The Aim of the Game
Internet video poker is a combination of Poker and online slot machines.
It involves playing poker against a machine, such that unlike regular poker,
you are aiming to get a poker hand that is higher than the machine's hand.
The Rules of Internet Video Poker
Video Poker follows very similar rules to regular poker.
5 Card Draw Table is the basis for the Video Poker game, and as such it is imperative that you are aware of its rules when playing.
The following outlines its most important rules, as well as aspects unique to online Video poker:
- The value of the cards ascends in order from lowest to highest face value, other than Ace which is one point higher than the King, and always a high value.
- The winning poker hands in order from highest to lowest:
| Royal Flush |
Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10 |
| Straight Flush |
Any same-suited 5 card sequence |
| 4 of a Kind |
4 of the same numbered cards |
| Full House |
3 of a kind + 1 pair |
| Flush |
Any same suited 5 cards |
| Straight |
Any 5 card sequence |
| 3of a kind |
3 of the same numbered cards |
| 2 Pair |
2 separate pairs of same valued cards |
| 1 Pair |
2 same valued cards |
- When two players have the same hand, the hand with the higher card value wins.
- To raise, ante, fold and match are actions in poker that cannot be applied to Video poker because they involve more than one player.
- Each online casino or poker room can decide how many cards it will allow you to exchange after the first round (explained later). To keep your cards rather than exchange them is to stay.
The Course of an Internet Video Poker Game
Internet Video Poker is played differently from online poker,
and requires that you are familiar with the buttons and features of the software in order to play.
The following steps outline the course of a regular internet Video Poker game:
I. Once you have downloaded Video Poker software and registered an account at the casino, choose an online Video Poker game that has a maximum bet that you are comfortable with playing at.
Checking the payout tables along-side the games can help you with this.
II. Once in the game, place your bet my inserting coins into the machine.
III. To begin the game and be dealt your first 5 cards, press either the “deal”, “start”, or “draw” button.
IV. Once dealt your hand you will be able to exchange all or some of the cards once, according to what you believe will improve your hand. To keep a card, press the hold button lying beneath it.
To exchange a card, leave the hold button unmarked.
V. The Video Poker machine will now replace the cards you did not mark to hold.
The newly dealt cards will constitute your final hand, which will decide whether or not you've won.
This marks the end of round and, and the game can be continued by repeating this process.
Watching out for Internet Video Poker Payout Tables
The payouts change dramatically from Video Poker variation to variation,
and this can greatly increase your level of financial success at Video Poker.
The following table displays the payout for Jacks or Better, which is the most common form of Video Poker played:
| Royal Flush |
940 |
0.000026 |
| Straight Flush |
50 |
0.000111 |
| 4 of a Kind |
25 |
0.002360 |
| Full House |
9 |
0.011502 |
| Flush |
6 |
0.011050 |
| Straight |
4 |
0.011279 |
| 3of a kind |
3 |
0.074344 |
| 2 Pair |
2 |
0.129152 |
| 1 Pair |
1 |
0.213534 |
|