Video poker is a digital adaptation of the classic card game, available at online casinos. It blends traditional poker elements with slot features, offering an innovative yet simple gaming experience. The objective, like in traditional poker, is to form the strongest five-card hand to win.
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How to Play Video Poker?
As mentioned, online video poker blends elements of traditional poker and slot machines. To start, set your bet and click the Deal button. The software will then deal five cards, face-up. These cards have suits and ranks identical to classic poker.
Afterward, you have the chance to discard and replace cards to form the strongest hand possible. You can choose to keep some, all, or none of the cards. Simply click the ones you wish to hold and press the Deal button again for new cards to be drawn. The outcome is randomized, which is where video poker shares similarities with slots.
| Hands | Explanation |
|---|---|
| High Card | This hand has no matching cards. For example, it could contain K, J, 7, 5, and 3. It’s the lowest possible rank and rewards no payout in most video poker games. |
| One Pair | A one-pair hand features two cards of the same rank, like 9, 9, 7, 5, and 2. |
| Two Pair | You score this rank if you have two sets of pairs, such as Q, Q, 2, 2, and 5. |
| Three of a kind | This hand contains three cards of the same rank, like Q, Q, Q, 9, and 2. |
| Straight | This hand is one with five consecutive cards of any suit. An example is getting 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. |
| Flush | You get a flush if your hand includes five non-consecutive cards but from the same suit. |
| Full House | A full house is three of a kind and a pair. For example, 7, 7, Q, Q, Q. |
| Four of a kind | As the name says, this hand contains four cards of the same rank. 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, is a good example. |
| Straight Flush | This means getting five straight cards of the same suit. For example, you have a straight flush if you get Q, J, 10, 9, and 8, all hearts. |
| Royal Flush | A royal flush features A, K, Q, J, and 10 of the same suit. It’s the highest possible hand you can get in video poker. |
What is the Difference Between Video Poker and Live Poker?
Video poker and live poker share the same card suits and hand rankings, but they differ in gameplay. In video poker, players replace cards to form the strongest hand, with payouts based on the ranking. In live poker, players compete against each other, placing bets and making actions like call, check, raise, or fold to win the pot.