create an account and deposit money. From there, navigate to the casino menu, select the category of video poker, and choose a game variation like Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better, or Texas Hold'em. 

Video poker offers various game variants for players at the casino. Whether you want to play some of the classic card games like Pai Gow or Texas Hold'em, or play more unique games like Double Bonus Poker or Jacks or Better, you can do just that with video poker!

I recommend trying out as many different video poker games as possible to find the one that suits you best. Below, you'll find a more detailed breakdown of some of the most popular video poker games:

Double Bonus Poker is similar to a lot of the offerings you might find on the video poker menu. This poker game features a bonus for a poker hand that includes four of a kind. Having four aces will yield the highest payout besides a royal flush, which is always the highest payout for all of the video poker offerings.

For Double Bonus Poker, you get a five-card draw to start playing video poker. You select which cards you'd want to keep and discard the rest. You will then receive additional cards to replace your discarded ones, and then the round is scored, trying to get the best hand possible on the payout table with an emphasis on four of a kind.

Double Double Bonus Poker is very similar to Double Bonus Poker, except the pay table yields slightly higher payouts with more risk involved. As I described in the previous section, the goal of these two games is to achieve the highest possible poker hand, with an emphasis on four of a kind.

Double Double Bonus video poker again begins with a five-card draw, and you select which cards you want to discard or keep. You get to replace the cards you don't like in the initial deal one time, but then you are locked into the final hand. If you get a royal flush or four of a kind, you can receive a full payout for this video poker game, but if not, you can still win smaller amounts featured on the pay table.

Multi-Hand Video Poker, also known as Triple Play Video Poker, involves playing multiple poker hands simultaneously. This video poker game is recommended for players with a higher bankroll who want to play at a faster pace.

To play Multi-Hand Video Poker, each player has two or more initial hands containing five cards. From there, the game begins with the player selecting which cards they'd want to keep in each hand. Next, they are dealt additional cards to replace the ones they want to discard. Each hand will be scored individually against the pay table, with the best hand possible being a straight flush or a royal flush.

Joker's Wild, commonly referred to as Deuces Wild, is a very popular video poker game. This video poker game is just like the rest of the online video poker games I discussed above, but instead, the Jokers or 2's are wild cards and can be turned into any card needed to complete a hand against the pay table.

To play Deuces Wild, you are again dealt five cards. This time, you'll select which cards you want to discard of the five, but knowing that the 2's and/or Joker's are wild cards, keeping both is encouraged. The machine pays the highest for this game if you have a hand of five wild cards or deuces, but you can still use the wild cards to complete hands for other winning combinations.

Jacks or Better or Tens or Better is a fun and easy video poker game to play. The objective of this video poker game is to have a pair of jacks or better, and in some other video poker variations, to have tens or better to have a winning hand.

This online video poker game starts with every player being dealt five cards and discarding the ones they don't want (like the other variations). When choosing which poker cards to discard, keep in mind that a pair of jacks or better needs to be considered. After replacing your other cards, your hand can only be a winner if you have jacks or better, and the top hand is also still the royal flush.

Pai Gow is a popular card game at online casinos, but can also be played on video poker machines. This table poker game is unique because you are dealt seven cards and have to create two separate hands, with a combination of one of the best five cards possible and one of the other two cards you've been dealt. You also play this game traditionally against the dealer and have to win both hands to win real money.

Pai Gow starts by being seven cards being dealt to the player(s) and the dealer. You then have to create the best possible five-card hand and stick it in the back, and make a second two-card hand and place it in the front. Then, you'll compare it to the dealer, and if you win both hands, you win the game. If you push your hands, you get your money back. If you lose both hands, you lose money. There are also bonus bets that can be made that'll allow your hand to be compared against the video poker payout table.

Learn more about Pai Gow by reading our Pai Gow rules and strategy guide.

Caribbean Stud is a fun video poker game that involves the player versus the dealer. The objective of this poker game is to have your five cards beat the dealer while also having a jackpot bet option on the side that can be won against the pay tables.

Caribbean Stud starts by placing an ante, which is followed by the player and dealer being dealt five cards. Next, the player can fold or wager a play token equal to their ante bet. The play token is active only if the dealer's hand has a queen or better, and if not, the ante bet is the only amount that can be won. Compare the two hands, and the winning hand, either the dealer's or the player's, receives the money. However, the player can also opt into the jackpot bonus, which will compare their five cards against a payout table regardless of whether they beat the dealer or not.

Texas Hold' Em on a video poker machine is slightly different than playing poker at an online casino because you are only playing against the dealer. You can also place a bonus bet on the side to compare to the pay table.

To start playing Texas Hold'em, the player makes an ante bet, and they are dealt two cards along with the dealer. After the flop, the player can then call, which is an additional bet of two times their ante, or they can fold. After choosing to call or fold, your hand is compared to the dealer's hand and paid out if you're a winner. If you made a bonus bet, you could be paid out more if you have a straight or better.

Aces & Faces is similar to Jacks or Better video poker. The objective of Aces & Faces is to get the best possible hand, with more bonuses being paid for getting a royal flush or four of a kind aces. In order to qualify for winning money, you need to have a pair of jacks or better.

Aces & Faces starts with the player being dealt five cards and deciding which cards to discard. Then, like the other video poker games I mentioned in this section, those cards will be replaced. You'll then be able to get paid out real money if you have jacks or better.

Playing free poker online is an excellent way to practice and learn the game, allowing players to hone their skills and strategies without the risk of losing real money.

Check out our list of casinos where you can play free poker online!   

• Another casino where you can play video poker is Sweepslots.

Video poker games generally have similar pay tables and hand rankings. Here are the odds for each video poker hand: 

• Learn Pay Tables: Each video poker machine has numerous games with different pay tables
• Know Hand Rankings: Hand rankings are important to determine odds of the winning hand
• Maximum Bet: Place a max bet (within your limits) to give yourself the best chance of getting the best rewards on high hands
• Know What Cards To Keep: Know what cards are more valuable to keep and which ones to discard
• Have A Budget: Video poker games are tough to beat, so have a budget and stick to it

Video poker games have become more popular, and more states have started to legalize online casinos. You can play video poker at online casinos in New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Delaware. However, if you want to play at land-based casinos, video poker is offered in around 44 different states at your favorite casinos like Caesars, MGM, and BetRivers.

Online poker is currently legal in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Delaware. For more legal information regarding your state, take a look at our online casino legalization tracker.  

When playing video poker at any online casino, I recommend following the national responsible gambling initiatives and betting responsibly. Please have a bankroll and stick to it. If you start to lose more than you're comfortable with, stop playing. You can reach out to 1-800-Gambler if you are having gambling problems. Playing video poker in a safe online casino environment benefits everyone. 

For more information, take a look at our responsible gambling resources.