Online Poker Games

Video Poker

Video Poker is one of the favourite poker games and has been a favourite of gamblers for years. It combines the elements of both poker and slots. Video poker is one of the few games in the casino where you can actually find a positive expectation of winning. In contrast to "pure luck" games such as slots or roulette, video poker combines the elements of luck and strategy. With enough practice, you can learn how to play video poker like a professional!!

A few pointers before you play Video Poker.

Play Carefully - You don't have a dealer or other players waiting for you, so take your time in making the best decisions.

The video poker machines have no memory. The random number generator insures it. Play each hand like you don't remember what happened in the last hand.

Playing Hunches - There are many who know the strategy, but still play hunches. This is fine as long as you realise that you are lowering your odds of winning for the pleasure of playing the hunch. Sometimes hunches work and it feels pretty good.

Know the Paytables - Understanding the paytables, and using them to find better machines, is the single most important thing you can do to increase your winnings.

Below are some typical Video Poker paytables. The tables below assume maximum credit play (with a Royal paying 4000 credits) and the percentages are rounded. Notice that the only differences in the pay tables are the credits won for a full house or a flush. This is what accounts for the differences in payout percentages. Since the odds of receiving winning hands remain the same, there is absolutely no reason to play a machine that only pays 6 credits for a full house and 5 credits for a flush (a "6/5" machine). Always play the 9/6 machines when you can.

What is the element of Luck - Outcomes are governed by a random number generator, hereafter known as an RNG. The RNG cycles through random numbers at about 1000 per second when the machine is sitting idle. At the moment you signal the machine to deal, the RNG gives the machine a number that corresponds to a card combination to display, as well as replacement cards. The available combinations in the RNG match those that could be dealt by a 52 card deck, with the same probabilities you would find in a poker game. The odds of receiving a particular hand from the start are fixed. For instance, the chance of receiving a royal flush without drawing is 1 in every 649,740 hands.

What is the best Strategy - Because you are allowed to discard, strategy does come into play. The key is to discard in a manner that gives you the the highest expectation of winning. Using such a strategy will give you the best chances of winning in the long run. Optimal strategy will change depending on the rules of the video poker game you are playing. Optimal strategy may also change with different pay tables. Often, you must play maximum credits in order to take advantage of the highest expectation.